WICO 3rd Newsletter November 2010
WICO project update November 2010...
The WICO partnership is currently finalising its findings from the 'analysis' phase of the project.
Over the last few months work has been undertaken in Italy, Spain and England to analyse the current situation with regards the policies, markets and technologies of relevance to small wind systems.
As part of this work each country has engaged with stakeholders through a series of workshops.
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UK market assessment of small wind installations...
Grant arrangements for installation of microgeneration wind systems in the UK has given way to a system of feed in tariffs. The Tariffs have been set at levels aimed at attracting investors across a range of technologies.
This has put the competing technologies on a fairly level playing field. The result was intended to promote small wind in areas conducive to effective energy capture, namely where a turbine might be expected to achieve a good capacity factor.
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Results from the technical assessment of the Ravenna coast in Italy...
WICO is an experimental project which is providing interesting information about the potential applications of mini wind turbines along coastal areas.
As part of the analysis phase of the project, the Province of Ravenna in Italy installed 3 anemometers in different environmental conditions to collect wind data.
Much of the Ravenna Province coastline is characterised by a beautiful pinewood which is located between the beach and residential buildings and hotels which blocks the westerly winds. For this reason, two anemometers were placed on the roofs of seaside resorts in Ravenna, one with the pinewood behind and one without any kind of barrier, both at a height of 6 meters. The third anemometer was placed on the roof of a hotel in Cervia at a height of 30 meters without any barriers.
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WICO Policy workshop report...
The WICO policy workshop, held recently, explored a range of items including local authority spatial planning, approvals policy and timescales, consultative and legal structures and formalities of Grid Connection.
The three project partners described and discussed their national experiences in order to understand the issues and barriers and identify the best practices which might assist their own local circumstances.
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UK tax exemption information may assist change in Spanish policies...
Information that was exchanged as part of the WICO project has already proved useful for the Spanish project partners Diputacion de Huelva who are using it to encourage a change in their national policies.
At the time of writing this newsletter the UK domestic income tax exemption policy related to domestic microgeneration is being viewed as an enabling best practice by Spanish Partners whose existing taxation and small-scale electrical generation policies were seen as a barrier to domestic uptake.
WICO partners are keenly awaiting further reports of Spanish progress on this subject.
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Feedback from the third Spanish workshop...
Spanish WICO partners, Huelva held their third local workshop on 30th of September 2010 in Cartaya, (Huelva); the workshop looked at the available technologies for small wind systems.
The event was attended by 32 delegates(manufacturers, local technicians, University representatives, distributers, etc...) and was inaugurated by the Renewable Energies Department Councilor of Huelva and the Mayor of Cartaya.
Both local representatives strongly supported small wind power systems and emphasized the importance of promoting the implementation of these systems progressively in the territory.
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British Vertical Wind Energy company accessing finance to commercialise products...
Vertical Wind Energy, a designer, manufacturer and installer of vertical axis, small wind systems has secured £880K of funding from new lead investor the South East Seed Fund, alongside Angel Investors from the South East Capital Alliance (SECA), managed by Finance South East (FSE). Existing investors Clarendon Fund Managers and Northstar Equity Investors completed the funding round.
With two products independently signed off as ready to sell, this investment is designed to allow the Company to actively promote, sell and install turbines across the UK and Ireland. The products are currently in the Government’s micro-certification scheme and are being verified and analysed by the appointed agency TUV (NEL).
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Wind of Coast (WICO) e brochure available for download...
WICO has produced an e-brochure detailing the project background as well as listing the project aims and giving information on the project partners.
The brochure is available to download from
http://www.marinesoutheast.co.uk/wico/downloads
