Farms

For many farms, wind power is the ideal renewable energy solution as it is the most efficient and productive renewable energy generation technology to install.

Most farm units will use around 10 times the amount of electricity a single 5kW system will generate, but each one of our wind turbines can generate around 10,000kWhrs per year on an averagely windy site of 6 m/s average wind speed and up to 16,000kWhrs on a very windy site and we can install one, three or six, depending on your usage and site suitability.

Whether you are running dryers on an arable farm, providing constant lighting on a poultry farm or powering dairy equipment, a wind turbine can make a significant contribution to reducing the cost of a farm’s power usage.

Case Study

Client: Robin Ellis
Sector: Farms
Location: Norfolk
Installation date: 27.07.2011

Environmental energy enthusiast Robin Ellis was keen to reduce the energy bills for his Norfolk-based, family-run farming business, and turned to Windcrop Ltd for help.

The Norfolk-based business, comprised of Manor House Farm in Wellingham, and Grenstein Farm in Mileham, specialises in both arable and pig farming.

Though the business was established in 1962, Robin is a believer in adopting new technologies to help run the business. He said: “We simply think that renewable energy is the way forward. As well as the turbine, we are seriously considering installing solar panels here at Manor House farm.”

Robin, who runs the operation with his son Phillip, came across Windcrop after carrying out extensive research into providers and installers of wind turbines.

He said it was important they were getting the best deal, “We had looked at various people offering wind energy turbines; we had also read a lot and been to one or two meetings. But the truth of the matter is that Windcrop came up best. We liked what we heard and we liked what we saw.”

The turbine itself stands not too far from Grenstein farm’s piggery, but the pigs themselves have hardly noticed the change. Robin commented: “They’re not disturbed by it at all. And the farm is not too far from two cottages and we’ve had no complaints from them either.”

Though Robin has not yet received a bill since the turbines installation, he is eagerly anticipating seeing how much the turbine has saved them.

He added: “You can access hour by hour how much energy is being generated, which is great – and in truth I don’t just do it for the bills sake, it’s become a bit of an interest!”

After having their first wind turbine fitted in August, Robin is already putting in a request for two more turbines to be placed on the farm. “From installation to after-care, the process has been trouble free. Windcrop take care of the whole thing – so we have nothing to lose.”

Windcrop finances and carries out the entire installation, including securing planning permission and groundworks. The aim is to get as many turbines erected as possible with the hope of contributing around 15 mega watts of energy over the next five years, saving around 26,000 tonnes of CO2 – and for Robin and his pigs the turbine has been a welcome addition to the family business.