What does the database cover?
This wind speed database gives estimates of the annual mean wind speed throughout the UK.
- The data uses an air flow model to estimate the effect of topography on wind speed.
- There is no allowance for the effect of local winds such as sea, mountain or valley breezes.
- The model uses a 1 kilometre square resolution and does not take account of topography on a small scale, or local surface roughness (such as tall crops, stone walls or trees), which may have a considerable effect on the wind speed.
- The data should be used as a guide only and should be followed by on-site measurements for a proper assessment.
- Each value stored in the database is the estimated average for a 1 kilometre square area, at either 10 metres, 25 metres or 45 metres above ground level (agl).
- The database uses the Ordnance Survey grid system for Great Britain and the grid system of the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.
Methods of accessing the Windspeed database
Using the Windspeed database
To calculate the grid reference of your location, you either need to:
- refer to an Ordnance Survey (OS) map of Great Britain or Northern Ireland. You can access OS maps online at the Ordnance Survey website, where you will also find an interactive tutorial on finding grid references, or
- convert a postcode to a grid reference, using streetmap.co.uk's grid converter. This will give you an eight-digit code. For example, type in postcode SW1H 0ET and you get TQ298794. Then split the code into its three parts: TQ 298 794 (two letters, three digits and three digits). The database uses a six-digit grid reference, so you need to drop the third digit from each of the two sets of numbers. This would make the above example TQ2979.
- Download the Wind speed database information sheet (.pdf 39kb)
- Now go to the Windspeed database and select a region. Enter the six-character grid reference as described above (with no spaces) and hit the ‘Find wind data’ button. This should return the wind speeds for the location you have specified.
Related documents
You can find more information on the wind speed database in the following reports:
- ‘Estimation of the UK wind energy resource using computer modelling techniques and map data: A pilot study’, ETSU R-17, K Newton, SF Burch
- ‘Estimation of the UK wind energy resource using computer modelling techniques report on phase I: optimisation of the methodology’, ETSU WN7053, SF Burch, K Newton, 1988
- ‘Computer modelling of the UK wind energy resource: phase II application of the methodology’, ETSU WN7054, SF Burch, M Makari, K Newton, F Ravenscroft, J Whittaker, 1992
- ‘Computer modelling of the UK wind energy resource: overview report’, ETSU WN7055, SF Burch, F Ravenscroft, 1992
- ‘Assessment of the accuracy of BERR's database of UK wind speeds’, ETSU W/11/00401/REP, J Halliday, M Anderson, J Palutikof, S Watson, P Dunbabin, J Bunn, M Dukes, I Surguy, 1995
- ‘UK onshore wind energy resource’, ETSU R-99, F Brocklehurst, 1997
These reports are available from British Library via your local library. You can access the British Library Catalogue online.