NewsBarclays launches renewable energy fund for farmers30 August 2011 Barclays has launched a £100 million fund for UK farmers investing in renewable energy, tracking the massive groundswell of interest from farmers seeking to cut energy bills and generate new income. New figures released by the bank reveal that more than a third (37 per cent) of the UK’s 200,000 farmers* are expecting to invest in renewable energy, with the majority doing so within the next year. Farmers are further expecting the investment to generate returns averaging £25,000 per year. Developed with sector specialists including National Farmers Union (NFU), the fund is available for solar, wind, and hydro projects in the UK, with Barclays including projected feed-in-tariffs (FIT) when assessing each loan. “For farmers investing makes sense – it's good for the environment, but for the majority it's about good business,” said Travers Clarke-Walker, Product and Marketing Director for Barclays Business. “Over the years farmers have struggled with low commodity prices and increasing costs, and Barclays has already supported many farmers as they seek new ways of making money. Renewable energy production offers farmers a further opportunity to develop their businesses and add to their traditionally vital roles of producing food and managing the countryside.” “What farmers see is a win-win – lower costs and increased income, and the majority expect the investment to pay for itself in under 10 years. Meaning they are looking forward to many further years of lower energy costs and a potentially new income as they sell energy back to the grid.” “When looking at a new renewable project, reliable technology, competent maintenance and management are all important considerations, though of course farmers should also keep an eye on the current feed in tariff rates offered to ensure it works for their business.” Four out of five (80 per cent) of the farmers questioned recognise that renewable energy can provide significant cost savings, with 60 per cent expecting it to generate additional income for their business. In the medium term, increased investment in renewable energy appears even more likely, with Barclays predicting the costs of wind and solar projects to fall by up to 50 per cent in the next three to five years. The new fund will support the government’s recent commitment for the UK to generate 15 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. In establishing the fund Barclays has worked closely with a number of organisations to develop this new fund, including the NFU, Country, Land & Business Association; Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The organisations will continue to be involved with the fund in an advisory capacity, and their views will be fed in to consideration for loan applications. “The opportunities for farmers to produce renewable energy thereby helping to decarbonise the economy and contribute to the UK’s long-term energy security are there for all to see,” said Meurig Raymond, NFU deputy president. “Given the significant up-front costs of renewables technologies, commercial lending is essential to unlocking these opportunities, so it’s great to see Barclays committing to make additional funding to the sector”. For more information, visit the Barclay's web site.
Over 100 people attend joint Greenthinking/Stags Open Day20 June 2011 Over 100 farmers and landowners attended a Wind Turbine Open Day at Sampford Peverell on Thursday 16th June.
The Gaia 133 11kW small wind turbine installed by Greenthinking near to Sampford Peverall, Devon.
The event which Greenthinking organised in conjunction with Stags, had to be split into a morning and afternoon session due to the high demand.
Presentations were made by Nick Zorab (Greenthinking) and Caroline Snell (Stags) covering site surveying, installation, performance, servicing and obtaining planning permission for wind turbines. The photograph shows Nick Zorab of Greenthinking at the presentation.
Nigel Capel of Greenthinking commented “it was great to work with Stags in the organisation of this event and the turnout was magnificent reflecting the interest in small wind turbines and the financial gains made by farming the wind”. Mark Neason of Stags added “the event went very well and provided an excellent opportunity to view an installed and commissioned wind turbine. The site owners were on hand to answer questions regarding the turbine. This type of information is invaluable for those thinking about investing in a wind turbine”.
Gaia 'sweeps the board' in America29 May 2011 Glasgow based wind turbine company Gaia-Wind, has swept the board in the annual survey of US small wind turbine industry professionals. Less than a year since launching a US export drive, the Gaia-Wind 133-11kW has been given the best rating of the top 24 turbines available in the US. The annual survey, by top US renewables information organisation HomePower, was conducted among 65 US installation companies “who are active and earning a living in the small wind industry”. Click here for more informatiion.
Eco Lodges go even Greener!29 May 2011 A self catering and eco lodge business in Devon has installed a Gaia 133 Wind Turbine.Wheatland farm in the heart of rural Devon provides 'green' holiday accomodation and hold gold approval from both the Green Tourism Business Scheme and the Devon Wildlife Trust. Project managed by Greenthinking the Gaia wind turbine is expected to generate approximatelly 30,000kWh of electricity per year. For more information please see the owners blog.
Gaia 133 Open Day a Great Success11 March 2011 Greenthinking held an Open day at a dairy farm near Launceston in Cornwall on Wednesday. Over 60 people attended and within days of the event many of the attendees have began the process of owning a wind turbine and benefitting from the high return on investment they currently provide.
This was an excelle The event was run in two sessions, morning and afternoon. Visitors were given a presentation at the Countryman Inn about Greenthinking, the Gaia 133 and the two installations at Winsdon Farm. Afterwards there was a visit to see, hear and hug (!) the two turbines with the owner, Adam Paynter, present along with Greenthinking staff to answer questions. Nigel Capel of Greenthinking said “the rush for people to install their wind turbines before the Feed in Tariff begins to reduce on 1st April 2012 has begun”! Greenthinking will be holding open days throughout the year. We can also arrange viewings of our installations at almost anytime if you don’t want to wait for an open day. Please contact Greenthinking to register interest.
Call: 01823 680751
FiT goes up for Wind Turbines!08 March 2011 As promised the UK Government is to increase the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) rates in line with the retail price index. As of 1st April 2011 the Feed-in Tariff for Wind Turbine systems will increase in line with inflation (4.8% increase). This means that for a Gaia 133 Turbine the rate will increase from 26.7p/kWh to 28.0p/kWh. At an annual mean wind speed (AMWS) of 6.5m/s this would increase the FiT from £160,200 to £168,000 over the 20 yrs of the FiT on top of the electricity you will save and the export tariff you will receive. Greenthinking Renewables Ltd said “whilst this is excellent news the tariff is set at this level only for those whose wind turbines are commissioned before 31st March 2012. It usually takes 6 to 12 months from initial enquiry until a wind turbine is commissioned so anyone seriously thinking of making the most of the FiT needs to act quickly”.
Call: 01823 680751
Endurance E-3120 Open Day04 February 2011 Greenthinking’s Endurance E-3120 Open Day at Holsworthy Devon on 1st February was a huge success. With over 40 customers attending in two sessions, the program included a presentation by Greenthinking at the Bradworthy Inn, a coach visit to the Devon Turbines and lunch. Representatives from Greenthinking and Dulas Ltd were present to answer the many questions from those who attended.
Visitors remarked on how elegant the Endurance E-3120 looked and how exceptionally quiet is was. Many were surprised that they were able to speak at a whisper at the base of the turbine and still be heard
Nigel Capel from Greenthinking commented “The event went like clockwork. Many thanks to all those who came along, to the hotel staff which were excellent in every respect and to the coach driver. The turnout demonstrated how much interest there is in this exceptional wind turbine”.
If you would like to visit an Endurance E-3120 or Gaia 133 wind turbine please contact Greenthinking on 01823 680751 or info@greenthinking.com
Gaia Wind 133 11kw Wind Turbine Is Now MCS Approved01 December 2010
Gaia Wind Uk are delighted to announce that their class leading wind turbine, the Gaia133 is now fully certified under the new UK industry standards - MCS. Kenneth Peterson, Gaia Wind Uk sales and marketing manager stated …” The MCS stamp of approval underlines Gaia Wind Uk’s belief in it’s class leading 133 turbine,… as a turbine that ticks all the boxes in terms of design, operational safety and power generation” . Greenthinking are pleased that both of the main smaller turbines that it recommends, the Evance Iskra R9000 and the Gaia 133 have both achieved MCS approval.
Gaia-Wind New Production Plant in Scotland27 November 2010 Small Wind turbine manufacturer Gaia-Wind Ltd announced the creation of a brand new production and worldwide distribution hub in Glasgow. This £5 million investment will bring more than 50 jobs to Scotland; underpinning Gaia–Wind’s plans for expansion into a worldwide market. The investment will:
The manufacturing plant will be located at Port Dundas. Initially, the plant will manage the assembly, testing and distribution of 250 turbines and it will be increased to approximately 2,000 per year over the following few years. Having looked at a number of potential locations, including Denmark and Italy, Gaia-Wind will concentrate growth around a single location within the company's core UK market. In addition, a substantial proportion of their world leading product will be for export to overseas markets. Interested in a Gaia 133 - call the experts Call: 01823 680751
2 Gaia's installed at Dairy Farm in Cornwall18 October 2010
Greenthinking has installed 2 Gaia 133 wind turbines on a dairy farm near Launceston in Cornwall.
With an estimated Annual Mean Wind Speed (AMWS) of 5.1 m/s (11.4 mph) the two turbines are expected to generate over 50MWh/yr of electricity with carbon savings of 29 tonnes/yr.
After a month of the turbines operating Adam Paynter, the owner of the Gaia 133 turbines, said “The turbines are currently exceeding the generation expected. Thank you to Greenthinking who are easy to deal with, professional, have excellent product knowledge and were superb at answering my queries quickly. I have already recommended Greenthinking to several of my friends”.
Adam has kindly agreed to hold an Open Day at his farm near Launceston,
Call: 01884 680751
Greenthinking visit first Endurance E-312009 September 2010
At the invitation of Dulas Ltd the Greenthinking Team visited the first installed Endurance E-3120 in the UK on Wednesday . Dulas engineers carried out the installation of the 55kW machine at a dairy farm in North Devon. The farm is on an ‘ideal’ site around 13 miles South East of Bideford, and only five miles inland from the sea. The NOABL modeled wind database estimates the annual mean wind speed (AMWS) at around 6.6 m/s at a height of 25 metres.
The photograph shows Rob Edwards of Dulas speaking with members of the Greenthinking Team at the site of the first installation. The site owner, Mr Ludwell, is a dairy farmer motivated by the prospect of generating power to reduce electricity costs and to provide an additional revenue stream. The turbine is expected to generate approximately 200MWh and over £50,000 FIT income per annum (excluding the additional savings resulting from electricity usage on site). This equates to a simple payback within the initial 5 year warranty period.
After the visit Nigel Capel (Greenthinking Director) said “not only is the specification and cost of the Endurance E-3120 impressive but it is one of the best looking wind turbines on the market”. Nick Zorab (Greenthinking Project Manager for Somerset) added “Greenthinking has always chosen to sell only the turbines that are the best in their class, so the Endurance is a welcome addition to our range”.
Call: 01823 680751
Three Turbines commissioned in a week!04 September 2010
Greenthinking had one of its busiest weeks ever last week, commissioning 3 Evance Iskra R9000 Wind Turbines in Devon and
Since the introduction of the Feed in Tariff in April 2010 and the resultant reduction in pay-back times, interest in wind turbines has increased dramatically. With average wind speeds of 5.0 m/s it is now possible to pay off the cost of purchase and installation within 5 years and then receive an income/saving of £13,000/yr for the remaining 15 years that you would receive the Feed in Tariff.
A wind turbine is an excellent investment that also helps to reduce greenhouse gases – a true “Green” investment.
For a free Desk Top Evaluation of the suitability of your site for a Wind Turbine please contact Greenthinking .
Call: 01823 680751
Endurance Sets the Stage for European Expansion by Installing its' First E-3120 in the United Kingdom09 August 2010
The first Endurance E-3120 in the UK was installed on a hilltop close to the Ludwell’s East Ash Farm in Devon, South West England.
Call: 01823 680751
Outstanding performance of Iskra R9000 gets official MCS stamp23 July 2010
20th July 2010
Evance Press Release
Evance, a leader in the manufacture of small wind turbines, is pleased to announce that its R9000 5kW wind turbine has completed all tests and awarded full Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accreditation.
For durability, the MCS states that a Class II turbine, such as the R9000, needs to be in operation for at least 6 months and achieve a minimum of 25 hours operating in winds greater that 15.3 m/s (34.2 mph). During this test period the R9000 substantially exceeded this parameters, by operating for over 200 hours in winds >15.3 m/s, proving its resilience. It actually saw sufficient wind to pass the Class I durability criteria within this timeframe.
To prove dependable operation the MCS required a 6 month running test. The R9000 test period began in November 2009 through to June 2010, with the turbine operating consistently throughout this period, so demonstrating its reliability.
“We are very pleased to have our product performance accredited as we have always been proud of the data we publish as our products are developed to BWEA testing standards,” stated Andrew Tasker, Product Director for Evance Wind Turbines Ltd. “We ran two concurrent test sites, in Cornwall and Shetland, which allowed us to rigorously test the turbine and tower in harsh winter conditions, with exceptional results.”
Turbines also have to pass the Safety & Function criteria which reviews and tests how a turbine copes with high wind speeds. For the R9000 this meant that the patented Reactive Pitchmechanism and Electro Brakewere fully tested, with both passing all requirements. Also technical information, such as load calculations and stress analysis, has been independently audited.
“We welcomed the introduction of the MCS as we believe it will improve standards across the industry. The R9000 is an excellent design, and it is good to see a product designed and manufactured in the UK meeting these stringent requirements” commented Kevin Parslow, CEO of Evance Wind Turbines Ltd. “The outstanding performance of the R9000 will give all customers, around the World, confidence to invest in small wind and Evance as a supplier of small wind turbines.”
Addition to Press Release: 'The Evance R9000 is the first sub 10kW product to achieve this giving confidnce to our customers that Evance and Greenthinking are commited to quality, safety and performance'. Call: 01823 680751
|
nt opportunity to view the highly efficient 
Greenthinking’s
Andy Warrington from Dulas Ltd gave a presentation on the E-3120 followed by a site visit with Rod Edwards, also of Dulas, to view the turbine close up. The visit concluded with a working lunch followed by a viewing of the second Dulas Endurance E-3120 installation which was being installed a few miles away.
.jpg)
It was exciting to be part of this project and bring our first European turbine online with ease. The installation was straightforward from beginning to end and it was completed in only three days. I am confident that Mr. Ludwell will be satisfied with the performance of his turbine and I look forward to the subsequent installs that will come for other customers” said Nigel Webster, Director, Dulas Ltd., Professional Services for Renewable Energy.