Wind

New Zealand has one of the best wind resources in the world. Small wind turbines are well suited to generate electricity in the right setting. Generally, these are better suited for rural areas with strong and constant wind flow. Wind in urban areas can be turbulent and erratic, affected by buildings, trees and other obstacles – this can result in poor energy generation.

The wind turns the rotor blades of the turbine which then spins a shaft connected to a generator which generates electricity.

If you are considering wind generation on your site, here are some questions that might be useful to ask your wind turbine provider / installer before installing:

• How do you determine the best wind generation system for my site?
• What is the best wind turbine type? Horizontal, Vertical, or something else?
• What is the best location for wind generation?
• What is the expected wind energy profile for my site, and how does this compare on my load profile?
• Does it really save me money in the long term?
• How does grid-tied wind power work, how do I ‘sell back’ energy, and is it economical to do so?
• How do I heat up my hot water with excess wind energy generated?
• Do I need batteries to store excess generation to use at times when there is low wind generation?

Tip: You can request your energy consumption data from your energy retailer.

Click here to find out more information on wind generation.