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WTT5000 15kW WIND TURBINE WITH 10-11500 15M SELF-SUPPORTING TOWER
Proven Proven Energy Southland Park, Stewarton, Ayrshire, KA3 5LH, Scotland Tel +44 (0) 1560 485 570 Fax +44 (0) 1560 485 580 E-mail [email protected] Web www.provenenergy.com
Here is some information relevant to the planning process for the small windmill systems manufactured by Proven Engineering. Please feel free to pass this information on to planning officers and encourage them to contact us direct.
We now have over 200 installations in the UK supplying a diverse range of applications from hilltop telecommunications sites to domestic heating and electricity.
In general planning officers and committees have little first-hand information or experience on which to base their decisions as regards small wind turbines (2-9 metre rotor diameter). They have all heard of the hullabaloo surrounding large commercial wind turbines (45-80 metre rotor diameter) and are wary of issues such as visual intrusion and noise.
In practice, neither of these issues is a problem for small wind turbines - a recent domestic customer survey indicated that Proven customers would all be happy to have the turbine closer to their house than they have it at present. Present distances vary from under 10 metres to 150 metres: the turbine being sited for best wind resource.
We have over 25 turbines in sensitive areas such as National Parks, nature reserves and other protected sites, see attached list for details.
Please feel free to contact any of the people on our Reference Site List or to visit our test machine outside our factory at Stewarton. If these sites are too far away to visit we will contact our nearest customer to the proposed site and try to arrange a mutually convenient meeting.
Figure 1: Proven WT2500 (6.5m to hub) beside wind farm turbine (approx 40m to hub)
See also scale drawine enclosed at end of this pack
The Proven WT15000 wind turbine stands on a 15m pole (50') - not much bigger than a standard wooden telephone pole of which there must be millions in this country. Our installations often save the need for a new grid link requiring perhaps 10 or 20 of these wooden poles with attendant overhead lines trailing across the countryside.
The windmill rotor blades are black and quickly merge into the background scenery.
For example we have a turbine beside a house on the hill above the town of Largs in Ayrshire. Planners were initially concerned that it would be clearly visible from the town below. However, two and a half years after installation people in Largs town centre are generally unaware of its presence and once pointed out they struggle to pick it out at a distance of half a mile (it is difficult to see against the hill) and are not in the least threatened by it!
Our wind generators are expressly designed to be quiet and people friendly.
Readings from the WT15000 in light and high winds are as follows.
Background noise: The reading from my A.T.P. SL-25 Portable Sound Meter indicated 65dB(A) due to background wind noise plus noise from wind swishing through the small trees approximately 5m away.
Windmill noise: Pointing my sound meter directly at the rotors while standing at the base of the machine produced a reading of 60dB(A), while a gentle swishing noise was heard. (Passing cars, moving at approximately 40m.p.h at a distance of 15 metres caused the readings to rise to between 70 and 80dB(A)).
The noise in a gentle breeze (12m.p.h) 5m/s is around 40dB(A): again not more than the background wind noise level.
Anecdotal Evidence
Our test machine is situated 25m from the front door of our workshop. The main office is single glazed and we never hear it. However, we can hear the traffic on the B-road, a further 15m away, which has traffic moving at 30-50mph.
Recent customers Mr and Mrs Chapman are delighted with how quiet their Proven Wind Turbine (address supplied on request). The attention to noise reduction at the design stage has, according to the Chapmans, reduced noise output to a level below that produced by their previous windmill, which produced only 100Watts maximum with a diameter of 0.9m!
Note on planning advice on small wind turbines from SNH
Scottish Natural Heritage has released specific guidance on location of wind farms in Scotland. This is contained in their policy statement "STRATEGIC LOCATIONAL GUIDANCE FOR ONSHORE WIND FARMS IN RESPECT OF THE NATURAL HERITAGE" to be read in conjunction with the National Planning Policy Guidelines on renewable energy (NPPG6).
Paragraph 7 deals specifically with smaller wind turbines such as those manufactured by Proven and states that the special rules required for wind farms do not apply to small scale wind turbines:-
"The guidance only applies to the consideration of onshore wind farms, and it excludes small wind developments of a domestic or small business scale, typically single turbines of under 50kW capacity, which may be accommodated satisfactorily in most landscapes and in relation to which strategic guidance of this sort is unnecessary."
Paragraph 4 indicates that
"[SNH] supports the Government's policy to increase the generation of electricity from renewable sources in Scotland."
I hope this information is helpful - certainly the experience of previous installations indicates that, once first-hand information is available to the relevant officers and committees, planning permission should be straightforward.
Brendan Reid Proven Engineering Products Ltd Tel 01560 485 570 Fax 01560 485 580 May 2003
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