Warwick Wind Trials
11 January 2008
The end of 2007 was marked by an open day for the Warwick Wind Trials project, which was attended by renewable energy experts from all over the country eager to hear the progress on a pioneering study being conducted in our area. The Wind Trials project is being co-ordinated and run by Encraft, a Leamington-based renewable energy consultancy in partnership with the District and County Council as well as Action 21.
Some ambitious research is being conducted aimed at building the most detailed picture of urban wind energy generation in the UK. The project is committed to working from an individual and community perspective to help integrate wind energy technologies into people's lives in the most sensitive and effective ways and to then measure the beneficial outputs. In this light the trials differ from previous industrial and commercial studies which have tended to overlook the information gap between developers and general public. Manufacturers are eager to lay down many claims on the benefits of this progressive technology and Warwick Wind Trials is all about putting these claims to the test.
Warwick Wind Trials' aim is to collect and publish data on performance when the systems are used by home owners and small companies. It will also explore how easy it is to get systems installed on houses and to identify barriers or opposition to their dissemination. More than anything the trials represent a transition of micro wind turbines towards a viable and cost effective way of tackling climate change on a local scale.
For example, wind turbines on Lillington Road in Leamington Spa have been providing data for the Wind Trials Project about how much wind is annually available, which if harnessed properly will help to lower the town's carbon footprint.
It seems that no one else has ever done something quite like these trials, and although the project has been extended nationwide, Warwickshire has been the main focus for the Wind Trials experiment. One result of the trials is that Warwick District is reckoned to have one of the highest concentrations of domestic wind turbines in the country, so the region is leading the way in this field.
This pioneering study will provide some very exciting opportunities in the future by making wind energy a more accessible option for individuals who want to find out the latest and best information regarding the progress of this technology.
More information on the wind trials project and the results to date are available at www.warwickwindtrials.org.uk.