How do you design and install a small-scale wind turbine for a rural community?

small winds are a good source, but cant set up a stand alone power plant, unless- other sources such as solar PV , bio gas, and energy storage batteries accompany the small wind potential, in the area of interest. Since almost all wind sources are intermittent, they are best served by a energy storage element for useful service.

DIY: Its quite trivial to purchase a reasonably accurate anemometer online these days , but the key is to have readings at the desired "target" height. Ideally we mount several anemometers on a pole , say 5, 10, 20 meters above datum so we can at least calibrate the vertical wind profile which is key for AEP estimates at hub height. Also important to estimate turbulence intensity since this is going to be "relatively" near the ground, onshore. Other stuff to look out for other than wind is rainfall and lightning (which will influence your protection system designs - you don't want to end up with a wind turbine that is disabled by lightning).

In rural, remote areas particularly in low income countries, this should be done with the communities (end users). Local residents should be able to assemble, disassemble, repair, maintain and own the system. If not, the solution may not be sustainable over time. Produced energy should satisfy some of their priority needs (e.g. lights). However, part of this energy could be used to power essential systems such as hazard warning mechanisms and evacuation sirens/lights. Localized renewable energy should support sustainable development and hazard resilience initiatives, and genuinely benefit communities.

The rule of thumb always used to be 6-12 months of actual anemometer data at a site when compiling baseline in the feasibility stage.

As enunciated by Prof. Spyros Schismenos, the most crucial factor would be, "Local residents should be able to assemble, disassemble, repair, maintain and own the system." With the push for the supply of information and services digitally in rural areas, a part of the power can be used to power cell towers.

It is important to have demand analysis of load centers where the proposed system will serve. First of all, existing demand should be collected from each household, Enterprise and other institutions. Second, consult with all consumers which types of loads they will connect after the operation of the system and finally take 20% load increment factor for next 10 years. Adding all these demand, we will get nearly accurate energy demand which will help to design the storage system and wind turbine.

It all starts with demand. What is your power requirements ? Get the data on power demand throughout the day - and if the wind turbine is your only source of power (this changes alot of considerations). In general, then look at a turbine's power curve and map it against the measured / expected wind histogram to compute AEP and see which set up gives you most bang for buck. Also relates to stuff like rotor diameter (how big of a turbine is acceptable by the community) , noise tolerance , etc etc

Calculate the community's energy requirements. selecting appropriate inverters, battery storage (for off-grid systems), and grid-tie configurations (if connecting to a grid). For off-grid systems, consider installing a robust battery storage system to ensure uninterrupted power. Implement remote monitoring systems to keep track of the turbine's performance and health.

Personally, I would prefer VAWTs. VAWTs can be installed in a cluster, with all the turbines in the cluster generating electricity. This isn't possible with HAWTs. As mentioned above servicing and maintenance should be within the capabilities of the users. VAWT's score over HAWTs in this regard.

Noise should be a primary consideration in wind turbine selection. The only good reason to select a vertical axis turbine is because this type tends to have much lower noise pollution. Vertical axis can also preform slightly better in turbulent wind. Horizontal axis is better in nearly every other way.

The below basic steps shall help. 1) know your daily energy requirement. ( kwh/d) 2) know the average wind speed available in the area by the month, 3) find expected energy by month from available wind speeds. 4) size the batteries to make the daily demand is met. 5) add additional resources such as PV, or any local generator / variable power energy source. 6) re check that the daily energy demands can be met

Design is missing the crucial step of sizing the wind, battery, solar and generator components optimally. This is not hard with the correct software, but you do need to be clear on your objectives.

I’ve been analysing installing A small wind turbine for months. The two main issues are: 1. What is a good product and reliable supplier to order from overseas? 2. Need 3 phase 380V output inverter which appear to be a lot more expensive and not easy to see details on their matching input requirements with wind. I’m looking at 2 and 5 kW vertical turbines to mount on buildings. Local wind is 7m/s average so a 2 kW machine should provide +15kWh/day. Cost looks to be like €4000 for ON GRID system so I believe can be cheaper than PV and on buildings far more effective due to space availability. Any comments and advice welcome.

With regard to Mr Glen Fallon's query. Why is a three-phase system with a 380-volt output required for a 2 kW or 5 kW turbine, unless this is for a particular requirement? Usually, the output from small turbines like this would be single-phase.

For me checking if a permit is necessary and whether it can be obtained would be one of the first steps to check. Without the permit no project.

Guidelines to install: 1) know the capacity of the wind turbine 2) Find the max wind speed, and expected withstand, and forces that can act on the foundation. 3) know various stall features available in the wind turbine. 4) check the support structure, foundation is strong enough to install.

The regulatory requirements for a renewable energy source in a rural area would be minimal, as compared to an urban environment. A VAWT would again score over a HAWT in this respect.

For grid-connected projects, after the EPC phase, i.e. engineering, procurement and construction, grid connection is of paramount importance and it has to be done by authorized staff of the grid operator.

1) follow manufacturer instructions for routine maintenance. 2) avoid wind shadowing/ blockages. 3) make sure furling for horizontal wind turbines is actually operating in such events. 4) position the braking switch suitably to use an electrical brake. ( short circuit)

Going back to Prof. Spyros Schismenos, "Local residents should be able to assemble, disassemble, repair, maintain and own the system." Again easier to do with a VAWT. If a Venturi (wind funnel concentrator system) assembly is used, then the VAWTs can be placed at ground level or below ground level for easy servicing and maintenance.

1) Go to step 1. 2)find the design is meeting the demands. 3) ensure al safety features are working. 4) be aware of the limited energy variability.

To fully enjoy the benefits, these service providers could be of great help: ? asset manager ? O&M contractor (i.e. operation and maintenance) ? aggregator (new market player)

Funding a power project, even a small wind turbine for a small rural community, could be challenging for the community. The capital cost could easily be from tens of thousands to a few hundred thousand dollars. The cost will depend on a number of factors such as turbine size, site conditions and installation cost. The community should explore all financing options ranging from grants to commercial loans and private investors.

In Italy, even small-scale RES power plants are subject to precise permitting rules. Today there are many simplified permitting paths. However, if the area where the plant is going to be installed is subject to some constraints (landscape, environmental, etc.) you may have to follow a quite complex permitting process. Therefore the analysis of the suitability of the area (from a legal standpoint) is preliminary and crucial.

At the risk of repetition, ensure to estimate the expected energy balance availability at least by month if not on a day to day basis.

Economic and Financial analysis of the system is necessary to identify whether the project is economically and financially feasible or not. Before doing financial analysis, following things need to be finalized: 1. Total project cost with Bill of quantities 2. Sources of funding (grants, debts, equity, etc.) 3. If debt, interest rate, debt tenure, and other debt features. 4. Existing source of energy and their pricing 5. Business model for operation and maintenance 6. Tariff structure for households, small enterprises, community institutions, etc. Financial analysis should show below listed parameters: 1. Internal rate of return 2. Return on Equity 3. Payback period 4. Debt service coverage ratio ( only if there is debt) 5. LCOE

Always need to make sure you've considered noise at an early stage - it may not be a significant issue at all but it's more than likely to crop up if your proposed site is anywhere near residential (or other noise-sensitive) uses. The issue of noise can generate high leveles of concern and objection from local residents, occasionally out of all proportion to the actual risk.