Technology with impact: How a BestWatt 80 head swap maximises Jim Fowlie’s yield
You have a wind turbine but the technology is ageing and yields are dropping. What do you do? Building an entirely new installation is a major undertaking, so for Scottish entrepreneur Jim Fowlie the choice was straightforward. He opted for a smarter, more efficient route: a head swap with the BestWatt 80. We paid him a visit to talk about working at height, outstanding engineering and a business case that is rock-solid.
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No half measures, just the right upgrade
At Rengineers we don’t mind getting our hands dirty, but we always work smart. With a head swap, the existing tower stays in place while we replace the old technology with a brand-new nacelle, drivetrain and rotor blades. For Jim Fowlie, this upgrade was the perfect solution.
“I base my decisions on the best advice I can find in the market,” Jim said at the start of the project. This led him to Rengineers.
“When I first saw your specialists at work on site, I knew straight away that we were in good hands. The engineering is simply outstanding. I have never seen a team put together an installation so tightly and without unnecessary fuss. That gives you real confidence.”
Engineering accurate to the millimetre
Wind turbine engineering is highly specialised work. It involves heavy components that have to withstand extreme conditions and substantial loads. At the same time, the work at the top of the tower demands millimetre precision. This is exactly what stood out to Jim during the installation.
“The Rengineers technicians work incredibly carefully. If an extra shim was needed during alignment to get the tolerances exactly right, then that was simply done. No compromises. I call it the most demanding, but at the same time the most precise form of engineering I have ever seen on a wind turbine.”
A rock-solid business case
Sustainable technology is all very well, but it has to deliver a return. For Jim’s BestWatt 80, the business case is rock-solid. At around 100,000 kWh a year, the turbine is working to its full potential.
Jim breaks it down in business terms:
“The ultimate financial certainty for me lies in the fixed Feed-in Tariff (FIT) of 40 pence per kWh. With a yield of 100,000 kWh, that generates £40,000 per year. This results in a payback period of roughly 4 to 5 years.”
That is the kind of financial stability you need as an operator.
Maximum uptime through solid asset management
Without proper maintenance, everything grinds to a halt and downtime costs money. To safeguard the lifespan and performance of his new turbine, Jim also took out a service contract. This not only guarantees preventive maintenance but also ensures a fast response in the event of a breakdown.
“The contract gives us enormous peace of mind. We recently had a bit of downtime, but thanks to the contract that is dealt with professionally and you don’t run any financial risk in terms of energy tariffs. The turbine is spinning, the yield is secured and you have the ultimate operational reassurance to fall back on. A complete success.”
Technical details
Customer: Jim Fowlie
System: BestWatt 80 (head swap)
Expected production: approx. 100,000 kWh per year
Location: Scotland
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