A

Australian wind turbine resource directory in a classified web directory.

The Association for Environment Conscious Building
The leading independent environmental building trade organisation in the UK, facilitating environmentally responsible practices within building.

The American Wind Energy Association
A wealth of information on wind energy and unusually about small wind turbines; see FAQs for information about economic feasibility of wind power.

ASPO
The Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas. Disturbing facts and figures about the coming end of cheap oil.

B

British Wind Energy Association
Our trade association ! Look in Wind Power Primer for Calculations for wind energy statistics - gives figures for gaseous emissions from fossil fuel power stations. See also the small scale wind section for useful information on ... small scale wind.

C

Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT), Wales
Inspiring centre with energy-saving buildings, organic gardens and displays of renewable energy systems etc, that ...demonstrate ways in which people , nature and technology can live together successfully . CAT also runs an Online Information Service.

Centre for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology
CREST is a new site worth keeping an eye on. Much information about issues and policy. See Energy and Environmental Justice fact sheet.

Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology
Also CREST, but based at Loughborough University, UK. CREST conducts research and teaching in renewable energy technology, especially wind and solar, and has pioneered country-specific distance learning courses in renewable energy.

Centre for Sustainable Energy, Bristol
CSE runs an impressive variety of projects aimed at promoting energy efficiency, sustainable energy supply and alleviating fuel poverty. Exciting project on renewable energy kits for schools.

Clear Skies Renewable Energy Grants
Find out about the new UK government grants for wind and other renewable energy installations. Up to £5000 is available for domestic equipment or up to £100000 for larger, community based projects.

Countryside Agency: the Community Renewables Initiative
Offers advice about funding, planning, feasibility studies, etc to people setting up renewable energy developments. The site gives contact details for your local support team who are ready to help.

D

Department of Trade and Industry New and Renewable Energy Program
Documents describing UK government policy on renewable energy.

Derbyshire Alternative Technology Association (DATA)
Enthusiastically promoting ...environmentally effective initiatives in the county next door to Nottinghamshire.

Distributors of Ampair
A full listing of Ampair distributors.

E

Embrace
BWEA s exciting campaign which gives a voice to the silent majority who support wind energy. We have always said that wind turbines are things of beauty, visit the Embrace photo gallery and find out for yourself.

Ecology Building Society
More exciting than the average building society, EBS is dedicated to improving the environment by promoting sustainable housing and communities. Download the EBS news letter for information about the projects they are supporting. EBS waive administration fees for the funding of renewable energy installation by a) new or transferred mortgages or b) loans to existing borrowers.

Energy 21
At the centre of grassroots groups developing renewable energy, Energy 21 provides support and unites local actions into a common vision for a sustainable future. Watch the Events page.

Energy Saving Trust
A useful page with a grant search tool to help you find sources of funding for your renewable energy project.

Environ
An independent charity working to improve the environment and community, based in Leicester. Find out about Environ s wind powered Ecohouse and a surprising range of projects.

European Wind Energy Association
Our European trade association (Ampair is a founder member of the SWEET grouping). See Wind Force 12 in the publications section.

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Friends of the Earth
A page where leaflets about environmental matters can be downloaded freely, including the excellent Windpower: your questions answered , and of course access to the rest of the FOE site.

G

Global Warming - Early Warning Signs
Maps showing places around the world where there have been local symptoms of climate

Go Self Sufficient
Too soon to tell whether this is going to be a really useful information site or just another way of building click volume on a website that gets turned into a commercial enterprise later on.

Grameen Shakti, Bangladesh
Grameen Shakti means Rural Energy . Part of the Grameen Bank, GS s mission is the development of renewable energy resources for poverty alleviation by providing finance for the purchase of systems, training for maintenance and manufacturing some equipment. Shows how renewable energy is improving health and prosperity in the remote villages of Bangladesh.

Green Alliance
Thinking, talking, acting on the environment , the Green Alliance mission is to promote sustainable development by influencing decision-makers and developing environmental strategies for new policy.

Green Electricity Marketplace
Find funding. Select ...Look to see which green tariffs are available to find an electricity supplier in your area which has a green fund for the support of renewable energy projects.

H

Himalayan Light Foundation
Select Renewable Energy in Nepal for one of the clearest explanations of the energy problems faced by a developing country.

Hebden Bridge Alternative Technology Centre
The green centre of the North. This frequently updated site has an unusual amount of space for opinion and debate on green issues. HBATC is clearly a very active organization; current projects include a permaculture garden, a green shop and improvements to the local environment.

Hockerton Housing Project
A row of comfortable, earth sheltered houses in Nottinghamshire with very low environmental impact. A very successful and widely acclaimed project. HHP had to fight a long planning battle to install a small wind turbine. Now they have two turbines, see Project gallery.

Home Power Magazine
We do it with solar, wind and hydro. Indeed. A nuts, bolts and wires magazine that is a favourite with microwind engineers. The site has much practical information about all types of renewable energy systems.

Hugh Piggott - Scoraig Wind Electric (Scotland)
Hugh Piggott is a highly respected designer and builder of small wind turbines. His site contains much technical information and some commercially available machines are critically reviewed. Great pictures of turbines against dramatic Scoraig scenery too. Hugh also runs workshop courses and we like him because he tells it as it is (and as he says,  Ampair wind and water turbines are about as near to fit and forget as you can get!)

I

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Scientific reports of investigations into greenhouse gases, climate change and the strength of the link between them. Some heavy duty science.

Intermediate Technology Development Group
Shows how ITDG wind energy projects improve the lives of people in the remote villages of Peru and Sri Lanka. One of many practical answers to poverty being developed by ITDG.

Institute for Public Policy Research
See the report of the International Climate Change Task Force Meeting the Climate Challenge which was published in January 2005 (.pdf document, so takes a while to load). The Task Force is an international group of scientists and politicians who confirm that climate change is a growing threat which must be addressed now.

M

Micropower Council
A commercial organisation that promotes the small scale generation of electricity by its members (Ampair is not a member). A lot on this site about why micropower, embedded generation, distributed power etc, that deploys a variety of technologies including small wind turbines, is a good thing. Be cautious in interpreting some of the more extravagant claims.

N

National Green Specification
NGS is creating a directory of green product specifications for use by the construction industry, which will include renewable energy equipment. This will ensure that builders and architects of sustainable buildings can find appropriate materials and components.

NEF Renewables
A department of the National Energy Foundation, Milton Keynes, aimed at promoting renewable energy, providing information and advice. Also undertakes research and educational activities. Useful info and links.

Nottinghamshire Agenda 21 Forum
A partnership of voluntary, private and public sector organisations working to create a better quality of life for all in the county. Also download Climate Change in Nottinghamshire: Options for Mitigation and Adaptation (.pdf document, so takes a while to load).

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Ocean Solar
An experiment with wind and solar power on a house in Cannon Beach, Oregon. Updated news about their system and its output, including turbine reviews. Our Ampair 100 does quite well but was not powerful enough for them - we are keen for them to try the Ampair 600.

Otherpower.com
The cutting edge of low technology. Find out what Dan and Ward have been up to in the Colorado mountains. How to make wind turbines out of wood and... other stuff. The video clip of a wooden turbine rotor being tested on the front of a Model A Ford must be seen.

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Power Switch
Dedicated to raising awareness of the impending decline of cheap oil and gas supplies, and its consequences, which will affect every corner of our lives. Uncomfortable reading.

R

Renewable Energy for the Urban Environment
Based in south west London, RENUE promotes sustainable solutions to London s energy needs through education, training and demonstration projects. See the small wind turbine and solar panel system at Raynes Park School. RENUE also has ambitious plans for Tamworth Manor School.

Renewable Energy Investment Club
A non-profit organization connecting people wanting to invest in renewable energy with developers. Essential information here for those wanting to start community projects.

Renewables for Sustainable Village Power
NREL village power programme. Technical descriptions of renewable energy projects which have provided power for a wide range of applications in villages all over the world.

The Rocky Mountain Institute
Workable ideas about how we can do much more using up less energy and material. It remains to be seen whether the RMI concept of Natural Capitalism will catch on ... they do have an agenda of their own.

The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution
People who don t think global warming is happening should read the RCEP s 22nd report (which replaces Energy - The Changing Climate ).

S

Solar Energy Alliance
Based in Lowestoft, SEA sells and installs renewable energy equipment. Some of their work can be seen in Project Gallery . For SEA, there s more to it than turning a profit.

Stockholm Environment Institute
SEI s main areas of research are atmosphere, climate, resources, vulnerability and sustainable development. The Renewable Energy for Development Newsletter can be downloaded as can many other SEI publications.

U

US Environmental Protection Agency - Global Warming
The EPA pages on global warming offer a very clear explanation of all the issues involved.

United Nations Development Programme - Sustainable Energy and Environment
Energy is not an end in itself but rather the means to achieve the goal of sustainable human development . How the UNDP supports projects which make renewable energy accessible to poor rural communities, improving their health and prosperity. A massive amount of information on this site, especially climate change. Also follow links to World Energy Assessment site.

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West Wales Eco Centre
Gives advice about energy efficiency, recycling and renewable energy. There is an excellent description of the centre s grid-connected PV system. Look at the Newport Eco House which has two small wind turbines, one attached to the gable end.

WINDPOWER.ORG
The Mother of all wind turbine sites from the Danish Wind Industry Association. Vast amounts of info on every aspect of wind power. A Wind Energy Manual technical section which even includes the original statement of Betz Law in German (wind turbine engineers may get over-excited at this point). A great area for kids and teachers. Build the model wind turbine made from paper tubes.

Wind-Works.org
Website of Paul Gipe, who has written several excellent books on small wind turbines and is an acknowledged expert. You ll find articles and book reviews as well as much practical turbine wisdom. We especially like his thoughts about power curve testing and noise testing  and his quote the Ampair 100 being the only machine to exceed the [manufacturer] power curve.

World Energy Council - GHG projects
Green house gas emission data base project. Look on other parts of the WEC site for estimates of how much longer our planet s fossil fuel reserves will hold out.

World Resources Institute
Information here about climate change, energy consumption and threats to ecosystems. For example, you can find out that, per head, the UK uses 5.5 times as much electricity as Cuba. America consumes 12.2 times as much electricity as Cuba!

Worldwatch Institute
Information about everything affecting the environment, climate change, energy, globalization, poverty.

Y

YES2WIND
A lot of your questions about wind power will be answered here. Also debunks the often ludicrous miss-information put about by the opponents of wind energy.