what is the payback period for investment in a domestic wind turbine?

Answer 1

Unless it is monumentally subsidised the answer is probably never.
Steve B
I think you are being overly optimistic as you assume 100% full efficiency generation.
Assuming an overly optimistic 50% load factor the value of the electricity is about £26.50.
The Bof S is paying 5.75% so £500 will earn £28.75p.a. so you are losing about £2 p.a. and after about 10 years another £750 for a new turbine.

Answer 2

mm None of those answers are accurate enough. Let me give u some tips:
1) Both wind and solar power production depends on the place you are located. Not all places recieve the same amount of radiation or the same winds.
2) The easiest way to know the payback period of investment is first knowing the averange wind speed through the year in the place you are located, and knowing that you can use the power graph of the wind turbine you want to buy to determine your averange energy production. Using this data and comparing the cost of the electricity you can make an estimate of your payback period
3) There are several factors that affect this period a) Maintenance needed by the turbine, b) Law issues about returning excess of energy to the grid when your batteries are full, c) Is it a fixed pitch or a variable pitch wind turbine... So my advice is add at least 1 year to the time estimated in (2)

Answer 3

I seem to recall B&Q's £500 wonder delivers about 50watts (on a good day) .. that's 24 hrs * 50 = 1.2 kw hr per day.

nPower charge about 12p per kw hr, so 1.2kw hr. per day is worth about 14.5p ...

So 'payback' (ignoring maintenance costs) would be about £500 / 0.145 = 3,472 days = 9.5 years ...

SO, about 10 years ...

If you want to do it for real, see below and install a decent unit ...

"For a decent installation, including a tower, current installation costs are in the region of £5,000 - £10,000. The Low Carbon Buildings scheme offers grants that will cover 20% to 30% of this cost. .."

An example of generation calculations (given below) suggests this might produce 9 Kw hrs per day ...

So (compared to my first 'guess') typically 10x cost of less than 10x power, so payback is more than 10 years ...

Answer 4

There are too many variables for a simple answer. Best bet would be to contact a local green agency, government or not because they have the information for your area.

Answer 5

there was an article about that yesterday

so your answer is 15-20 years

Answer 6

i think you might get faster return on solar panels. turbine has too many in-market limitations.