What can a wind turbine do?

Wind is a great combined with solar energy because the wind often blows more at night and in winter. Most wind farms are enormous and don't feed energy into the local grid. Community-scale wind usually involves only one or two turbines. These are generally 50m to 100m tall (to the hub) because the wind is much more powerful as you go higher. Each turbine produces 1MW+ of electricity. Small wind turbines exist but are not common in Australia so their electricity ends up being more expensive.

What does it mean to set up a wind turbine?

A wind turbine needs a windy location and access to a part of the electricity network that can accept its power. The speed of the wind across the year determines the energy the turbine will produce. The local landscape and even surrounding vegetation can channel the wind, cause a wind shadow, or cause unwanted tubulence. You would usually measure the wind at the correct height in the chosen location for a year before committing the capital to invest in the wind turbine.

In Australia there are only two community owned wind farms; Hepburn Energy in Victoria has two wind turbines (4.1MW) and Denmark Community Windfarm in Western Australia also with two turbines generating 1.6MW.

Realising a wind energy project can take several years as you determine the site suitability and bring in experts to navigate the technical (feasibility, grid connection, noise, environmental), regulatory (e.g. planning) and financial (e.g. bank loans and investment) requirements to set up the project.

Benefits of setting up a wind turbine

• Community ownership and control: this type of project helps to build community, encourages greater participation and local involvement in collective decision making.

• Economic benefits: a community wind project can boost the local economy by creating jobs and attracting investment. The financial return on investment through revenue generated by the sale of electricity can be used to fund more local projects that benefit the community.

• Education and awareness: a community wind farm can raise awareness about renewable energy and sustainability and provide opportunities for learning. It can increase education around renewable energy by engaging residents, schools, and organisations and foster a culture of sustainability.

• More local renewable energy.

Challenges of setting up a wind turbine

• Obtaining social licence for a community wind farm (like any wind project) can be a challenging and time consuming process, but is crucial for the project's success. It is important to remember how large wind turbines are. Community support for a project will be linked to the ways the community benefits from the project.

• The long-term economic viability of the project is another challenge. Factors such as fluctuating electricity prices, policy shifts and market dynamics can impact the profitability and return on investment.

• Planning approval will be required to set up a wind turbine, and can be a lengthy process.

• Grid connection: Even if you identify a relatively strong part of the grid for the connection of your turbines, you will not be sure about the possibilities until you have applied to the electricity network provider for connection approval.

When is setting up a wind turbine a good idea?

A community wind project is worth considering when the local conditions, especially the wind resource, are suitable. The other main considerations are an engaged and supportive community and financing options. The grid in your location must also be able to support such a project. It is also a consideration if your community values community ownership and control and is committed to improving its reliance on local energy sources.

Project examples for community wind

Hepburn Energy: Hepburn Wind is Australia's first community-owned wind farm located in Leonards Hill, Victoria. With two turbines having a total capacity of 4.1 megawatts, it generates clean, renewable energy that is fed into the local grid. Over 2,000 local community members collectively own and operate the wind farm, making it a model of community engagement and ownership in renewable energy.

Denmark Community Wind Farm: This wind farm in WA started in 2003 with the aim of improving the district's power quality, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and securing an energy future. The Denmark Community Wind Farm in WA is a community-driven initiative that supplies approximately 50% of the electricity consumed by Denmark's homes and businesses. It prevents around 6,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.

Other guides and resources

There are a range of wind and microgrid calculators that help you assess the possible generation from your local wind resource. You can also do the MyTown Energy activity to understand your local electricity network for ideas about locations with suitable access to the electricity system.

Wind Farms: A Guide for Communities: This guide by the Clean Energy Council (CEC) is aimed at helping communities understand the steps involved in larger wind farm development. More recently, large projects like Sapphire Wind Farm have offered co-ownership to community investors and involvement in the development process. Such partnerships may increase the local support for a wind farm while the financial benefits of the project are shared.