ISKRA WIND TURBINE

 

New wind turbine from ISKRA the Evance Iskra R9000
Evance Iskra R9000 Click here for leaflet
Announcing the arrival of the new model of the already successful Iskra AT5-1. The 'Evance Iskra R9000’ is even quieter, more efficient and more robust than the highly popular Iskra AT5-1. It is also easier to install and service whilst retaining its good looks.

. Iskra Wind Turbines has a strong educational and sustainable development ethos, as well as being committed to its product.
Iskra wind turbines are the most efficient, cost-effective small wind turbines available. Our turbines work with the wind to capture more energy at lower wind speeds. With energy prices set to rise year-on-year, an Iskra wind turbine delivers savings from the word go. Iskra`s technology is patented worldwide, and its product have been chosen by the largest and most knowledgeable distributors. They know the difference.

Iskra, efficiency is an obsession…

• Our patented Reactive Pitch technology allows the high efficiency aerofoil blades to be angled to capture the maximum energy from low to moderate wind speeds, which are the most prevalent.
• With a ‘cut-in’ wind speed of only 2.5m/s, the AT5-1 has unparalleled efficiency where you need it most.
• At higher wind speeds (and up to 60m/s or 134mph), the blades pitch automatically to maintain a steady 5kW whilst controlling the rotor speed to a modest 220rpm.
• Unlike other turbines which use ‘coning’ or ‘furling’ to control power, the AT5-1 does not compromise on low wind speed efficiency to achieve high wind speed performance.
• Iskra’s patented generator technology has an unrivalled 95% efficiency in converting the rotor’s power into electricity at low wind speeds.
  
  Which means more useful free energy for you.

click here for ISKRA power curve

Reliability.  Lowering the cost of ownership.

• The Evance Iskra R9000 is inherently more reliable, by design.  We believe the key to reliability is simplicity.
• There’s no gearbox (they generate noise, reduce efficiency and require maintenance).
• There are no complex systems to regulate speed - Reactive Pitch allows the turbine to regulate its speed whatever happens: grid or connection failures, battery charging issues and so on, with no need for additional complexity such as ‘dump’ loads, additional braking systems or switching the turbine off in high winds.
• There are very few moving parts - even the main shaft is stationary, with the generator integrated into the rotor assembly.  In fact, the Reactive Pitch system contains the only moving parts, apart from the rotor itself.
• There’s no mechanical brake, eliminating the usual issues with such devices.  Instead, there’s an automatic integrated electro-dynamic brake which uses the generator to safely stop the machine whatever the wind speed.  There are no moving parts there either.  As you might expect, its patented too.

Durability.  Engineered to last, so your investment is secure.

The Evance Iskra R9000 is designed to last 20 years or more, and is built from high specification materials which provide durable strength and solid corrosion protection.

• All parts are made from composite, stainless steel, or coated to automotive standards against corrosion.
• The composite blades have a special coating which protects against Ultra-violet radiation and airborne dust erosion (the blade tips travel at more than 100mph!).  Just to be sure, we test the erosion resistance of our blades to double military standards.
• Our first 150 turbines have more than 2 million hours of operation, with an average operating time greater than 99%.

Evance Iskra R9000 Data

• Rated Output:  5kW
• Rotor Speed:   200rpm nominal (variable)
• Cut-in Wind Speed:  2.5 m/s (5.6 mph)
• Survival Wind Speed:  60 m/s (134 mph)
• Rotor Diameter:  5.4m (17.7 feet)
• Number of Blades:  3
• Blade Material:  Glass Fiber Reinforced Composite, low reflection, UV and anti-erosion coatings
• Control System:  Patented Reactive Pitch Control and passive blade pitching - no additional control systems required
• Gearbox:  None required.  See generator
• Brakes:  Electro-dynamic
• Generator:  Patented brushless direct drive air-cored high efficiency Permanent Magnet Alternator
• Yaw Control:  Passive - Tail Vane and rotor
• Tower Height:  9m, 12m, & 15m
• Tower Types:  Free-standing (monopole) or guyed

Evance Iskra R9000 A WIND TURBINE FOR YOUR NEEDS
Ideal for:

• Farms,
• Community
• Local authority projects
• Country estates
• Industrial units
• Rural domestic properties
• Offices
• Schools
• Many more applications

 

 

 

The Original ISKRA AT5-1
In October 1999, Iskra won a UK Department of Trade and Industry SMART award for innovation technology which has been used to fund the development of the AT5-1 turbine. The Iskra AT5-1 small scale wind turbine provides affordable and clean electrical energy.
Iskra’s product development has been aimed at reducing:
• Cost
• Complexity
• Weight
and improving
• Reliability
• Corrosion protection
Iskra Wind Turbines is a small wind company located in the U.K. that was founded in 1998. The engineer-owned company has previous experience with larger power generation as they were involved with the development of the Carter Mk II 300 kw turbine. Development of a marketable residential size turbine was kicked off in 1999 when they won a Department of Trade and Industry award. After encouraging results from the testing of one of their machines, they received further funding to develop a production turbine.

If you would like to read the full review of this turbine check out"The Ultimate Consumers Guide To Wind Power Ebook: 2009 U.S Turbine Reviews".

AT5-1 Turbine
The AT5-1 advanced wind turbine can produce 9000KWh (units) per year at an average wind speed of 11 miles per hour, enough to provide electricity for two average homes.

Iskra’s turbines use sophisticated technology and design to make them the most efficient and cost-effective small wind turbines on the market. The company spent five years on research and development before manufacturing its first wind turbine in 2004. The turbines are manufactured in the UK with all parts sourced in the UK.

Performance
The AT5-1 is manufactured with a 20 year design life and is tested to the IEC 61400 standard for power and noise. The turbine generator is 96% efficient at low wind speeds, starting at six miles per hour. It will continue to produce 5kW up to wind speeds of 134 mile per hour.

The 200 plus Iskra turbines installed to date have together operated for more than 230 years, with an average operating up time of 99%. The turbine has been designed with planning permission in mind – they are about the size of a lamp-post, and are grey or white, to make the least possible visual impact on the environment.

Iskra has developed a number of patented technologies that ensure that the turbine is the most efficient and cost effective small wind turbine of its size. These technologies include:
• Generator technology that is highly efficient at low revolutions
• An electro dynamic brake which acts as an additional safety device, which critically does not have any moving parts
• A passive pitching mechanism that provides maximum efficiency at low speeds and the ability to generate power up to wind speeds of 134 miles per hour while controlling structural loads

Iskra AT5-1

5kW wind turbine

The energy capture of the Iskra AT5-1 turbine is unusually high at low wind speeds, thus making wind energy generation feasible at locations where the average wind speed is low.

At a particular location, the wind speed will vary about an annual mean value. The expected energy yields for the AT5-1 at various annual mean wind speeds (AMWS) have been estimated, based on the measured power curve.

Figures show that the the performance of the AT5-1 exceeds that of other machines in its class. Put into perspective, the annual electricity consumption of a medium size home is in the region of 4 to 6 MWh. This is equivalent to a daily consumption of 11 to 16 kWh.

Clearly, therefore, an AT5-1 wind turbine is capable of keeping domestic or small commercial premises fully supplied with electricity. It can also make a substantial contribution to the needs of larger consumers, such as farms, visitor's centres, campsites etc. '

Efficiency
Aerodynamic
The blades are specifically optimised for low wind speed operation. An exceptionally
efficient profile for the blade aerofoil has been adopted and the blades are longer than is usual on a machine of this rating. Accurate manufacture is essential to reproduce
the required blade shape and keep drag low
Performance
At a particular location, the wind speed will vary about an annual mean value. The expected energy yields for the AT5-1 at various annual mean wind speeds (AMWS).
Note: The annual electricity consumption of a medium size home is in the region of 4 to 6 MWh. This is equivalent to a daily consumption of 11 to 16 kWh.

The ‘I’ Team - ISKRA Wind Turbines - A case study in Engineering Entrepreneurship

The Idea

From its very inception in The Rose & Crown pub, the ISKRA Wind Turbine company was a team venture. Mike Wastling, John Balson, Bob Can and David Irving were all former colleagues who had formed the core engineering team at Carter Wind Turbines - a company dedicated to large-scale wind turbines. Despite having a very strong product, the company went into receivership and along with the rest of the company employees, all four colleagues found themselves in a redundancy situation. Initially, they all relied on their diverse backgrounds in Railways, Boat Building, Mining and Consultancy to secure new jobs, but all were left with the feeling that their former company had ‘missed a trick’ and had suffered from an inappropriate strategic focus. Somehow, they had the feeling that with the right product offered to the right market, electrical energy from wind power could form the basis of a worthwhile enterprise, be it a social or commercial one.
During their regular Thursday evening get-togethers at the Rose & Crown, the group quickly decided on a name for this venture – Iskra, which means spark in Czech – but very little else was so clear-cut. For example, what size of turbine should the team focus on? At that time most conventional wind farms were on a large scale, designed to provide electricity-generating plant at the lowest possible cost per kilowatt hour (kWh). At the other end of the scale, DC (direct current) wind generators for the boat and caravan market were also well provided for, and so the team decided against joining this established, highly competitive, mass production market.
However, the team identified a market niche for medium to small-scale wind turbines. After some initial market research and competitor analysis from Bob, the sort of output they wanted to target would provide enough electricity for a typical household. This meant that the owner of their turbine-generator might have an electrical bill of zero, and may even receive payments from their electricity supplier. This wind turbine would be competing in a completely different market to the large wind turbines. The owner would also be the consumer, and the cost benefit would accrue by not buying electricity (at high domestic rates) rather than selling electricity at (lower) wholesale pool prices.

Conceptual Design of the Turbine

Initially the team considered a modular design, hoping to use as many ‘off the shelf’ pre-engineered products as possible such as generators and gearboxes so that the new company could offer a modular product range relatively quickly and easily. However, the team soon realised that by doing this, far too many compromises would have to be made. In particular, the use of a gearbox that a conventional wind turbine would normally employ, was not desirable because of noise and maintenance concerns. The team then re-focused strategically and started to design their own complete system from scratch. At this point they drew on some outside expertise from a nearby university to help optimise the design of the generator, which helped keep the project moving forward. The team focused on a direct drive solution that would eliminate the need for a gearbox altogether, and thereby increase overall efficiency. Innovatively, the generator was integrated into the structure of the hub to reduce weight and costs.

In just a few short decades wind energy has matured dramatically, making wind one of the fastest growing sources of electricity in the world today.

Iskra Wind Turbines Ltd began life in 1999 when its founders - four engineers who designed larger wind turbines - decided to bring the lessons of ‘big wind’ to domestic scale wind turbine design. Initially funded by a DTI Smart Grant the prototype was installed in the Derbyshire Dales in 2001. Financed by ‘Angel’ investors, a second Smart Grant and a loan under the DTI’s Small Firms Loan Guarantee scheme, the wind turbine went into production in 2004. The Carbon Trust has since provided support.

Iskra’s founders had a vision to develop a small ‘tree-sized’ wind turbine, which was substantially more attainable than the larger existing ones. It wasn’t until June 2004 in Normanton-on-Soar that the company’s first commercial turbine, the AT5-1, was installed. Over its first five years of business, and with the help of a number of investors, the company spent a significant amount of time and money on the design and development of the innovative small wind turbine, to ensure it was of the highest quality. The result is a quiet, more efficient operation. The design goes beyond simple ergonomics to guarantee the turbine makes an elegant addition to any surroundings, rather than an eyesore.

Iskra’s unique technology, now seven years in development and patented worldwide, ensures the turbines are highly efficient at converting wind energy into electrical power. The turbines are also approved under the Government’s Low Carbon Buildings Programme.

With a generator rated at 5kW, an Iskra wind turbine can produce around 10MWhr per year at an annual mean wind speed of 12 miles per hour, enough to provide electricity for two to three medium size homes. This makes it suitable for rural or suburban applications where there is sufficient open space to allow the turbine to capture the maximum energy from the wind.

With energy prices set to rise year-on- year, an Iskra wind turbine delivers savings from the word go. Not only will it help reduce C02 emissions, once it’s paid for itself it will provide free energy for the rest of its working life. Its robust construction means it can withstand the force of wind speeds greater than 130mph, and with a 20-year, low maintenance life span it is designed to go the distance.

Double ROC payments from 1st April 2009
Some good news on renewable energy electricity prices.
Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) doubled on 1st April 2009. This means that you will be paid more for the renewable energy that you produce and use.
 
As an example it is estimated that if you have an Iskra AT5-1 small wind turbine in Devon or Cornwall your ROCs payments would have doubled to between £500 and £1,000 a year.
 
For more details of ROCS see the ofgem website.