Micro-wind Turbines in UK Not Really That Efficient & Sustainable

December 4, 2007 - While wind-powered energy is doing wonders in cutting our dependence on oil, some types of wind-power are proving to be less effective than originally thought. In fact, some of this wind energy is contributing more to global warming, rather than taking away from it. Large turbines feeding local utilities are certainly worth their weight in gold; However, it turns out that micro-wind turbines are not paying back their weight in Carbon emissions.

According to a study by the Building Research Establishment Trust in UK, micro-wind turbines mounted on individual homes are contributing more Carbon emissions than they are helping to save. How is this possible you ask? Although it's not in the actual operation of the micro-wind turbines that is producing more Carbon emissions, it appears that because of the methods used in the manufacturing, installation and maintenance of the turbines, the overall emissions attributed to the turbines is greater than using standard utility electricity.

Even the savings in electricity costs is not panning out as some might expect. In other words, the cost for purchasing the micro-wind turbines is not outweighing the savings in electric utility costs over the lifetime of the turbines. And for most consumers, no financial payback unfortunately amounts to no more green energy.

The study analyzed the performance of three common micro-wind turbines used in Manchester, Portsmouth and Wick (Scotland) homes. To not discredit all of the wind turbines, some of the homes in "good locations" (smaller cities) were said to have paid back their cost in a matter of months. It was throughout most of Manchester where the payback and carbon dioxide emissions were not being offset by the micro-wind turbines.

The lesson of this is not to abstain from using micro-wind turbines, but rather, is to research your turbines carefully before making a purchase. Depending on where you live, installing one to supply energy to your home may or may not be the most productive energy saving and emission saving option for you.

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