PLANS were being unveiled today for Hull’s first micro-turbine wind farm development at InterTech. British manufacturer Quiet Revolution Ltd. is looking to install about 20 of its vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) on land at Priory Park, Hull. The move comes just days after city council chief executive Nicola Yates mapped out her vision of Hull becoming the greenest city in Britain.
Plans unveiled for Hull's first Micro-turbine wind farm
Plans for new Micro-turbine Wind Farm at InterTech
Download PDF of Plans for new Micro-turbine Wind Farm at InterTech
Plans for Wind Farm Electrical Plant Room
Download PDF of Plans for Wind Farm Electrical Plant Room
Steve Allen, Quiet Revolution’s UK business development manager, said: “We think we have got a great product. It’s a great location and the country needs more green energy. We are a British-owned company with a great, British-designed product and we want to invest in Britain. We are actively looking at a variety of sites across the UK. The main thing we look for is a windy location – and the beauty of the site in Hull is that it is on the banks of the Humber, where there is a superb wind resource.”
Resembling giant egg whisks, the firm’s vertical turbines were unlike the conventional, large-scale, bladed wind turbines, said Mr Allen.
“Our turbines are specifically designed to operate in built-up areas and that is another thing going for Hull. Urban environments are not usually windy, but Hull is an exception to that rule. It has everything in its favour for this type of technology. Each of our turbines cost about £39,000 to build and install so we are talking about quite a significant investment from our point of view. That is why we are keen to speak to as many people in the area to see what they think about it as part of the planning application consultation process.”
The proposed Micro-turbine wind farm will be sited adjacent to InterTech's premises
Manufactured in South Wales, the turbines are specifically designed to work close to buildings and people. Noise is minimised because the blade tip speed is much lower than on the kind of wind farm turbines seen in Hull and across the East Yorkshire countryside. Launched in 2006, the company has turbines currently installed in the UK, Australia, Ireland, Holland and Germany. Last month, it announced it had reached its manufacturing capacity for this year thanks to an influx of new orders.
The chosen site lies next to an existing Quiet Revolution turbine installed earlier this year by showroom design company InterTech, which is based in Saltmarsh Court on Priory Park. Overlooking Clive Sullivan Way, the turbine helps power the InterTech building, which has been designed to be as energy-efficient as possible.
The proposed site in Humberside is an ideal location for Micro-turbines
Director of InterTech, Andrew Fenton, said: “We managed to buy the land next to us a few months ago and when Quiet Revolution heard about it, they asked whether we would be interested in the idea of the micro-turbine wind farm. Because of what we have already achieved with the building, it was a logical step for us.”
Mr Fenton went on to say that the proposed development was a sign that talk about Hull’s green credentials was being turned into reality.
He said: “Our building already has more solar panels on it than any other in Hull. The whole project has been self-funded. We haven’t taken one penny from the public purse to fund it, which shows what can be done. I have to say that we have encountered a lot of red tape along the way and a lot of indifference from certain organisations. Compared with some European countries, we are light-years behind, but projects like this will hopefully show what can be achieved in an urban setting such as Hull.”
Speaking at last week’s Green City event as part of Business Week, Ms Yates said: “It’s all about how we can make renewables real for Hull, turning it from an opportunity into reality. It’s about developing new and exciting wealth and one way of doing that is to increase the proportion of renewable and low-carbon energy used and produced in the city.”
InterTech is hosting a public consultation event on the micro-turbine wind farm proposals at its Saltmarsh Court building on Priory Park East today, 15th June 2011 from 4pm to 7.30pm.
