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What is the best tower for me?
Tower Height
Our standard towers are 9, 12 and 15m metres high. In
general, the higher the tower, the higher the average wind speed that
the turbine will experience, and it is normally the case that a
taller tower will generate sufficient extra energy to justify it's
additional cost, especially if there are local obstacles to be avoided.
Compared to a 12m tower, a 15m tower may increase the
annual energy by 15% and a 9m tower may reduce it by 15%. If however
there are local obstructions, then the impact of changes in the tower
height could be larger.
 For
sites where there are obstructions near the turbine, a tall tower may be
needed to get the turbine above the turbulence created by nearby trees
or buildings, as illustrated by the diagram to the left.
The taller the tower, the more the cost of the tower,
the foundations and the installation, so you should not simply ask for
the tallest tower that is available, but if the turbine is to be located
near (< 200m) to surrounding obstacles, then a taller tower may be the
best option.
Other factors, such as planning, may dictate the
maximum height of tower you are able to install and some areas of the
world.
Tower Type
Depending upon the type of the turbine, Iskra can
offer either a free-standing tower, or a guyed tower.
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Guyed towers will tend to be used in rural
locations, and have four guy wires going from the middle of the
tower to concrete ground pads. They use slightly less steel than a
free standing tower, but would not be considered suitable where
people would be around the turbine a lot, as you don't want to risk
damage to the guy wires.
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A free-standing tower or "monopole" has no
guy wires, but stands on a single concrete foundation with no other
supporting structure. In many cases the choice is really down to
personal preference, as to which one you prefer to look at.
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