Small scale wind turbines use the wind's lift forces to turn aerodynamic blades that turn a rotor which creates electricity.
Individual turbines vary in size and power output from a few hundred watts to 2 or 3 megawatts. As a guide, a typical domestic system would be 2.5 to 6 kilowatts, depending on the location and size of the home.
Please note that the electricity generated at any one time by a wind turbine is highly dependent on the speed and direction of the wind.
If you are in any doubt about the suitability of your proposed site, please consult a suitably qualified professional.
For more on how wind turbines work, suitable siting, connection to the grid, costs, maintenance and other considerations see the Energy Saving Trust information page.
The trust also offers a factsheet (PDF 88Kb) and case studies.
The low carbon buildings programme provides grants towards installing this technology.
View information on the planning and building regulations regimes covering wind turbines in our building work section.
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