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Small wind performance & safety standard

What is the BWEA small wind performance & safety standard?

This is a technical standard for manufacturers of small wind turbines who wish to supply into the British marketplace. By choosing a small wind turbine that meets this standard a user can be assured that the turbine has been designed to withstand the structural loads that the wind can impose, that it has been tested in a full range of windspeeds and that in general it meets the claims made for overall performance.

It is useful for grant giving bodies, structural engineers and green energy specifiers who wish to ensure that any wind turbine proposed is designed to the best practices accepted in wind energy engineering.

The output of a wind turbine is totally dependent on the windspeed, with a doubling of windspeed theoretically producing eight times the power. A turbine with a high power rating initially appears impressive (and may be cheap), but if it requires a hurricane to achieve this output it will supply little useful energy at the more usual British windspeeds.

It is essential to compare "like-with-like" when choosing between wind turbine suppliers and the performance certification associated with the standard provides two figures. One is the energy output for the turbine, the other the turbine power rating.

Of the two the energy output (kWh, units of electricity) is the more important, this is the useful energy that pays for the turbine. The figure on the certificate is similar to the fuel miles per gallon figures given for cars, the actual output you achieve may vary but it provides a standard way of comparing different designs.

The standard also provides a common method for measuring noise output. Again the actual noise level may vary in practice but as 3dB means a doubling of loudness, it enables a comparison between turbine designs where low noise is likely to be important for a particular site.

What the standard isn't

Any standard does not give a guarantee against individual equipment failure, nor does this standard cover the satisfactory installation of the turbine. Manufacturers may additionally have accreditation to ISO9000 which ensures every turbine they supply meets a standard for quality.

Wind conditions can vary enormously, particularly in a built-up area. For a user to obtain a good estimate of likely performance it is necessary to monitor the actual windspeed at the location for a period of time. Supplying this information to a manufacturer will enable them to provide a user with an estimate of performance. Use of general windspeed data should not be used unless it is accepted that actual output will potentially be considerably less than that estimated.

Click here to download the latest BWEA small wind turbine performance & safety standard in PDF format.

To view the previous version of the BWEA small wind turbine standard click here.

Disclaimer

The standard provides a means of ensuring small wind turbines meet good practice, but BWEA does not give or imply any warranty for the actual performance or reliability of any turbine on a particular site.