Technology with impact: How a BestWatt 80 head swap maximises Jim Fowlie’s yield
You have a wind turbine in place, but the technology is ageing and yields are dropping. What do you do? Building a completely new installation is a major undertaking. For Scottish entrepreneur Jim Fowlie, the choice was easy. 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 love rolling up our sleeves, but always in the smartest way. With a head swap, the existing mast 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 says about the start of the project. Through his network he ended up at 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
Working on wind turbines is not your average spanner work. It involves heavy components that have to withstand extreme weather conditions and substantial loads. At the same time, the work at the top of that mast demands millimetre precision. That 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 great, but at the end of the day it has to deliver returns. For Jim’s BestWatt 80, the business case is rock solid. With an expected production of around 238,000 kWh, the capacity is being used 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 around 35 to 40 pence gross. Combine that with the actual output of the turbine and you are looking at a payback period of roughly 4 to 5 years.”
That is the kind of financial stability you are looking for 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 signed a service contract straight away. This not only guarantees preventive maintenance, but also fast response in case 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
Looking for smart wind solutions yourself?
Take a look at our BestWatt website: www.bestwatt.co.uk for small wind turbines, solar panels and batteries.