Domestic wind turbine rules
Rules and legislation for small wind turbines - Get the overview here
Are you wondering if it could be lucrative for you to install a small wind turbine on your property?
There are many good reasons to install a Viking Wind small wind turbine. With a Viking VS on your property, you can produce your own power and sell any surplus power to the central grid, the turbine is easily maintained and doesn't need a crane to be serviced.
However, there are a number of rules and requirements that you need to be aware of before you decide to install a turbine on your property.
General rules for establishment of small wind turbines in Denmark
Rules and legislation will usually depend on in which region you live. First and foremost, your municipality must assess whether the installation of a small wind turbine is by the local plan in your area. This assessment involves a number of parameters that depend on your specific area and the legislation that applies to it, including the noise ordinance and building regulations. Similarly, the construction also depends on whether you live in a rural or urban zone, as these require their own specific permits.
There are also size limitations on a small wind turbine, such as a maximum output of 25kW, a maximum height of 25m (assessed from the ground) and a maximum rotor area of 200m2.
In addition, a small wind turbine must be installed in the immediate vicinity of a detached property, which is generally set at a maximum distance of 25-30 meters from the intended building.
It is necessary to check with your local authority for specific regulations in your local area. There are usually specifications for how close a turbine can be placed to: churches, forests, rivers, lakes, beaches, historical sites, scenic areas, neighbors etc.
For all types of wind turbines, including small wind turbines, there are service requirements to ensure that standards and safety are maintained. By law, the turbine must be serviced at least once a year. To accomodate and simplify this process considerably , we have integrated a winch on our turbine, Viking VS, to optimize the servicing process, so you don't need a crane or other advanced equipment for this. You still need a certified technician to approve the conditions and carry out the service, but the technician can work from ground level, saving you both time and money.
Do you need to ask your neighbors when installing a residential wind turbine?
The short answer, yes.
There are the following requirements for noise level from the turbine :
Rural zone: 42dB at wind speed of 6m/s and 44dB at wind speed of 8m/s Urban zone: 39dB at wind speed of 8m/s.
The noise level can therefore determine the placement of the turbine, as the noise level is often assessed based on the impact on neighbours.
Furthermore, it is common practice that during an application for a rural zone permit, a neighbor consultation is carried out as part of the application process. This is where your neighbours can raise any objections to the construction of a wind turbine if they can detect that the turbine is a inconvenience to them. Here, the most common complaints often relate to noise and shade.
It's therefore a good idea to check with your neighbors before the process begins to align expectations and make sure they don't see a problem with the location of the turbine.
