Energy SFW Domestic Wind Turbines Systems (September 2008)

Skills for Work:
Energy
Intermediate 2
Domestic Wind Turbines
Systems
Support Material
September 2008
Energy: Domestic Wind Turbines Systems – (Intermediate 2)
Acknowledgements
SFEU is grateful to the subject specialists in Scotland’s Colleges and other
agencies and industry bodies who have been involved in the writing of this and
other support materials in the Skills for Work series. SFEU is also grateful for the
contribution of the Scottish Qualifications Authority in the compilation of these
materials, specifically for its permission to reproduce extracts from Course and
Unit Specifications and the Skills for Work Rationale.
© Scottish Further Education Unit 2008
Scottish Further Education Unit (SFEU)

Argyll Court
Castle Business Park
Stirling
FK9 4TY
website: www.sfeu.ac.uk
e-mail: sfeu@sfeu.ac.uk
SFEU is a Registered Scottish Charity No. SC021876 and a

Company Limited by Guarantee No. SC143514 VAT No. 617148346
These support materials were produced with assistance from the European Social Fund.
Scottish Further Education Unit 3



Energy (Intermediate 2)
Domestic Wind Turbines Systems
F3FR 11
Introduction
These notes are provided to support teachers and lecturers presenting the
Scottish Qualifications Authority Course F3FR 11, Energy: Domestic Wind
Turbines Systems (Intermediate 2).
Copyright for this pack is held by the Scottish Further Education Unit (SFEU).
However, teachers and lecturers have permission to use the pack and reproduce
items from the pack provided that this is to support teaching and learning
processes and that no profit is made from such use. If reproduced in part, the
source should be acknowledged.
Enquiries relating to this support pack or issues relating to copyright should be

addressed to:
Marketing Officer - Communications

The Scottish Further Education Unit
Argyll Court
Castle Business Park
Stirling
FK9 4TY
Website: www.sfeu.ac.uk
Further information regarding this Unit including Unit Specifications, National

Assessment Bank materials, Centre Approval and certification can be obtained
from:
The Scottish Qualifications Authority

Optima Building
58 Robertson Street
Glasgow
G2 8DQ
Website: www.sqa.org.uk

Class Sets
Class sets of this pack may be purchased direct from the printer. Costs are
dependent on the size of the pack and the number of copies. Please contact:
Elanders Hindson
Merlin Way
New York Business Park
North Tyneside
NE27 0QG
Tel: 0191 280 0400

e-mail: info@elandershindson.co.uk
Disclaimer
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this support pack,
teachers and lecturers should satisfy themselves that the information passed to
candidates is accurate and in accordance with the current SQA arrangements
documents. SFEU will accept no responsibility for any consequences deriving
either directly or indirectly from the use of this pack.

Contents
How to Use this Pack 10
Reference Section 11
What are Skills for Work Courses all about? 12
The Course in Energy (Intermediate 2) 15
Unit Outcomes, PCs and Evidence Requirements 18
Employability Skills Profile 22
Careers Scotland Support 23
Tutor Support Section 24

Introduction 25
Learning and Teaching with Under 16s 26
General Guidance on Unit Delivery 30
Unit Induction 31
Scheme of Work 32
Unit Planner 36
Health and Safety Considerations 42
Signposting of Employability Skills 44
Generating Evidence and Assessment Opportunities for Employability Skills 45
Resources 55
Student Support Section 57

Tutor Note on Student Activities 58
Welcome to Energy: Domestic Wind Turbines Systems 59
Introduction 60
Types of Wind Turbine 64
Up Wind or Down Wind? 65
Vertical Axis 66
Masts and Towers 67
Applications 70
Eigg Community Project 71

Table of Good Practice in Small Wind Turbine Design 72

Tools and Materials 74
Electrical Circuits 82
Simple Construction Projects 86
Cup Anemometer 86
Propeller Type Anemometer 87
Small Wind Turbine Rotor 89
Schematic of small wind turbine system powering a lamp 91
Practical Activities 92
Working in Teams 97
Evaluation 103
Appendix 106
Extension Activities 106
Power in the Wind 107
Wind Speed Measurement 116
The Beaufort Wind Scale 117
Presentation of Wind Data 119
Power Extraction from the Wind Turbine 124
Aerodynamics of Wind Turbines 127
Lift and Drag Forces 129
Power Output 134
Wind/Solar and Biomass Projects 141
Micro-generation Systems 141
Water Pumping 142
Economics of Small Scale Renewable Energy Projects 142
Glossary of Terms 143

How to Use this Pack

None of the material in this pack is mandatory. Rather, it is intended as a guide
and an aid to delivery of the Unit and aims to provide centres with a flexible set of
materials and activities which can be selected, adapted and used in whatever way
suits individual circumstances. It may also be a useful supplement to tried and
tested materials that you have developed yourself. The pack is available on the
SFEU website in Word format to enable you to customise it to suit your own
needs.
The pack is organised into several sections:
The Reference Section provides information on the rationale for, and ethos
behind, Skills for Work courses, the course rationale, the Unit Outcomes and
evidence requirements and the Employability Skills Profile for Energy
(Intermediate 2), showing where the specified employability skills and attitudes
can be evidenced and assessed throughout the Course and in this unit.
The Tutor Support Section contains a suggested approach to teaching the Unit,
advice on learning and teaching with under-16s, guidance on unit induction, unit
delivery and advice on integrating the development of employability skills
throughout the unit. Finally, this section suggests resources which may be useful
for tutors and students.
The Student Support Section contains guidance and instruction on:
• Background information on renewable energy issues

• Information relating to knowledge and understanding of wind turbines
• Guidance on activities for Outcomes 1 – 5. Please note that the activities
shown for Outcomes 1 and 2 are intended as practice for the practical
assessed elements of the Unit. Detailed guidance on the requirements for
assessment will be found in the NAB item for this Unit.
The focus in Outcome 3 is on team work and planning. Guidance and student
activities will be found in the Course Guidance and Employability support
materials.
Extension notes and web-based activities providing more challenging information

and tasks where appropriate for the student group are provided in the Appendix.
Tutors should be selective in using this material.
You may wish to place material from the student notes on your own Intranet by
downloading this pack from the Skills for Work section of the SFEU website
http://www.sfeu.ac.uk/skills_for_work
Activities are identified with the symbol:

Reference Section

What are Skills for Work Courses all about?
Skills for Work Courses are designed to help candidates to develop:

• skills and knowledge in a broad vocational area
• Core Skills
• an understanding of the workplace
• positive attitudes to learning
• skills and attitudes for employability.
A key feature of these Courses is the emphasis on experiential learning. This

means learning through practical experience and learning by reflecting on
experience.
Learning through practical experience

Teaching/learning programmes should include some or all of the following:
• learning in real or simulated workplace settings
• learning through role play activities in vocational contexts
• carrying out case study work
• planning and carrying out practical tasks and assignments.
Learning through reflecting at all stages of the experience
Teaching/learning programmes should include some or all of the following:

• preparing and planning for the experience
• taking stock throughout the experience - reviewing and adapting as necessary
• reflecting after the activity has been completed - evaluating, self-assessing and
identifying learning points.
The Skills for Work Courses are also designed to provide candidates with
opportunities for developing Core Skills and enhancing skills and attitudes for
employability.

Core Skills
The five Core Skills are:
• Communication
• Numeracy
• Information Technology
• Problem Solving
• Working with Others
Employability
The skills and attitudes for employability, including self-employment, are outlined
below:
• generic skills/attitudes valued by employers
• understanding of the workplace and the employee’s responsibilities, for
example timekeeping, appearance, customer care
• self-evaluation skills
• positive attitude to learning
• flexible approaches to solving problems
• adaptability and positive attitude to change
• confidence to set goals, reflect and learn from experience.
• specific vocational skills/knowledge
• Course Specifications highlight the links to National Occupational
Standards in the vocational area and identify progression opportunities
Opportunities for developing these skills and attitudes are highlighted in each of
the Course and Unit Specifications. These opportunities include giving young
people direct access to workplace experiences or, through partnership
arrangements, providing different learning environments and experiences which
simulate aspects of the workplace. These experiences might include visits, visiting
speakers, role play and other practical activities.

A Curriculum for Excellence (Scottish Executive 2004) identifies aspirations for

every young person. These are that they should become:
• successful learners
• confident individuals
• responsible citizens
• effective contributors.
The learning environments, the focus on experiential learning and the

opportunities to develop employability and Core Skills in these Courses contribute
to meeting these aspirations.

The Course in Energy (Intermediate 2)

Course Rationale
This Course is intended to equip candidates with the necessary knowledge and
skills which will enhance their prospects for employment in the wide range of
opportunities within energy sectors. The Course will allow candidates to develop a
range of employability skills which are of particular relevance to energy industries.
Core Skills of Information Technology and Problem Solving will also be developed
throughout the Course where opportunities arise. The Course will offer a variety of
approaches to learning and teaching and will include a strong element of
experiential learning. It is intended that some of the Course will be delivered and
assessed in a different learning environment to that of the school through a
partnership arrangement with a college, training provider, or employer.
There are many technologies used in the production of energy and this course
has been designed to contain both an electrical generation practical/skills element
using wind turbines and a heat generation practical/skills element using solar
panels. These elements were selected to ensure candidates received a range of
skills using different technologies that are involved in the generation of energy.
Other systems used to generate energy from both the traditional/conventional and
renewable systems will be discussed and evaluated during the Course.
The primary target group for this Course is school candidates in S3 and S4.
However, the Course is also suitable for S5/S6 candidates and adult candidates
who are seeking to enhance their employability and vocational skills in the energy
sector.
The general aims of the Course are to:

• widen participation in vocationally-related learning for 14–16 year olds
• allow candidates to experience vocationally-related learning
• provide candidates with a broad introduction to the energy sector
• allow candidates the opportunity to develop skills relevant to the micro-
generation energy sector
• develop the candidates’ engineering skills
• encourage candidates to evaluate the impact of energy generation on the
environment
• encourage candidates to foster a good work ethic, including timekeeping, a
positive attitude and other relevant employability skills
• provide opportunities to develop a range of Core Skills in a realistic context
• encourage candidates to take charge of their own learning and development
• provide a range of teaching, learning, and assessment styles to motivate
candidates to achieve their full potential
• facilitate progression to further education and/or training

In particular, the specific aims of the Course are to:
• encourage candidates to consider a career in the energy sector

• develop an awareness of the role of conventional and renewable energy
systems in the UK
• develop an awareness of what opportunities there may be within the sector in
terms of the types and range of career options
• provide candidates with knowledge and skills which are directly relevant to
employment within the energy sector, eg. solar hot water and wind turbines
• provide opportunities for the personal development of skills and attitudes which
will improve the candidates’ employment potential within the energy sector
• develop the candidates’ awareness of their individual strengths and
weaknesses in relation to the requirements of the sector, and to reflect on how
this affects their employability potential
• raise awareness of the impact of the energy sector on the environment
• raise awareness of the responsibilities of the energy industry with regard to the
environment
Rationale for Course content
The production and use of energy is important in everyone’s life and is also an
important area of study and work. It is central to how we reduce our impact on the
environment when generating heat or electrical energy or power and to reducing
our CO2 emissions which are widely claimed to have an impact on climate change.
The generation of energy has traditionally been done through the use of fossil
fuels; oil, gas, and coal, with some renewable energy produced from hydro power.
Nuclear power was seen, and is still seen by some, as a method of generating
energy with zero carbon emissions, but the disposal of the radioactive spent fuel
is of major concern and this can counteract the advantages it has with zero
carbon emissions.
The development of most renewable energy systems is a recent innovation where

energy is generated from renewable energy sources, eg. wind, solar, geothermal,
bio-fuels, tidal, and wave. These systems have the advantage of generating
power with virtually zero carbon emissions. The bio-fuels and geothermal systems
can release power on demand, but most of the others depend of sources of
energy outwith the control of human beings, and consequently, do not have a
constant power output. For example, solar is not effective at night or when it is
particularly cold and cloudy; wind is not effective at low wind speeds or very high
wind speeds, and while tides are regular, they occur only a few times per week
and wind is required to generate waves in our oceans or seas.

The main themes of the course are: conventional energy production, renewable
energy production, converting energy from one form to another, industrial or
domestic energy generation facilities, practical work with solar panels and wind
turbines (integrating team work into the assembly process), and investigating
careers within the energy sector.
Optional areas covered are the size of an individual’s carbon footprint, oil and gas
extraction or conventional energy systems; their contribution to the total energy
generated in the UK and their environmental affects.
Candidates will study the overall status of energy in Scotland, and in the UK, in
general. They will explore the conventional methods of production, including their
efficiency levels, various energy conversion principles, and how energy can be
conserved. They will also explore the more recent developments in energy
production using renewable energy techniques and will develop practical skills in
the areas of plumbing, electrical, and mechanical engineering. Careers within the
energy sector have been integrated with employability skills which are developed
through practical activities.
The three optional Units offer different routes for candidates. They can opt for an
individual investigation and evaluation of their own carbon footprint, investigate
the size of the market segment taken up with conventional production techniques
and their sustainability, and explore the use of the national grid as a means of
transmitting electricity throughout the UK, or have an in-depth study into the
formation and extraction of one type of fuel in its raw state which is particularly
relevant to Scotland, ie. offshore oil and gas.

Unit Outcomes, PCs and Evidence Requirements

National Unit Specification: statement of standards
Unit:
Energy: Domestic Wind Turbines Systems (Intermediate 2)
Acceptable performance in this Unit will be the satisfactory achievement of the

standards set out in this part of the Unit Specification. All sections of the statement
of standards are mandatory and cannot be altered without reference to the
Scottish Qualifications Authority.
Outcome 1
Connect an electrical circuit from a wiring diagram.
Performance Criteria
a) Appropriate tools are selected for the task.

b) Tools and materials are used correctly for the intended purpose.
c) All steps to complete the task are followed in the correct sequence.
d) Health and safety requirements are adhered to throughout the activity.
e) A quality check is carried out on the completed work.
Outcome 2
Manufacture a metal part for a wind turbine system from a component drawing.
a) Appropriate tools are selected for the task.

b) Tools and materials are used correctly for the intended purpose.
c) All steps to complete the task are followed in the correct sequence.
d) Health and safety requirements are adhered to throughout the activity.
e) A quality check is carried out on the completed work.

Outcome 3
Produce a team plan for the production and testing of a small scale domestic wind
turbine system to a given specification.
a) Contribute constructively to team discussions to establish roles and realistic

timescales.
b) Contribute constructively to team discussions on resources.
c) Contribute constructively to team discussions on tasks.
d) Co-operate with others to finalise a comprehensive plan of roles, resources
required, and tasks set out in sequence.
Outcome 4
Contribute as a member of a team to the assembly and testing of a small scale

domestic wind turbine system to a given specification.
a) Co-operate with others in the organising, sharing, and safe use of tools and
materials.
b) Co-operate with others in maintaining a safe, tidy working area.
c) Adhere to the agreed plan and work positively to complete tasks in the agreed
timescale.
d) In an agreed role, carry out practical tasks which contribute to the assembly of
the wind turbine system.
e) In an agreed role, carry out practical tasks which contribute to the testing of the
system.
f) Participate in a quality check of the finished work against the given
specification.
Outcome 5
Evaluate the wind turbine and the team working process.
a) Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the planning, assembly, and testing
of the wind turbine.
b) Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of team working.
c) Evaluate own contribution to work of the team.
d) Identify action points for improvement in the production of the product and the
team working process.

Evidence Requirements for this Unit
Evidence is required to demonstrate that candidates have achieved all Outcomes

and Performance Criteria. Performance and written/oral evidence is required for
this Unit, the evidence should be gathered at appropriate points throughout the
Unit in supervised, open-book conditions, in response to a given brief.
Performance evidence — Outcomes 1 and 2
Performance evidence will be generated in response to an assignment consisting

of practical activities carried out in supervised workshop conditions. An assessor
observation checklist must be completed and signed for each candidate. The
practical activities will involve two separate tasks: connecting a wire circuit from a
wiring drawing, and manufacturing a metal part for a small scale wind turbine
system from a component drawing. In each task, candidates must demonstrate
that they can:
• select appropriate tools for the task

• use tools and materials correctly for the intended purpose
• complete all steps for the task in the correct sequence
• adhere to health and safety requirements throughout the activity
• carry out a quality check on the completed work
Performance and product evidence — Outcomes 3 and 4
Performance evidence will be generated in response to a group assignment which

will involve the planning, assembly, and testing of a small scale domestic wind
turbine system. Practical activities must be carried out in supervised workshop
conditions. An assessor observation checklist must be completed and signed for
each candidate to confirm achievement. A completed group plan and the finished
product should be retained by each group and used by the assessor in
discussions with each candidate. The achievement of each candidate is based on
his/her individual contribution to the process and not on the final group products.
The assessor checklist should be based clearly on the Performance Criteria for
Outcomes 3 and 4.
Written/oral evidence — Outcome 5
Each candidate must evaluate the effectiveness of the product and process of
team working. The evaluation will take the form of a presentation, which could be
written, oral, diagrammatical, or electronic. It may be an individual evaluation or a
contribution to a group evaluation, provided that all Performance Criteria are met
by each candidate. The evidence will be a completed and signed observation
checklist for each candidate.

The National Assessment Bank (NAB) pack for this Unit provides candidate
review sheets and an investigation brief. Centres wishing to develop their own
assessments should refer to the NAB to ensure a comparable standard.
NB Centres must refer to the full Unit Specification for detailed

information related to this Unit.

Employability Skills Profile

In addition to the specific vocational skills developed and assessed in this Course,
employability skills are addressed as detailed in the table below. For the purposes
of the table, the Units are referred to as A, B, C and D as indicated.
Mandatory Units
Energy: Introduction =A
Energy: Domestic Solar Hot Water Systems =B
Energy: Domestic Wind Turbine Systems =C
Energy: Employability and Careers =D
Optional Units
Energy and the Individual =E
Energy: Oil/Gas Extraction =F
Energy: Conventional Production Technologies and the Grid =G
Employability skill/attitude Evidence
• maintaining good timekeeping and attendance A, B, C, D, E/F/G
• maintaining a tidy work place B, C
• seeking feedback and advice A, B, C, D, E/F/G
• following instructions B, C
• working co-operatively with others A, B, C
• selecting and using tools correctly and for the purpose B, C
they were designed
• using Personal Protective Equipment correctly and A, B, C
working safely
• following basic drawings correctly B, C
• checking quality of work A, B, C, D, E/F/G
• working to agreed deadlines A, B, C, D, E/F/G
• organising work effectively A, B, C, D, E/F/G
• working confidently A, B, C, D, E/F/G
• willingness to learn new skills or techniques B, C
• working independently A, B, C, D, E/F/G
• reflecting on own performance B, C
• learning from past experiences B, C
• awareness of a range of careers and job roles D
• developing investigation skills A, D, E/F/G
• developing presentation skills A, B, C, D, E/F/G
• developing creativity skills A, B, C, D, E/F/G

Careers Scotland Support

for School/College Collaboration for Scotland’s Colleges in
the Scottish Enterprise area
Since August 2006 Careers Scotland (SE and HI areas) has been funded by the
Scottish Government to support College/School Collaboration and encourage and
promote vocational educational choices for pupils in schools.
Careers Scotland (now part of Skills Development Scotland) has an important role
to play in selection, recruitment and pre-entry career guidance, as well as ongoing
support and pre-exit career guidance, to ensure the pupils’ experience of SfW is
capitalised upon in any future career planning.
Careers Scotland activity takes place locally and nationally under 4 objectives:
• Providing careers advice, guidance and employability support to pupils and

their parents pre, during and post vocational education experience, focusing
primarily but not exclusively on SfW pupils - demonstrating how these
educational choices have implications for future career options, and support
the achievement of future career goals and supporting effective transitions
• Providing targeted support to pupils at risk of becoming unemployed who
would benefit from undertaking a vocational course
• Partnership working to ensure vocational study is given parity of esteem with
other school and post school options, focusing on recruitment / selection and
retention of pupils on vocational courses
• Capacity building through relevant shared CPD events and resource
development to increase understanding of the process of uptake of vocational
options and facilitate more effective support to pupils navigating these options
For further information on Careers Scotland (SE)’s involvement in school/college

collaboration locally, please get in touch with your Careers Scotland Regional
contact:
South East (Edinburgh & Lothians; Forth Valley; Borders)

Stephen Benwell 01786 452043 stephen.benwell@careers-scotland.org.uk
North East (Tayside; Grampian; Fife)

Val Ormiston 01592-631155 valerie.ormiston@careers-scotland.org.uk
South West (Dumfries & Galloway; Ayrshire; Lanarkshire)

Jean Geddes 01698 742192 jean.geddes@careers-scotland.org.uk
West (Glasgow; Dunbartonshire; Renfrewshire)

Sandra Cheyne 0141 242 8338 sandra.cheyne@careers-scotland.org.uk

Tutor Support Section

Introduction
The main purpose of this Unit is to:
• Provide a general background to the operation and applications of small

domestic wind turbines.
• Describe the different kinds of wind turbines available and discuss the
advantages and disadvantages of each type.
• Describe the various methods of controlling the speed and power output of
small wind turbines.
• Enable students to select and use the basic tools and materials in the
construction of small domestic wind turbines.
• Contribute in a team in planning and assembling a small wind turbine system.
• Review and evaluate own performance.
Students will learn terminology and skills during the process of the practical work.
They will also develop work practices and attitudes that will enhance their
employability skills.
The need to promote safe working practices in the workplace with respect to
industry is paramount at all times.
Safe working practices should include:
• keeping the workplace tidy and free from obstruction

• maintaining good working relationships with others
• maintaining a positive attitude to instruction
• using tools for their intended use only
• using tools correctly
• wearing the relevant Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
The Outcomes in this Unit are practical and students should be given plenty
of opportunities to handle and work with tools and equipment relevant to
the Domestic Wind Turbine Systems. A key aspect of the practical activities
is the development of student confidence therefore students should be
given adequate support in all stages of practical work.
Extension Activities
Extension notes and web-based activities providing more challenging information

and opportunities to investigate and analyse further information on wind turbines
where appropriate for the student group are provided in the Appendix. Tutors
should be selective in using this material.

Learning and Teaching with Under 16s

Scotland’s Colleges have made significant progress in meeting the needs of
young learners. Our knowledge of the learning process has increased significantly
and provides a range of strategies and approaches which gives us a clear steer
on how lecturers can add to their skill repertoire. Lecturers can, and do, provide a
stable learning environment where young students develop a sense of self-
respect, learn from appropriate role models and see an opportunity to progress.
There are basic enabling skills for practical application which can further develop
the learning process for this group of students. So what are the characteristics of
effective learning and teaching which will help to engage young learners?
Ten ways to improve the learning process for under 16s

(This list is not exhaustive!)
1. Activate prior knowledge and learning – ascertain what the learner knows
already and teach accordingly. Young people do have life experience but it is
more limited than adult learners and they may not always be aware of how it
will assist them in their current learning.
Tips - Question and answer; Quick Quiz; Quick diagnostic assessment on

computer; present key words from the course or unit and see how many they
recognise or know something about.
2. Tune learners into the Big Picture – the tutor knows the curriculum inside
out and why each lesson follows a sequence, however the young learner does
not have this information and is re-assured by being given the Big Picture.
Tips – Mind map or concept map; use visuals, for example wall displays of
diagrams, photographs, flow charts; explain the learning outcomes in language
they will understand; We Are Learning Today (WALT) targets and What I’m
Looking For (WILF) targets; give clear and visible success criteria for tasks.
3. Use Advance Organisers – these are lists of the key concept words that are
part of the course or unit.
Tip – Highlight on any text the concept words that you will be using; make a
visible list and put it on display – concept words can be struck off or referred to
as they occur (NB this helps with spelling and independent learning as they do
not have to keep checking meaning); highlight essential learning and action
points.
4. Vary the teaching approaches. The two main approaches are instructing
and demonstrating, however try to provide opportunities to facilitate learning.
Tips – Ask students what they know now that they did not know before, or
what they can do now they could not do before, at appropriate points in the
lesson or teaching block; ensure there are problem solving activities that can
be done individually or in groups; ask students to demonstrate what they have

learned; use a range of question and answer techniques that allow

participation and dialogue, eg. provide hints and cues so that they can arrive at
answers themselves.
5. Preview and review of learning. This helps to embed previous learning and
listening skills and provides another opportunity to elicit learner understanding.
Consolidates and reinforces learning.
Tips – At the beginning of each lesson, or session, review previous learning

and preview what is coming up; at the end of each lesson or session, review
what has taken place and what will be focussed on next time – these can both
be done through question and answer, quizzes and mind mapping activities.
6. Language in the learning environment. Do not assume that the language

which is used in the learning environment is always understood by young
learners, some words may be familiar but do not have the same meaning
when used vocationally.
Tips - At appropriate points ask students what words mean; explore the
various meanings of words to find out if they may have come across this
language in another context; by looking at the structure and meaning of words
there is an opportunity for dialogue about learning and to build vocabulary.
7. Giving instructions in the learning environment. This is one of the most

difficult tasks a tutor has to do whatever the curriculum area. With young
learners this may have to be repeated several times.
Tips – Ask a student to repeat back what you have asked them to do before
beginning a task; ask them to explain the task to one of their peers; use the
KISS principle – Keep It Short and Simple so that they can absorb and process
the information.
8. Effective feedback. Feedback is very important for the learner to assess their
progress and to see how and what they can improve. Provide opportunities to
engage in dialogue about the learning function of assessment – provide details
of the learner’s strengths and development needs either in written or spoken
form. With younger learners identifying one or two areas for development is
sufficient along with acknowledgement of what has been done well.
Essentially, learners are helped by being given a specific explanation of how

work can be improved. You can also use summative assessment formatively,
ie. as an opportunity to identify strengths, development needs and how to
improve.
Tips – Ask students themselves to identify their own strengths and

development needs – self evaluation; peer evaluation of work can be
successful once they have been taught how to do it; the tutor can produce a
piece of work and ask students to assess it anonymously; have a discussion
about the success criteria for the task and ensure the students are clear about

them; allow learners to set criteria for success and then measure their
achievements against these.
9. Managing the learning behaviour. Under 16s are coming into Scotland’s
Colleges and training establishments from largely structured and routine-driven
environments in schools and early feedback from those undertaking Skills for
Work courses indicates that they very much enjoy the different learning
environment that colleges and other training providers offer. Remember
though that these are still young learners. They will still expect tutors to
provide structure and routine, and will perform best in a calm, orderly learning
environment. Young students will respond to firm, fair, and consistent
management. Such routines have to be established quickly and constantly
reinforced.
Tips - Health and safety is non-negotiable and consequences of non-

compliance with the regulations should be made clear and adhered to at all
times; set out your expectations from day one and provide a consistent
message; have clear beginnings, middles and endings for each session; be a
positive role model for your students, ie. be there before they are and manage
the learners with respect; always deliver what you promise; build up good
relationships and get to know the learners, make the curriculum interesting and
stress the relevance of the learning; set up a positive behaviour management
system. By following these guidelines you will build up two-way respect,
which, while sometimes challenging to achieve, can be very powerful and work
to everyone’s benefit.
10. Care and welfare issues. School/college partnerships mean increasing

numbers of young learners in college. Tutors have to be aware of their
professional responsibilities and mindful of young people’s rights. However
tutors have rights too, in terms of feeling safe and secure in working with
young people and there are basic steps staff can take to minimise risks. It is
essential that colleges ensure that tutors have a working knowledge of the
Child Protection policies (local authority and college documentation) and follow
procedures and policies diligently. School/College Liaison Officers will be
familiar with these documents and can provide support and advice. There are
also training sessions on Child Protection available from SFEU (see the
following page).
Tips - Avoid one-to-one situations with young students in a closed area; do not
do or say anything that could be misinterpreted; if the opportunity arises, do
some observation in schools to see and discuss how teachers use the
guidelines for their own protection as well as the young person’s.
Most young people are a delight to work with and they will positively enjoy the
experience of learning in college. However, there will inevitably be some who are
disengaged, disaffected and who have not yet had an opportunity to experience
success. ‘Skills for Work’ is a unique educational initiative that young people can
be motivated to buy into – you as the tutor are key to the success of these
programmes.

Skills for Work Workshops

To take this 10 point plan forward and to add to it, you can attend one of SFEU’s
‘Get Skilled Up’ half day workshops for tutors delivering Skills for Work Courses,
when we explore further the learning process and look at a range of specific
teaching and learning techniques to use with the under 16 age group. To find out
when the next event is visit our website www.sfeu.ac.uk or contact the Learning
Process team at SFEU on 01786 892000.
Child Protection Workshops

These are run on a regular basis by staff at SFEU in Stirling and also in colleges.
For more information on these workshops please contact members of the Access
and Inclusion team at www.sfeu.ac.uk or contact the team at SFEU on 01786
892000.

General Guidance on Unit Delivery
The emphasis in this unit is on a practical approach in which the students

complete practical tasks and activities. The unit is also designed to focus on the
employability skills that employers value.
The students should be given handout notes on the different kinds of wind
turbines and should read the material on wind turbine operation. Once they are
familiar with the concepts they should then be given the opportunity to research
some of the suggested websites to see examples of wind turbine practice and the
terminology and key parameters involved in their operation. Students can also
study the more advanced Student Notes at the end of the Student Support
Section and try the calculations.
There are opportunities to connect up an electrical circuit and manufacture the tail
vane for a small wind turbine. The students will participate in a team project to
assemble and test a small wind power system.
As students progress through the practical activities, it is envisaged that

opportunities will arise to discuss employability skills development and perhaps
subsequent career paths.
Associated knowledge and skills to be developed include:
• safe working practices
• comprehension of information from simple drawings
• commonly used terminology.
The Unit could be integrated for delivery with other units of the course and if this is
the case this support pack should be used in conjunction with that of other units.
The unit is also an ideal opportunity to progress Core Skills within the context of
Mechanical and Fabrication.
Numeracy Skills: in the form of measuring and cutting material.
Working with Others: is a valid and inherent skill in any workplace or workshop,
and students should be actively encouraged to seek advice from their tutor and
work with their peers as part of a team.
Problem Solving: engineering is beset with problems and trades people are
faced on a daily basis with problems that require efficient and cost effective
solutions.
Communication: part and parcel of the engineer’s working life is communication,

whether it be taking in oral or written instructions, interpretation of drawings,

interpretation of manufacturers’ manuals, making an oral presentation or simply

giving instructions to others.
IT: is linked to all of the above. Most engineers use IT to aid numeracy skills, to
communicate and to problem solve. IT is widely used to present and record
information and to provide graphic communication for engineers. The Internet is a
valuable resource to enable students to seek additional information about tools
and processes.
Unit Induction
Although the Unit will have been outlined at the course induction it is vitally
important to include an induction to the Unit. The students need to know what
exactly the unit is about, what they will accomplish and achieve the outcomes and,
just as important, what is expected of them. The overall practical construction
aspect of the course and unit will need to be reinforced. It should be stressed at
unit induction that the skills valued by employers such as timekeeping, attendance
etc will be monitored and recorded and that all students will be encouraged to
show a positive attitude. The short time spent on Unit induction will pay dividends
later in the Unit.
Unit induction can start with an outline of the Unit content – what they’re going to
be doing - some discussion about small wind turbines and some practical work -
students will want to get stuck into the fun part as soon as they possibly can. A fun
resource which will also give them the basics of wind turbines in a cartoon style
crash course can be found on this website:
http://www.windpower.org/en/kids/
Induction could also include:
• your plans for teaching the Unit – how they’ll be learning the practical skills
• assessment methods and schedule
• where employability fits in – start by asking them what they think!
• a briefing on health and safety
• the importance of regular attendance and good timekeeping to encourage
employability skills development - get them into good habits just as if they were
at work and in employment!
• you might also think about inviting an engineer or engineering apprentice from
the wind turbine industry to speak to the class about their work, about job
prospects in this area of the engineering industry and to reinforce the value
that employers put on employability skills.

Scheme of Work
The Outcomes should to be taught in the order listed in the Unit. The review and
evaluation of employability skills should be integrated in all the activities
undertaken in the unit.
At the beginning and throughout Outcomes 1, 2 and 3 of the Unit the following
should be emphasised and adhered to:
Safe Working Practices in the

The Care and Use of PPE
Workshop
• workshop safe working practices • footwear
• workshop housekeeping • overalls
• health and safety • eye protection
• accident procedures • hand protection
• fire alarm procedures • gloves
A suggested time allocation for the unit is:

Unit Induction
5 hours
Identify the main components of a small
domestic wind turbine system
Connect up an electrical circuit and
manufacture a tail vane for a small wind 15 hours
turbine
Contribute to a team in the planning,
assembly and testing of a small scale 15 hours
domestic wind turbine system to a given
specification
Remediation
5 hours
Review and evaluate own performance
in relation to identified employability kills
Because it is important to ensure that students understand the theory behind the
practical sessions the above schedule includes some time for class discussion
and background reading.

Outcomes 1 and 2 (approximately 20 hours)
Connect an electrical circuit from a wiring diagram and manufacture a tail

vane for a small wind turbine
Unit Induction
Identify the main components of a small • Tutor input on underpinning
domestic wind turbine system knowledge. Student investigation.
Appropriate tools and materials are • health and safety, safe working
selected for the task practices and employability
• safety instructions
• tools and materials selection
Tools and materials are used correctly • health and safety, safe working
for the intended purpose practices relating to the handling
and use of tools
• allow students to practise tool usage
on simple tasks
All steps to complete the task are • establish tasks to be done and their
followed in the correct sequence correct sequence
Health and safety requirements are • risk assessment of electrical
adhered to throughout the activity exercises
• adherence to health and safety
requirements in the workshop
• connect electrical circuit
A quality check is carried out on the • conduct quality checks using pro
completed work forma worksheet
Outcomes 3 and 4 (approximately 15 hours)
Produce a team plan for the production and testing of a small scale
domestic wind turbine system to a given specification. Contribute as a
member of a team to the assembly and testing of a small scale domestic
wind turbine system to a given specification.
Planning stage
Contribute constructively to team • identify and establish the types
discussions to establish roles and and nature of team roles as part
realistic timescales of a team
• agree individual team roles
• identify and quantify agreed
project timescales as part of a
team

Contribute constructively to team • interpret the given specification

discussions on resources and drawings for a domestic wind
turbine system
• identify and establish resource
requirements as part of a team
Contribute constructively to team • identify and establish tasks as
discussions on tasks part of a team
• identify and agree task sequence
as part of a team
Co-operate with others to finalise a • compile and agree a team plan of
comprehensive plan of roles, roles, resources, tasks and task
resources required and tasks sequence for the assembly and
testing of a domestic wind turbine
system
Assembly and Testing Stage
Cooperate with others in the • sourcing and use of tools in a

organising, sharing and safe use of correct and safe manner using
tools and materials tools solely for the purpose for
which they are designed
• wearing appropriate PPE
• preparing appropriately to carry
out tasks.
Cooperate with others in maintaining • maintaining a tidy workplace
a safe, tidy working area
• showing health and safety
awareness
Adhere to the agreed plan and work • maintaining good attendance
positively to compete tasks in the
agreed timescale • maintaining good timekeeping
• adhering to team plan
• completing tasks to agreed
timescales
In an agreed role, carry out practical • adhering to agreed team roles
tasks
• adhering to specification
• carrying out tasks to assemble of a
domestic wind turbine system
In an agreed role, carry out practical • carrying out tasks to test a
tasks which contribute to the testing domestic wind turbine system
of the system

Participate in a quality check of the • carrying out a quality check on the

finished work against the given domestic wind turbine system
specification against the specification
Outcome 5 (approximately 5 hours)
Evaluate the wind turbine and the team working process
Evaluate the strengths and • team evaluation and recording of

weaknesses of the planning, what went well, what did not go
assembly and testing of the wind well in the planning phase of the
turbine project
• team evaluation and recording of
what went well, what did not go
well in the assembly phase of the
project
• team evaluation and recording of
well in the testing phase of the
project
Evaluate the advantages and • evaluate and record the
disadvantages of team working advantages of the team working -
well
• evaluate and record the
disadvantages of the team
working - what went well, what
did not go well
Evaluate own contribution to work of • individual evaluation and
the team discussions recording of what went well, what
did not go well during team
discussions
Identify action points for • team identification of action points
improvements in the production of the for improvements in the
product and the team working production of the product
process
• team identification of action points
for improvements in the team
working process
• individual/team presentation of
action points

Unit Planner
The following Unit planner is intended as a guide only to how centres might go
about delivering the unit and what it covers.
Each practical session should start with the health and safety requirements that
will be applicable to that particular lesson and any additional PPE that might be
required.
The Unit planner is based around the production of a simple Domestic Wind
Turbine System. During the practical activities, the use of tools and equipment for
assembly and testing of a domestic hot water system will provide opportunities to
discuss the varying roles and responsibilities within the energy industry. This
could include the tools and practices used by local energy firms.
Activities – refers to the named activity found in the Student Support Section or,
where indicated, in the NAB for the Unit.
Practical Tips
It is expected that as each basic practical skill is demonstrated that good practice
will be emphasised, and that any good trade specific hints or tips are also included
in the lesson. It is also recommended that some or all of the following should be
integrated with the range of practical activities:
• The use of employed apprentices attending college to aid workshop sessions

• The use of various speakers/experts/tradespersons to aid employability skills
and knowledge of local industry
• The use of ICT if appropriate
• The use of energy websites images and videos

Outcomes 1 and 2
Connect an electrical circuit from wiring diagram

Manufacture a metal part for a wind turbine system from a
component drawing
Objectives:
• Safe working practices, health and safety requirements and employability – to

establish a level of knowledge and understanding of health and safety and
employability.
• Identify and select and use appropriate tools and materials
• Identify and follow the correct sequence of tasks
• Connect electrical circuit
• Manufacture a metal part
• Carry out a quality check
Resources:
• Circuit diagrams and component drawings
• Student Support Materials
• Tools and materials
Learning and teaching process:

• use group discussion to determine the level of student knowledge of health
and safety issues; develop this to discuss the need for general health and
safety in the workshop environment; emphasise the student’s own health and
safety and that of others in the workplace in order to create a safe learning
environment for everyone. Use this opportunity to promote awareness of
employability skills such as attendance, punctuality and especially behaviour in
relation to safety requirements.
• using the circuit diagrams form small group discussions relating to a simple
risk assessment ie. identifying hazards, persons at risk, risk, risk rating
(low/medium/high), existing control measures and any action required.
• discussion and selection of tools
• allow students to practise tool usage on simple tasks
• correct sequence of tasks is established
• practical exercises
• students carry out a quality check on completed products
Activities
• Outcome 1 Practical

Outcome 3
5,11,13
Produce a team plan for the production and testing of a small
scale domestic wind turbine system to a given specification
Objectives:
• Identify and establish team roles and timescales as part of a team

• Identify and establish resource requirements as part of a team
• Identify and establish tasks as part of a team
• Identify and establish task sequence as part of a team
• Compile a plan of roles, resources, tasks and sequence
Resources:
• Specification and drawings
• use group discussion to highlight the types and the benefits of allocating team
roles.
• state and demonstrate correct methods/techniques of identifying resource,
task requirements and task sequence
• use teams to agree and compile plan of roles, resources, tasks.
• use teams to agree sequence of tasks
Activities
• Identify, establish and agree team roles
• Instrument of Assessment 3 – Specification and Outline Plan (See NAB)
• Instrument of Assessment 3 – Scheduled Plan (See NAB)

Outcome 4
Contribute as a member of a team to the assembly and testing of

a small scale domestic wind turbine system to a given
specification
Objectives:
• Safe working practices co-operating with others in the sharing and safe use of
tools and materials in a maintained safe working environment
• Correct adherence to agreed team plan and timescales
• Correct method of assembly of a wind turbine within an agreed team role
• Correct method of testing of a wind turbine system within an agreed team role
• Carry out a quality check of completed work against the given specification
Resources:
• PPE
• Specification and drawings
• Tools and materials
• use group discussion to emphasise the need to follow safety instructions and
maintaining a safe tidy working area
• state and demonstrate correct methods/techniques of assembly of a wind
turbine system
• correct assessment of the functionality and testing of a wind turbine system
• carry out a quality check of completed product
Activities
• Instrument of Assessment 3 - Specification (See NAB)

• Instrument of Assessment 4 - Teamwork exercise (See NAB)

Outcome 5
Evaluate the wind turbine system and the team working

process
Objectives:
• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the planning, assembly and testing
of the wind turbine
• Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of team working
• Evaluate own contribution to work of the team
• Identify action points for the improvement in the production of the wind turbine
• Identify action points for improvement in the team working process
Resources:
• Student Support Section Materials
• use group discussion to emphasise the need for critical evaluation

• use group/teams for general discussion on the importance of creating action
points for improvement
• individuals/teams to give a presentation on the evaluation of wind turbines and

the team working process
Activities
• Instrument of Assessment 5 – Team Worksheet 1 (See NAB)

• Project Presentation

Practical Activity Checklist

Checklist to monitor the progress of each student’s completion of the Outcomes.
Student Name Outcome 1 Outcome 2 Outcome 3 Outcome 4 Outcome 5

Health and Safety Considerations

Safe working techniques will include general workshop behaviour and protocol.
This will include the correct handling and transportation of tools: tool safety;
workshop layout; and procedures for starting and finishing practical activities.
First Aid considerations should include awareness of the nearest first aid station,
first aider, first aid procedures, accident and ‘near miss’ reporting, and avoidance
of potential accidents.
Fire Alarm evacuation procedures should be practised and students made

familiar with the audible warning sound, alarm points, location of fire fighting
equipment, fire exits, assembly areas and correct conduct under alarm conditions.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) must be stressed if

students are subjected or exposed to any chemicals, fumes, dust or irritants.
Good housekeeping is the welfare of all participants and the general working
conditions in the workplace. This will include safety, PPE, behaviour, conduct,
storage and condition of tools and equipment, walkways and handling and
disposal of waste oil and scrap materials.
Whilst the tasks may not always require the movement or handling of heavy
objects, the use of safety footwear and manual handling techniques should be
discussed and encouraged as a matter of good safety practice. Some tasks may
require using heat or a heat source and students should be made aware of the
dangers of both hot and previously heated materials and workbenches.
Personal Safety
The students need to appreciate that they are responsible for their own safety and
the safety of others. This will include their conduct and behaviour in all activities.
Safe working practices in workshops and the safe use of tools and equipment
should be emphasised.
In all the activities students are asked to perform they should be encouraged to
make sound judgements on issues such as:
• the effect of their actions on fellow students

• are the tools and equipment in good usable condition?
• are they being asked to carry out an action they are unfamiliar with?
• should they seek advice from an appropriate person?
Students’ personal dress should be hardwearing and give protection against

grease/oil/heat etc. This clothing should not have any loose sleeves.

Students should be dissuaded from wearing sports trousers and tops as these
items are nearly always manufactured from plastic materials and are not suitable
for engineering workshop use.
No jewellery of any form should be worn and neither should any piercings be
worn.
At the beginning of the unit and prior to each practical session the following should
be emphasised and adhered to:
Safe Working Practices in the

The Care and Use of PPE
Workshop
• workshop safe working practices • footwear
• workshop housekeeping • overalls
• health and safety • eye protection
• accident procedures • hand protection
• fire alarm procedures • gloves
Students need to understand their roles and

responsibilities in relation to health and safety.
Students may already have an appreciation of
health and safety issues in one of the other course
units but it should be emphasised to them that in
this unit they may be dealing with a different set of
potential hazards and that each practical activity
will probably start and end with health and safety
issues relevant to the practical skills covered in the
lesson.
Further information on Health and Safety can be found in the Energy:

Course Guidance and Employability Skills support pack.

Signposting of Employability Skills

In addition to the specific vocational skills developed in this Unit, students will
have opportunities to develop and apply their knowledge and understanding of the
employability skills.
Throughout the pack there are numbered flags like the one shown
here, showing which specific employability skill can be highlighted 1, 5, 6, 7
and/or assessment evidence recorded when students are busy with
the various activities in the Unit.
Maintaining good
Following basic Reflecting on own
1 timekeeping and 8 15
drawings correctly* performance *
attendance *
Maintaining a tidy Checking quality of Learning from past
2 9 16
workplace* work* experiences *
Awareness of a
Seeking feedback Working to agreed
3 10 17 range of careers
and advice* deadlines*
and job roles
Following Organising work Developing
4 11 18
instructions* effectively * investigation skills
Work cooperatively Working Developing
5 12 19
with others* confidently* presentation skills*
Selecting and using
Willingness to learn
tools correctly and Developing
6 13 new skills or 20
for the purpose they creativity skills*
techniques*
were designed*
Using Personal
Protective Working
14
7 Equipment correctly independently*
and working safely*
* The employability skills marked with an asterisk* are directly assessed in this
Unit.

Generating Evidence and Assessment Opportunities for

Employability Skills
The unit is designed to give the students the technical knowledge, skills and
understanding of Domestic Wind Turbines Systems but as instances arise
naturally within the completion of practical work or activities, job roles and career
paths may be discussed so that all students are aware of progressions within the
energy sector. These discussions will also encourage an interest in energy in
general.
It is important in that the students develop the ability to reflect on how they
performed in the completion of tasks. In the context of the Domestic Wind
Turbines Systems unit this will involve reflection on the development of both
practical and employability skills. The skill of evaluation lets the candidates
analyse what they did well, what they did not do so well and how they can
improve. This means they will develop an awareness of their individual strengths
and weaknesses.
The unit also encourages the students to apply new skills, knowledge and
understanding of energy in the completion of practical assignments by using skills
of evaluation and problem-solving in a vocational context.
It is strongly advised that course teams meet together to discuss and agree a co-
ordinated approach to the teaching and developing of the employability skills
throughout the Course and to ensure that the team has a common interpretation
of the skills and attitudes.
You will find or create countless opportunities to help students develop their
employability skills. The following pages show some ways of going about it to get
you thinking!

Generating Evidence and Assessment Opportunities for Employability Skills
Employability Delivery Advice Possible Activities/Contexts

Skills
1 • Good timekeeping and attendance is relevant throughout the Course.

• Turning up for classes on
• Discuss the importance of good timekeeping within the energy sector and time
get students to assess their past timekeeping record. They should identify
what improvements, if any, are needed. This should take place at the start • Returning from breaks on
of the Course and will set the expected standards. time
Maintaining • Staff should make their expectations clear right from the start of the course • Arriving on time to visits
good or Unit.
• Sticking to planned work
timekeeping • A good initial activity is to have the students write the class guidelines schedules regarding timing of
and themselves by identifying pros and cons of good and poor attendance and activities
attendance timekeeping – the benefits in the workplace of one and the consequences of
the other. • Staying in class for the
duration of the planned
• These guidelines or ground rules can be posted in the workshops and
activity (no extended toilet
classes and referred to on a regular basis.
breaks)
• Relate the ground rules to the world of work, eg. arrive on time, back from
breaks on time etc. The measure of a student’s success in this aspect is for
them to be honest in their appraisal of their performance and in making
progress. ‘Distance travelled’ should be adopted, rather than a particular
minimum percentage of classes attended.
• Attendance and timekeeping should be monitored throughout the Course.
Students should be given feedback on their performance – both good and
bad – in this regard. If you take note of patterns of performance it should be
easy to give the students accurate feedback.

• Discuss the need to keep a tidy work area or workspace from a Health • Tidying workspace, generally as the
and Safety and a ‘personal organisation’ point of view. • work proceeds
2
• Educate the class to keep the work area tidy at all times. • Clean and store tools correctly
• Allow them to reason for themselves about the potential • Clean workbenches
Maintaining a consequences of an untidy work area!
• Keep walkways clear and clean
tidy work place • Perhaps one at a time, in pairs, or in small teams the students could
• Disposal of scrap material into the
be on ‘tidy up’ duty.
• proper bin
• Emphasise to the class that this is often the routine in the actual
workplace. • Tidying up after a specific spill of
materials
• If students get into a good routine with this it should be only on rare
occasions that you have to pull them up on their tidiness.
• If the workplace is clean at the start of the lesson then the workplace
should be left in the same clean state for the next class.
• Seeking feedback and advice from teaching staff is relevant to all • Ask questions
Units in the Course. • Check work progress with staff
3
• Discuss the benefits that getting feedback from staff and asking for • Check tool safety with staff
advice. This can increase the students’ level of confidence in what
• Seek tutor feedback
they are doing and can reinforce their views of the direction they are
Seeking taking. Success can be greatly increased by using knowledge and • Confirm instructions when unsure
feedback and experience gained from others.
advice
• Young students can be wary of seeking advice for fear of highlighting
their own lack of understanding or of being singled out for ridicule
perhaps based on past experience.
• Staff should emphasise that in the workplace it is essential that they
seek advice if they are not sure about something as the consequences
of not doing so could be quite serious eg. misusing tools, poor

techniques can result in injury.

• Students should be praised for seeking advice and reassured that staff
welcome their questions and it also helps them to demonstrate
another employability skill: positive attitude to learning.
• Tutors should explain that they may not be able to give advice or help
straight away (as they may be helping somebody else) but they will
respond as soon as they can.
• Discuss the benefits of following instructions, from regulations that are • Health and Safety procedures
mandatory to class or work processes that have been devised by • Work schedule or sequence
4
experienced staff. Include the pitfalls of doing their ‘own thing’.
• Practical work and trade techniques
• It can be difficult to keep the attention of under-16s. When you want
• Checking quality
them to cultivate the skill of following instructions it’s important to
Following • Planning and preparation
transmit the instructions clearly and concisely.
instructions
• Trying to get students to think of the reason behind an instruction can
help them to remember it.
• Get them to repeat the instruction or explain it in their own words to
make sure they’ve understood and know what’s required.
• If an individual student is struggling with an aspect of their work they
may appreciate personal assistance and quiet one-to-one instruction.
This would be an opportunity for you to note their positive response to
any instructions you give them at that time.

Team working is a mandatory part this Unit.

5 • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of working in a team, eg. • Assembly and test of wind turbine
advantages could include sharing of workload, support from each • Social interaction
other, generating more ideas; the disadvantages could be that a
• Students working in harmony
consensus is needed on all points and the uneven workloads that can
Working co- • Sharing of experiences
be put on team members sometimes.
operatively
with others • Working co-operatively with others (sometimes referred to as Working • Peer support
With Others) is mainly about communication and taking others into
consideration.
• Get the class into the habit of working as a team where appropriate
eg. when tidying up during and at the end of practical sessions.
• Get them to speak to each other – and to you – about the sharing of
workspace, tools, equipment and materials.
• Monitor the teams as they assemble and test the wind turbine system.
• Watch out for specific instances of the students working co-operatively
together – including demonstrating a specific awareness of health and
safety issues. You should note this evidence.
• Identify the roles undertaken by team members and discuss how
these roles were allocated.
• Mixing different school groups will help to reinforce the idea of working
cooperatively with everyone in the workplace – not just friends.
• Discuss the need to select the right tool for the job and why it must • Tool acquisition procedures
6
only be used for the purpose for which it was designed. followed during practical workshop
• The sourcing of tools means that each centre must inform the students sessions
of the procedures to be followed for the acquisition of tools and • Correct number of tools used
Selecting and equipment. • Carrying tools safely

using tools • The correct use of tools must be demonstrated before students are • Using tools safely
correctly and allowed to practise the skill. • Clean and store tools safely and
for the purpose • Movement of tools to be completed in a safe manner. correctly
they were
designed • Each tool has a function that it was designed for and use or misuse of • No tools left out at end of session
the tool for any other task/purpose should be discouraged. The
dangers of misuse of tools must be stressed.
• Students should be encouraged to report any faulty or worn tools.
• Each tool must be clean and free from defects at the start of the
practical activities and at the end.
• Students must be made aware that if a tool is worn or becomes
unusable that they are responsible for reporting the fault.
• Tools should always be returned to their proper storage place.
Health and Safety is important to employers and is a key part of the • Induction procedure
learning and teaching of each of the practical based Units. • Behaviour in workshop
7
• Routinely wearing PPE
• Discuss the role of Health and Safety in the workplace and the use of • Wearing correct PPE
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to reduce the chance of injury. • Cleanliness
Using Personal
Protective The requirements and the role of students and staff should be made • Clear walkways
Equipment clear. • Manual handling
correctly and • From the first workshop session to the last there should be ample • First aid procedures
working safely opportunity to collect evidence of health and safety issues. • Fire procedures
• Tool and equipment safety
• Discussion on what PPE might be required for specific tasks and the
importance of PPE in the protection of everyone. • Personal hygiene
• Identification of hazards by
students.
• First aid and fire awareness.

• Following basic drawings correctly is an essential aspect of this unit. • Reading drawings
8 • Discuss the role of drawings in communication and the need to be • Carrying out quality checks
able to extract relevant information from them. • Planning sheets
• Students should be issued with drawings and sketches for all practical • Following instructions in the correct
Following activities. sequence
basic drawings • Using drawings as a means of communication.
correctly • Correct interpretation reinforced.
• Quality checking as work

• Discuss how the checking of their tasks can lead to a higher quality of progresses
9
work and hence meet the standards required. • Quality checking at the end of
• Students constantly check against the drawings for dimensions, practical activities
Checking materials, fits and sequence of operations. • Quality checking at the end of non-
quality of work • Students should be made aware of acceptable standards in terms of practical work
the quality of practical, investigative and presentation work. • Checking and reporting on fitness
for purpose
• Discuss the need to keep to deadlines and the effects that can result if • Checking progress against
they are not maintained. Demonstrate the importance in the real world deadlines
10
of keeping to deadlines eg. industry employs project managers whose • Be aware of time remaining until
main role is to keep work on schedule. deadlines
Working to • Students made aware of the benefits of keeping to deadlines and of • Plan work schedule to meet
agreed the possible consequences of work going beyond deadlines. deadlines
deadlines • Staff discuss with students their progress and ability to meet the
deadlines.

11 • Discuss how organising and planning work leads to a greater chance • Creating work schedules
of meeting deadlines and meeting quality standards. Staff should • Monitoring progress against
emphasis a logical approach to organising work where any process is schedules
a combination of smaller steps taken one at a time.
Organising
work • This will help the students develop their organisational and planning
effectively skills.
• Discuss the benefits that working confidently can give eg. being able • Carrying out practical tasks
to ask questions or give their point of view without the fear of feeling • Leading a group
12
stupid, being able to stand up in front of others and give a
• Drawing up work schedules
presentation, to work without constantly needing reassurance.
• Discussions with staff and peers
Working • Students will have the opportunity to working confidently as they
confidently perform practical tasks.
• Discuss the benefits of learning new skills and how this is essential in • Listen to instructions
a constantly changing world to keep your job or gain promotion. • Applying feedback
13
• New skills and techniques will be acquired during the practical tasks. • Asking questions
• A positive attitude to learning can be stimulated by the enthusiasm • Practising skills
Willingness to and expert knowledge of the staff member.
• Discussions with tutor
learn new • Introduce practical activities very early on.
skills or • Checking quality
• Interesting tasks and the assembly and testing of the wind turbine
techniques • Assisting others
system will be enjoyed and will help with attention, following
instructions, asking questions, taking advice, carrying out quality • Genuine participation in review
checks and a desire to learn more. process
• Perseverance
• All of the other employability skills

• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of working individually, eg. • Individual activities and research
14
advantages could include taking full responsibility, having complete • Discussions with tutor
ownership and not depending on others, to disadvantages such as not
• Checking quality
being able to share problems with others and having little social
Working interaction. • Self evaluation
independently
• Discuss how self reflection can lead to improvements in the work they • After practical tasks
are doing and in life in general. • After assembly tasks
15
• Students often find reflecting and evaluating quite difficult. The use of • After testing
appropriate questions can aid this process. Reasonable time needs to
Reflecting on be allocated to teaching these skills and provide plenty of
own opportunities for development.
performance • Getting the students to complete a reflective diary (not assessed) will
help them to develop this skill on a regular basis.
• Discuss how past experiences can be a useful way of learning, these • Practical tasks
16
experiences don’t need to be successful - poor experiences or failure • Assembly tasks
can still be useful learning situations.
• Testing energy systems
Learning from • Students should be aware that learning can come from past
past experiences that were successful and fulfilling
experiences • Students should be aware that learning can come from past
experiences that were unsuccessful or demoralising.
• Tutors should try and bring out the positive when things go wrong

• Presentation skills are relevant to all Units in the Course.

• Short talks
• Students often find giving presentations a daunting task. They should • Tutor support and
progress from a group presentation onto individual presentations. Staff
discussions
should demonstrate how presentations should be planned and practised.
Developing Students may feel comfortable using mobile phone technology to video a • Planning
presentation presentation, load it onto a computer and run it on the screen.
skills • Staff should demonstrate how to give a presentation.
• Give students opportunities to give very short talks throughout the Course
to help develop these skills
• Give encouragement to help them overcome fears.
• Use a range of media to help overcome fears eg. PowerPoint or video.
• Creativity should be introduced as a skill which comes up with novel

solutions to a problem. Creativity in design is the most usual way to • Planning work
demonstrate this but other ways can be used to show creativity eg. a new • Carbon footprint
procedure to assemble a system, giving a presentation, methods of
reducing their carbon footprint, integrating energy systems etc. • Use of technology
• Creativity will be recognised when students give presentations, ie. the
Developing methods they use should increasingly involve the use of technology eg.
creativity skills from initially giving a simple talk, moving on to using PowerPoint, digital
pictures or/and video etc.
• Staff should demonstrate creative solutions to problems
• Staff should give students feedback on how to increase their level of
creativity
• Encourage novel ways of doing things.

Resources
It is expected that students will have access to a classroom with computing

facilities and an appropriately resourced workplace that includes workshop
facilities.
It is particularly important that, as the handling of tools and materials is an integral

part of the unit, any participating centre has such resources and ensures safe
working practices.
Book
Wind energy basics: a guide to small and micro wind systems

Gipe, Paul
White River Junction, Vt. : Chelsea Green Pub. Co, c1999.
Online resources and websites
Wind Turbine Classroom Resources

http://www.click4eco.co.uk/
A comprehensive site from the Danish Wind Industry

Association
http://www.windpower.org/en/core.htm
Wind turbine components and operation

http://www.windmission.dk/workshop/BonusTurbine.pdf
Usual Wikipedia style with lots of links to relevant information

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power
Extensive use is made of Internet resources in this support pack and these are
detailed throughout the Student Support Section.
• Tools and Materials
Wikipedia: free encyclopaedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
Tool-up (commercial site)

http://www.tool-up.co.uk/

Encyclopaedia
http://www.encyclopedia.com/
Technology Student
http://www.technologystudent.com/index.htm
FENC – aims to be the leading community for vocational blended learning

http://www.fenc.co.uk
• Working in Teams and Groups
http://www.physics.udel.edu/~watson/scen103/colloq2000/workingingroups.html

Student Support Section

Tutor Note on Student Activities
This section includes both student notes and examples of practical activities and
includes:
• Background information on renewable energy issues

• Information relating to knowledge and understanding of wind turbines
• Guidance on activities for Outcomes 1 – 5. Please note that the activities
shown for Outcomes 1 and 2 are intended as practice for the practical
assessed elements of the Unit. Detailed guidance on the requirements for
assessment will be found in the NAB item for this Unit.
• The focus in Outcome 3 is on team work and planning. Guidance and student
activities will be found in the Course Guidance and Employability support
materials.
• Extension notes and web-based activities providing more challenging
information and tasks where appropriate for the student group are provided in
the Appendix. Tutors should be selective in using this material.
Use of these materials is not mandatory and they are offered to centres as a
flexible set of materials and activities which can be selected, altered and used to
supplement tutors’ own tried and tested materials, or in whatever way suits
individual centres and their particular situation. For example, in the case of the
student activities you might want to talk through the instructions with the learners
and then give the instructions out on paper as reminders. The notes are not
intended in any way to replace the tutor!
They should not be issued as a pack of student notes in their entirety.

Rather they are designed to be issued in small sections only, to reinforce practical
workshop activity. In the case of the student activities you might want to talk
through the instructions with the learners and then give the instructions out on
paper as reminders.
Prior to any practical work, students are encouraged to read the background
information/terminology/parameters related to wind turbine operation. However
depending on the student group and because of the technical nature of the
subject and the terminology, tutors may decide that handout materials should only
be issued after the topic has been fully discussed with the students.
Online research and practical activities will provide students with a more blended
approach to teaching and learning. School students will be familiar with this
approach. For students returning to study, you may need to spend time supporting
them in the use of electronic resources. Useful online videos are available that
will reinforce the learning of the practical energy systems.

Welcome to Energy: Domestic Wind Turbines Systems

The purpose of this Unit is to introduce you to basic practices of assembling and
testing a domestic wind turbine system and to give you some experience in
handling tools and equipment which you will use when you are carrying out the
installation of a domestic wind turbine system. The unit is designed to be mainly
practical but also has an emphasis on helping you develop employability skills.
You will learn to carry out the tasks to assemble and test a wind turbine system
safely by following safe working practices and following safety instructions.
The skills and practices you learn during this unit will help you to decide if you
would like to make a career in the Energy sector
Listen to your tutors – they have the experience, knowledge and skills in the
production and testing of domestic wind turbines systems which they want to pass
on to you.
Your tutors are there to help you and will welcome your questions. If at any time
you are unsure or need to ask a question - just ask.

Introduction
The energy crisis of the 1970’s was the first warning. As oil prices rose steadily
the world began to take an interest in what was then called ‘alternative energy’.
Since then the term renewable energy is more commonly used. This describes
energy that come from renewable sources such as:
• sun
• wind
• waves
• tides
• biomass
• hydro, and
• geothermal power.
All of these can be used continually without running out and therefore provide a
sustainable energy supply. This is in contrast with conventional fuels such as
coal, oil and gas which will eventually run out.
In recent years renewable energy has become ever more important as terms such
as ‘climate change’, ‘greenhouse gases’ and ‘global warming’ have crept into
our vocabulary. It is widely believed by scientists that global warming and climate
change are inevitable unless we can cut down on Carbon Dioxide and other
greenhouse gas emissions. Renewable energy technologies could help avoid
these global threats.
There are also arguments for nuclear power stations to be built again. These
would avoid greenhouse gas emissions but they have other problems concerned
with safety and disposal of radioactive waste.
Wood, woodchip and wood pellets are another form of energy which is very
effective for heating buildings. These are renewable resources and can be grown
on a continual cycle. However, they do produce carbon dioxide when burned. The
argument here is that they are carbon neutral. That means the trees absorb as
much carbon dioxide during their growing period as they release when they are
burned.
How do domestic wind turbines fit into this overall picture?
Well, they may well have a useful place. Suppose new houses are built to a high
standard with very good insulation and double or triple glazing. In addition, low
energy devices such as energy saving lamps are used. Then less energy will be
required for the house.
Some of this energy could come from a small wind turbine. This would work best if
combined with a solar water heater, photovoltaic panels and possibly another

energy source such as a heat pump or biomass boiler. Several low energy houses
have been built and work very successfully. What operates for one house can be
replicated for many houses and the beneficial effect multiplied.
So this is where small domestic size wind turbines fit into the whole picture. They
will not solve the energy crisis on their own, but they can make a useful
contribution.

Schematic of Typical Small Wind Turbine
Tail Vane
Generator
Blades
Lighting load
Mast or Tower
Batteries Inverter
Figure 1

Tail vane
Generator
Blades
Nose cone
Mast or tower
Guy wires
Foundations
Block Diagram of how it works:
Wind Generator Controller Battery

Charger
Electricity Inverter Battery
Figure 2

Types of Wind Turbine

Horizontal Axis
There is now a wide range of horizontal axis wind turbines available for
domestic use. The most common is the three bladed type (see Figure 3).
Figure 3
The blades are attached to a generator and as the wind blows on the blades, the
turbine rotates making the generator spin. This produces a voltage which can be
used to power electrical devices such as lights.
Other formats are two-bladed, four-bladed and six-bladed types (see Figure 4).
Even single bladed designs with a counterweight have been tried but not
developed commercially.
Figure 4

Upwind or Downwind?
If the rotor faces towards the wind, this is called an upwind turbine. This is the
most common type. A tail vane is required to turn the machine into the wind and
to follow the wind when it changes direction. Larger wind turbines do not use a
tail vane but have a wind direction sensor which operates a motor to drive the
turbine round until it faces the wind.
In the case of downwind turbines, the rotor faces away from the wind on the
downwind side of the tower. This means that the turbine will automatically follow
the wind direction. A small tail vane may be used for stability. This system has the
disadvantage that the blades are in the shadow of the tower and experience a
shock each time they rotate past the tower. This effect can cause vibration and
damage.
Upwind Turbine
Wind
Downwind Turbine
Wind
Figure 5

Vertical Axis
There are also a range of wind turbines known as vertical axis devices. These
rotate around a vertical axis but there are a variety of types. The best known are:
• Savonious rotor
• Darrieus rotor
There are many different modifications of these basic types.
Savonious Darrieus
Figure 6
Advantages and Disadvantages
The main disadvantage of the vertical axis wind turbine compared to the
horizontal axis is that it is less efficient. That means that for a given size you get
less useful output and therefore you get less for your money.
However, the vertical axis machines have two distinct advantages:

• They can run in winds from all directions and do not require additional
equipment to turn them into the wind.
• The generating equipment and control gear can all be placed at ground level
which is much more convenient for maintenance work. With a horizontal axis
turbine you have to climb the mast to make repairs or else lower the machine
to the ground. This can be hard work or can be expensive, requiring the use of
a crane or mechanical loader.

Masts and Towers

There are three main types of masts and towers in use with small wind turbines:
• Guyed pole
• Self supporting tower
• Lattice tower
Guyed Pole
A guyed pole mast consists of a steel tube hinged at the base to a foundation. In
the case of very small machines, a scaffolding pole or a galvanised water pipe can
be sufficient. This type of mast will have to be guyed using steel ropes. The guy
wires must be attached near the top of the mast but low enough that they will not
foul the blades. The other ends of the guy wires must be attached to anchors
fixed securely in the ground.
Figure 7: Guyed pole mast

Self Supporting Tower
The more expensive self supporting machines have galvanised towers. They are
designed to be bolted to a steel plate that is embedded in the foundations.
These are relatively convenient to erect and take down and look more attractive
than supporting masts and wires.
Figure 8: A self supporting tower

Lattice Towers
Some manufacturers use lattice towers. These are specially designed structures
similar to electric pylons. The tower is made up from a number of struts and spars
to form a strong self supporting structure.
Figure 9: A lattice tower

Applications
Small wind turbines can be useful for a number of applications.
• In a domestic situation, they can supply enough energy to power

the lights in a house. This is particularly effective if low energy
lamps are used. To achieve this only a small wind turbine would
be required. Anything from 60Watts upwards would work. The
best approach is to use the wind turbine to charge a battery.
This can then power an inverter which will increase the voltage
to 240V and will power the house lights directly.
• Water heating is another application which is

suitable for wind power. In this case a larger machine
would be required. Suitable machines are available
in ratings of 1kW 1.5 kW, 2kW, 2.5 kW and so on. In
this case batteries are not required and the wind
energy can be used to heat up electric immersion
heaters directly. The energy is stored as hot water
and this method has the advantage that the energy does not have to be used
right away. A good insulated hot water tank will store heat for several hours
and provides a convenient method of storing the energy.
• Space heating would require larger wind turbines. To heat a

whole house would need a wind turbine of at least 5kW.
Suitable machines are available at ratings of 5kW, 6kW, 10,
kW, 15kW and 20kW. These could be used to heat up water
directly as before and this could be stored and used for
domestic hot water or fed to radiators in an existing central
heating system. This is the most cost effective installation.
An alternative way is to connect up the wind turbine so that it is coupled to the

National Grid system. Such a system can import power from the grid or export
power to it. This approach has been supported by government grants in the
form of Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCS). This financial incentive
helps to off-set the capital cost of the installation.
• Smaller wind turbines are frequently used by owners of

yachts and caravans. They are useful for supplying
lighting, but can also supply power for a computer or
charge batteries for radio and other navigational
equipment.

A good approach to domestic wind power systems is the community approach.

This is often adopted on islands or remote communities. In such cases several
householders cooperate to install a larger wind turbine capable of meeting their
combined needs. This could also be done by using a number of medium sized
machines in conjunction with other energy systems such as hydro, solar or
biomass. An excellent scheme of this type has been completed on the island of
Eigg. This uses wind, hydro and solar equipment to supply the whole island with
electricity.
Eigg Community Project

The Isle of Eigg electrification project is an attempt to develop an electricity supply
for the island which is sustainable both environmentally and economically. The
Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust formed a company, Eigg Electric Ltd, to procure and
operate a mains-type electrical network system for the islanders. This provides an
electrical supply similar to that enjoyed by people living on the mainland with the
aim of generating predominantly renewable electricity which can supply a reliable
24 hour electricity supply for all islanders. Various renewable sources distributed
around the island have been incorporated to allow diversity of energy supply, - a
9.9kW PV system, three hydro generation systems (6 kW, 6 kW & 100 kW) and a
24 kW wind farm supported by standby diesel generation and batteries to
guarantee continuous availability of power.
For more information on the project, go to the following website:

http://www.windandsun.co.uk/projects_eigg.htm

Table of Good Practice in Small Wind Turbine Design

Variables Design solutions Additional comments.
Horizontal axis The most common type Very efficient.

with a propeller shaped High rotational speed.
rotor. Needs to be turned into
the wind.
Vertical axis Accepts wind from all High efficiency.

directions. High speed.
Number of blades Three blades are most Low number of blades

common but two or (low solidity) gives high
more can be used. speed, low torque.
High number of blades
(high solidity) gives high
torque low speed.
Length of blades The longer the blade the The power output is
higher the swept area. directly proportional to
the swept area.
Shape of blades Aerofoil shapes work Asymmetrical aerofoils

best. with one flat surface for
horizontal axis.
Symmetrical aerofoils
for vertical axis.
Height The wind speed A high tower is more

increases with height so costly and inconvenient
more power can be for maintenance.
obtained. A balance must be
struck.
Wind direction Horizontal axis Other methods such as

machines must have a a sensor and geared
tail vane to turn them motor drive can be used
into the wind. but are expensive.
Wind speed The wind turbine should It should be controlled

start operating at a wind or shut down in very
speed of around high winds to avoid
5m/sec. damage.
Power output The power output This means that the

depends on the swept output will rise very
area and the wind sharply with increase in

speed cubed. wind speed.
Electricity generation Electricity generation is Uses include battery

the most widely used charging, lighting and
application. heating.
AC or DC For battery charging a If the output is AC it can

DC output is required. be rectified to DC.
Inverters The low voltage DC This would power

output can be fed into normal domestic lighting
an inverter to give mains circuits.
voltage AC.
Direct heat An alternative approach The hot water can be

is to heat water direct used for domestic water
from the wind energy by supply or space heating
fluid friction. through radiators or
underfloor heating.

Tools and Materials

Measuring
Most engineering work needs to be as accurate as possible. This means that the
measuring and marking of a work piece is very, very important.
Measuring is a very under-rated skill that most people take for granted. However
engineers do not. A wrong measurement can cost valuable time and money to a
firm, so what seems like a simple skill is in fact something that requires patience
and practice.
Each time you measure and mark, try this simple rule:
measure twice
check twice
mark once
cut once
Accurate measurement also depends on your eyesight and the quality of the
measuring tool.
Rule – Tape Measure
Engineers usually use a steel rule marked off in millimetres and centimetres.
For longer distances, such as those involved in large fabrications, steel or cloth
tapes are used – these come in lengths from 3 metres to 30 metres.
Care should always be taken that these

tools are only used for measurement as
they are precision instruments.

Marking Out
Marking out usually means the marking of lines on metal. These can be straight
lines or circles or centres. If the marking out is on wood then a pencil line will be
good enough, but on metal a pencil line would be very hard to see.
Marking Lines on Metal – Scribing
The surface on most metals can be shiny or dull but in both cases the marking
lines can be difficult to see.
• On metal the line or mark is scratched (‘scribed’) on but even this can be
difficult to see.
• Very often the metal is coloured with a dye (usually blue) and this lets the
marked line stand out. This means that the tool used for marking must be
sharp to give a good clear thin line.
• This colourant can only be applied if the metal surface is clean, - no grease
and oil on the surface.
The thinner the line the more accurate the measurement and in engineering
most measurements need to be as accurate as possible.
When marking out long, and perhaps not so accurate, distances such as
fabrications French chalk is used without the need for a colourant. This chalk is
hard and can be sharpened to a chisel point which is retained for a few markings.
Scriber
The scriber is made of hardened steel with a fine sharp point for marking fine lines
on the metal surface. The point must be kept sharp to keep the lines fine for
accurate marking.

Datum Points
Datum points are used in marking out.
• A datum point is really just a starting point.

• If more than one measurement is required, it makes good sense to make all
measurements from a reference or datum point.
• The starting point on a map would be the same as a datum point.
So in marking out, a datum point is where all measurements start or where they
are taken from.

Cutting
Filing
File Selection
Files can be classed by the file shape or by the spacing of the file teeth. The
spacing of the file teeth is called the pitch, and it is the pitch that decides what file
you should use for a particular material.
Name of File Use Finish
Bastard rough work rough
Second Cut general work reasonable
Smooth finishing work smooth
Remember, filing is a skill that only gets better with practice – don’t expect to be
great at it first time around!
So how do we file a piece of material?
Straight Filing
• Grip the handle and the point of the file and guide/push the file long ways
across the work piece.
• Apply pressure with the hand that’s on the point of the file and push with the
hand on the file handle.
• Lift the file slightly off of the work piece on the return stroke.
• Practice makes perfect!
Start of stroke End of stroke

Draw Filing
Draw filing is for finishing work. Hold the file with both hands
and draw across the work piece to give a smooth and even
finish.
Filing Flat
The filing flat method is used to file flat a bigger surface area.
• Apply marking blue to a surface table and rub the work piece over it.
• This will show all the high spots.
• Take the file across the surface at 45°.
• After a few strokes, repeat this - but at right angles to the original direction. In
the diagram the blue areas show the high spots.
Direction of second file strokes Direction of first file strokes
First file strokes Second file strokes
Remember practice makes perfect!

Filing Square
Filing square means that two edges of the work piece will be filed to make a right
angle. Each edge is filed and constantly checked against an engineer’s square.
Like all filing this is a difficult skill to master.
Test for Square
Test for Level

Saw
A hand saw used to cut metal is known as a hacksaw and

comes in various sizes such as a junior hacksaw.
The main type of hacksaw consists of a frame and a blade.

The frame is adjustable to allow different sizes of blade to be
inserted. The blade must be tensioned and inserted correctly.
Junior hacksaws are not adjustable and the blade is
tensioned by the spring of the frame.
Blades are classified by the number of teeth per unit length

– normally the number of teeth in a 25mm length. You would
normally cut thick materials with a coarse blade and thin
materials with a finer blade. When cutting soft materials
such as aluminium a coarse blade should always be used to
prevent the teeth being clogged. A special blade should be
used when cutting stainless steel. The hacksaw blade
should never be used without the frame.
Snips and Shears
Snips and shears are used to cut sheet and thin material.
There are several types in everyday use:
Straight snips - used for general purpose cutting, straight

cuts and trimming excess material
Curved snips - used for cutting circles or irregular shapes
Universal shears - have offset handles allowing cuts to

be made in any direction and come in right and left-
handed versions.
Jeweller’s snips - used on very thin material or when

small cuts are required.
All of the above operate in a similar way to a pair of household scissors.
Bench shears – are usually fixed and mounted on the

bench and are able to cut thicker material. They operate
by a moving top blade being pressed down by a handle
onto a fixed bottom blade.

Guillotines
These machines can be operated manually or by

power.
Manual treadle guillotines rely on the strength of

the operator’s leg to push down on the treadle.
This operates the top cutting blade to push the
material against the bottom fixed blade. The
treadle also operates the hold down clamp to stop
the material moving. Only light gauge (thin)
materials can be cut by this method.
Power guillotines are generally used for repetitive work and where thick
materials need to be cut. Their capacities can go up to 20mm thick and they are
able to cut long lengths. Power machines can be noisy during operations and ear
protectors should be worn.
Both types of guillotine will be fitted with guides to assist squareness. They often
have back and front gauges so you don’t need to physically mark the material.
This is useful when cutting a number of pieces of the same size.
Guillotines and similar machines should never be used

without a guard in place.
You should never work from the back of the machine.
You should always keep your hands clear of the clamps

and blades during operations.
On completion of the work all scrap material should be removed from the rear of
the machine and power machines isolated (switched off).

Electrical Circuits
Generation
Electricity can be generated either as a DC (Direct Current) or as AC (Alternating

Current). A voltage is generated when a magnet is rotated within a set of windings
or coils. The coils are usually made from copper wire to give a low electrical
resistance and the magnet can be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet.
There are many variations in generator design, but a simple schematic diagram
showing the basic operation is shown in Figure 10 (a).
Figure 10(a)
The symbols normally used for AC and DC generators are shown in Figures 10
(b) and 10 (c).
Figure 10(b) Figure 10(c)

Waveforms
AC Voltage
A waveform is the name given to the graph of a voltage against time. An AC

waveform would take the shape of a sine wave as shown in Figure 11. This
voltage waveform alternates between positive and negative forming a sine wave
pattern.
Figure 11
DC Voltage
The graph of a DC voltage, on the other hand, is just a straight line. This is similar
to the output of a battery as shown in Figure 12.
Figure 12

Battery Charging
Because a DC generator has a waveform similar to a battery, it can be used to

charge a battery directly as shown in Figure 13.
In practice this is normally done through an electronic controller which ensures

that the charging current is not too high and that the final voltage of the battery too
high.
Figure 13
If an AC generator is used to charge a battery the output must be rectified. That

means that the current is passed through a rectifier as shown in Figure 14.
A rectifier is essentially a one-way valve which allows the current to flow in one
direction only. This converts the AC output to DC which is suitable for battery
charging.
Figure 14

Rectifiers and Inverters
We have seen how a rectifier can change AC to DC. The opposite can also be
done using a device called an inverter. This changes DC to AC by a system of
electronic switching. Inverters are widely used with wind turbine systems as it
means that a battery can be used to power normal AC systems at 240volts which
is the standard domestic voltage. See Figure 15.
Figure 15
Switching Circuits
Lighting circuits can be switched in a number of ways. The most common of these
are one-way switching where lights are controlled by one switch, and two-way
switching where lights are controlled by two switches. Typical locations for two-
way switching would be at the top and bottom of a stair or at either end of a
corridor.
The circuits are shown below in Figure 16 and Figure 17.
Figure 16
Figure 17

Simple Construction Projects
Cup Anemometer
This simple cup anemometer can be made by attaching the plastic cups to a
central frame which can be made from plastic, plywood or metal. Suitable plastic
cups can be made from plastic bottles or the tops of various domestic products.
Those shown above were made from the containers for the toys in chocolate
eggs.
The cups are pop-riveted to the frame and then mounted on a small DC motor.
DC motors act as generators when they are driven by a mechanical force. A
typical 12volt motor will run at over 1000rpm. Wind devices rotate much slower at
a few hundred revs per minute. This means that the anemometer will only
produce 3 or 4 volts. However, this is enough to give a reading on a voltmeter
which can then be calibrated to read wind speed in metres / second or miles per
hour. On projects for young learners, a simple scale could just read CALM,
BREEZE, WINDY, GALE.
Using an anemometer to read the wind speed is a useful exercise and gives
young learners a feel for the weather and an understanding of conditions required
to use a wind turbine.

Propeller Type Anemometer
An alternative type of anemometer is the

propeller type. This can be made with a
small propeller designed for model
aeroplanes and available in model shops.
This is shown attached to a small DC
motor /generator. The propeller must be
pointed into the wind. Again this device will
produce an output of a few volts which is
sufficient to provide a display on a
voltmeter or a multi-meter using a suitable
scale. This scale can then be calibrated in
wind speed.
Small DC motor/generators can be found in

many domestic appliances and also in old
computers, printers, photocopiers and other
office equipment. Small motors can also be
found on cars for driving windscreen washer
pumps and other applications. Again, these can
be bought from model shops or second hand
from scrap dealers at reasonable cost.
An alternative to the DC motor is the bicycle

dynamo. This actually produces AC
electricity. It will still produce enough
electricity to give a reading on a voltmeter or
multi-meter using an appropriate range.

Hot Wire Cut Blades
Very good aerofoil shaped blades can be made from polyurethane foam as shown
above. These are made by cutting them from a sheet of the foam material using a
hot wire. This technique is widely used by model aircraft enthusiasts. The blades
can then be covered with brown paper and wood glue giving a construction known
as BPF (brown paper, foam) which is very strong and light.
NOTE !
This has the additional advantage of being fairly safe. An

important safety issue is that the blades on a small wind turbine
can rotate at extremely high speeds in a high wind (several
thousand revs per minute). For this reason heavy wooden blades
or sharp metal blades can be extremely DANGEROUS!
The blades in the photograph were made by a company in Blairgowrie called

Foamwings: www.foamwings.co.uk
Another useful website for construction projects is:
www.windstuffnow.com

Small Wind Turbine Rotor
• The blades can be attached to a central hub to form a turbine rotor.

• This disc can be made from wood, plastic or metal.
• The whole rotor is then attached to a small DC motor or a bicycle dynamo.
• To complete the wind turbine a tail vane must also be attached to make the
turbine point into the wind.
• The whole assembly must be mounted on a suitable mast which is high
enough so that the blades will not cause any damage.
• The wind turbine should then generate electricity at wind speeds from around
5mph to approx 30mph.
• It is not advisable to run small wind turbines in high winds as they can be
dangerous. The blades can fly off and the whole machine disintegrate, so
some means must be found to turn the machine out of the wind or to stop it
safely.

Typical connection of
Voltmeter to Generator
Generator
Voltmeter
+ _
+ -
When a wind turbine generator rotates it produces a voltage. This voltage can be
measured by connecting a voltmeter as shown. Voltmeters are always connected
across the battery terminals ie. in parallel.
• Voltages can be DC (direct current) or AC (alternating current)

• A suitable AC or DC voltmeter must be used to measure voltage. For example
if the generator produces 12 volts DC, then a voltmeter with a range 0 to 20
volts could be used.
• Alternatively, a multi-meter can be used. This will have several different ranges
to choose from. The multi-meter should be set to the most suitable range
before connection. In this case 0 to 20 volts DC.

Schematic of small wind turbine system powering a lamp
ammeter
Generator Battery
lamp
• The generator is connected to the battery so that the battery is being charged.
• The lamp is then connected to the battery.
• An ammeter is shown connected in series with the lamp. Ammeters are
always connected in series so that they indicate the current flowing through
them.
Again, a suitable scale must be chosen. For example if the lamp draws 2 amps
DC, a suitable scale would be 0 to 5 amps DC.

Practical Activities
Outcome 1 Practical
In this practical session you will connect up a wind generator, a battery charger, a
battery and an inverter to the lighting load. You will have to:
• List all steps to be taken to complete the installation

• List health and safety requirements
• Select the appropriate tools for the task
• Use the tools and materials correctly
• Carry out the task in the correct sequence
• Check for quality of work on completion and make a list of any problems
Equipment required
• Small wind turbine

• Suitable stand or clamp for turbine.
• Battery
• Battery charger
• Inverter
• Suitable cables
• Switches and isolators
• Terminal boxes and connectors
• Lamp-holder with low energy lamp
Tools required
• Vice
• Screw drivers
• Side cutters
• Pliers
• Electric drill
• Screws and fixings
• Various spanners or socket set
• Voltmeter
• Ammeter

Procedure
• Set up the wind turbine on a stand or clamp so that it is stable and safe.
• Connect the output terminals using suitable cables to the terminal box.
• Connect up the switch
• Connect the battery terminal making sure that all connections are tight.
• Connect from the battery to the inverter
• Connect the output of the inverter to the consumer unit. This is now at 240
volts.
• Alternatively, use 12 volt lamps.

Outcome 2 Practical
In this section of the unit you are required to manufacture a metal part of a wind
turbine. A suitable part might be the tail vane. This is a flat plate which ensures
that the wind turbine faces into the wind. It can also be used as a means of
furling the wind turbine when the wind becomes too strong.
Tail vanes can be made from steel or aluminium plate. For small machines they
could also be made from wood or plastic or a combination of materials.
Figure 18 shows a range of shapes which can be used as tail vanes. You can
choose any shape from the range shown or invent one of your own.
Once you have decided on the shape make a drawing showing all the dimensions.
You will have to:
• List all steps to be taken to complete the manufacturing process

• List health and safety requirements
• Select the appropriate tools for the task
• Use the tools and materials correctly
• Carry out the task in the correct sequence
• Check for quality of work on completion and list details of any departure from
specification
Tools List
• Pencil
• Rule or measuring tape
• Compasses
• Electric drill
• Hacksaw
• File
• Paint and paintbrush

Figure 18

Outcomes 3 and 4 Practical
Team Work!
You will have to work in a group to first of all draw up a plan for the assembly of a
wind turbine system and then assemble and test the finished product. You’ll have
to:
• Have lots of group discussions!

• Contribute to team discussions regarding assignment of tasks and timescales
• Contribute to team discussion on use of resources
• Contribute to group discussions to finalise the project plan including resources,
tasks and timescales all set out in sequence.
• Research manufacturers’ catalogues, textbooks and Internet sites for ideas.
• Decide on best options
• Order equipment
• Organise foundations
• Organise lifting equipment
• Allocate tasks — mechanical
• Allocate tasks — electrical
• Produce a team plan
• Draw up a project plan against specification.
Then:
• Put your plan into action!
You’ll be assessed on how well you:
• Co-operate with others in the organising, sharing, and safe use of tools and
materials.
• Co-operate with others in maintaining a safe, tidy working area.
• Adhere to the agreed plan and work positively to complete tasks in the agreed
timescale.
• In an agreed role, carry out practical tasks which contribute to the assembly of
the wind turbine system.
• In an agreed role, carry out practical tasks which contribute to the testing of the
system.
• Participate in a quality check of the finished work
against the given specification.

Working in Teams
More and more organisations now use team working. The successful fulfilment of
a project or process depends on the ability of the members of that team, both
inside and outside the organisation, to work well together.
After reading this section you should be better able to draw up the ground-rules by
which your team will operate, generate ideas about ways of tackling a group
project, divide up a task into its component parts and review your team’s
performance.
No study guide can really prepare you fully for team projects, because with these,
perhaps more than any other aspect of your work at college: Direct experience is
the key to learning.
What is a Team?
A team is a group of people who share a common objective and need to work
together in order to achieve it. For example, a group of drama students putting on
a play, a group of physicists working on a group research project, or a group of
music students putting on a concert share the same common objective. However,
they cannot achieve this unless they pool their talents and expertise in a team
effort.
What can be expected of a Team?
Teams can help you to approach problems in new ways. They can also help you
to learn, as fellow team members may raise ideas which you would never have
thought of if you were working on your own. When they are successful, teams are
often said to achieve something which is greater than the sum of the individual
team members’ contributions.
Establishing a Team
Working as a team can however be very frustrating! You have to compromise,

negotiate and to trust that others will do a task to the high standard that you set for
yourself. Teams can take a while to form as you get to know each other and find
out how each other works.

The following ideas may help you to form your team:
Get to Know Your Fellow Team Members
It may be that you don’t know everybody (or even

anybody) in your team. Nobody much likes being
addressed as, ‘Erm...’ or ‘You in the blue shirt’ so it’s
best to make sure that everybody gets to know
everybody else’s name right at the start. Why not
spend your first meeting just getting to know each
other?
Set Ground-Rules
Before you begin working together your team may wish to develop its own set of
rules (often called ground-rules) under which it will operate. You can of course
modify these later on.
These ground-rules may cover topics such as:
• How group decisions will be made. Will you act on the majority opinion or will
everybody have to be in agreement before you decide to do something?
• How to ensure that everyone has a chance to voice their opinion (if they wish
to do so).
• Punctuality for group meetings.
• How everyone in the team is to be kept aware of progress. Regular group
meetings can be valuable but it can be difficult to find times convenient to all
team members. One way (you can probably think of others) of ensuring good
communication between team members is to agree that everyone will check
either their departmental pigeon-hole or e-mail, or text messages every day
(or even at certain times every day) throughout the duration of the project.

Agreeing the Objective for Your Team Project
The first thing that a team should do when setting a project is to define their
objectives clearly and also make sure that everyone is aware of the deadline by
which these objectives need to be achieved.
Generating Ideas
Once the objectives have been defined, it is necessary to generate some ideas as
to how to tackle the project.
Brainstorming is one method of generating a large number of ideas. Its most

important feature is that no-one passes judgment on any idea, however good or
bad (or downright ridiculous!). The reason for this is that if someone laughs at
your idea or describes it in uncomplimentary terms, you are unlikely to risk putting
forward any others. As a result the whole team may lose out, because maybe your
next idea would have been the best of the lot.
The steps involved in a brainstorm are:
• Write down the problem to be solved.

• Team members put forward ideas and these are written down. No-one
comments as to whether the ideas are good or bad.
• After an agreed period of time (or once the supply of ideas has dried up) the
team decides which of the ideas suggested it will use in tackling the project.

Planning how Your Team will Tackle the Project
It may be easier to manage the co-ordination of the team if the project is divided
into smaller tasks and group members work on these either individually or in pairs.
For example, if you have been asked to research a topic and produce a poster on
it, the stages of production might involve the following tasks:
1. Gathering information.
2. Selecting from this what will be used on the poster.
3. Designing the poster’s layout.
4. Writing text.
5. Preparing illustrations.
6. Putting the poster together.
7. Handing it in for marking.
When you are deciding who should do what, it’s worth finding out the particular
skills or interests that team members have. For example, one individual might be
particularly good at researching information in the library; another may be fully
conversant with the use of computer graphics packages whilst another person’s
particular skills may lie in organising and co-coordinating the group effort.
It is commonly recognised that individuals need to take on many different roles if

the team is to be successful. Some roles relate to getting the task done (eg.
gathering information; putting the poster together) and other roles relate to making
sure that the team operates smoothly and effectively. In a small team it is likely
that you will take on many different roles relating to both the task and the team.
However, it is important to realise that no-one’s role is better than another. All of
the roles are essential if the team is to succeed. A successful team will make the
most of the strengths of its individual members.

Thinking about how you Work as a Team
Reviewing your team’s performance is an important part of any team project and
is particularly valuable if you are going to work again as a team. Questions you
might want to ask are:
• What did the team do well? (and why?)

• Were all members of the team clear about the team’s objective?
• Was everyone clear about what they individually should be doing?
• Was it easy to contact other members of the team when necessary?
• Did everyone contribute equally?
• What did you do as a team if one member did not pull their weight?
Whatever questions you ask, don’t dwell on what went badly (or on who was to
blame), but concentrate on how the task could be performed better next time.
Allocating Marks
In some units, once you have completed your team project you may receive a
group mark which you are asked to distribute fairly between the group members.
This gives the team the opportunity to penalise team members who have not
contributed equally to the team project.
Your lecturer will almost certainly give you guidance on how to allocate the marks.
However, one situation that you may also like to consider (and perhaps discuss in
your team even if it doesn’t arise) is what you would do if a member of your team
had the brilliant idea which was the key to the successful completion of your
team’s task but then did nothing else to help in any way; or someone dominated
the team and didn’t allow anyone else to do anything.

Activity: Identify, establish and agree team roles
Discuss with your team mates what you all think these team roles are
and what team role(s) you will be adopting during the project. Then fill in the table.
Team Role Description of Role Your Team Role
Leader
Worker
Finisher
Problem
Solver
Your tutor will give you a series of planning sheets which you should use to both
guide your team activities and to record what you have done.

Outcome 5
Evaluation
In this part of the Unit you have to both evaluate how the group worked together
on the wind turbine project and how you contributed to the team. Your tutor will
give you the evaluation sheets that you need to complete to show that you can:
• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the planning, assembly, and testing
of the wind turbine.
• Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of team working.
• Evaluate your own contribution to the work of the team.
• Identify action points for improvement in the production of the product and the
team working process.

15
Activity
Evaluation
Even though you’ve now finished the practical project, an important element has
yet to be completed. In industry, it is a routine part of the job to evaluate how the
job has gone. It’s in this way that businesses identify what they do well, where
they need to improve and how their teams are working. Reflection is an important
part of learning.
Your tutor will give you worksheets to think about and record your evaluation of
the production of the wind turbine, the team working process and your own
contribution to the work of the team.

Activity
Project Presentation
You must now prepare and give your project presentation on your (and/or your
team’s) evaluation of the production of the wind turbine and the team working
process.

Appendix
Extension Activities
The notes which follow are provided to supplement the basic knowledge and
understanding required at Intermediate 2. Tutors should these materials
selectively as some will only be appropriate for more able students who are
capable of working beyond Intermediate 2.

Power in the Wind
The power in the wind can be calculated from a simple formula. The power is
directly to the swept area. It is also proportional to the wind speed (velocity)
cubed.
If P = power, A = area swept by the rotor, and V = the wind velocity.
Then the following equation will give an approximate value for power:
P = 0.5 x A x V3
Activity
Work out what the power output will be for a wind turbine with blades 3 metres
long operating in a wind of 12 m/sec. Assume the efficiency of the machine is
30%.

Solution
First calculate the swept area.
The area of a circle is 3.142 x radius squared
A = 3.142 x 32
= 28.27 m2
Next calculate the power through this swept area.
P = 0.5 A V3
= 0.5 x 28.27 x 123
= 24,425 Watts or 24.4 kW
But we must take into account the efficiency of the whole machine which is 30%
So the final output power will be:
P = 24.4 x 30%
= 24.4 x 0.3
= 7.3 kW

The energy contained in the wind is due to its kinetic energy, and as the wind
speed is always changing, dependent upon local weather conditions, then its
energy content is also changing. Windier conditions can be seasonal, so luckily
high wind speeds often occur at the times of the year when we might need a lot of
electricity generated by this energy, ie. autumn/winter. This is good news for wind
power generators as the cold seasons are when we require power the most.
Activity
Look at the variation of wind speed on this website:
http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wres/variab.htm
Kinetic energy is determined by the following formula:-
1 2
KE = mv
2
Where m = mass flow rate of wind (kg/s)
v = speed of wind (m/s)
This formula can be modified by replacing the mass term by
.
m = ρAv
Where:
ρ = specific density (kg/m3) πD 2

A = swept area of flow (m2) A=
v = speed (m/s) 4
Hence:
1
KE = ρAv(v 2 )
2
1
∴ KE = ρAv 3
2

ie. the power in the wind is proportional to:-
i) the swept area of the turbine (or square of turbine diameter)

ii) the cube of the speed
Swept circle
by turbine
blade
Diameter D
Figure 19

Activity
Go this website and answer the following questions:

http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wres/enerwind.htm
1. What three factors are important in wind turbine design and location?
2. What is it about the design that is important in how much wind the turbine can
harvest?
3. If a turbine is 3m2 in diameter, how much wind energy capacity can it harvest?
4. If a cylindrical slice of air 1 metre thick moves through the 2m diameter rotor of
a typical domestic wind turbine, what is the mass of air passing through it?

Power
(Kw)
High wind
power, high
velocity because
of “cube” rule
Increase in power
Figure 20
Wind power can be plotted over a range of wind speeds to show the power in the
wind at each speed.
Note:-
Wind power is greater at high speeds which is obvious, but perhaps not as great
as imagined. This is due to the ‘cube’ rule ie. a small increase in wind speed can
produce a substantially large increase in wind power.
Note also that wind power is the ‘instantaneous’ power in the wind at that instant
in time. If the wind velocity changes with time, then the wind power changes to a
new ‘instantaneous’ value.

Activity
Go to the website and answer the following questions:

http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wres/enrspeed.htm
From the power graph:

1. At a wind speed of 8 metres per second we get a power amount of …….
W/m2
2. At 16 m/s wind speed we get a power output of …………W/m2
3. What is the mass flow rate of air passing through a wind turbine swept area of
3m2 when it is at a velocity of 12 m/s. Assume air density to be 1.25kg/m3
4. What is the swept area of a wind turbine which has a blade turning circle
diameter of 2.2m?
Worked Example
Air is passing through a swept circle of 2m diameter of a small wind turbine. If the
wind speed is measured at 14m/s, determine the power contained in the wind at
the turbine site. Assume specific density of air to be 1.25kg/m3
1
KE = ρAv 3
2
1 π × 22
= × 1.25 × × 14 3
2 4
= 5389Watts
(5.389 KW )
Can you see how this value relates to the previous graph?
Note that the wind power in the graph is calibrated in W/m2

Activity
Continue using the website:

http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wres/enrspeed.htm
Determine the wind power for a wind speed of 10m/s

Compare your answer with the graph.
Activity
Look at the website http://www.futurenergy.co.uk/turbine.html
Work out the power contained in the wind when passing through the swept area of
the FuturEnergy 1KW Upwind Turbine for its rated wind speed (assume an air
density of 1.25kg/m3).
We will look at the actual FE1012U, FE1024U, FE1048U type of wind turbine
power curves a little later!

It is normal to express wind power in units of KWh, which is consistent with how
we measure electrical energy consumption. (Look at the units listed on typical
electricity meters or bills!)
For each wind velocity:-
KW x (number of hours at specific wind velocity) = KWh
This is an important concept as it helps to ‘quantify’ the potential wind energy and
more important, the wind turbine power output. More on this when we look at
turbine power.
Worked Example
If the wind power is calculated to be 8KW for a period of 5 hours, what is the
power in the wind in KWh?
KWh = 8 × 5 = 40
Activity
1. What is the power (KWh) for a wind power of 2.5KW over a period of 3.25
hours?
2. Produce a wind power – wind speed graph for a turbine swept area of 2m2

Wind Speed Measurement

The most common method for measuring wind speed is the anemometer.
However, there are several different types of measuring devices.
These include:
• The vertical axis cup anemometer

• The horizontal axis propeller type anemometer
• The hot wire anemometer, where the cooling effect of the wind is used to
determine its speed
Cup anemometer
t is obviously very important to know the wind speed variation, at a particular site
especially if you are going to invest money in buying a wind turbine. It’s also
useful for turbine designers to give advice on what would be the optimum turbine
in terms of blade design, to meet the wind requirements of the site.
Wind speed measurement is carried out locally by the use of an anemometer. The
most basic form of this instrument is the cup-type anemometer, which consists of
cups at the ends of arms that rotate when the wind blows. The instrument is
calibrated such that the speed of rotation relates to the wind speed. Anemometers
can be hand held or mounted on a mast.

The Beaufort Wind Scale

Beaufort Description mph Effect on Land Effect at sea
number
0 Less than Still - Smoke rises
Calm Surface like mirror
1 vertically
1 Light air 1-3 Smoke drifts Ripples form
2 Wind felt on face, Small short wavelets,
Light breeze 4 - 7
leaves rustle not breaking
3 Leaves and small Large wavelets
Gentle
8 - 12 twigs move, beginning to break,
breeze
streamer extended scattered white horses
4 Raises dust &
Small but longer waves,
Moderate papers. Moves
13 - 18 fairly frequent white
breeze twigs & small
horses.
branches.
5 Moderate waves,
Fresh Small trees begin to distinctly elongated,
19 - 24
breeze sway. many whit horses,
isolated spray.
6 Large branches Large waves begin with
Strong wind 25 - 31 move. Overhead extensive white foam
wires whistle. crests breaking.
7 Whole trees move,
Moderate Sea heaps up, white
32 - 38 offers resistance to
gale foam blown downwind
walkers.
8 Moderately high waves
Breaks twigs off with crests of
Fresh gale 39 - 46 trees, impedes considerable length,
progress. spray blown from
crests.
9 High waves, rolling sea,
Blows off roof tiles
Strong gale 47 - 54 dense streaks of foam,
& chimney pots.
spray.
10 Heavy rolling sea, white
Trees uprooted, with great foam
Whole gale 55 - 63
structural damage. patches, very high
waves.
11 Extraordinarily high
Widespread
Storm 64 -72 waves, spray impedes
damage.
visibility.
12 Air full of foam and
Hurricane 73 - 82 spray, sea entirely
white.

Activity
Go to this website and answer the questions:
http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wres/wndsprac.htm
1. Where is the best place to measure wind speed with an anemometer?
2. What does a data logger do with the anemometer readings?
Other interesting links on anemometers:

http://www.mybulgaria.info/modules.php?name=Wiki&title=Anemometer
http://www.learn.londonmet.ac.uk/packages/clear/thermal/climate/describing/wind.
html
http://www.reuk.co.uk/print.php?article=Anemometer.htm
Activity
Making an anemometer:
These are interesting websites for making a simple anemometer and testing your
results. Try these out!
http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/energy/ane
mometer.html
http://www.ciese.org/curriculum/weatherproj2/en/docs/anemometer.shtml

Presentation of Wind Data

The quantifying of wind speed data at a site is done by recording wind speed over
a specified period of time using a data logger linked to an anemometer and
showing the results on a histogram (bar chart).
The histogram shows an example of measured wind speed and time over a period
of one month (30 days x 24 hours).
The data logger compiles the wind speeds and calculates the number of hours at
each speed.
Hours
100
Frequency
80 distribution
curve
60
40
20
0 5 10 15
Wind speed (m/s)
Figure 21
Total hours (month) = 720
The peaks of each bar can be joined to form a ‘frequency distribution curve’. This
is a useful method to mathematically work out a wind speed distribution.

Interpretation of graph
Wind speed hours m/s

(m/s)
1 52 52
2 80 160
3 100 300
4 92 368
5 90 450
6 72 432
7 60 420
8 40 320
9 32 288
10 28 280
11 24 264
12 20 240
13 16 208
14 10 140
15 4 60
TOTAL 720 3982
Note the following key observations from the graph:
1. The average site wind speed = (3982 / 720 = 5.53m/s)

2. The maximum wind speed = 15m/s
3. The most common wind speed for site = 3m/s
If you were designing a wind turbine to operate efficiently at this site, what
wind speed might you design the turbine for?

Activity
1. Calculate the average wind speed for the site whose annual
measured wind speed distribution is shown in the bar chart below.
2. Plot a graph showing how the power in the wind (W/m2), varies with wind
speed over the range shown (ie. 1 – 20 m/s). Assume density of air =
1.25kg/m3
3. Construct a bar chart showing the annual energy delivered at each wind speed
in KWh / m2 per year. From that, work out the total site energy for a turning
circle diameter of 2.2 metres.
Note that the bar chart should be plotted as shown in the example on the next
page.
Total hours (year) = 8760 (approximately)
hours
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
1 5 10 15 20
Wind speed
Figure 22

Figure 23
This is a very useful way to relate the ‘energy’ in the wind to the hours of wind
speed. We will expand this theme later when analysing wind turbine energy
output!
Note also the frequency distribution curve superimposed on the bar chart. Let us
now look at the significance of this curve.
Although not as accurate as actual data logging to identify the ‘potential’ of the
site, it could be used to justify the cost of actually taking detailed measurements.
The bar chart just shown is a good example of a ‘typical’ wind distribution bar
chart. This has a frequency distribution curve superimposed on the bar chart.
In the absence of measured wind speed data at a site, it is normal to model the
wind speed variation mathematically in the form of what is known as a ‘Weibull
frequency distribution curve’: http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wres/weibull.htm
In Northern Europe, the shape of the distribution is given by the number 2 and is
known as a Raleigh distribution. Such a distribution is similar to the curve profile
shown in the previous bar chart.
To use this method, you need to know the average wind speed for the site which
can be obtained from your local Met Office.

Activity
Go to website:
http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wres/weibull/index.htm to operate the on-line
curve plotter.
Plot a wind speed distribution for a mean wind speed of 7.5m/s and shape k = 2
Note that the vertical axis scale is calibrated per unit.
If the readings are based on an annual quantity (8760 hours), then the scale is:
0.02 = 0.02 x 8760 = 175 hours

0.1 = 0.1 x 8760 = 876 hours
Estimate the total energy present in the wind at each wind speed!
By inserting another value for mean wind speed eg. 6.2m/s, work out the
difference in the energy present in the wind.
Wind speed variation with height
The wind blows faster at higher altitudes because of the drag of the surface (sea
or land) and the viscosity of the air.
The standard height for meteorological observation wind speed data is 10m
http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/W/AE_wind_turbine_tower_height.html

Power Extraction from the Wind Turbine (wind speed power

curve)
The wind speed power curve of a wind turbine is a graph that shows how large the
electrical power output will be for the turbine at different wind speeds ie. it shows
the instantaneous power output (KW) that the turbine can produce at a specific
wind speed.
An example of a small domestic turbine power graph is shown:

http://www.futurenergy.co.uk/products.html then click on ‘downloads’ for the three
turbine models: FE1012U, FE1024U, FE1048U.
Look how the instantaneous power output increases as the wind speed increases:
http://www.futurenergy.co.uk/FE1048U%20(408).pdf
Wind turbines are commonly classed by their rated power (KW) at a specific wind
speed, but actual annual energy output is far more important.
The problem with small wind turbines is that they can be too small.
Just as power falls disproportionately when wind speed drops the collection area
increases disproportionately as you increase the length of the turbine blades. So a
large turbine can generate reasonable amounts of power even in a relatively low
wind.
Larger power turbines tend to have a ‘flat top’ profile as shown:
KW
Rated power at
rated wind speed
range
Power curve
range
Start up Shut down

wind speed wind speed
Wind speed
Figure 24

Activity
Look at the website:
http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wres/pwr.htm
1. From the turbine power curve, what is the power developed by the turbine at a
wind speed of 16m/s?
2. If the wind blew at this speed for 85 hours in a month, how much energy
(KWh) does the turbine produce in this period?
Capacity Factor
A useful criterion to measure a wind turbine output is the use of the ‘capacity
factor’. This is simply the wind turbine’s actual energy output for the year (KWh)
divided by the energy output if the turbine were to operate at its rated power
output for the full year.
The Power Coefficient
The power coefficient tells you how efficiently a turbine converts the energy in the
wind to electricity. We just divide the electrical power output by the wind energy
input to measure how technically efficient a wind turbine is.
In other words, we take the power curve and divide it by the area of the rotor to
get the power output per square metre (m2) of rotor area. For each wind speed,
we then divide the result by the amount of power in the wind per square metre
(m2).

Activity
Look at the power curve of a turbine:
http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wres/pwr.htm
See if you can plot the graph of turbine efficiency at the various wind speeds for
the FE1048U (408PMG) domestic turbine.
Comparison between total wind power and actual total turbine power
KWh Total wind power

KWh
Actual total
turbine power
(KWh)
Wind speed
http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wres/powdensi.htm
Figure 25

Aerodynamics of Wind Turbines
Concept of Lift & Drag Forces
If we consider a flat plate lying horizontal in an air stream then the plate is
subjected to a ‘drag’ force which tries to drag the plate in the same direction as
the wind flow.
Although this force would be minimal, it serves no practical purpose, particularly if

we wanted motion in the vertical plane, ie. there is zero force in the vertical
direction.
Drag force
AIR
FLOW
Figure 26
If we now consider the same plate lying in the vertical plane, then the plate is
subjected to the maximum possible drag force which would have a larger impact
on moving the plate in a horizontal direction. Again there would be zero force and
hence movement in the vertical direction.
Air flow
Drag force
Figure 27

Consider now the flat plate slightly angled to the air flow in which the force exerted
on the plate can now be considered as being made up of two components ie. lift
force and drag forces.
LIFT
Air flow
DRAG
Figure 28
The lift force will cause movement in the vertical direction, whilst the drag force
tries to ‘drag’ the plate in the horizontal direction.
The angle at which the plate is positioned to the horizontal has now become
important and is known as the ‘angle of attack’.
Activity
You can simulate this action with your hand sticking out the window of a moving
car.
Firstly, keep your hand horizontal. Your hand experiences very little drag force!
Secondly, position your hand vertically. Your hand experiences the maximum
amount of drag force. You may experience problems keeping your hand steady!
Now position your hand a small angle to the horizontal.
What happens to your hand now?
The air stream tries to move it upwards, ie. lifts your hand vertically.
The creation of vertical motion is therefore as a result of the orientation of your

hand (blade) to the horizontal.

Lift and Drag Forces

The application of lift and drag forces in the analysis of horizontal axis wind
turbine blades rotating in a vertical plane is slightly more complex to understand
as it involves concepts like aerofoil section, angle of attack, relative velocity, and
blade pitch angle.
Consider a cross section of the blade at a radius ‘r’ from the centre of location
Let’s now look down on top of a typical wind turbine blade cross section when the
blade is at the twelve o clock position and identify firstly some of the key terms.
Note
• The direction of rotation of the blade (clockwise) and the direction of the blade
speed ie. horizontal to the right.
• The undisturbed wind direction and the ‘apparent’ wind direction. If the
blade was stationary and you were standing on the blade, then the wind
direction as you would see it would be the ‘undisturbed’ wind direction. If the
blade started rotating at its operating speed in the direction shown, then the
direction of the wind, as you would see it when standing on the moving blade,
would be the ‘apparent wind’. This is the true direction of the wind when
analysing forces acting on the blade and ultimately the power of the
turbine. This is very important in understanding what follows.
• See http://www.windmission.dk/workshop/BonusTurbine.pdf for further
information. In particular read the section ‘the aerodynamics of a man on a
bicycle’.
• The shape of the blade, ie. aerodynamic or aerofoil section.
Direction of rotation
Looking down on top of blade cross

section
Blade speed
direction
Radius Aerofoil
“r” 90o cross Apparent
section Wind
direction as
b bl d
Undisturbed
Wind
Turbine blade
12 o clock position
Figure 29

Modern wind turbine blades are of an aerofoil section, designed to minimise drag
and maximise the lift forces that we will describe next.
The diagram below shows an aerofoil section with a predominant convex upper
surface, a rounded leading edge which is in the direction of the wind and a
relatively flat under surface facing the wind flow direction (note there are lots of
different designs of aerofoil asymmetrical sections).
The blade is designed with an angle of attack to the on coming wind, ie. the angle
between the blade chord line and the wind direction. An angle of attack for an
aerofoil section can vary between 2o and 20o depending upon the design.
Normally the most effective angle of attack is around 3o.
In large wind turbines, the ‘yawing’ mechanism is constantly realigning the wind
turbine blades to any changes in wind direction via its control system.
Convex
upper Blade chord Rounded
surface line leading
edge
Flat lower Angle of

surface attack
Apparent wind direction
Figure 30

When the wind flows over the top convex surface of the aerofoil a Bernoulli
effect is created in terms of high pressure and low pressure zones.
High velocity
creates
Low pressure
zone (Bernoulli
effect)
Normal pressure
Normal velocity
Figure 31
The top part of the aerofoil section is actually shaped like a convergent/divergent
nozzle (or half of one), where the influence of the bottom half of the section
accelerates the air and creates the localised velocity increase.
Imaginary top
half of nozzle
Convergent /
divergent nozzle
h
Velocity
increase
Pressure
decrease
Figure 32
For more information on the Bernoulli effect see:

http://www.4physics.com/phy_demo/airattack.gif
Read the section on LIFT and carry out the experiment with the two pieces of
paper to show Bernoulli in action.

As the wind speed increases, the differential pressure across the turbine blade
increases and lift force is created in the direction shown. However a drag force is
also created on the blade in the direction of wind flow. As we will see, it is the lift
force that is important for generating power.
Continue to note the direction of rotation of the blade.
LIFT
DRAG Direction of blade
motion
Wind force
direction
Figure 33
See http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wtrb/lift.htm for further information on lift.
See http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wtrb/stall.htm for further information on

stall.

To simulate creating a lift force, try holding a small bit of paper to your bottom lip,
the paper will naturally deflect down due to gravity, but if you now blow over the
top of the paper, the paper will rise, thus overcoming gravity. The air pressure on
the underside is greater than the air pressure on top (its all velocity), hence the
movement upwards. This shows how the Bernoulli effect is very powerful, to the
extent that it keeps large aircraft in the air as the same effect occurs at the aircraft
wings.
Again noting the direction of motion of the blade, the actual force causing the
blade motion is a result of the net effect of the horizontal components of the lift
and drag forces.
LIFT
Horizontal
driving
component of
lift force
DRAG
Direction of
Horizontal blade motion
component of
drag force
opposing motion
Figure 34

Power Output
Now we have got the turbine blade turning, we need to measure the power output
developed by the blade.
This is based on the concept of torque produced by the net driving force in the
plane of rotation and the angular velocity of the turbine.
Torque is a measure of ‘turning moment’ which is the net force multiplied by the
radius (from the centre of rotation) at which it acts on the blade.
Power is the product of torque and ‘angular velocity’ of the blade where angular
velocity is related to revolutions per minute (rpm).
ω rad/s
2πN
ω=
Net force 60
T = Fnet r
Radius
‘r’ P = Tω
Figure 35
Activity
If a turbine blade of a domestic wind turbine has a mean radius 1m, and rotates at
100rpm with a net wind force of 100N acting on it, what will be the power
developed by the turbine if it has three blades?
(answer 3.142KW)

Speed, Torque and Solidity
The number of blades on a wind turbine defines its solidity. A two-bladed

machine would have a low solidity compared to a five-bladed machine. Low
solidity wind turbines operate at high speed, but have a relatively low torque. High
solidity devices have a high torque but run at a low speed.
For electricity generation, high speed, low solidity designs are usually chosen as
electrical generators normally run at high speeds. Modern generators designed
specially for small wind turbines normally run at speeds from 200 to 500 rpm.
Taper and Twist
It is customary to design wind turbine blades which are wide at the bottom and
taper towards the tip. This gives the blade great strength at its root but makes it
lighter and decreases the solidity at the tip.
Another problem has to be addressed in blade design. As the blade rotates the tip
has to travel much further than the root for each revolution. Therefore the tip is
moving faster than the root. To get the angle of attack correct along the length of
the wing it must be twisted so that the angle is high at the root and a small at the
tip.
Speed Control
As the wind speed increases, the power output from the wind turbine will also
increase. Some means must be found to use this power by increasing the
electrical load on the system. In extreme conditions the turbine must be controlled
or it would accelerate to a dangerous speed. This might cause mechanical
damage.
Methods of control are:
• Furling
• Feathering the blades.
• Electronic control
• Mechanical Brakes
• Air brakes
Furling
The most common way to achieve this is for the tail vane to turn under the force of
the wind at a certain wind speed. This causes the wind turbine to turn sideways to
the wind and reduce speed. Alternatively, the wind turbine can tip over backwards
away from the wind and this will have the same effect.

Feathering the blades means changing the angle of the blades to the wind.
Increasing the angle of attack will reduce the rotational speed. This needs a
complicated mechanical system and can be expensive. Therefore this type of
control would be found on larger more costly machines.
Angle of Twist
In larger wind turbines where the rotating blades are much longer, then the
magnitude and direction of the ‘relative’ velocity changes along the length of the
blade, even although the undisturbed wind velocity and direction remains constant
as well as turbine speed. This is because the linear velocity of the blade at each
point in its length changes.
Remember the formula that relates linear velocity (v) to angular velocity (ω)
v = ωR
2πN
ω=
60
where N = rpm

Consider a point at the bottom of the blade R1, where the linear velocity vector is
relatively low. But consider a point near the top of the blade R2, the linear velocity
vector is much larger due to a corresponding increase in blade length for the
same undisturbed wind velocity vector / direction, But notice how the magnitude
and direction of the relative velocity changes. The direction changes are shown by
the angle ‘θ’ which gets smaller.
R2
R1
Figure 36
As the angle ‘θ’ gets smaller, then if the blade has a constant angle of attack, the
direction of the apparent wind speed is going to create a negative angle of attack
at the expense of a loss in lift force.

Wind direction at
top of blade!
-ve
angle of
attack
Designed
wind direction
Design angle of
attack
Figure 37
In order to overcome this inefficiency, if the blade is designed to have a constant

angle of attack along its length, then the blade requires to have an angle of twist
over its length in order to ensure that the apparent wind speed vector is always in
the correct direction to the aerofoil leading edge.
See:
http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wtrb/rotor.htm for further explanation.
and read the section on ‘The Changes of Forces along the Blade’.

Blade Taper
Another effect of increased relative wind velocity is to increase the pressure

difference across the blade, particularly in sections near the tip. This in turn
creates very large forces on the blade (and hence bending moments/stresses at
the blade root). In order to preserve uniform force along the length of the blade,
blades are tapered towards the tip to reduce surface area. Hence the large
pressure differences are acting on smaller areas, evening out the force distribution
along the blade.
Tapered blades also reduce the weight of the blades, thus minimising the
centrifugal force effects on the blade root.
Centrifugal force
Uniform force
distribution
along the blade
Stress at
blade root
due to
centrifugal
Tapered blade length
force
Figure 38

Activity
Work out the power developed by a three bladed wind turbine operating at 80rpm
if the net driving force measured at 2m intervals over a length of blade 10m long is
400N.
Hint: Find the torque developed by each force then add together to find the total
torque created by one blade.
See: http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/wtrb/rotor.htm for further information.
See: http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/design/index.htm for further information.

Wind/Solar and Biomass Projects
Micro-generation Systems
Micro-generation systems that include wind, solar and biomass technologies may,
when integrated, allow small buildings to become self power generating for both
heat and power without the need for connection to the Grid electrical supply.
Micro wind turbines and PV solar collectors can provide electrical generation, and
solar collectors and biomass boilers can provide thermal gain.
Activity
Look at the following website:

http://www.zedfactory.com/pdf%20downloads/Microgeneration.pdf for further
reading in this area.
The following website gives some good examples of small scale renewable
energy projects being developed in Scotland:
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/schri/community/projectresults.cfm?Start=121
&o=0&r=0&t=0
A factsheet on small scale renewable energy projects is available on the following

Energy Saving Trust website:
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/schri/renewable/
Off-grid system users either adapt to intermittent power or use batteries,

photovoltaic or diesel systems to supplement the wind turbine.

Water Pumping
Where wind turbines are used as the direct drive for a water pump, multi blade
wind turbine pump units provide a high starting torque which allows the pump to
start against a load, ie. head of water. The turbines blades turn through a small
turning circle and the multi blade profile allows a high interaction with the wind at
relatively low speeds. In theory, the more blades that a turbine has, then the more
efficient its operation, however the larger amount of blades causes the wind flow
pattern to be distorted preventing effective utilisation of the wind energy.
For further information on wind water pumps, see:

http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/design/optim.htm
http://www.bwea.com/ref/pumps.html
Economics of Small Scale Renewable Energy Projects
Good case studies of various project costs are on the following website
http://www.esru.strath.ac.uk/EandE/Web_sites/01-02/RE_info/small_scale.htm
Activity: The Economic Case for Domestic Wind Turbines
The following website shows an excellent article that explores the economic
feasibility of domestic wind power. You need to understand the concept of the unit
KWh http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watt-hour to follow the economics.
Read through the information and try calculating the economic case for a wind
turbine at your home by comparing the costs against existing electricity bills!
http://www.greenliving.co.uk/Articles/theeconomiccasef.html
The following website explains the process of ‘How to Buy a Swift Wind
Turbine’ and the various procedures involved in the installation of the turbine.
http://www.renewabledevices.com/swift/index.htm

Glossary of Terms
Term Meaning
Biomass Biomass refers to living and recently dead
vegetable material that can be used as fuel.
Examples would include woodchip, wood pellets,
and a wide range of other plants.
Carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide is a gas made up of one part
carbon to two parts oxygen. Animals breathe in
oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Plants
absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. If this
balance is disturbed excessive carbon dioxide can
lead to climate change. Many industrial processes
produce carbon dioxide.
Carbon neutral The term carbon neutral applies to fuels such as
wood pellets. The trees absorb carbon dioxide
when they are growing but release carbon dioxide
when they are burned. These quantities of carbon
dioxide balance out and therefore the fuel is classed
as carbon neutral.
Climate change Climate change is any long-term variation in the
weather for a particular region. There are a variety
of causes but recently climate change has been
linked to the increase in greenhouse gases.
Furl Roll or fold up neatly and securely. Furling –
equipment for rolling up sails securely.
Generator A generator is a device which converts mechanical
energy into electrical energy. They are normally
rotating electromagnetic machines.
Geothermal power Geothermal power is energy generated by heat
stored beneath the earth’s surface. Examples of
Geothermal power stations can be found in
countries with high volcanic activity such as Iceland
or New Zealand.
Greenhouse gases Greenhouse gases are the gases present in the
earth's atmosphere which warm the earth’s surface
due to the effect known as the greenhouse effect.
The most common greenhouse gases are carbon
dioxide and methane.
Global warming Global warming is the increase in the average
temperature of the earth’s near-surface air and
oceans. It has many contributing factors but one of
these is believed to be greenhouse gases.

Inverter An inverter is a piece of electronic power

equipment which can convert Direct Current (DC)
electricity into Alternating Current (AC). This is often
done in small renewable energy systems to convert
12V battery power into 240V, AC mains power.
Nuclear power Nuclear power stations produce electricity by raising
steam from the heat produced by the fission of
radioactive materials such as uranium.
Photovoltaic Photovoltaic devices produce electricity direct from
sunlight. Arrays of photovoltaic (PV) devices can be
mounted on roofs to power buildings.
Radioactive waste Radioactive wastes are materials containing
radioactive chemicals produced in industrial
processes such as nuclear power stations. They are
highly poisonous and dangerous and often difficult
to destroy. Current practice is to store the waste
safely for a long time.
Sustainable energy Sustainable energy is the provision of energy such
that it meets the needs of the present without
damaging the ability of future generations to meet
their needs. Sustainable energy includes
Renewable Energy systems such as Wind, Solar,
Wave, Tidal and Biomass.
Torque Torque is rotational force. For example if a shaft is
rotated by a lever, the torque is the force applied
multiplied by the length of the lever.
Turbine A turbine is a rotating device with a number of
blades which will turn fluid motion into mechanical
energy. They can be driven by steam, water
(hydro), or wind.


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© Scottish Further Education Unit 2008

Scottish Further Education Unit (SFEU)

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Enquiries relating to this support pack or issues relating to copyright should be

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Further information regarding this Unit including Unit Specifications, National

The Scottish Qualifications Authority

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Tel: 0191 280 0400

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How to Use this Pack 10

Tutor Support Section 24

Student Support Section 57

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Table of Good Practice in Small Wind Turbine Design 72

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How to Use this Pack

The pack is organised into several sections:

The Student Support Section contains guidance and instruction on:

• Background information on renewable energy issues

Extension notes and web-based activities providing more challenging information

Activities are identified with the symbol:

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What are Skills for Work Courses all about?

Skills for Work Courses are designed to help candidates to develop:

A key feature of these Courses is the emphasis on experiential learning. This

Learning through practical experience

Learning through reflecting at all stages of the experience

Teaching/learning programmes should include some or all of the following:

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A Curriculum for Excellence (Scottish Executive 2004) identifies aspirations for

The learning environments, the focus on experiential learning and the

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The Course in Energy (Intermediate 2)

The general aims of the Course are to:

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In particular, the specific aims of the Course are to:

• encourage candidates to consider a career in the energy sector

Rationale for Course content

The development of most renewable energy systems is a recent innovation where

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Unit Outcomes, PCs and Evidence Requirements

Acceptable performance in this Unit will be the satisfactory achievement of the

Connect an electrical circuit from a wiring diagram.

a) Appropriate tools are selected for the task.

a) Appropriate tools are selected for the task.

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a) Contribute constructively to team discussions to establish roles and realistic

Contribute as a member of a team to the assembly and testing of a small scale

Evaluate the wind turbine and the team working process.

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Evidence Requirements for this Unit

Evidence is required to demonstrate that candidates have achieved all Outcomes

Performance evidence — Outcomes 1 and 2

Performance evidence will be generated in response to an assignment consisting