Großschönau – Residents agree: beginning of research project on small wind power

The land-breaking ceremony for the construction of the small wind turbine BlueOne took place last week near a sunny site in Groschönau. Goal: To increase awareness of the technology and its acceptance, and to simplify planning and administrative aspects when implementing it in populated areas.

There is general consensus that our society’s thirst for electricity should be satisfied by generating electricity from as many renewable energy sources as possible, ideally generated locally and consumed on site. However, there are always concerns, especially in the field of wind power. “Our project should bring the security that small wind power is neighbourhood-friendly,” says Josef Bruckner, managing director of Sonnenplatz – so it is the ideal complement to solar power plants. Sonnenplatz Großschönau participates in the “SmallWind4Cities” research project, which is funded by the Climate and Energy Fund and is scheduled to last 36 months. Other partners are the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, the companies BluePower and Im-Plan-Tat, Tulln Energy and Technik + Stahlbau Banjaf.

Whether the result has been scientifically evaluated

The foundation will be laid this year, and the wind turbine will be mounted on a six-metre-high mast as soon as possible. The upper edge of the facility will be about eight metres. Thereafter, based on wind speed and site factors, scientific criteria are continuously measured to develop an evaluation plan for yield.

Relevant points are also to be set for the approval processes – currently a lengthy process in which no one really knows anything, as the Construction Technology Ordinance does not yet know these systems. It should also introduce new investment fund guidelines. At the same time, residents are questioned and informed about their subjective noise perception, safety and nature conservation concerns. “The technology must be experienced, which can improve acceptance,” is convinced Alexander Hirschl-Schmol of the University of Applied Sciences in Vienna.

Turbines are used with jackets, in which negative points should be avoided. Markus Auferbauer from plant manufacturer BluePower: “We want to make sure people get closer to personal energy self-sufficiency.”