Renewable Energy

Income and cost savings from renewable energy

Background

With growing demand for renewable energy and rising energy prices, wind turbines present an interesting investment opportunity for many land owners.

Proposals to install major on-shore wind farms are highly controversial. The high cost of connecting to the existing grid also makes many suitable sites unviable. Micro generation presents a more realistic option for most land owners. It is now possible to achieve substantial energy cost savings by installing a single wind turbine. At times of peak generation any surplus energy generated can now be sold back to the electricity company. This can then be offset against the cost of energy purchased to cover any shortfall during times of low generation or high demand.

The expected decommissioning of several thousand greenfield telecommunications installations (mobile phone masts) also provides an opportunity for land owners. These structures can frequently be used to support wind turbines. This then results in a substantial saving on the cost of installation. It can provide a useful way to offset the loss of income from the telecommunication operator. Unfortunately, not all structures will be suitable and some may limit the size of turbine resulting in less than optimum performance.

Our Skills

Many of the issues in this sector are very similar to those in the telecommunications sector. The support structures used for wind turbines are similar to those for mobile phone masts. Connection to an electricity supply is also another common issue. Our extensive experience in the telecommunications sector provides us with a head start in this rapidly emerging field.