Areas of application and use of small wind turbines
The increasing global energy demand and the need for climate and environmental protection measures to reduce CO2 emissions are driving the global restructuring of energy supply structures. Their flexibility and versatility make small wind turbines a valuable tool for promoting the sustainability and autonomy of energy supplies in a wide variety of sectors.
Small wind turbines have a wide range of applications in urban and rural areas. They supply electricity to private households, small businesses, and farms, providing a reliable source of energy even in remote regions. Small wind turbines can be installed on the roofs of buildings or on pylons in their immediate vicinity. In agriculture, they enable the operation of machinery and equipment, reduce operating costs, and promote the sustainable production of agricultural products. In remote locations and on islands, where energy supplies based on fossil resources are often expensive and logistically challenging, small wind turbines offer a practical solution for sustainable energy generation. Other sectors, such as telecommunications, are also showing increasing interest in small wind turbines, as their small space requirements make them ideal for supplying mobile phone sites.
Small wind turbines can also be interesting starting points for community projects and tenant electricity models, especially when combined with existing solar and photovoltaic systems. This combination enables homeowners or small commercial and industrial businesses to generate electricity continuously. Photovoltaic and small wind turbines complement each other perfectly in electricity generation, as both energy sources follow different patterns. While photovoltaic systems generate energy primarily on sunny summer days, small wind turbines supply energy during the windy autumn and winter months. By combining both energy sources, it can be ensured that sufficient clean electricity is always available, regardless of the weather, time of day, or year.
Using small wind turbines correctly
Today, electricity generation is already largely renewable and is becoming increasingly decentralized. Small wind turbines offer enormous potential, especially for energy generation close to consumers. They are used for energy generation in both on-grid (grid-connected) and off-grid (grid-independent) applications.
In grid-connected applications, the operator can use the self-generated energy from the small wind turbine as well as the electricity from the grid. Excess energy can be fed into the grid and is typically compensated through feed-in tariffs. If wind energy is unavailable or insufficient, the electricity can be taken from the grid, thus eliminating the need for expensive storage media (batteries).
An off-grid system is an energy distribution network with small-scale power generation that is separate from the public grid. Wind and photovoltaic systems, energy storage systems, and generators are often used individually or in combination as energy sources to ensure a continuous energy supply, for example, in a mini-grid system.
Small wind turbines have a wide range of applications in on- and off-grid applications, including agriculture, industry, commerce, municipal, and private use. A comprehensive understanding of the diverse application areas of small wind turbines is crucial to fully exploiting their potential and developing innovative energy solutions for existing and future challenges.
Areas of application and use of small wind turbines
Small wind turbines for homeowners in residential areas and rural areas
Many owners of single-family or two-family homes in rural areas or residential areas desire an independent energy supply and are increasingly interested in small wind turbines for their own electricity generation. For these private households, small wind turbines offer the opportunity to diversify their energy supply and become less dependent on conventional power sources. Especially in rural areas, homeowners often have sufficient open space suitable for the use of small wind turbines. Small wind turbines can also be used for sustainable energy generation in residential areas. Depending on the available space, it is generally possible to install small wind turbines using a tower in the garden or to install a rooftop system. Both options must be carefully planned and tested in advance. In particular, the wind situation at the location and its suitability for energy generation must be investigated and evaluated, with good locations generally being found on the outskirts of settlements. Furthermore, structural aspects such as roof statics and structure-borne sound emissions, as well as legal frameworks, must be considered during planning.
Small wind turbines in agriculture
Wind turbines have a long tradition in agriculture. In the past, they served as windmills for grinding grain or as watermills for pumping water for animal troughs or irrigating fields. Today, electricity generation is the primary focus for many farmers, livestock breeders, and vegetable growers. Agricultural holdings typically have large areas exposed to free wind flow and a consistently high energy demand year-round. These characteristics provide optimal conditions for small wind turbines and enable the efficient generation of sustainable, reliable, and resilient renewable energy. By integrating small wind turbines into agricultural holdings, farmers can reduce their energy costs while contributing to the sustainable production of agricultural products. Furthermore, agricultural holdings in Germany enjoy advantages under building regulations and can benefit from the privileged use of wind energy in open areas.
Small wind turbines in industry and commerce
Energy costs represent a significant cost item in industry and commerce and thus have a decisive influence on the competitiveness of industries and sectors. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important to use energy efficiently and consider alternative generation methods. Of the more than 3.5 million companies in Germany alone, many have sufficient land available for the construction and operation of small wind turbines. By integrating small wind turbines, industrial and commercial enterprises can reduce their energy costs, achieve sustainability goals, and strengthen their competitiveness. They improve their environmental and climate balance and position themselves as future-oriented and environmentally conscious – a significant marketing and image advantage.
Small wind turbines in remote locations and on islands
More than a billion people, primarily in developing and emerging countries, as well as on islands, currently have no or only inadequate access to energy. Providing the required energy through the construction of new large-scale fossil-fuel power plants is limited because: a) the energy-related combustion of fossil fuels is responsible for a large proportion of climate-damaging CO2 emissions, b) the majority of people with no or insufficient access to electricity live in rural areas, c) these areas are often not connected to the public power grid, and d) the construction and expansion of national power grids, if at all possible, would involve immense investments. Off-grid power grids or mini-grids are particularly suitable for the electrification of these regions. Small wind turbines such as TWE's WindStream5 can contribute to a reliable, climate- and environmentally-friendly power supply and thus promote social and economic development in remote regions. It can be easily integrated into existing mini-grid systems and enables independent energy generation, the reduction of greenhouse gases and cost savings.
Small wind turbines for telecommunications, security and surveillance systems
Wherever the power grid is unreliable, expensive, or simply nonexistent, wind is an ideal renewable energy source for powering electrical systems. Small wind turbines can provide energy for mobile network operators, telecommunications companies, and providers of cell towers and monitoring systems, some of which are located in remote or off-grid regions. In this sector, diesel generators are currently primarily used to power the systems. More than $19 billion is spent annually on diesel fuel in the telecommunications and cell tower sectors alone. Small wind turbines can reduce this diesel consumption and help reduce the carbon footprint of the telecommunications industry.
Challenges and future prospects
Small wind turbines offer a sustainable energy supply solution for a wide variety of applications. They are an ideal complement to photovoltaic systems and heat pumps, particularly in the energy-intensive autumn and winter months. These synergies between small wind turbines and other renewable energy sources will permanently transform the energy landscape in the coming era of renewable sector integration. Hybrid systems consisting of wind and photovoltaic systems leverage the complementarity of wind and solar energy, with wind turbines generating electricity at night or in autumn and winter during windy periods, and photovoltaics generating electricity on sunny days in spring and summer. This combination enables appropriately designed hybrid systems to deliver more stable and consistent power and reduce dependence on fossil fuels or grid power year-round. To be successful in the long term, small wind turbines must be both ecologically and economically viable. A key challenge will be to further reduce the manufacturing costs of small wind turbines. The price development of photovoltaics over the past 20 years has clearly demonstrated the opportunities offered by industrialized production processes in this context. ``` Small wind turbines are still in their early stages of development, but they are already considered to have great potential in transforming energy systems. The market for small wind turbines will develop dynamically due to technological advances, increasing global energy demand, and supportive political frameworks. Innovative materials, developments ranging from aerodynamically optimized rotor blade designs to AI-supported hybrid systems will significantly shape the future of small wind turbines.
