Costs

The cost of a system will depend on the size and the mounting method: building-mounted turbines cost less to install than pole-mounted ones. For equipment and installation, with VAT at 5%:

• a roof-mounted 1kW microwind system costs around £2,000
• a 2.5kW pole-mounted system costs around £15,000
• a 6kW pole-mounted system costs around £22,500. 

Maintenance

Maintenance checks are necessary every few years, and will generally cost around £100 to £200 per year depending on turbine size. A well-maintained turbine should last more than 20 years, but you may need to replace the inverter at some stage during this time, at a cost of £1,000 to £2,000 for a large system.

For off-grid systems, batteries will also need replacing, typically every six to ten years. The cost of replacing batteries varies depending on the design and scale of the system. Any back-up generator will also have its own fuel and maintenance costs.

Savings

Building-mounted turbines tend to produce less electricity per kW than pole-mounted ones. A well-sited 6kW turbine can generate around 10,000kWh per year:

• equivalent to around 5.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year
• generating income and savings, if eligible for Feed-In Tariffs, of around £3,200 a year

How do wind turbines work?

Wind turbines use large blades to catch the wind. When the wind blows, the blades are forced round, driving a turbine which generates electricity. The stronger the wind, the more electricity produced.

There are two types of domestic-sized wind turbine:

• Pole mounted: these are free standing and are erected in a suitably exposed position, often around 5kW to 6kW
• Building mounted: these are smaller than mast mounted systems and can be installed on the roof of a home where there is a suitable wind resource. Often these are around 1kW to 2kW in size.

Wind turbines are eligible for the UK government’s Feed-in-Tariffs which means you can earn money from the electricity generated by your turbine. You can also receive payments for the electricity you don't use and export to the local grid. To be eligible, the installer and wind turbine product must be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). If your turbine is not connected to the local electricity grid (known as off grid), unused electricity can be stored in a battery for use when there is no wind. Please note that the Feed-in Tariffs scheme is not available in Northern Ireland.

This video focuses on two electricity-generating technologies for the home: wind turbine and solar electricity