B&Q’s launch of £1500 roof-mounted wind turbines in 107 stores nationwide & online, has really caught the imagination of the media and general public.
Locally, HHP was invited on the 4th October to join Paul Johnson from B&Q in a live discussion on Radio Nottingham about this subject. Although we are concerned about the performance of such wind turbines and the manufacturers’ claims about energy production (click here for further information about HHP views and see an interesting article in the Observer ), we were pleased to hear from Paul that they were taking a very responsible approach. Each customer that applies for an installation will have a structural survey to ensure building integrity and assistance to apply for Government funding of approximately £500 and a condition of the funding is that the household must improve the energy efficiency of their homes. B&Q will also assess the viability of the wind turbines by considering how windy the area is.
Iskra (a locally based manufacturer) has been very busy in Nottinghamshire this year installing their new wind turbine, including two in Rushcliffe Country Park and one at HHP. At HHP, the 26m tower was raised first, and the turbine was added a few weeks afterwards.
The HHP decided to install the wind turbine in order to meet the ‘Zero CO2’ requirements of the new community building and planning permission was granted earlier this year for a 5kW rated turbine.
This December the 2nd wind turbine at HHP has begun generating green energy. It is estimated to produce 12,000kWhrs per annum.
Hockerton Housing Project launched their new renewable energy systems by holding an event on Saturday 14th September with over 50 guests including locals, promoters and installers of renewable energy systems.
Professor Peter Smith (Sheffield Hallam University), who is Vice President for Sustainable Development(RIBA), was guest speaker at the event. Here is an extract from his speech.
…As I see it, Hockerton symbolizes the ultimate sustainable net zero energy solution in a rural setting…These are the cutting edge and prototypes for the future.
At present housing alone accounts for around 28% of all CO2 emissions in England and Wales. You [at HHP] have demonstrated that housing, far from being part of the problem, can be part of the solution.
In 2002 HHP erected a 5kW wind turbine and installed a 7.65kW array of photovoltaics. The HHP wind turbine is one of very few examples in the UK of a community owned wind turbine, supplying owners directly with ‘clean’ renewable energy.
The HHP development meets a number of the highest environmental housing standards in the UK, namely, Zero CO2 and Autonomous.
Hockerton Housing Project (HHP) has erected a wind turbine to meet its energy needs. It is one of very few examples in the UK of a community owned wind turbine, whereby the owners are supplied directly with the ‘clean’ renewable energy produced. The occupants of houses have set out to meet both personal and global responsibilities to live in a more sustainable way. Wind energy is the most cost-effective and appropriate for the locality. The use of renewable energies in the daily running of the Hockerton Housing Project, demonstrates that ordinary families and individuals can take responsibility for and significantly reduce the output of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
The grid linked 5kW (rated output) Proven wind turbine erected on a 26m tower is expected to produce around 12,000kWhrs annually with the wind conditions on site. The grid link will allow for both import of energy during periods of supply shortfall, and export for periods of excess energy production. The excess exported will offset most of the imported energy from the grid. The energy generated will not only be used to provide energy to the homes, but also to power the jointly own electric car – a wind-powered car!
Due to the very low energy requirements of the homes at HHP (about 10% of an average UK home), it is expected that the energy generated by the wind turbine will offset the vast majority required by the occupants. Any remaining requirements will be met by planned use of Photovoltaics (solar energy). This means that the homes will hopefully not be responsible for any of the polluting ‘greenhouse gases’, notably CO2, identified as being responsible for global warming and climate change. This qualifies the HHP development as meeting a number of the highest environmental housing standards in the UK, namely, Zero CO2 and Autonomous.
HHP was awarded over £10,000 from ScottishPower’s Green Energy Fund towards the cost of installing the wind turbine. Hammy Smillie, ScottishPower’s business and community relations director, said: “Not only will this project be an excellent example of how to make use of renewable energy in the home, it will also give the families the opportunity to contribute towards helping the environment. On a practical level, by using renewable technologies as a power source, the Hockerton Housing Project will save money and set a leading example in the UK.”
The Project was filmed and broadcast in the same week in March by BBC ‘Countryfile’. The programme covered the project set up and how the houses are designed to minimise energy use. However they also focused on two other aspects:
(1) The design principles of the homes at Hockerton Housing Project (HHP) as a potential solution to building more homes to a higher energy efficiency standard. A link was made to a local speculative development, Millenium Green, that HHP helped inspire to integrate much higher levels of energy efficiency. A spokesman from the Government’s Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme was also interviewed and invited to comment on the need for higher standards.
(HHP was monitored as part of the Governments’ Energy Efficient Best Practice Programme – A case study report was published last year)
(2) Link to the Government announcement in same week to increased funding of £100m towards renewable energy.
The programme has produced one of the quickest and biggest responses that HHP has received after a media broadcast.
