Wind turbines

This is how wind turbines generate electricity from wind.

1. Wind blows over the turbine, forcing the blades to rotate.
2. The rotating blades connect to gears that drive a generator.
3. The generator turns the kinetic energy of the moving blades into electricity.
4. An inverter transforms the direct current (DC) from the generator into alternating current (AC) to use in the home.
5. Electricity travels into a transformer that transports the energy to your home or the grid.

The turbines spin in one of two ways:

Cut your electricity bills

Wind is free, so once you’ve paid for the initial installation and maintenance costs, your electricity costs will be reduced.

Store electricity to use later

If you have battery storage, you can store excess electricity from wind turbines and solar panels to use later.

Get paid to export extra electricity

If you’re generating more electricity than you can use or store, you may be able to use the Smart Export Guarantee. This scheme pays you to export extra electricity to the grid. This is only for people in Great Britain.

Cut your carbon dioxide emissions

Wind generated electricity is renewable energy and doesn’t release any carbon dioxide emissions. Installing a turbine will lower your carbon emissions by around 2,000kg in Great Britain (GB) and 2,000kg in Northern Ireland (NI).

The cost of a wind turbine system depends on:

• the size of the turbine
• how you want to mount it

Building-mounted turbines cost less to install than pole-mounted ones, but they tend to be smaller and less efficient.

For equipment and installation, a 6kW pole-mounted system costs around £35,000.

There are currently no specific schemes that can help fund a wind turbine installation. If you’re interested in installing a turbine but concerned about the cost, you could consider a community-owned wind project. Projects like these are one of the priorities for Great British Energy.

A well-sited 6kW turbine could save you around £440 a year in GB and £550 NI.

If you use the Smart Export Guarantee, you could also get more money in export payments. This applies to Great Britain only – for Northern Ireland, speak to your energy supplier to see if they offer an export tariff.

In Wales and Northern Ireland, you must have planning permission before you install a wind turbine.

For England and Scotland, the rules are more complex. In some specific situations, you might not need planning permission. But it’s best to contact your local planning officer beforehand to make sure.

Find your local planning office:

• England
• Scotland
• Wales
• Northern Ireland

We recommend getting quotes from at least three different installers who are certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). Find qualified installers in your area.

Your installer can assess your property and recommend a suitably sized wind turbine.

If you live in Scotland, you can read case studies of homeowners who’ve installed turbines on the Green Homes Network.

Sign up to Energywire, our monthly newsletter full of news, advice and tips on energy saving and renewable energy options.

Sign up to our newsletter