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Octopus re-powering old wind turbines

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 5:22 pm
by dan_b
https://renews.biz/79541/octopus-energy ... ring-plan/

I guess if the towers are already there, if you can get more power out of them as they come to end of life it's a good idea?

Re: Octopus re-powering old wind turbines

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 5:26 pm
by Mart
Cheers, one of those stories that I just file under 'nice', as they put a nice smile on my face.

Re: Octopus re-powering old wind turbines

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 5:42 pm
by Mr Gus
Simple logic, ...well played octopus, renovation & rejuvenation 👍 ..that has got to be an efficient win, just what the doctor ordered.

Re: Octopus re-powering old wind turbines

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 5:52 pm
by Joeboy
dan_b wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 5:22 pm https://renews.biz/79541/octopus-energy ... ring-plan/

I guess if the towers are already there, if you can get more power out of them as they come to end of life it's a good idea?
I'd invest in these. Absolutely 💯

Re: Octopus re-powering old wind turbines

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 7:18 pm
by AE-NMidlands
As long as it's the turbine (meaning gearbox and generator) which is obsolete or life-expired, and the tower isn't going to be overloaded by a bigger turbine...
I'm sure the engineers will have done their sums, and I'll also bet that the towers were over-engineered originally - in other words had a good margin of safety.
Even if they didn't, the failure of the odd one might be a price worth paying for the amount of resources and energy saved across the whole fleet...
Operational Research was vital to the UK surviving the 2nd world war, and I have no problem with it.
Just don't get me going on management accounting - or "Value Engineering" which I think I think are quite different things!

Re: Octopus re-powering old wind turbines

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 8:05 pm
by Stig
There's a load of old 2-bladed turbines by the A395 in Cornwall that have been sitting still for years, I wish someone would replace them. Even if they'd only take fairly low power turbines all the cabling and foundations are just sitting there doing nothing, makes me sad every time I go past them on the way to my Mother's place.

Re: Octopus re-powering old wind turbines

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2022 12:04 am
by smegal
I have a feeling I know what they have planned. Apparently you can repower an existing receiving the fit, turbine and still get the original fit. So you could replace a 250 kW 2 bladed turbine with a 54m 3 bladed derated to 250 kW (or rated at 500 kW but only claiming 50% of the generation against fit). The new turbine will generate significantly more than the older unit.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/f ... -equipment

Re: Octopus re-powering old wind turbines

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2022 7:31 am
by Stinsy
Could you do this with solar?

Replace an old 4kWp array with 6kWp and only claim FiT payments on 2/3rds of the generation?

Re: Octopus re-powering old wind turbines

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2022 9:27 am
by Joeboy
Stinsy wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 7:31 am Could you do this with solar?

Replace an old 4kWp array with 6kWp and only claim FiT payments on 2/3rds of the generation?
That is a great idea. I thought most connections were limited to the 3.68kW inverter output to grid? It would be great if people could simply retro fit 50% more for self use.

Re: Octopus re-powering old wind turbines

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2022 9:31 am
by nowty
Stinsy wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 7:31 am Could you do this with solar?

Replace an old 4kWp array with 6kWp and only claim FiT payments on 2/3rds of the generation?
I believe you can, there was some info about it in a FIT consultation or a FIT annual report, I'll try and find the info later. But its one of those things were FIT providers don't want to know and try and fob you off. Similar to DNO's, you need to speak to the right person.