Businesses encouraged to sign up to wind power
Tuesday 11 November 2008
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| Eagle Power and Opus Energy said a 6kW turbine would start pay for itself in seven years |
Electricity supplier Opus Energy has teamed up with small wind turbine installers Eagle Power to encourage businesses to generate their own wind power.
Under the link-up, West Yorkshire company Eagle Power is recommending that business customers fitting small wind turbines sell their excess power to Opus.
When wind speeds are lower, the businesses can be supplied with electricity by Opus and off-set the cost of the energy they use from the grid with the income from the energy produced by their wind turbines.
Eagle Power has been installing turbines in Yorkshire, Lancashire and Humberside for 15 years, and its own office in Ripponden is off-grid, and almost entirely powered by a Proven 6 turbine.
It said today that wind turbine installations have doubled in the last year. Around 40% of its customers are businesses looking to boost green credentials and cut annual energy bills, the company explained.
The company offers three types of turbine made by Scottish firm Proven Energy, ranging from 2.5kW up to 15kW.
The 2.5kW Proven 2.5 can generate 4,500 kWh of power each year at average wind speeds of 5m/s, the company says, the 6kW Proven 6 generates 12,000 kWh a year at such wind speeds while the 15kW Proven 15 generates 29,000 kWh according to the company's claims.
Payback
Opus said a 6kW turbine would cost £18,500 with government grants, and at average wind speeds of six metres per second would pay for itself in seven years.
Businesses that do take the initiative to install turbines can look to buffer the effect of rising economic costs.
Eagle Power owner and manager John Gumbley said: "All of our customers are keen to know that they can earn ‘payback' from their turbine. Being able to earn money from the power you generate, beyond what you use to run your property, makes green energy an attractive option."
Mr Gumbley added: "We recommend our customers to Opus Energy because they make it really easy for businesses to start selling their excess energy."
Opus Energy, which has offices in Oxford and Northampton, suppliers power to the Yell Group, Thorntons, Farmfoods, Cumbria County Council and Deloitte & Touche among others.
Valpy Fitzgerald, risk manager at Opus Energy said: "We are delighted to be working with Eagle Power to encourage micro-generation in the UK. With diminishing natural resources and the increasing price of energy, wind-turbines can provide an excellent solution to minimising both environment and business costs.
"Those businesses that do take the initiative to install turbines can look to buffer the effect of rising economic costs by selling back their surplus power to the Grid," added Mr Fitzgerald.
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