Author: Francesco

Meyer Burger Technology Ltd Earnings Of Subsidiary Roth Rau Ag Hit By Additional Special Items And Difficult Market Environment

Profit warning by Roth & Rau AG regarding the 3rd quarter 2011 Earnings of Meyer Burger Technology Ltd at EBITDA level only marginally affected Re-evaluation of participation in Roth & Rau within the scope of consolidation Control and/or Profit Transfer Agreement with Roth & Rau AG will not be further pursued Meyer Burger Technology Ltd… Read more »

Intersolar China kicks Off with top-class accompanying program

From December 7-9, 2011, for the first time, the international solar industry assembling at Beijing’s China National Convention Center for Intersolar China, where the event makes its inauguration to the upcoming solar market in Eastern Asia. The 7,500 visitors already anticipated to attend the debuting Intersolar China underline the growing importance of the Chinese market…. Read more »

RWE Innogy, RES Offshore shed light on partnership selection criteria in offshore wind

The key to making money in offshore wind is to secure long term, lucrative contracts. So how do you find who is tendering, when and what they look for in a partner? Most agree that you must talk with your customers about what they need and meet their requirements. Critical issues for procurement managers today… Read more »

ECM Debuts New Low-Cost Conductive Adhesive for Solar Modules

Engineered Conductive Materials, LLC, a leading global supplier of conductive interconnect materials for photovoltaic applications, introduces its DB-1588 low-cost conductive adhesive for back contact applications in crystalline silicon solar modules. The new line of conductive adhesives is designed to make contact from vias or other conductors in the solar cells to the back contact sheet…. Read more »

Offshore wind procurement managers break the chains on low volume orders

Offshore wind continues to boom. Since 2003, more than 500 o¬ffshore wind turbines have been installed – 35 per cent of them in 2010 alone. Dedicated offshore power sites appear each month across the UK, France, Germany and many other European countries. This rate of growth, set to continue next year, forces the entire supply… Read more »

GP Solar wins iF product design award for measuring

Technology company GP Solar GmbH of Constance, Germany has been awarded the prestigious iF product design award for its laboratory measuring device GP ISO-TEST .Waf. In awarding the design prize, created in 1953, the jury not only took into account the sleek exterior of the measuring device but also its functionality, level of innovation, and… Read more »

Capital Stage to build 10.5 MW peak solar park in Saxony-Anhalt that features modules from SCHOTT Solar

• 45,000 modules for the Solarpark Roitzsch in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld• Construction to begin in October, completion expected by the end of 2011• Partners improve their position in the area of PV projects, joint building of additional solar parks planned Mainz/Hamburg/Sandersdorf-Brehna, November 4, 2011 – In October and November, 2011, SCHOTT Solar AG will… Read more »

Damen Shipyards launches DAMEN.NL

As of November, the new Damen website, www.damen.nl, has officially gone live. The site has been structured according to Damen’s 10 Product-Market Combinations and navigation has been designed to be fast, simple and user-friendly. The new website aims to personalize content, enable infosharing and enhance client interaction. COO Arnout Damen says: “For Damen, shipbuilding is… Read more »

Donauer Solartechnik opens sales office in Austria

the Austrian customers of Donauer Solartechnik have had a direct partner on location: Andreas Wimplinger heads the new sales office in the Upper-Austrian district of Waldzell. Donauer Solartechnik has been active in the Alpine republic for more than five years. Formerly, however, the wholesaler took care of the customers there from its headquarters in Bavaria,… Read more »

SINGULAR machine ordered by Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES (SINGULUS) received an order for one SINGULAR PECVD tool for silicon wafer solar cell fabrication from the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS). SINGULAR is a coating tool for the application of anti-reflection coatings (ARCs) on crystalline silicon solar cells. To reduce the cost of PV electricity and to obtain continuous improvements… Read more »

ANTARIS SOLAR selected to be NICEIC photovoltaic affinity partner

ANTARIS SOLAR, solar technology provider with headquarters in Germany, has been selected as the PV affinity partner by NICEIC. The partnership brings together German quality with the standards of UK’s leading voluntary body for electrical installation matters. Waldaschaff, Germany, 03/11/2011. After an extensive selection process NICEIC (www.niceic.com), the UK’s leading voluntary body for electrical contractors,… Read more »

Uncomtech Signs Dow Inside Partnership Agreement

Dow Electrical & Telecommunications, a global leader in technology and material science solutions for the power and telecommunications industries, announced today at the 2011 Khimia exhibition in Moscow an agreement with Uncomtech Group to become a Dow Inside licensee. Uncomtech, the largest cable holding company in Russia based on copper conversion, joins Sevkabel Holding to… Read more »

Plotting a course for wind energy

A positive aspect of wind energy has always been the benefit to the economies and industries that support it. Shipping is one such industry crucial to wind farm development. PES speaks to Xavier De Meulder, Project Manager for Meriaura Ltd. about how wind energy is helping drive and develop his business. PES: Welcome back to… Read more »

Priorities For 2020 And Beyond An Ec Blueprint For An Integrated European Energy Network

Europe’s energy infrastructure must be updated and better connected, for it “pays the price for its outdated and poorly interconnected energy infrastructure,” admitted the European Commission recently. In this exclusive report, we look at the plans to build an integrated European energy network, and discuss the potential obstacles. Let us begin with the words of… Read more »

Ownership change gives shipping a lift

Despite a change in ownership, it is business as usual for SAL Heavy Lift Shipping. PES spoke to Director of Business Development Jan-Peter Esbensen at the company’s Steinkirchen HQ, about the organisation and its operations. PES: Welcome back to PES magazine. How’s business been since we last spoke? Have you been involved with any keynote… Read more »

Wind farms pose maintenance challenge for operators

With many wind farms now well established, operators must consider the provision of maintenance and examine the latest component technology available to protect their investment and ensure continued reliability, warns industry expert Phil Burge… Clean power With the attraction of clean, free renewable energy, wind power is one of the fastest growing energy sources and… Read more »

Spain on target for 2020

Wind energy has set two new records in 2011: in March, it produced more electricity than in its history and, for the first time, it was the technology that generated more power in Spain than any other resource. Spanish renewables generation over the first two months of 2011 covered 38 per cent of national consumption,… Read more »

The big debate

The most talked-about feature in PES Wind returns, with a fresh selection of questions for the industry’s most incisive and intelligent commentators. Their answers may differ, but rest assured that you’re getting the very best analysis that the industry can provide. PES: Over the next five years, what increases in the efficiency of wind turbines… Read more »

Tightening-up on standards

Engineers are considering bolt tightening more carefully as standards, materials and assembly methods change. Should not fitters require similar accreditation to welders? The need for documented records of assemblies on a global basis is critical as design and cost is optimised. The introduction of new coating materials with different friction factors, protection against hydrogen embrittlement,… Read more »

Upscaling with UpWind

20 Megawatt wind turbines are feasible, according to a new report from the EU-funded UpWind project. The group explored the design limits of upscaling wind turbines to 20 Megawatt (MW) and found that they would have rotor diameters of around 200 metres, compared to some 120 metres on today’s five MW turbines. PES presents an… Read more »

A future below the waves

With the establishment of a technical training academy as well as a massive four year equipment and innovation investment programme, dredging and marine contractor Van Oord clearly see a big future for offshore wind development. Director of Offshore Wind Projects, Johan van Wijland, speaks to PES about their plans for the future. PES: Welcome to… Read more »

Introducing an innovative concept for offshore metmast installations

Innovation has always been the beating heart of the wind power industry, and the sector is all the better for it. In keeping with this constant quest for improvement, Marika van Pol presents Mercon and ALE’s new concept for offshore metmast installations – called EMI for Eco Metmast Installation. Construction company and installation specialist join… Read more »

Planning for the future

With a struggling economy and the Chinese manufacturing industry growing by the day, Klaus Bergmann – Managing Director of renewable energy consultants BBB Umwelttechnik – explains why excellence at the planning stage has never been more crucial. PES: Welcome back to PES. Can you tell us about how the company’s evolved since we last spoke,… Read more »

Anchored by excellence

Tough economic times mean shipping companies are looking to wind farm development to fulfil capacity. Raymond Fisch, Senior Vice President of BBC Chartering explains to PES how they are expanding despite intensifying competition. PES: Welcome back to PES. It’s been some time since we last spoke, can you give us an update on how the… Read more »

Keeping an eye on hydraulics

Shaun Skilton, Product Sales Manager for the HFDE Condition Monitoring Business Unit of Parker Hannifin, highlights the importance of effective hydraulic system maintenance to ensure long term reliability in installed turbines. As increasing numbers of wind turbines move out of their manufacturers’ warranty period, more and more maintenance contractors will be required to provide independent… Read more »

managing risk on a maiden voyage

Dr. Isabel Boira-Segarra, Sector Leader for Renewables Europe at EC Harris explains how those at the forefront of wind energy technology will reap the rewards for the risks they take. With some countries across Europe questioning nuclear power in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster, there is growing momentum for renewable energy sources to play… Read more »

Getting the consumer onside

In this article, Jim Hayward and David Wing of Baringa Partners share their thoughts on what European suppliers must learn from consumer psychology (and history) to ensure smart meter rollouts succeed. The date is July 15th 1979 and at the White House in Washington DC President Jimmy Carter has just completed an historic televised address… Read more »

EWEA OFFSHORE 2011 blows in to Amsterdam

A reflection of the industry itself; this year’s event has doubled in size since 2009, ensuring that EWEA OFFSHORE 2011 will be the biggest conference of its kind in the world. The offshore wind energy sector, despite the economic crisis blowing around it, remains decisively strong: In 2010 some 308 new offshore wind turbines, worth… Read more »

Our staff are our operation

An increasingly visible operator within the offshore sector, Damen has built a formidable reputation on reliability, innovation and a dedicated staff. We spoke to the organisation’s Offshore Wind Business Development Manager, Peter Robert. PES: Welcome to PES magazine. Can you firstly explain a little about your business and how you serve the wind industry? Peter… Read more »

D-Day for European siting issues

Any planned development that potentially affects a site of historical significance will always stir up controversy, but will a large-scale wind farm proposal off the northern coast of France – visible from the D-Day landing beaches – have further reaching implications for an industry already struggling with public concern over its effect on the local… Read more »

Editors Note

As we’ve found over the years, controversy is never very far away in this industry. Despite the great many economic and environmental benefits wind energy offers, the scale and nature of both land and offshore developments are frequently the subject of protest. Our industry has done much to improve cooperation with communities, and takes care… Read more »

Eu Launches 9 Billion Energy Infrastructure Plan

The EU executive has announced its first ever plan to use €9.1 billion from the EU’s 2014-2020 budget to help upgrade Europe’s energy infrastructure, according to strategic climate and energy needs. The money will be available under the proposed EU budget for 2014-2020 in the form of newly-minted project bonds, grants and loan guarantees, according… Read more »

Quality assurance in wind energy

FORCE Technology is one of the leading consulting service providers within the wind energy sector. Innovative, forward-thinking and adaptable, the Danish firm has built its reputation on delivering highly-customised, high-quality inspection services. We caught up with Morgan Troedsson, Product Manager, Wind Energy Business Development, for an interview. PES: Welcome to PES. Can you begin by… Read more »

The search for better sensors

The common goal to increase energy efficiency is driving the development of ever more reliable pressure sensors for use in wind turbines, says Mike Powers. Maximising energy efficiency protects profit margins and strengthens businesses; it also satisfies our human need to know that we are all working towards sustainability. Pressure sensors have played a major… Read more »