General Electric Co. installed more wind turbine capacity than rivals in the U.S. last year, but faces new competition from Asian companies, according to a report from the Washington, D.C.-based American Wind Energy Association, scheduled for release Thursday. GE installed nearly 4 gigawatts, or 40% of new U.S. wind turbine capacity in 2009, up from… Read more »
Etching paste isishape SolarEtch® offers a lower cost per watt alternative for edge isolation of silicon wafers Schiller and Merck present fully automated SE lab line for mass production The partnership announced last September between Merck KGaA and Schiller Automation GmbH & Co. KG has led to a new concept for edge isolation. Schiller Automation… Read more »
Underwriters Laboratories’ time-tested system supports governmental product safety regulations, and helps companies meet the challenge of accessing global markets while bringing safer products to consumers. Building on the company’s product safety heritage, UL has expanded into environmental claims verification and sustainability standards development, as well as verification services supporting supply chain integrity. Wind energy is… Read more »
It’s fair to say that for certain ancillary industries, trading has been tough. The logistics and transportation sectors have suffered in recent months, stifled by a slowing of new wind projects. Nevertheless, Matias Setälä, Director of Silvasti Logistics, is one of many executives who remains bullish about the future. PES asked him why he believes… Read more »
Hamburg-based COLI Schiffahrt & Transport GmbH & Co KG has been in the break bulk business for more than 35 years, gaining an enviable reputation as a specialist in transporting wind power components by sea. Felix Peinemann, Director of Shipping, explains how the company has built its success on customised solutions for the wind power… Read more »
Economic prosperity, progress and environmental protection – for the turbine manufacturer, Nordex, these go hand in hand. Since 1985 the company has been developing increasingly efficient turbines that help meet the global demand for energy while reducing the impact on the environment. PES investigates. As an internationally expanding company, Nordex has a footprint in all… Read more »
Earlier this year American trend forecaster Gerald Celente, who has an interesting track record of accurate economic predictions, pointed to a bright future for Turkey. The country, he said, was in an excellent position to ride out the world’s current financial woes because ‘it has learnt from past experiences’. “Turkey owes this potential to a… Read more »
Although the wind energy industry is booming, the sector presents several technical, environmental, and financial challenges that investors and developers need to understand thoroughly in order for their businesses to be successful. DNV offers combined expertise in appraising and evaluating such risks and opportunities, as Dr. Claus Fridtjof Christensen, DNV Global Wind Energy, explains. PES:… Read more »
The Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz fretted over his joints, and wind turbines have the same problem. They need to be assembled offshore and maintenance of the joints is critical where a 20+ year life expectancy under the buffeting of winter seas and gusting storms is normal. The assembly is subject to prying… Read more »
Nicolas Fichaux, of the European Wind Energy Association and the European Wind Energy Technology Platform (TPWind), talks about the challenges facing the renewables energy and his own personal achievements. PES: Welcome to PES magazine, can you firstly explain a little about your role within the wind industry?Nicolas Fichaux: I am Head of the Policy Analysis… Read more »
So: the European super grid. We at PES are broadly enthusiastic about the scheme, but what do our esteemed peers in the wind industry make of it? Here’s what some of them have had to say… “[The] North Sea grid will connect offshore wind to our electricity supply, enabling Europe to exploit its largest untapped… Read more »
Just over 60 years ago, on March 26, 1949, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft was founded in the large conference hall of the Bavarian Ministry of the Economy. At the time, the idea was to develop new structures for research after the war’s destruction, and to spur reconstruction of the economy. Today, the globally-respected institute analyses current macro… Read more »
The certification of wind turbines or components is state-of-the-art and a must in most places around the world. Furthermore, certification to harmonised requirements is an active support of export. Therefore it is important for manufacturers, banks and insurances of wind turbines and components to know the different certification processes as well as guidelines. This exclusive… Read more »
The continent’s first electricity grid for renewable power has become a political reality, as nine countries formally link clean energy in a deal worth €30bn. For the wind industry, in particular, it will mark perhaps the final step towards mainstream acceptance. The North Sea Grid is the big idea as far as renewable energy generation… Read more »
As long ago as 1995, a German study reported that more than 80% of insurance claims for damage to wind turbines were paid as result of lightning strikes. A little thought will reveal that this is not particularly surprising. Wind turbines are tall structures and their blades have a small radius of curvature at their… Read more »
IntroductionThe current economic crisis sparked by the credit crunch of 2008 has had a significant impact on renewable energy markets. As a result of the global economic downturn, the lending market has contracted, making securing financing for renewable energy projects dramatically more difficult than in the past. Equity investors have in turn become fewer. Despite… Read more »
For offshore wind turbines, taking every possible step to reduce the risk of mechanical breakdown is mission-critical. With a raft of unique application challenges and constant concern around efficient use of funding for wind farm management, engineering reliable, productive up-time into the wind energy sector will be no easy task. And for off-shore turbines, with… Read more »
Dr Eddie O’Connor, CEO of Mainstream Renewable Power, recently gave a thought-provoking and wide-ranging speech to a meeting of the Institute of International and European Affairs. Here for PES, he reiterates some of the major concerns and prophecies of that speech. To begin with here, I take it as a given that we humans have… Read more »
Bob Dylan told us the answer to the world’s political problems was blowing in the wind, Donovan memorably failed to catch the wind and now a professor of Dynamics at England’s Nottingham University wants us to store the wind. Seamus Garvey of the Midlands-based university’s Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, believes the future… Read more »
Expansion of the global renewable energy market is set to continue increasing despite the current economic situation, forming a fundamental part of how many countries will meet their post-Kyoto targets. The ability to up-skill and transfer knowledge at a European level is going to be critical to meet this expected demand and to successfully compete… Read more »
Americas Wind Energy Corporation – Financial Analysis Review;Americas Wind Energy Corporation (Americas Wind) is an independent wind turbines manufacturer. The company is engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of medium sized wind turbines mostly between 500 and 1,000 megawatts (MW). It employs the Lagerwey Direct Drive technology to increase the reliability and performance of its… Read more »
Western Wind Energy Corp. (“Western Wind” or the “Company”) announced today its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2009. The Company is pleased to announce a 10% increase in electricity production to 58,859 MWh for the year ended December 31, 2009 compared to 53,579 MWh for the year ended December 31, 2008. However… Read more »
Acro Energy Technologies Corp. (CA:ART 0.35, 0.00, 0.00%) , a leading US solar integrator, announced that it achieved record revenues for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010. During the quarter ended March 31, 2010, Acro Energy generated gross revenue of approximately $3,700,000. The Company is pleased with the first full quarter of operations for… Read more »
Enphase Energy, the leader in solar microinverter systems, today launched its multimillion dollar ‘Full Throttle’ sales promotion, which provides cash awards up to $5,000 to solar installers using Enphase Microinverter Systems. The promotion applies to systems installed between April 1, 2010 and July 31, 2010. “In 2009, we were thrilled with the level of demand… Read more »
Enbridge Inc (ENB.TO) and RES Americas said on Wednesday they plan to build their second wind energy farm in Ontario, a C$275 million ($270 million) project on the north shore of Lake Superior, Enbridge, best known as Canada’s second-largest pipeline operator, and RES, which has renewable energy projects in the United States, Canada, Mexico and… Read more »
Amid recent studies suggesting the United States is losing the clean energy edge to China, the U.S. Department of Energy is helping fund a joint research center. On Monday, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced $37.5 million in U.S. funding over the next five years for the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center, to be located at… Read more »
Following the independent testing results of the German magazine Öko-Test (April 2010), China based Upsolar was rated “very good” among 15 international solar photovoltaic suppliers. Only 4 companies obtained a “very good” rating, and Upsolar was the only one of 7 Chinese companies to achieve this. This is major achievement for Upsolar and reflects the… Read more »
Applied Materials, Inc., the global leader in Nanomanufacturing TechnologyTM solutions for the semiconductor, flat panel display and photovoltaic (PV) solar industries, today held an analyst meeting to outline its plans for growing revenue and profitability over the next several years. Applied’s executive team shared the company’s goals of capitalizing on an expected multi-year expansion in… Read more »
The Australian marine biologist Lloyd Godson is going to start a spectacular attempt to set a new world record in the Bavarian LEGOLAND® theme park in Germany today. For a fortnight, the adventurer will stay in a 4m² under water home without coming up to surface. With 2.500 watt hours, Godson will try to generate… Read more »
Enphase Energy, the leader in solar microinverter systems, today announced that it has secured $40 million in funding, with Bay Partners leading the equity financing. This round of financing also includes participation from Horizon Technology Finance, Bridge Bank (NASDAQ: BBNK) and existing investors Third Point Ventures, RockPort Capital Partners, Madrone Capital Partners and Applied Ventures… Read more »
The national push for more wind turbine-generated electricity could turn Illinois into a transmission hub. “Illinois is the crossroads. Historically, whether it’s rails, shipping, travel, O’Hare airport, it’s a geographical midpoint, or hub, positioned for all things moving west to east,” said Thomas O’Neill, chief operating officer at Chicago-based Exelon Transmission Co., a unit of… Read more »
Spanish solar energy producer T-Solar said on Monday it was considering listing its shares on Spain’s small and mid-cap index in the next few months to fund the building of more plants abroad. The announcement comes after travel booking firm Amadeus said March 23 it would carry out an initial public offering in the first… Read more »
The government will receive another boost to its green manufacturing momentum this week when Siemens of Germany announces plans to create hundreds of jobs in Britain and invest more than £75m in a new wind turbine plant. The move comes despite claims made today by the EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, that the UK tax system… Read more »
As previously announced, Applied Materials, Inc. will hold its 2010 Analyst Meeting on Tuesday, March 30, 2010 in New York, NY. Presentations by Applied’s management team will begin at 1:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. PT) and conclude by approximately 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT). The presentations will include discussions of Applied’s products, business environment,… Read more »
Global Solar Energy, Inc., a leading manufacturer of high-efficiency Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide (CIGS) solar material and the only company in large scale production of CIGS on a flexible substrate, today announced Jean-Noel Poirier as the company’s new vice president of marketing and business development. Mr. Poirier will lead Global Solar’s sales, marketing, business development… Read more »
China is emerging as the world’s clean-energy powerhouse, according to a new study by The Pew Charitable Trusts.Last year, China spent more than any other major country on clean energy, including wind and solar, toppling the U.S. from the top spot for the first time in five years, the Pew report says. The U.S. is… Read more »