Claudia Calleja
Policy needed for wind turbines used by homes
Di Natura managing director Godfrey Formosa (left) shows PN MEP candidate Alan Deidun the parts that make up the helix turbine that towers behind them. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli.
Nationalist MEP candidate Alan Deidun yesterday criticised the fact that there is no policy for household wind turbines, saying this was frustrating to people seriously considering this green option.
He urged the planning authority to draw up a policy that would provide clear guidelines. The authority was currently deciding on such applications on a case by case basis, he said.
Dr Deidun also called for more government initiatives to give incentives for the use of alternative energy. In fact, in this spirit, Godfrey Formosa, the managing director of renewable-energy company Di Natura, he was visiting in Birkirkara, urged the government to remove the 18 per cent VAT on such technology.
Dr Deidun nodded in agreement and elaborated that the lack of a clear policy was worrying those people who spent thousands of euros on a wind turbine which they might then not be able to install because of neighbours' complaints.
The major concern raised by objecting residents was usually about the noise made by turbines, but not all were noisy, he said.
In fact, Dr Deidun was speaking at a renewable-energy shop in Birkirkara which imports a special, helix-shaped turbine guaranteed to make less noise than that made by average traffic.
Mr Formosa said that, unlike the traditional turbine, the US-designed helix turbine requires a small surface area to operate. They are set up on a four-by-four foot platform and stand about a storey high.
The good news is that the turbines generate about 2.5 kilowatts - which is enough energy to run an average home.
With a price tag of €10,000, it is generally more expensive than its normal counterpart which ranges between €6,000 and €10,000. However, the helix is far less noisy and produces more energy. In fact the energy produced by regular turbines is usually not enough to power an average household.
The helix's long helical scoops catch wind from all directions, forcing it through the turbine and into a generator that powers the house. If the wind is not blowing the energy grid is used.
The advantage of the helix shape is that it also spins through turbulence, while regular turbines cannot make use of this sort of wind. And besides, it spins at night and generates electricity while people sleep - something a photovoltaic panel cannot do.
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Marco Cremona
May 13th 2009, 23:13
Good of Alan Deidun to raise the issue of the administrative difficulties facing those interested in investing in micro-wind turbines.
Equally worrying is the fact that the recent relaxation of building heights (by a PN government incidentally) has jeopardised the efficient use of PVs and solar water-heaters, and the potential in solar-energy is certainly much higher than for micro-wind turbines.
Nevertheless, a major advantage of small-scale renewable energy - solar or wind - over large-scale renewables, is that anybody investing in RES will inevitably be made more aware of where and how energy is being consumed in his/her household, whch in turn leads to additional investment in energy efficient appliances, devices and practices.... and that's where the real savings are. Indeed, the spinoffs of small-scale RES are far more important than the absolute amount of energy generated from these renewable sources.
These benefits simply do not exist with large-scale renewables (like wind-farms) so I would encourage Alan to look at the larger picture and not simply lend his reputation to rubber-stamping government's ill-conceived renewable energy projects, and I refer to the wind-farms in particular. We need plans before projects, not the other way round, PLEASE!
Godfrey formosa
May 13th 2009, 22:23
Re 2.5 Kw Verticle Axis wind Turbine Helix Wind
@ 5.5m/s it produce 1Kw
@ 7.5m/s it produce 2.5Kw
@ 8.5m/s it produce 3.5Kw
@9.5 m/s it produce 4.5Kw
@10 m/s it produce 5 Kw
For more technical details please visit www.helixwind.com
Competitors are invited too :-)
Godfrey Formosa
May 13th 2009, 22:08
Very interesting comments, this is not a promotion media, people have to read carefully. With out any incentives and without any feeding tariffs (good rates) all alternative products will be kept on shelves. Also why government is charging 18% vat either we are promoting alternative energy or we add more taxes, it should be at least 5 % to keep track. Please keep in mind that Malta is too far away from its targets re renewable energy. This wind policy should be public as soon as possible, as there are some wind turbines that produce allot of noise which every one hate and people are scared from wind turbines & MEPA!!!
Marco Cremona
May 13th 2009, 18:32
Alan, good that you bring up this issue.
Microwind turbines have the advantage over large-scale wind-farms in that they do not take up any land or require any major constructions. But more importantly they are an educational tool.
Once somebody installs any form of renewable energy source at home (PV, micro-wind) you can rest assured that he/she will inevitably become very aware of the electricity they consume at home and will invest additionally in energy-saving appliances, devices and adopt best practice. And this is where the BIG savings lie- not in the renewable energy device per se but in the savings arising thereafter.
So the fringe-benefit is more important than the renewable-energy-source itself. A wind-farm does not provide this important fringe benefit.
Of course, as with a high-rise policy, MEPA has to ensure that any micro-turbines will not be an inconvenience to neighbours.
However MEPA must not be petty when preparing this policy document and guidelines. I find it ironic that it has taken MEPA years to prepare a micro-wind policy document - and there are to date no guidelines on the installation of storeys-high flag masts and festa lights, and as far as I know, none in the pipeline.
ms g hoare
May 13th 2009, 17:42
@ joe cordina , i understand your point but these turnbine are more near to silent then any airconition going at any time of the day with a diffrence that turnbines are energy efficent and aircondiction arent, and if they are fitted properly they do not vibrate.
Jesmond Farrugia
May 13th 2009, 15:08
@ Ferrigi - Dr. Deidun stands for renewable energy as well, he is 'obliged' to speak out for this subject which has been put on the backburner for too long.
r ferriggi
May 13th 2009, 14:09
Dr Deidun, has environmental promotion taken over from the real battles??
let the private sector do its own promotion please. you should aspire to guide ( and criticize )your own colleagues in planning,,,, and not other things.
there are a million outrages that are happening in this island which you can take on. as you commendably had been doing before.
Nigel Lawrence
May 13th 2009, 12:21
€10,000 is a LOT of electricity bills. Then add the back up battery pack and it's charge regulator, the static inverter, the maintenance costs,. STILL interested?
Jesmond Farrugia
May 13th 2009, 12:19
@ Jimmy, there are no incentives for wind turbines in Malta.....
@ Chris - a 2.5kW turbine will produce 2.5kW of power at a given wind speed, normally 12m/s and over.
Joe Cordina
May 13th 2009, 12:16
Neighbours should beware because these wind turbines cause noise and vibration which can be a very big nuisance
Christopher Pollard
May 13th 2009, 11:55
The report says that this turbine generates 2.5 kilowatts - over what time? Could you give some idea of payback time for a house using say 3000 units per annum? Sounds very good especially as it generates at night and in poor weather.
Jimmy Magro
May 13th 2009, 10:47
Better late than never!
This means that in Malta we have the incentives for household wind turbines, but we still have no policy.
good governance
Julian Mompalao de Piro
May 13th 2009, 10:11
Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9flSPAdOLk