Nottingham Energy Partnership has just launched an innovating new project to help schools and landowenrs install small wind turbines.

They will pay 2/3 of the costs for installing and operating the turbines in return for 2/3 of the income for the energy generated. The turbine owner would also benefit from all the free, green energy generated. 

A small wind turbine costing about £25,000 can earn a school or land owner up to £5,000 pounds a year. This high income has become possible with the new Feed in Tariffs or FITs, which pay people to generate electricity from renewable energy sources. Add to this the steep rises expected in energy prices and the case for owning your own energy source really start to stack up. After all, the wind doesn't cost anything!

The problem has been finding the money to buy these systems, especially with tight budgets. Add to this the complexity in getting planning permission, knowing which turbine to buy, knowing if your site is really suitable and then managing the maintenance of a system and the process becomes over-complicated.

 "With this programme we can help communities and schools to support themselves, help to combat climate change. At the same time small charities like ours also need to ensure reliable sources of income to support the work we do. While spending this sort of money at a time of national austerity may seem strange, this is actually the best time to do this. For a school it is like buying 20 years electricity at a fixed price, less than half the current price from their supplier" said Jerome Baddley, NEP project manager.

NEP's project aims to carry out the whole process of assessing sites, securing planning permission, buying and running the tubine, and uniquely, even helping teachers build the technology into their lessons.

"I used to be a secondary school science teacher and have worked in the wind industry developing and installing wind turbines, so I know how these two worlds relate. This is a really exciting prospect, to get energy generation into a lot of schools and help teach the next generation how we will generate our power in the near future" said Jerome.

NEP will help schools to develop their sites for wind power by leading and managing the whole development process including local community engagement and education even paying 2/3 of the costs. NEP will then manage and ensuring the maintenance of the wind turbine for 20 years. In return the school will share the income from the wind turbine over the next 20 years.