Retired engineer became the first to provide cheap green energy for local residents using his wind turbine.
Pete Bailey, age 69, supplies electricity for 17 families. As part of an innovative scheme, a 50kw turbine was installed on Salwayash near Bridport in Dorset.
The renewable generator covers around half of their energy needs and saves each home as much as £60 per year.
The 69 year-old was affectionately known as “Windy Pete” and installed his large, white wind turbine 10 years ago in the hope of providing power for local residents.
It proved to be too expensive to put into practice until last year, when he was invited by Energy Local Bridport to join an cooperative that included householders.
Pete Bailey (69), a retired engineer, supplies electricity to 17 homes from his 50kw turbine, which is situated on Salwayash, Dorset, near Bridport.
The picture shows Mr Bailey, centre with locals. He was affectionately called ‘Windy Pete.’ His large white turbine installed ten years ago to provide power to the community.
The scheme, which was developed by the not-for-profit organisation Energy Local CIC, sees Energy Local Bridport allow householders in the area to purchase the electricity generated by the 50kW wind turbine.
The first ever of this kind in England. Organisers say that it is a model for future green energy projects in rural villages.
The community now earns Mr Bailey around 50% more than a utility company.
There are also dozens more residents who have signed up for the wait list for Mr Bailey to grant them power.
Dorset Community Energy has created the plan after campaigners in the countryside criticized a 75-acre solar farm built near Spetisbury that will only power London’s Square Mile.
Mr Bailey said: ‘I’d been fascinated by the technology for years and I tried in 2012 to supply locally but it proved too difficult so I had to sell to a utility company.
“I was involved in Dorset Community Energy when they put solar panels up on my village hall, where I was chair.
“When Energy Local Bridport was being set up, they saw my wind turbine in a very appropriate ”kernel”‘.
“It is very beneficial to be able supply local people – it not only makes sense economically but also environmentally.
“Half of what was given to me by the utility provider is now my own. Because of the money I received, I wouldn’t have been able to take down the turbine.
“By getting more money to generate energy, I can keep it for future generations.”
“It makes people more conscious of the importance green energy, because they are able to see the benefits for themselves.”
He is a 69-year old who supplies energy and was invited by Energy Local Bridport, a non-profit organization that deals in renewable energy at local levels between consumers and generators.
Mr Bailey, pictured in the turbine’s interior, said that the technology had fascinated him for years.
Every home supplied by Mr Bailey is equipped with a smart-meter that calculates the energy produced and how it is being consumed.
They pay a lower rate of energy when they are in motion. This saves them around 5p per unit.
A utility company that supplies electricity is available to them at an usual higher rate during calm periods when production is low.
Alison Jay (Energy Local Bridport Coordinator) said, “Energy Local Clubs allow communities to collaborate and get greater value for renewable energies that are in their immediate area.”
It’s about giving power back into communities to give them more control of their energy consumption.
“This initiative is the first in England and builds on previous initiatives in Wales.
“We had heard of Peter, a kind and friendly wind turbine owner who wants people to use the turbine.
It will produce equal amounts of energy for all households that are using it.
Each house is equipped with a smart-meter that shows the generation of the turbine from 10 to 10.30am. They will then be charged the lower tariff for energy consumed at this time.
“If club members use electricity when Salwayash’s wind turbine is producing, they will pay approximately 9p per kw to Pete.
The smart meter that Mr Bailey installs in each home is the one which tells you when your turbine has started to produce energy.
“That is less than the cost of an ordinary electricity supply in Britain but much more than what the generator would receive if it was sold to the central grid.”
While there were several people interested in joining the cooperative, which was launched September 2021 only 17 individuals were accepted into the first pilot scheme.
Pete West, Secretary of Energy Local Bridport said that they aim to increase it to 60 households this spring.
It is estimated that the turbine will produce approximately 1200kw each year of electricity for households, which represents almost half of their projected annual consumption of 3000kw.
Dorset Community Energy is a non-profit organization that said it hoped to construct a 250kw-scale solar farm in order to save money for 250 additional homes.
Pete West, 72 years old, stated that the scheme was a major breakthrough for green electricity. Renewable energy becomes more accessible as manufacturing costs drop and oil and gas prices rise.
It saves money and creates an opportunity for landowners to sell energy.
The initial pilot group was comprised of the households receiving electricity at a lower price from the Salwayash turbine.
“We plan to fill the club to capacity, with 60 households total within the next two-three months. They will be joining the cooperative, which is their collective interest.
“The annual wind turbine production is about 120,000 kw. The wind energy that 50 homes would consume each year is approximately half of the total – roughly 1,200 kw. This represents around 50% of their energy consumption annually.
‘Dorset Community Energy intends to add 250 kw of solar panels on an acre of land to enable a further 250 households to make savings of £70 per year.
“We’re in talks with local housing associations to provide some cheap renewable energy for people living in low-income social housing.”