It will come as no surprise to most people who live in the South West that we receive more wind than most of the country. Our exposure to the low pressure systems sweeping in from the Atlantic make Cornwall especially suited to wind turbine installations in the right location. Natural Generation work with a number of high quality devices and manufacturers including, among others, Westwind, Marlec, Ampair, Bergey, and internationally renowned Proven Energy wind turbines for whom we are approved major maintenance contractors.

We are able to quote for a range of services from basic supply and installation of a small wind turbine (300W to 50kW) to full project management and service provision, including planning and grid applications. Systems may be off-grid battery charging, inverter grid-tied, direct heating or hybrid. The use of a combined system with both grid connect and direct heating is particularly useful where the grid connection is weak and export is limited or where heating demand is high.

All products that Natural Generation install are robust and reliable. During high winds, some turbines are designed to furl out of the wind to reduce their surface area, preventing damage to the machine. Proven turbines utilise a downwind rotor and feature a patented hinge which allows the turbine to protect itself at the same time as maintaining optimum generation even in extreme conditions. As the wind gets stronger, it pushes the blades back and hence reduces the surface area exposed to the wind. As the wind dies down the blades open out again.

The power in the wind is proportional to the cube of its speed. This means that twice the wind speed gives eight times as much power and small differences in average wind speed will result in large differences in energy output.

The DTI have compiled average wind speed data for the whole country and although this is not site specific it is a good place to start. You can use our Wind speed checker to gauge the average winds in your area. We would recommend a minimum average of 5 metres/sec @ 10m above ground level from this data base.

The ideal site for a wind turbine is on the top of a smooth rounded hill with a clear fetch to at least the prevailing wind direction. Avoiding areas of turbulent air is important to minimise wear on the turbine and maximise output. We will always make a site visit to advise and take measurements to produce an accurate quote for clients.

Natural Generation was the first DTI accredited small-wind installer as well as the first authorised Proven installer in Cornwall. The team at Natural Generation has built on this to provide the South West with an experienced and robust small wind design and installation service.

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Or see our Wind Turbine FAQs