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Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 06 9:04 am Post subject: Windsave
Anyone know if any real progress has been made? Last time I checked it out they were 'around' £1500 and planning permission 'probably' wouldn't be required, oh and they could be plugged straight into your system by a 13am plug. It's technology that I really, really want to see working, but the claims don't appear to be backed up by practical examples.......yet.

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 06 10:04 am Post subject: Re: Windsave

Jonnyboy wrote:

... the claims don't appear to be backed up by practical examples.......yet.

Shouldn't that be "... yet still the claims don't appear to be backed up by practical examples ??

Hugh Piggott is one of the foremost authorities on small-scale, domestic and DIY windpower.

Hugh Piggott wrote:

Rooftop wind turbines are a load of nonsense

Anyone who has experience in the industry knows that wind turbines require substantial quantities of wind to produce power. There may be strong gusts and turbulence around buildings but only a small amount of power is available in such locations.
There are a number of manufacturers of rooftop wind turbines. They have sprung up to meet popular demand. There is no evidence that their products can deliver what they claim.

https://www.scoraigwind.com/

His site has links to, among others, this one
https://www.oceansolar.com/winex.html
These guys installed a variety of different small turbines on their house. All are rather smaller than the Windsave concept.
The biggest claims less than half the output *claimed* by Windsave.
Nevertheless, its interesting to see what they had to do to isolate the mounting from the building structure, (The 'Mounts' link), and their practical experiences of different bits of kit, (the 'Rejected' link...)

Here's another link posted by Hugh Piggott
https://www.wind-works.org/articles/RoofTopMounting.html

And here's the discussion on the Otherpower board, after it was announced that Windsave planned to sell to the US market...
https://www.fieldlines.com/story/2005/12/15/101956/33

I wonder how the planned sale of shares is coming?
https://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/business.cfm?id=2107132005

Has anyone heard from Nathan? He hasn't been trumpeting how much power the thing has generated. Is that a good sign?

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 06 10:47 am Post subject:
The scoraigwind link makes depressing reading. I never had much of a problem with the roof mounting principle, but then my expectations have always been modest. And I agreed with the argument that producing a limited amount of renewable energy is better than none at all.

Blue Peter

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 2400
Location: Milton Keynes

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 06 11:07 am Post subject:

Jonnyboy wrote:

And I agreed with the argument that producing a limited amount of renewable energy is better than none at all.

But pooling the resources of a number of people might be a more efficient way of generating renewable energy (e.g. a 100 kW turbine costing 100K might be better than 100 windsaves),

Peter.

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 06 11:12 am Post subject:

Blue Peter wrote:

Jonnyboy wrote:

And I agreed with the argument that producing a limited amount of renewable energy is better than none at all.

But pooling the resources of a number of people might be a more efficient way of generating renewable energy (e.g. a 100 kW turbine costing 100K might be better than 100 windsaves),

Peter.

I would love that, but out of a 1000 people I'd be lucky to get 100 willing to help out, and there's only about 30 people within half a mile of me!!

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 06 11:15 am Post subject:

Jonnyboy wrote:

The scoraigwind link makes depressing reading.

Did you follow through to this one?
https://www.oceansolar.com/rejwintur1.html

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 06 11:15 am Post subject:
You'll just have to sit in the dark until the urban sprawl reaches you then.

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 06 11:23 am Post subject:

dougal wrote:

Jonnyboy wrote:

The scoraigwind link makes depressing reading.

Did you follow through to this one?
https://www.oceansolar.com/rejwintur1.html

Yep, the Rutlands going bang at 30mph below max was 'interesting'

these are local to me. https://www.galeforce.nireland.co.uk/index.html

Take a look at 'Fortis' under the windpower link, some spectacular failures!

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 06 11:26 am Post subject:

sean wrote:

You'll just have to sit in the dark until the urban sprawl reaches you then.

???

The Windsave concept is for roof mounting and *requires* a mains connection. If there's a mains power cut, a Windsave shuts off too.

In a rural situation, a turbine on an exposed site, well away from obstructions can be an excellent solution.
The 'wind climate' is the first essential.
I am profoundly sceptical about Windsave's concept of *low* *roof* mounting in an *urban* environment.
My concern is the large amount of aggro (vibration, noise, property risks, high maintenance from running in turbulence, etc) compared to the small amount of power generated. And that's before the PR damage of a Greenwash campaign encouraging folk to spend their money on something they would come to perceive as an expensive nuisance. And if it annoys rather than inspires the neighbours, then its even worse.

H.I.S

Joined: 22 Apr 2006
Posts: 40

Posted: Sat Apr 22, 06 10:16 pm Post subject:

HI. We installed one of the first windsave turbines on HMP Whymot many many months ago. We are still waiting for the go ahead to offer them to the public. Price is to be around 1800 and yea you can plug directly into the wall.
I agree with the fact they rnt to be mounted high there for not really in the wind, however if you add a grant to one of these they wont be very costly. Its a waiting game really to see what happens with regard to grants and price. Planning will probly be required.

Let all just wait and see

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