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How much space do I need for a wind turbine?
Ideally, the turbine should be sited as far away as
possible from buildings or trees, which may block the wind and cause
turbulence. As a guide, the wind generator should be about twice the
height of obstructions in front of it (for at least the prevailing wind
direction). This test should be applied for all obstructions that are
within a distance from the wind turbine of 20 times the height of each
obstruction. See the diagram below.
As an example, if there is a 7m high building then
the turbine should be sited 7 X 20m away, i.e. 140m, or on a 15m tower
(being more than 2X the height of the building). This is especially
important where the obstruction is between the turbine and the
prevailing wind.
 The
diagrams on the right illustrate some impacts of obstacles and ground
features on the wind resource available to a wind turbine.
The ideal location for a wind turbine is at the top
of a gentle slope and the worst location is just to the downwind side of
a large building.
The
Danish Wind
Energy Association provides an excellent and detailed on-line guide
to these issues which is well worth reading before deciding where to
site your own turbine.
Many people will say that one of the answers to the
height question is to mount the turbine on a roof to gain extra height,
but this is not a simple solution, as our Building
Mounted FAQ explains.
In general, if you have a number of obstacles, e.g.
buildings or trees, within 200m of the proposed turbine location, then
you should seriously consider a taller tower, e.g. 15m rather than 12m.
The benefit that you will get from a taller tower will be greater, the
more obstacles that are around your proposed location.
Space is also needed to set out the anchorage points
for a guyed tower and to lower the tower for maintenance. The ground
area required depends on the type and height of the tower.
Noise Issues
The wind generator will also create a small amount of
noise, so planning authorities will not let you site one too close to
your neighbours. The actual distance however will depend upon a number
of factors, including the local terrain, trees and the background noise
in the area. As a guideline however, the Iskra AT5-1 should be sited at
least 100m from your nearest neighbour and at least 50m from your own
house. Planning authorities vary in their requirements and it is
therefore important that you talk to your local planning authorities
about their own interpretation of the rules.
In general you should aim to site the turbine where
it will not impact your neighbours either visually or with noise. This
may however involve a compromise with the best location for energy
generation and you may need to enter into negotiations with your
neighbours and planning authorities.
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