Businesses and homeowners are always looking for new ways to save money and every little helps. The British government have recently given us a new opportunity to save on our energy bills, and in some cases earn money too. Energy companies can now harvest excess power from private energy generating installations and new legislation means that we can get paid for sharing it. One such installation is the wind turbine. Wind turbines were once futuristic objects that were only seen on artists’ drawing boards. When they started to appear around the landscape, many people raised issues with their local councils over planning permission. For a great number of people, wind turbines were seen as eyesores and traditionalists didn’t think that they had a place in the countryside. Many wind farms began to spring up, even with public disagreement, and within a relatively short time they were soon very much part of our landscape. Recent changes in technology have seen more advanced designs being built and installed all over the world and the traditional image of the tall wind turbine with its long sweeping blades is starting to look dated. Individual homeowners can now get discreet turbines that almost compliment their property’s aesthetics, and with the government’s feed-in tariff scheme, they can also benefit financially through generating power. The basic functionality of the wind turbine is similar to that of the traditional windmill. Wind energy rotates blades that then drive a set of gears. On a windmill, the end result is that of a spinning grinder that crushes grain. In the case of the wind turbine, the mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy. In some cases that energy is stored in batteries, but usually the power is used immediately. On a small scale site the energy generated is used to power the appliances that are within the site. On an industrial scale, energy generated by turbines is fed directly into the national grid. Due to the scarcity of industrial scale battery charging by wind turbines, most turbines only spin when there is a need for the power that they generate. If a private wind turbine owner wishes to earn money from it they simply install their turbine and then allow energy companies to skim excess power as it is generated. Using surplus power in this way means that large energy companies can reduce the amount of power that they must generate themselves, and because they benefit through this method, the government has introduced legislation that obligates them to pay for that energy. Smaller energy companies do not face the same legislation but many of them have decided to opt into the scheme. If you plan to take advantage of the wind turbine feed-in tariff scheme, you must comply with certain regulations. Your turbine must be purchased and installed by industry regulated suppliers and engineers, you must comply with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, and your turbine must have been installed no earlier than July 2009. Currently, the government scheme has a fixed term of 20 years, but given the potential benefits of having a turbine, the longevity of the scheme should not be a motivating factor. Wind turbines are a good way to take advantage of the feed-in tariff scheme, and when used in conjunction with the other technologies that are included, they can make a useful and potentially lucrative addition to a home or business. Planning permission and design are the main factors that may stop you from having a turbine installed, but many turbines are unrecognizable from the large industrial types. A turbine could be right for your property. The next steps are choosing an engineer and seeking planning permission. Laura Ginn knows that there are more benefits to using a renewable energy source than simply the feed in tariff. Visit http://www.uswitch.com/solar-panels/guides/feed-in-tariff/ to discover the benefits for yourself.
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Energy, Green Energy, Renewable Energy, Wind Turbines,
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