build your own wind turbine

[laura]

Hi everyone,

i have asked Pat if she could look into hosting a "build your own wind turbine" workshop by Hugh piggott (google his name for info)


We had looked into Bob going to him for a workshop,but it is quite expensive+ travel and accommodation

So if we had enough people interested,perhaps we could get funding.

it makes more sense and would be " greener" if Hugh Piggot could come here.

Any one interesred??

[Pat]

Hi Laura

I've contacted Hugh but he is too busy to come to Shetland in the near future. However, there are 2 or 3 places available in June at Scoraig, near Ullapool. Wales in October is also an option if there are a few more folks interested.

I am looking into the possibility of getting funding for this as a community project just now and it is possible that we might have to work with the North Isles on this, which would be an excellent opportunity for sharing information.

Pat

[Pat]

The "How to build a wind turbine" Workshop courses with Hugh Piggott website details are:

www.scoraigwind.com/buildyo/index.htm

[laura]

thanks Pat.

i think this is something that could well interest crofters. crofters have for years recycled "stuff" and made do with the materials they had to hand.

ultimately agriculture will become very input sensitive, because oil will become dearer. Everything extra we feed will be more expensive and so will the cost of transporting it here.

If you can cut down your costs IE electricity,this will help.

also if any crofter choses to diversify into the B&B market for instance,a windmill might help attract the "green tourist"

Not all crofters work on a big scale,so not everyone has the money to put up a manufactured windmill.

[peterj]

Sorry if this seems downbeat on the subject. Hopefully somebody has a good argument against me.

I'm all for homebuilding wind generators (probably have a go myself someday), but I do wonder why you would want to spend 600 pound to learn how to build a 500w generator (and still have to buy the materials and probably some tools to build your own), when you could buy new for about the same sort of money.

I also wonder if anybody with the skill and resources to sucessfully build one for themselves post workshop couldn't do so after reading one of the many books (probably some in the library?) on the subject instead.

Now if the workshop was designed around building something sensible sized like around the 3 - 5 kw mark that might be different. Unfortunately I suspect that the inherent dangers of building something that size/weight/energy potential would offer too much liability risk to run a course.

[heimdal]

Before the arrival of mains electricity throughout Shetland, it was very common to see individual 'wind generators' on poles outside croft houses. Lots of these were home made and produced 12v which went into batteries and the power was used just for lighting. Having the batteries meant that there was still power available when there was no wind. The posh ones were made by Lucas, if I remember rightly ; someone somewhere must have an idea of what they cost in the 50's.

[laura]

Well, peterj....you are right,we don`t want to spend that sort of money on a workshop. hence my suggestion to host one here.

We want to attend a workshop for several reasons.

in my experience going to a workshop often gives you many tips ans wrinkles on a subject.

they also can give you a lot of confidence to tackle something.

i read endless books on cheesemaking,but it took a day workshop at the agricultural college to really get me going.we have lots of books on turbines.

You also get to (hate this term)network with people with a similar interest.

I have remained in contact and made many friends with people on that course. i also call Kathy Biss,from Highland dairies,who ran the day, for trouble shooting.

I Take your point re size of the turbine...however i personally know of 3 wind turbines made by a big leader in the field that have failed to live up to their promises. 2 of which are not working at all !! ....brand new. The owners are unable to do anything about it themselves,either because of warranty or lack of practical knowledge.

When you build something yourself,you tend to have more insight into why/how it works and how to fix it. we also do not want something that entails calling out an engineer to fix,or obtaining an expensive spare part.

We live on a very low (cash) income.Though we are lucky enough to produce our own meat,milk,veg etc. Making a wind turbine,as opposed to buying one(which we could not afford even with grants) is in line with our way of life.

I think we would hope to have several small turbines rather than one big one.....but I`m the non techy side of the partnership.

[peterj]

Hi Laura

Very pleased that the arguments I hoped for have appeared.

I certainly wouldn't want to discourage anybody from getting into this kind of thing.

Even if you do go to the workshop, do as much reading on the subject as you can first. There's a huge amount of fairly friendly information on the net these days.

If you don't get to go on the workshop, can I suggest that you just get on with the job anyway. Most of the networking advantages can be had these days from joining some of the many forums.

While I do agree that spending money to go to a workshop will get you motivated to start a project, I also find that buying some shiney (or in my case more usually dirty, greasy and rusty - but hopefully perfectly serviceable) bits and pieces will usually shame me into getting started after a week or two.

Now I'm by no means an expert on wind generation but based on experience in the electricity supply industry can I put forward a few thoughts:

One of the big expenses with any small generation project is in control, storage and conversion of the electricity produced if you intend to use it to power appliances or even lights. For this reason it would be well worthwhile looking into using your windpower just to do waterheating or (if your waterheating is "free" fae da raeburn) perhaps spaceheating. Much simpler and cheaper control gear is required for this and there should be no need to store (no batteries required).

If you do intend to power appliances etc, I believe that you will find that it will be a lot more expensive to make and co-ordinate multiple small generators than to overcome the difficulties (with proper design plans they shouldn't be that serious anyway) associated with making one larger unit.

Have a good look on ebay for bits and pieces you might need - sometimes you can buy them cheaper than you can make them.

Make very sure that whatever design you end up using is capable of standing up to Shetland wind speeds.


When you do get started, get a good thread going here to keep folk posted with progress, and hopefully to generate (sorry) more interest from others who might like to try it for themselves.

All the very best of luck, and congratulations on having a go.

[laura]

yes we do intend to do it regardless of workshop....time is the thing at the moment....always is.

yes a lot of good stuff on net

agree with you re many small units rather than one large one.planning permitting.

one of my friends has turbine putting power into waterheating.....not working well...banging her head in frustration(manufactured unit..not helpful installer)

i believe,that the alternators are a prob??? (as non techy)

still would love that workshop.......................................

[Pat]

laura said:

you are right,we don`t want to spend that sort of money on a workshop. hence my suggestion to host one here.

I'm afraid we are looking at years here so a trip south would be the best bet.

laura said:

in my experience going to a workshop often gives you many tips ans wrinkles on a subject. they also can give you a lot of confidence to tackle something.

If there's money available out there to help community capacity building it is best to use it - rather than loose it.

laura said:

You also get to (hate this term)network with people with a similar interest.

This is a very good point. The NDC has been able to find funds for a few folk to visit places that have activities of interest going on. Recently on a trip to see different types of accommodation one person came back with a bag full of information on all sorts of viable projects. So far I have been able to use this to help two visitors to this office with ideas and information on projects they may wish to go ahead with in the future. This is on top of the information given to help with the Tourism Plan and marketing tips

laura said:

We live on a very low (cash) income.Though we are lucky enough to produce our own meat,milk,veg etc. Making a wind turbine,as opposed to buying one(which we could not afford even with grants) is in line with our way of life.

As do many more folks in the area who could benefit from the information taken back from this and put to good use.

[laura]

I agree with you pat,if the next best option is for people to attend a workshop and report back,then we should try for funding for that.

With a digital camera,it would be easy to "step by step" the process.

You never know,we could start our own BYOT centre......in that earthship mentioned by the young eens.I have always been interested in earthships as well.....and i have a spare tyre or two.....oh sorry....you need car tyres!!

[Pat]

Good on ya Laura, energy and drive are what's needed - and why not put on a BYOT workshop here on the back of this. If this guy is so booked up surely there is room for more of the same and with Peterj's money saving tips we're onto something here. No word as yet about funds but it will come I'm sure.

One of the places visited on the recent trip was the Earthship Visitor Centre in Fife. The website can be found at:

www.sci-scotland.org.uk/

[benjiesmum]

pat said:

Wales in October is also an option if there are a few more folks interested.
Pat

Yikes!!!! - Northmaviners invading Wales en mass!!!
I presume you are referring to the Centre for Alternative Technology's course which starts 30th September, I believe.
Wonderful place to visit - so many interesting things to do and see.

[fiona Chaff]

I went on a course on Introduction to Renewable Energy and energy saving for 25 quid at Shetland College. It had a lot of useful figures about energy loss from buildings and how to make the most from what you already have - such as insulation. There is also a more professional course available for tradesmen.
It would be good to be able to make a small turbine for domestic use which doesn't take 30 odd years to start saving you money; and that would cost little to maintain.

[Admin Mal]

peterj said:

Make very sure that whatever design you end up using is capable of standing up to Shetland wind speeds.

That's the thing I wondered about with the homemade ones... although I'm sure resourceful Shetlanders could come up with ideas to strengthen the design if it was necessary!