Save money on electricity bills – this can also be achieved with your own micro wind turbines. However, experts advise against using wind turbines in terraced house gardens. The location is critical.
Christiane Pflug buys a factory in Vogelsberg. There used to be hydroelectric power here. Today, there are batteries in the mill cellar. They store electricity from wind turbines, among other things. Every watt counts for them. The bicycle is on a hill behind the house. “One year,” she said, before proudly adding: “Self-made.”
The windmill, made of wood, stands eight meters high. It turns easily in the wind. She built her bike with designer Jonathan Schreiber. Austrians travel across Germany and offer seminars. But he wouldn’t recommend it to everyone. “Most importantly, it needs a windy location with no obstructions from the main direction. Please don’t plant trees directly in front,” he said. Expectations are often too optimistic. Designers sometimes have to refuse construction.
expectations often fail
Prices on the small wind turbine market range from small propellers for less than 200 Euros to highly specialized propellers placed on garden foundations, which can cost up to 40,000 Euros or more. The North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Advice Center has conducted an in-depth study of these small wind turbines. Their conclusion: Most potential buyers are currently advised not to buy.
Responsible energy consultant Stefan Hoffmann referred to consumers’ “false expectations”. “The promised peak performance is often not delivered, especially in the outback,” he said. He calculates: a propeller with a diameter of one meter and a rotor area of 0.8 square meters, the end result is an electricity bill of about 33 euros per year. “A calculation that isn’t exactly a high investment.”
Vibration and Noise Issues
Christiane Pflug from Vogelsberg will achieve an annual electricity production of around 1000 kWh in her windy location. Your advantage: she has no close neighbors and lives in the middle of the country. The situation is different for people living in built-up areas. “A few hundred watts, no more,” says Stefan Hoffmann from the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Center about the performance that could be expected at the time.
He and designer Jonathan Schreiber advise against taking a spot in the garden of a terraced house or on the roof of your own home. Because vibration and noise can cause sleepless nights – not just for homeowners, but for neighbors as well. The Federal Small Wind Turbine Association also cited turbulence near houses, which can reduce production.
plants must be registered
Even small systems must be registered with the electricity network operator and the Federal Network Agency. And every state has different rules. National building codes are decisive.
Basically, more and more federal states, such as Hesse, allow raising mast heights up to ten meters without a permit. However, Martin Masraton, a lawyer specializing in energy law, pointed out: “Sound, shadows and static electricity must be complied with, even if there is no approval process.”
Wind power could fill the power gap
Even if the smallest wind turbines don’t deliver perfect wind output, they can be the “caulk” in an ideal location. When the photovoltaic system is not running – at night or in winter – the wind turbines fill the gap. “For me, this is the icing on the cake in terms of energy supply,” says Christiane Pflug. “The wind has a calming effect on me when the battery is running low.”
No matter what changes may already be happening in some places – small wind turbines are by no means a surefire success. If they bring power, they are most effective on a freestanding mast, preferably on a hillside with good wind.