With a Danish pedigree, 15 years of experience and more than 200 installations, Gaia-Wind has a track record for delivering small wind turbines with a good energy output, a high level of reliability and superior economics.  Our turbines are ideally suited for residential, rural (farm) and light industrial use.

With a forward agenda to grow internationally we moved our centre of operations to the UK. Due to increased customer awareness and demand in the UK market, we want to add an Installation Support Coordinator to the team in our Glasgow. For more information, go to our jobs page.

Gaia-Wind has achieved full certification for the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). This enables all UK Gaia-Wind customers to benefit from the government’s Feed-In Tariff (FiT), due to be introduced in April 2010.

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme is an independent scheme and is the first to cover all ‘microgeneration’ products against consistent standards. ‘Microgeneration’ refers to technology that generates power with reduced carbon emissions. Any product that is MCS certified has been evaluated against strict criteria, ensuring better protection for UK consumers.

The scheme has support from the Department of Energy and Climate Change and has been confirmed by the Government as a necessary standard to qualify for payments from the FiT. The contribution made by domestic and small business renewable energy installations is vital to the UK’s goal to lower carbon emissions and cut the country’s dependency on fossil fuels.

The company’s certification number is MCS 1408, and will be necessary for customers to benefit from the Feed-In Tariff.

The details of the UK government’s new Feed-In Tariff have been released today and make excellent reading for those considering renewable energy options. The Feed-In Tariff (FIT), which is introduced from the 1st of April 2010, will reward households, small businesses and communities who install renewable technologies with payments for the low carbon energy they produce.

This is great news for Gaia-Wind Turbine customers, who will be able to claim 26.7p/kWh in 2010 (fiscal year) from the new FIT. This rate is available for all wind turbines in the 1.5-15kW range, and is higher than previous estimates of 23p/kWh. The new rate represents an increase of 17.7p/kWh from the previous ROC carbon credit scheme for small wind turbines. The full FIT levels have now been published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change and are designed to stimulate interest in, and significantly increase, the amount of green energy produced by the UK domestically.

The UK has some of the windiest sites in Europe, and offers many ideal locations for installing a wind turbine. However, the majority of households and small businesses that would benefit from a small wind turbine are rarely located in coastal areas or on hilltops that would ordinarily provide ‘ideal’ conditions for installing a wind turbine. This is precisely why the Gaia Wind Turbine has been optimised for best performance in moderate wind speed areas which is typical for the UK and where most of our customers are currently using them. In moderate wind speeds the Gaia Wind Turbine out produces any small wind turbine currently on the market, generating better value for all of our customers.

Those who install a wind turbine will now benefit from the new tariff in three ways: lower energy bills, payments from electricity they feed back into the grid, and further payment from the FIT for all the energy they generate and either use themselves or feed back to the grid. The scheme is not limited to new installations and will also apply to any installations commissioned since July 2008.

Driving the scheme is the government’s target to source around 30% of all UK electricity from renewable sources. The UK currently obtains 5.5% of electricity from renewable technologies, and small scale installations are vital to achieving the 30% target in the next decade.

For more information see the Department of Energy and Climate Change

Gaia-Wind is proud to be included in the recently published transition list of small wind turbines eligible for the UK Government’s forthcoming MicroGeneration Certification Scheme.

The MCS certification has replaced the Clear Skies scheme in the UK, which gives consumers a guarantee that the products listed have conformed and been rigorously tested against robust criteria and the new national standards.  Gaia-Wind is completing final tests with the accreditation body TUV-Nel and expects to achieve full certification before June 2010.

The Transition List has been released at the beginning of January, ahead of the Department of Energy and Climate Change releasing the full regulations which will govern the new UK Feed-In Tariff, which becomes active on 1st April 2010.

Whilst the regulations have yet to be finalised, they will “have an important role for the MicroGeneration Certification Scheme” according to Johnnie Andringa, Managing Director at Gaia-Wind. It is widely expected that to qualify for financial incentives in the UK products must carry the MCS mark. The Gaia-Wind 133-11kW wind turbine’s inclusion in the Transition List ensures that customers buying and installing a small wind turbine after last July and prior to the introduction of the Feed-In Tariff will meet all possible requirements  for the Government’s financial incentives.

The objective of the MicroGeneration Scheme is to provide consumers with energy sources that use existing natural resources, allowing the public to contribute to the future security of the UK’s energy supply. The scheme has support from the Department of Energy and Climate Change and from industry and non-governmental groups, as a major driving force in lowering UK carbon emissions.

April’s new Feed-In Tariff presents a significant financial opportunity for owners of small wind turbines (See Gaia-Wind news). The incentive is awarded based on energy production, which means that consumers can really benefit financially from the outstanding performance of the Gaia-Wind 133-11kW wind turbine.

Gaia-Wind has a firm commitment to achieving compliance with all certification requirements as required by different countries. In the 1990’s, Gaia-Wind was the only company to achieve the Danish HB certification, the only formal certification scheme available for small wind turbines at the time. This has now evolved into a scheme aligned with international IEC regulation, for which Gaia-Wind continues to qualify.

Over in the US the Gaia-Wind 133-11kW has already been selected for the US Department of Enegry’s NREL ‘Independent testing program’ for small wind turbines . Based on the strength of the test results, where the Gaia-Wind turbine outperformed its nearest competitor by a factor of more than 2 to1, the turbine has become eligible for grants in the many different US states, most notably the NYSERDA list in New York.

Johnnie Andringa, Managing Director at Gaia-Wind, added: “being included on the transition list for MCS certification is great news, we are committed to achieving the full MCS award as soon as possible. The certification is a real step forward to providing better product performance for small wind turbine owners to ensure they get value for money from their investment.”

About Gaia-Wind

Gaia-Wind manufactures wind turbines for light industrial, agricultural, commercial, municipal and residential use. Our clients include working farms, educational institutions, large home owners, offices and other commercial premises. Gaia-Wind works with a number of strategic partners in order to serve its customers in the UK and Ireland.

The organisation has installations world wide, representing over 1000 years of combined operational history. Gaia-Wind turbines incorporate over 20 years of Danish wind  industry experience and offer features that are usually only found in larger, utility scale turbines.

Press Enquiries;

For all further information and high resolution images of the Gaia-Wind Turbines

Jean McInarlin

Gaia-Wind Ltd.

Tel: +44 (0) 845 871 4242

jean.mcinarlin@gaia-wind.com

www.gaia-wind.co.uk

For more detailed information on the UK Government’s forthcoming MicroGeneration Certification Scheme see:

http://www.microgenerationcertification.org/Home+and+Business+Owners/Microgeneration+Products/Wind+Turbines+and+Inverter

For detailed on formation on the NREL test results please see:

https://www.windpowerexpo.org/handouts/1464_232Bowen_Amy_134652_Apr21_2009_Time_121537PM.pdf

For further information on the NREL small wind turbine testing programme please see:

http://www.nrel.gov/wind/smallwind/gaia_wind.html

The question is not whether Gaia Wind will increase their sales of household small wind turbines next year. The question is how much it will increase by, will it double or treble.

The Danish wind turbine manufacturer is a classical example of the many up and coming CleanTech companies that have huge growth potential, because they work with solutions to the global challenges in environment, climate and energy.

Gaia-Wind has recently been designated by American authorities as one of the world’s best small wind turbines. This recognition gives the company the confidence and belief that they may enter a significant niche market of small wind turbines for farms and rural properties.

“We are a long way from the top of the global list of the biggest manufacturers, but we have the best product. Therefore the goal is to become one of the world’s top 5 in small wind turbines” says Hans Ole Lørup, General Manager of Gaia-Wind in Denmark.

Three years ago, the company had two employees, the technology and lots of ideas. Today, there are 6 employees in Denmark and 12 in Scotland.  Furthermore, the company keeps many people working at partner companies which assemble, install and maintain the wind turbines. The wind turbine produce 11 kilowatts of power, yielding an amount of energy equal to approximately one year’s total energy use for an average family of four.

Because of the poor prices for small wind turbine electricity in Denmark Gaia-Wind has focused on exports. An obvious choice is the UK market, where the British government recently decided to pay almost 3 Danish kroner per kilowatthour, while only 0.6 kroner is paid in Denmark. Ireland, the USA and Italy may also soon be looking at  the Danish small wind turbines.

Gaia-Wind already has a full pipeline of wind turbine sales well into 2010, so the question now is whether they should increase manufacturing to 120 or 160 wind turbines next year.

“This is a decision about how much we can manage without compromising on the quality. We would not want to get in a situation where we had to go around stopping wind turbines” says Hans Ole Lørup.

I’m not really sure whether this Dutch expression translates to English but the meaning will be clear; the ‘downwind’ rotor of a Gaia-Wind turbine is propelled by the ‘wind in the back’.

Similarly, our company is currently being driven by strong winds of change. Since Gaia-Wind came under new ownership in the end of 2006, we have been working hard to re-establish the business in Denmark and at the same time broaden the basis by introducing the product to the UK market. In these first three years we have overcome many barriers such as certification, grid connection requirements and a number of issues that all needed resolving. During all of these developments we were supported by a solid demand from our customers for our 11 kW wind turbine, with its outstanding performance and abilities to deliver better value to all of our customers.

Today, after installing close to 100 wind turbines, mainly in Denmark and the UK, we can see our market changing. The Feed-In Tariff in Italy and in the UK is starting to create a very strong interest in small wind turbines and the future is bright for the sector as a whole. 2010 is expected to be Gaia-Wind’s strongest year yet.

One potential problem for customers considering installing a small wind turbine is installation. Often sites with difficult or limited access would be unable to install a wind turbine without trackways or temporary roads to allow a large crane access. Now however, in co-operation with Segen, Gaia-Wind has developed an innovative  tilt-up device that makes it possible to install a Gaia-Wind turbine without the use of a crane. All equipment can be taken to the site with a Manitou or a tractor, so that installation is easier, more efficient and with less disruption to property than ever before.

The tilt-up device consists of a hinge plate bolted to the bottom of the tower and some minor additions to the foundations, with a further foundation block necessary for the hydraulic winch. The gin pole, cables and winch are only used for installation purposes and do not have to be purchased by the customer. Once installation is complete, the turbine is maintained in the same way as a traditionally installed Gaia-Wind 133-11kw turbine, with access through the ladder at the side of the turbine into the working basket connected to the nacelle.

Traditionally the Gaia-Wind 133-11kW turbine is supplied on an 18m tower, which gives the customer an average increase in energy captured of around 10% compared with nearest competitors. However, in some areas of the country planning officials have strict requirements regarding tower heights. In order to ensure our customers are not excluded from planning approval, we have developed a universally accepted lattice tower with a 15m hub height.

Gaia-Wind would always recommend an 18m tower, because every metre gained improves the  output of turbine. For areas where the turbine does not have an open exposure to the wind, it is important to get the lowest point of the blade (11.5m for an 18m tower and only 8.5m for a 15m tower) well above the highest point of any obstructions.

Gaia-Wind is also developing a tube tower with a hub height of 27m, to add to the range of turbines available. This higher tower will generate higher energy output and is especially useful when there are obstructions in the direction of the prevailing winds. The 27m tube tower is expected to be available to customers from the second quarter of 2010.

In November 2009, Gaia-Wind installed their first two wind turbines in Southern Italy. Following the success of several Gaia-Wind installations in the north of the country, the demand for small wind turbines in Italy is steadily increasing. In close co-operation with our local distributor, Viento (based in Eboli and Foggia), and led by long term Italian wind expert Francesco Paraggio, the project has proved a great success for all parties involved.

Small wind turbines have proven to be an attractive investment for domestic buyers and small commercial businesses in Italy due to the Feed-In tariff the Italian government introduced at the start of 2009. The incentive system, which is similar to the tariff being introduced to the UK in April 2010, rewards those who invest in green energy with payments based on energy generated. These tariffs support the actual production of energy by small wind turbines, in contrast to previous capital grant schemes where the installation costs are supplemented but there is no on-going payment.

One reason the Gaia-Wind 133-11 kW turbine has seen so much success in Italy is down to the unique design. The turbine has been created with a larger rotor diameter than its competitors and has been specifically modified for optimum power generation in areas of moderate wind. The wind speeds in Italy (in the South 4.5-6.5 m/s while in the North generally below 4.5 m/s) are perfect for a Gaia-Wind turbine, where it is vital to have a large rotor in order to generate good revenues.

The Italian small wind turbine market has seen significant growth over the past five years and there are a number of strong products that have been developed by Italian manufacturers. However the majority of these turbines require much higher wind speeds to achieve similar performance output to the Gaia-Wind 133-11 kW turbine, which has been optimised to perform best in moderate wind speeds.

In the South of Italy Gaia-wind is represented by Viento (below Rome and including Sicily), and by BluMiniPower in the North (above Rome and in Sardinia).

The foundations are laid – one of the first wind turbines in Southern Italy, where owner Mr Canio Viggiano watches on:

Gaia-Wind is pleased to announce a successful start to the organisation’s strategic partnership with Segen. The partnership has seen growing sales figures in key UK areas and has significantly added to the number of turbines installed in 2009. The success of the venture is down to the complementary attributes of both companies. Segen has established an exceptional level of customer service and are the UK’s largest installers of small wind turbines while  Gaia-Wind provide the 133-11kW turbine; the most efficient small wind turbine in its class available on the UK market.

Segen is an authorised distributor and installer for the Gaia-Wind 133-11kW turbine and works in partnership with site owners, financiers, suppliers and other stakeholders to guide projects through the installation process until completion. The company supply, install and support the Gaia-Wind turbine to power large farms, country estates, rural domestic properties, and community and local authority projects, as well as schools, offices and many more organisations. Segen service the English and Welsh regions while Gaia-Wind covers Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Working together in 2009, the companies have built an excellent base to grow from, delivering outstanding results for all customers in moderate wind conditions.

Below: The team training after the installation of the Gaia–Wind 133-11kW Turbine in Northamptonshire