How to Select A Wind Site for Small Wind Turbines? Step 3: Know The Regulations

The final step of selecting a wind site for your small wind turbine: Know the regulations.
The final step of selecting a wind site for your small wind turbine: Know the regulations.

You have enough wind resources. You have the perfect location for your wind turbine. Now, it’s time to build it. Unfortunately, installing a wind turbine is not as simple as planting a tree. It is sometimes mandatory to acquire a building permit for small wind turbines or comply with certain requirements and limitations.


How to Select A Wind Site: A Complete Guidebook

“How to Select A Wind Site for Small Wind Turbines?” is a complete guidebook that will guide you through 3 most essential steps of evaluation and assessment for your potential or chosen wind site. You can access the articles on our blog or download the complete guidebook in PDF.

Step One: Know Your Wind Condition
Step Two: Know Your Location
Step Three: Know The Regulations (Reading Now)

How to Select A Wind Site: A Complete Guide
How to Select A Wind Site: A Complete Guidebook. Map icon by Alfredo @ IconsAlfredo.com from the Noun Project.


Wind Turbine Policies and regulations vary across regions

The policies governing wind turbine installation vary across countries, states, counties, and municipalities. Generally speaking, the regulation standards include the setback distance between the turbine and nearby residences, noise limit, and drop shadow.

In some countries, small wind turbines up to 10 meters tall and with diameters shorter than 7 meters are exceptions to restrictions. However, in some countries or regions, it could still be required to pass the inspection of local authorities before installing a small wind turbine.


Germany

According to the Bundesverband Kleinwindanlagen, small wind turbines up to 10 meters tall and with diameters shorter than 7 meters are categorized as “Micro” and “Small” wind turbines. These turbines like the LuvSide turbines are exempted from construction regulations in most of the states except Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Rheinland-Pfalz, and Schleswig-Holstein. You can find detailed legal regulations and references for each state on the Bundesverband Kleinwindanlagen website.

The three key standards of wind turbine site regulations are setback distance, drop shadow, and noise limit.
Village icon, Sun icon, and Hearing icon created by priyanka from the Noun Project.


Europe

Across European countries, there are no universal standards. Some countries only apply legal recommendations that are not mandatory. Some have mandatory requirements that must be fulfilled.


1. Only Recommendations

The local authorities have legal recommendations for setback distance, noise limit, and drop shadow, but no requirements. The countries include: United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Italy, and Sweden.


2. Only Noise Requirement

The local authorities have regulations regarding noise limits and non-mandatory recommendations for the other two standards. The countries include: Portugal and the Netherlands.


3. All Requirements

The local authorities have regulations for setback distance, noise limit, and drop shadow that are mandatory to comply with. The countries include: Denmark and France.


Worldwide

Your local legal experts, building inspectors, and governmental authorities know best. It would be most helpful to consult with them to gain accurate, up-to-date professional insights regarding wind turbine regulations and building permits.


Stay up-to-date with your local authorities

Please note that legal changes might occur any time and information on the internet could be outdated. We advise you to contact your local authorities or consult with legal experts for official confirmation.

Now that you have completed all three steps of evaluation for your wind turbine location, you are prepared to move further in your wind energy transformation. With the data and assessment in hand, you can consult better with different small wind turbine suppliers to find the best small wind turbine for your household, organization, or community.

Not sure about the evaluation process? Read more about the previous two steps in selecting a wind site on our blog or download the complete guidebook in PDF.

Step One: Know Your Wind Condition
Step Two: Know Your Location
Step Three: Know The Regulations (Reading Now)

More to Read About

 

Monika Heinold: "Energy transition and research thought together"

Schleswig-Holstein's Finance Minister Monika Heinold informed herself about the wind turbines installed by LuvSide on the roof of Kiel University of Applied Sciences and puts it in a nutshell: "This project impressively shows how energy transition and research are thought together."

Private Wind Turbines for One-Family Homes - the Dream of Going Off-Grid?

The idea of being able to generate electricity off-grid as a private person with a wind turbine in the garden of your own house is very attractive. But what can you really expect from a small private wind turbine in terms of the energy it generates and what do you need to consider when installing it at your own home?

Generators for Wind Turbine Applications - Part 2: How to Pick One

There are several types of generators that can be coupled to small wind turbines: most importantly DC or AC types and synchronous or asynchronous that operate with permanent magnets or electrical field excitation respectively.

More Categories

 

Subscribe To Newsletter

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter to receive regular updates on wind power trends and happenings from LuvSide.