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It does open up an angle around what renewables/microgen costs in UK compared to say the US. I've been doing some research and making a few purchases.
Eg. I bought an 80 watt solar panel recently in the UK at a cost around £500 with controller. Equivalent panel in the US - $450. So twice the price.
On Microturbines, I was quoted £850 to deliver (not install) an Air-X 400 watt wind machine. I was able to purchase an identical machine in the US for $550. So three times the price. Who's snouts are in this trough?
There seem to be a hell of a lot of Quangos, Trusts, Snake Oil Salesmen and general busybodies on the UK renewables scene. Perhaps if some of the resources that are being used up on nice dinners, 'conferences' and 'workshops' were actually turned towards what is needed, fast - HARDWARE - then we might see things begin to move.
That said, the proposals to reduce the Planning Obstacles to Microwind machines seem like a useful step in the right direction.
I see it as one of the 2 practical ways that an "Average bod" can generate in a domestic environment. (The other being Solar). Conservation and insulation are very important, but can only go so far.
To that end, I have bought a 300 Watt turbine (Made in China - where else..) and installed it last week in my back garden - on a 6 metre pole.
For the tecchies amongst you, it pushes out 3-phase AC which is rectified into 12vDC and charges 2 large 110Ah Leisure Batteries.
These in turn provide current to a 600w(max) inverter and that feeds my Deep-Freeze and some sockets for low-current devices such as phone chargers, laptops etc.
The blurb on the inverter says that it is not suitable for flourescent tubes (due to the high initial 'kick' of induction I imagine) but I am going to do some trials with low-energy bulbs to see what the threshold is.
The batteries store about enough charge for 3 days of 'no-wind' on my current setup (pun intended). I live on the South Coast - so I hope to avoid too much 'no-wind'...
It has only been up for about 10 days, and I have already sparked a lot of interest / debate from the neghbours and friends about the merit of turbines such as mine.
Mostly positive - I must say, and a number of people have asked "Do you think I could have one?"
This has set me and my colleague thinking about doing a sales & installation service (bearing in mind the point made by Oily Bill above) - Delivery only is not an option unless you enjoy & understand a reasonable amount of electrical & construction DIY.
As to cost (and I will be honest here) the kits can be bought for a little over 400 pounds on eBay (incl P&P) and you must add another 100 for batteries and probably another 50 on small items such as paint, cable, connectors and fixings.
Adding in an installation charge of about 300 pounds, we hope to market them for about 850 pounds fully installed.
This is not so much a sales pitch, as to give a reference to the costs given above by OB.
I have seen firms asking 3000 pounds for a 400W turbine fully installed! I do think their turbine looks quite attractive (and has an imaginitive name) - but way above a decent benchmark price. Hence why I investigated doing my own!
Finally - the planning point. I wrote to my local Authority (West Dorset) asking if I needed planning permission. They said "Send us 20 quid - and we'll tell you". True!
So I sent my money in and they repied with a letter that I DO NOT require planning permission. It is deemed to be a temporary structure, it is within my boundaries and they are adopting a structure plan which encourages SSEG.
Check with your own local authority, but I think most of this comes from Mr Prescott's office.