Idiots guide to wind power....?

by ACarLessFamily 2nd April 2010, 9:27 am

...I need it! :scratch:
Serioulsy looking into moving to Orkney and at the moment we rely heavily onour multi-fuel stove for heat,hot water and cooking. But obvioulsy, wood is not as readily avaliable over there as it is in Aberdeenshire!
Although I would still want to put a stove in I wanted to know what sort of sustainable and CHEAP options I have over there?
I was thinking about a wind turbine but would it be enough to heat a house with electric and also cook, provide hot water as well.
But what other options are there??
Would it be possibel to grow some quick coppicing woodland to start harvesting a few years later you think?
What are your thoughts??

by Guest 2nd April 2010, 10:09 am

Report on wind turbine an Orkney Island

Have you seen this report?

It seems that wind and wave energy is increasing up there and the larger and taller turbines are the most efficient...so an alternative is to join in community projects.

You need to know how much electricity you consume. Using a geothermal system with wind to supply the electricity for the pump may be an idea.

Willow coppiced can provide the short term return but they need a lot of water to grow that quickly and the wind may be a problem.

Do you know which island you are looking going to?

by ACarLessFamily 2nd April 2010, 10:13 am

Thanks for the link, looking now.
ATM we're looking at a property on Sanday.
Geothermic energy isn't something I've thought about before...will go look it up.

by ACarLessFamily 2nd April 2010, 10:23 am

Geothermal even Razz

by Wilhelm Von Rhomboid 2nd April 2010, 10:36 am

I would greatly recommend the nifty little book "Choosing Windpower" by Hugh Piggott, published by those green groovers at CAT as an excellent introduction/overview of the subject.
ISBN 1-90217-531-X

GSHP would indeed be a good idea for heating - particularly as you are likely to need low-level heat for a large part of the year I would think.

by Guest 3rd April 2010, 6:02 pm

Had a look at the web sites for Sanday....we couldn't spot a tree any where! Just a bush hidding behind a wall in the grave yard! Is it too windy or is it over grazing?
Well it does look like wind is a definate resource!

Can I ask why the Orkneys...?

by ACarLessFamily 3rd April 2010, 7:34 pm

It's a bit of a pipe dream really. We have friends there and it looks beautiful. I just want to explore all the options I have.
Probably we won't end up there but all this information is great anyway for whereever we end up. YOu can bet it will be remote and cold lol.

by Guest 4th April 2010, 7:04 pm

I moved further south as I'm vegetarian and I wanted to be able to grow my own food more easily. Haven't gone far enough south for lentils though! But the land is cheaper and available in France. The winters are far colder than those in the Thames Valley so we have not necasssarily got it right on that criteria..... :scratch:

by ACarLessFamily 4th April 2010, 7:27 pm

Zoe I wish we could afford to move further south sometimes Razz

Although in Aberdeenshire I canstill grow most of my fruit and veg...root crops do great and I always have more courgettes and salad than I know what to do with, onions and garlic have never disapointed. And of cours scotland is famouse for its rasperries and strawberries!
AmazinglyOrkney does not get the harsh winters like Aberdeen, instead it keeps a fairly even temp throughout the year a lowish 15-10oC but without the plant damaging frosts we get here (until June most years!!)

We're a vegan family and I wonderd if we would be ABLE to be vegan in such a dairy/meat/fish heavy area but then I found the local resturant is Vegetarian lol so it just goes to show Razz

by Guest 4th April 2010, 7:32 pm

Its sort of woolly jumper weather all year in the islands isn't it? Well you could always knit the courgettes a body warmer Very Happy

by Wilhelm Von Rhomboid 4th April 2010, 8:14 pm

I would think a self-sufficient vegan lifestyle on Orkney would be a real challenge to be honest. Veganism is much better suited to a Mediterranean climate (which Orkney may yet have, but that's another debate).

by ACarLessFamily 4th April 2010, 8:54 pm

@Wilhelm Vegan self sufficancy would be difficult anywhere I think. We grow a lot but obvioulsy I can't grow soya and I can't grow child friendly calcium. We are debating on keeping a goat, we had one many years ago. Not sure if me and the kids would still have allergies with real goats milk. Also no need to have a kid every year and we have the room to suppliment another grazer (have to be a swiss breed?) and have the Kid stay with us, payment for the milk Wink

lol
SOmething like that would make life a whole lot easier. Need to find some small holder with goats to let us try a few days of goats milk though.

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