There are effectively two options available to landowners: either to lease land to a wind developer for large scale turbines, or where wind resources allow, consider farm scale free standing turbines.

Depending on wind conditions and installation costs, small scale wind turbines may not always show an economic rate of return, though they may be a viable option for isolated, exposed situations with higher than average wind speeds or where mains supply is unavailable or would be costly to install. Chartered surveyors should be wary of building mounted micro-wind turbines, which may place lateral pressures on brickwork which was never designed for such loadings.

However, large wind farm projects can provide attractive revenues to landowners and generate significant volumes of electricity as well as income from sale of renewable obligation certificates where the project is soundly based, with good wind conditions, and is well implemented and operated.