Shetland windfarm - Viking Energy

[Claudias]

^ ^

 

A city is built up from small,local districts.

[Medziotojas]

...and large high-rise buildings that use a lot of resources. All I'm saying is that although a small scale windfarm may be a sensible approach for Shetland, we're still going to be burning up a lot of resources powering major cities on a global scale.

 

Of course we should be conserving energy wherever possible; using less water, electricity, etc., but it's sickening to see that the people burning the most resources always want more.

[sheepshagger]

I would much rather see the CT give grants to every household in Shetland to put a domestic wind generator on each house doing this would remove the need for a large power station in the islands completely.

It would fit the bill as to being environmentaly friendly, every household would benefit instead of the few households occupied by the directors of VE.

The initial cost would be in the region of £750 - £1000/ household a mere fraction of the amount DT and the like want us to invest in their pension fund. running costs nil, maintenance costs virtually nil, savings to the community in reduced electric bills huge and rising every year,

The cost of this scheme will be comparable to the cost of the feasability study for the plans they have at the moment.

But of course small scale economically viable ideas like this just are not sexy enough I guess, and as no one is likely to make millions from it then you wont get the lobbying that DT is pushing at the moment.

[Njugle]

Unless the ownership of the individual turbines, solar panels or heat pumps remains with the local energy company, and the customer pay a lease or straightforward bill to them, which in turn goes back to the CT, i'd estimate that a scheme such as that would achieve near as much per annum for the CT as the projected 16 million the VE scheme is gambling on, at a lower initial cost. And no gamble.

[ArabiaTerra]

The initial cost would be in the region of £750 - £1000/ household

 

I would appreciate it if you would provide details on how you could power a house in Shetland, 365 days a year for £750-£1000.

 

That is a fantasy figure. You just made that up!

 

Seriously though, I reckon the cost would be more like £10-£20,000 and would be seriously dependent on the site. There's no way you could power a town house like that, let alone a flat. Possible if you live on a South facing slope, near the top of the hill and with a big enough park in front of the house for the heatpump!

[Guest Anonymous]

Yes of course Arabia T , it would likely cost a bit more than this to deliver the total power of electricity to the average house in shetland for a year by way of renewable energy , especially the amount of electricity the average house burns at present in the modern world !!

But you may notice that ole Sheep Fornicator did state " initial cost " and I am sure he was not suggestin that this initial cost would deliver total yearly power usage , but may help reduce what they require from old smokey oot at gremista. And hopefully help people come to terms with the hard facts which we will all have to learn in years to come and thats how we will have to use less.

Regardin small private house size windmills , I am told they were several households in shetland from after world war one until the 1950's who had small turbines to power perhaps a few lightbulbs and the wireless.

Especially so in fishin communities such as burra & whalsa so as to listen to the boats news .

I would be keen to learn more about this if anybody out there has details of the type of equipment and the power they produced.

[sheepshagger]

Yes yes AT yet again you have found me out driveling sharn

B&Q sell domestic wind turbines for less than £1500 retail and this is with installation, If we went to the manufacturer direct we would be looking to pay half that price especially since we would be ordering in the region of 6000 units.

On the mainland where they have a lot less wind as us these turbines produce a significant percentage of the electricity used by an average household, and we all have heard how much better the wind is up here.

Taking Njugle's sugestion and stick some solar panels on your roof also and we would be damn near self sufficiant.

[Fjool]

Am currently investigating the possibility of buying a turbine. I think it's a very good idea. Local, micro-production of energy is a good way forward.

 

My question at the moment is one of reliability and longevity. It is all very well putting up a turbine but it would take a while to pay for itself and if it requires much maintenance, or breaks too quickly, this could tip the balance.

[Hollian]

We are discussing making a windmill for our own use. This guy has been recommended to us.

http://www.scoraigwind.com/axialplans/index.htm

[Styumpie]

This is the turbine I have been looking into, efficient and also cheap, http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MiniWind-2200-Downwind-Wind-Turbine-Generator_W0QQitemZ260205509235QQihZ016QQcategoryZ41981QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

droilker, My grandfather had a wind turbine running lights around the 1950's, I still have the blades from it, 3 blades around 2ft long, hand carved from a plan I think, i'll try and find out more info.

[Twerto]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44374000/jpg/_44374198_housestewartmilnepa203.jpg

 

my new home

[Guest Anonymous]

To Add to sheepshafters proposal to equip shetland homes with wind generating units , rather than bulk buying them from b&q , why not award a contract to shetlands own very talented workforce of engineers and welder / fabricators to design and build the range of mills required!!

After all da b & q ones are probably hellery dats been made in china and wont be robust enough.

There would be a need for a variety of designs to suit different terrain and locations around the isles .

For instance some council estates snadvien / nederdale / bixter houses / hulsidale etc etc could have larger ones to feed multiple numbers of houses .

Also the only money to leave the isles would be to buy raw materials and perhaps certain parts of the generator.

You could also rent from the C.T & then the money will be flowing back in.

[trout]

^^ very good point.

 

I remember being along this guy just outside Stirling some time back who was selling wind generators. He was really looking for government grants for sticking the things on the roofs of local government housing (high-rises) rather as selling to individuals.

 

His "machine", for want of a better word, would have been "laid in sheeite" in Shetland in a good gale anyhow ....

 

... so a build able to withstand Shetland winds could be a nice little industry in itself.

 

I can't believe people haven't already considered this - there must be economic factors that will stunt it's viability, no?

[sheepshagger]

I only used the B&Q to prove to the doubter among us that my pricing wasn't fantasy. I do know of a guy in Thurso that installed one on his house it was still going strong after 3 years and had paid for itself, something DTs proposal will never do, far less after 3 years.

I doubt there is that much differance in the wind between Thurso and Shetland (except maybe for the hot air that blows out of some folk).

there are already domestic turbines in Shetland slightly larger than the ones I've seen down the road and they have been opperating for a few years now, proven technology proven economics, minimal outlay and no greedy boobalubes trying to get rich at the rest of us expense.

[Twerto]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7208991.stm