Domestic wind turbines

What is a domestic wind turbine?

Like the wind turbines you see in the UK, off the coast or in the countryside, domestic wind turbines have blades that are rotated by the wind to generate electricity. As you’d expect, home wind turbines are much smaller than commercial ones, but they can still generate green energy for your household.

There are two main types of small wind turbine for homes in the UK – roof-mounted and pole-mounted.

Roof-mounted turbines

Unsurprisingly, these are installed on the roof of your home and feed electricity directly to your property.

On the one hand, rooftop wind turbines can use their height advantage to make the most of the wind blowing over your house and they’re normally the cheapest type to install. But they’re generally also smaller than other types of domestic wind turbine and, as a result, less powerful.

They’re typically capable of producing around 1kW or 2kW of electricity an hour but, as with all wind turbines, they’ll only generate that much if the wind speed is just right.

According to Ofgem, the average household in the UK uses 2,700 kWh annually, which works out as around 7.4 kWh a day. A roof-mounted turbine might not meet your household’s entire energy needs, but it could be paired with a solar power array if you want to go completely green.

Pole-mounted turbines

These turbines are freestanding, like the ones you see in fields. Positioning really is key with pole-mounted turbines. To get the best out of one, you’ll need to position it in a big, open space where there are no obstructions to slow down the wind, ideally on a hilltop or other raised site.

Freestanding turbines cost more to install than rooftop wind turbines but generally produce more energy because they have more capacity. Domestic standalone turbines typically have a capacity of 2-6kW but there are turbines of 10kW, 15kW or even 25kW available for those with greater needs (and funding).

Is a domestic wind turbine suitable for my home?

Installing a wind turbine is one way to cut your carbon footprint and lower your electricity bills, but it’s not a cost-effective or practical solution for every home.

The truth is, not many homes in the UK will be the right setting for a domestic wind turbine as they’re best suited to high-up, open spaces in the countryside or by the coast. So if you live in a city or town, you may find that installing solar panels is a better option for you.

A domestic wind turbine is a big investment, so it’s not a decision to rush into. If you’re thinking of installing a home wind turbine, the main points to think about include:

Wind speed

A household wind turbine generally requires a wind speed of at least five metres per second to be effective and financially viable.

To find out whether you have a sufficiently breezy spot, you can install a wind speed gauge – called an anemometer – for a few months to reveal the average speed in your area. Alternatively, you can hire a professional to look into it for you.

If you live in Scotland, you can easily see whether it’s worth continuing your line of inquiry by checking the windspeed at your postcode with the Energy Saving Trust.

Wind turbine location

Finding the right spot around your home is key to determining how cost-effective your wind turbine will be. You’ll want to mount your turbine as high as you can, away from obstructions caused by trees and other buildings, which can hamper the strength of the wind.

Planning permission

Whether or not you’ll need planning permission for your wind turbine depends on where you live in the UK and what type of turbine you want to install.

In England, you might be able to install a wind turbine without applying for planning permission if you meet certain conditions:

• You’re installing a roof-mounted turbine on a detached home, or a freestanding turbine in the garden of any house or block of flats.

• You can only install one turbine on your property, in total, without planning permission.

• There isn’t already an air source heat pump on your property.

• You don’t live in a listed building or within a conservation area, national park or area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB).

• Your turbine meets certain height and size requirements, depending on the type of turbine you want to fit.

• The turbine complies with Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) standards (to make sure noise emitted from the turbine is at an acceptable level).

If you live in Scotland, you can normally install one freestanding wind turbine in your garden without planning permission if it’s more than 100m from your nearest neighbour and you don’t live in a listed building or within certain protected areas, such as a world heritage site.

But you’ll need to submit an application to your local planning authority to get the size and design of any freestanding turbine approved before installation. Also, you’ll need planning permission to install a roof-mounted turbine.

If you live in Wales, you can install a freestanding turbine on your land without planning permission, but you’ll have to comply with certain conditions that closely match those required in England for standalone turbines. As with Scotland, you’ll need planning permission for any roof-mounted turbines.

Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, you’ll need planning permission to install any type of domestic wind turbine.

How much does a domestic wind turbine cost to install?

It’s tricky to put an accurate figure on it as the cost of a domestic wind turbine largely depends on its size, type and location. Prices can range from £2,000-£3,000 for a small roof-mounted turbine to £20,000-£35,000 for a large freestanding one with a 5-6kW capacity.

As well as the cost of the turbine itself, you’ll also need to factor in the cost of preparing the site, getting planning permission – if required – and connecting the turbine to the grid. You may also want to add batteries to store power for calm days.

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is a standards body that certifies quality standards for low-carbon products and their installers. It’s worth getting a few quotes from reputable MCS-accredited installers and carefully considering the merits of each.

Domestic wind turbine maintenance costs

The good news is that wind doesn’t cost you anything, so once you’re up and running, you can start making savings on your electricity bills immediately. But you’ll need to budget for maintenance costs, as well as any parts that might need replacing over time.

The Energy Saving Trust (EST) advises that you get your wind turbine checked by a professional every few years, at a cost of around £100-200. With proper maintenance, a wind turbine can last around 20-25 years, but you may need to replace batteries or the inverter (the part that helps to convert the wind to electricity) at some stage during the turbine’s lifetime.

Will my home insurance cover wind turbines?

You should let your home insurance provider know if you’re planning on installing a wind turbine on your roof or freestanding on your property. You risk invalidating your policy if you fail to tell them about it.

You might also want to get extra cover to protect your home during installation.

You should get a manufacturer’s warranty with your wind turbine, but this will only cover mechanical failures. Your home insurance provider may cover your wind turbine at no extra cost or they might increase your premiums to cover any extra risk.

In some cases, depending on the size and expense of your wind turbine, you may want to look at specialist cover.

Are there any cash incentives for installing wind turbines?

While there aren’t any government grants to help with upfront installation costs, wind turbines are eligible for the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) This initiative came into force at the start of 2020 to replace the Feed-in-Tariff scheme. It means you can get paid for any excess energy your wind turbine generates, which is fed back to the national grid.

According to the EST, a well-sited 6kW pole-mounted wind turbine could earn you around £400 a year from the SEG. That means it would take 50 years to pay off a wind turbine that cost £20,000. Although it could be difficult to recoup your costs in full, alongside the savings you make on your bills, you might find a wind turbine makes sense financially.

Is it worth installing a wind turbine on my home?

There are many variables to consider when trying to decide whether getting a wind turbine installed on your home is the right move for you, in your quest to reduce your carbon footprint and save on your electricity bills.

First, you’ll need to work out if your home is a good spot for a wind turbine, bearing in mind wind speed, location and whether you’ll need planning permission.

Secondly, you’ll need to work out whether it’ll be worth it for you financially. To do this you’ll need to weigh up the cost of buying, installing and maintaining a wind turbine against the potential savings you could make on your bills – plus any possible earnings from SEG payments.

How much could I save on my bills with a wind turbine?

Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to work out how much you could save with a wind turbine. You’ll need to know the capacity and efficiency of your chosen turbine, as well as the average wind speed where you live, plus how much electricity your household consumes (and when).

It’s also worth bearing in mind that even if you do generate 100% of your own electricity needs – or even more than you need – unless you’re completely off the grid, you’ll still have to pay standing charge to connect to the energy network.

To see if you could save on your electricity bills now, check out our energy comparison tool.

Wind turbine vs solar panels – which is best?

Installing a wind turbine is a big decision, so you need to be sure it will be worth your while. Before you bite the bullet, it’s sensible to look into other renewable energy options, such as solar panels.

The main factor to think about when comparing wind against solar energy is where you live. Wind turbines can be beneficial if your home is in a rural or coastal area, as they have the potential to produce more electricity than solar power. But if you live in a town or city, solar panels tend to be a more practical option.

The weather is a factor, too. Solar panels won’t work at night or on cloudy days, and wind turbines only generate electricity when the wind is at a certain speed.

There’s no clear-cut answer as to which form of renewable energy is best for your home. It’ll depend on your circumstances, where you live, your household’s needs and your budget. But both options could help you to become a greener household and start making savings on your energy bills.

Find out more about renewable energy.