The latest figures from Cornwall Insight’s ‘Benchmark power curve’ forecasts that by 2040 EVs will contribute an additional 71.6TWh, this is a massive 31 times higher than the current level of demand for electricity from electrified transport and 25% of current annual demand which stands at 299TWh (excluding losses). According to our latest ‘Benchmark power curve… Read more »
Author: Francesco
LEADING B2B RENEWABLE ENERGY SUPPLIER CHANGES ITS NAME TO DRAX
Haven Power, one of the UK’s biggest renewable energy suppliers to businesses and organisations, has been renamed ‘Drax’ The name change marks the next step in the renewable energy supplier’s journey to help businesses and organisations become more sustainable, supporting the UK’s climate goals The rebrand follows the launch of Drax Electric Vehicles and Drax Electric Assets and aims to offer a partnership approach… Read more »
Solarfox Solar PV Plant Displays Now Available Through Solar Data Systems
Solar Data Systems, Inc. (Solar-Log North America) has teamed up with Solarfox to offer display solutions for solar PV plants. Solar Data Systems can offer local support and resources to mutual, U.S.-based Solarfox and Solar Data Systems customers. “Solarfox solutions are a natural fit for solar Monitoring as a Service (MaaS),” says Silvia Blumenschein, CEO… Read more »
RWE’s Sofia windfarm launches educational resources with Tees Valley Education
Renewable energy education resources for primary schools now online Valuable teaching asset for North East as local offshore wind industry set for growth educational resources available to over 20 regional schools RWE has joined forces with Tees Valley Education (TVE), a Teesside primary school trust to launch a series of educational resources to teach students… Read more »
Pfeiffer Vacuum presents a cloud-based solution for service management
• Simplified planning and documentation of service activities • Easy management of all installed vacuum components (regardless of manufacturer) • Available as a mobile app (Android and iOS) Asslar, September 15, 2021. Pfeiffer Vacuum’s new “Virtual Service Management” (VSM) is a free web app that makes it possible to manage vacuum equipment from different manufacturers…. Read more »
Harland & Wolff Announce Signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Navantia & Windar Renovables
Harland & Wolff, the iconic shipyard with over 160 years of maritime and offshore engineering pedigree has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Navantia and Windar Renovables to target specific fixed and floating offshore wind projects primarily within the UK. The agreement signals a firm commitment from all three parties to actively secure wind… Read more »
Lidar lives
She may have started life in rural England, but today ZX Lidar’s Unit #106 is tramping the complex terrain of Greece, as she helps to pioneer the country’s clean energy transition. ‘Eunice’ may be named after a sea nymph, but she’s really a star when it comes to understanding the wind. Starting life in the… Read more »
A digital world
Stefan Weber, Managing Director of Windsourcing.com returns to PES to discuss the logistics of supplying spare parts and repair products as and when they are needed, wherever that may be. How big a role does digitization and automation play in making all the pieces of the puzzle fit? PES: It is lovely to welcome you… Read more »
Wrestling risk in green projects: take time to think before acting
The increasing attention given to large-scale renewable energy projects over the last five years, has been driven primarily by larger companies. This has included specialist renewable energy organisations, such as Vestas or Orsted, alongside traditional oil and gas companies who are increasing their focus on renewable investment and generation. Some smaller organisations, both upstream energy… Read more »
Upping the stakes: expanding horizons
As wind turbines get bigger, wind parks larger and authorities and safety standards are continuously raised by authorities and energy companies, offshore shipping becomes more and more specialised. PES caught up with Sven Boedewig, Managing Director of Waterworks Offshore Concepts, to find out how modern ship finance is meeting high-quality brokerage to get a fair… Read more »
Lifetime of pipelines transporting H2
Hydrogen is regarded as the alternative energy carrier of the future. However, its transport over long distances calls for a special safety concept. Energy managers wishing to transport hydrogen in existing and new pipelines must furnish evidence of their pipeline’s service life by way of fracture mechanics. TÜV SÜD’s experts supply fracture mechanical analyses as… Read more »
Unlock the full potential of your wind turbines
The phasing out of public subsidies and subsequent reduction of wind energy sale prices has triggered the need for going the extra mile when it comes to optimising the output of wind energy assets. Underperformance or non-optimal operation and power generation are a frequent issue on operating wind turbines. Access to powerful independent information completing… Read more »
Adopt a ‘renewables-first mindset’ by investing in offshore wind
The UK’s offshore wind industry is forecast to account for a quarter of the world’s offshore wind capacity by 2022. It will also be the only country in the world to generate more wind power off the coast than on land. There is growing pressure from public and private bodies to avert the climate crisis… Read more »
Using the correct planning and smart route engineering to open up more seabed real estate for future offshore wind sites
Performing in-depth analysis on over 6,000 surface and sub-surface boulders, examined alongside a vast amount of bathymetry data, enabled OceanIQ Route Engineers to safely plan the array cable routes and seabed preparation plans for the 72 turbine Danish Kriegers Flak site. OceanIQ’s parent company, the Global Marine Group (GMG), was appointed by Vattenfall to deliver… Read more »
Making plans for plain sailing offshore
In July 2021 the UK government published updated requirements for the supply chain plan element of Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction round 4 (AR4). So, as we move forward and prepare for the next round, we must use experience from previous CfD auctions and share insights into key challenges for developers to consider, particularly in… Read more »
Riding the IoT wave for improved workability
Safe and efficient offshore wind operations are reliant on accurate, instantaneous and trusted information from many parameters including environmentals, such as the sea state or weather conditions. With the advance of digitalisation, a considerable volume of data sets is now even more accessible than before. However, while the amount of data is plentiful, analysing and… Read more »
High temperature epoxy resin bushings for windfarm transformers
Turbine designs continue to grow in power size, while reducing the space provided for the transformer in the nacelle area. This presents several challenges in transformer bushing designs, one of which is the considerable increase in the ambient temperature. As a result, H-J has developed a new high-temperature epoxy used on transformer bushings to help… Read more »
US offshore wind energy
Combining European expertise and US content Developing offshore wind energy production facilities presents interesting operational requirements and logistical challenges, especially along the US Northeast Coast. Environmental conditions in the Northeastern US are challenging, harsh and some areas have relatively deep water for production of offshore wind energy. However, GustoMSC does not foresee any insurmountable problems…. Read more »
Tried, tested, improved: adapting and developing processes and assets for the offshore wind industry
With a focus on a greener, cleaner future, governments, environmental charities, energy industry bodies and major energy companies are imposing ambition carbon reduction targets. This has increased the impetus on innovation within the offshore wind industry, and with it, an onus on a reliable and cost-effective supply chain. The International Renewable Energy Agency has reported… Read more »
Hydrogen as an intermediate energy carrier: deep integration unlocks the path to decarbonization of our society
Hydrogen recently emerged as a game changer for the decarbonization of our society. However, its future role needs to be properly defined to avoid both glorification by stakeholders and the perception of it being a ‘golden bullet’ capable of solving all energy issues forever. The use of renewable energies for the ‘green’ power generation is… Read more »
Fiber technology takes shape for blade management
Detecting damage in turbine blades at an early stage can go a long way to ensuring their efficiency is maximised. PES was keen to learn from Fibersail’s Pedro Pinto CEO and co-founder, Carlos Oliveira, co-founder and executive director about the possibilities for using fiber optics in monitoring blade performance and condition. Could it be a… Read more »
Wind turbine construction, installation and maintenance: torque vs tension
Torquing and tensioning are two very different ways to tighten a bolt. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. A wind turbine can contain as many as 25,000 bolts, with each one contributing towards either the turbine’s structural integrity or how it functions. So, it’s worth knowing how both torquing and tensioning work. Before… Read more »
Lift off for efficient, cost-effective turbine assembly
How do you make sure that safety, effectiveness, price-performance ratio and service are all in good shape in wind turbine installation? Manfred Eberhard, CEO of Germany based ematec AG, enlightens PES on how a new generation of rotor blade lifters may be about to revolutionise single blade assembly from the ground up. PES: It’s great… Read more »
Self containment
Hans Gatzemeier, Managing Director at ELA Container Offshore GmbH, talks PES through the advantages of renting offshore containers, the option to buy and the possibility of liveable models complete with fitness studios, kitchen areas and even somewhere to do your laundry. PES: Hello Hans, the last time we talked together was at the beginning of… Read more »
Safe landings with offshore drone inspections
Drone technology is increasingly being used to good effect in the wind industry, freeing up manpower, reducing downtime and putting personnel safety as a top priority. Alex Hall, Chief Technology Officer, Drone Inspect Services tells PES about how the nuts and bolts of the system work and the benefits of managing the entire inspection process… Read more »
Floating offshore wind an essential component of decarbonisation efforts
With the Paris Agreement strengthening the global response to climate change, countries around the world are facing increasing pressure to phase out carbon-intensive fuels in favour of clean energy. Onshore and offshore wind power, especially large-scale floating turbines, can play a leading role in the clean energy revolution, with global capacity expected to increase tenfold… Read more »
Unlocking floating wind’s potential to deliver £43bn and 29,000 jobs for the UK economy
A new vision for the UK’s floating offshore wind sector has been launched today (Wednesday 15th September), summarising the industry’s current status, its progress towards commercialisation and the key enabling actions required to maximise the economic opportunity from its continued development. As the industry convenes in Aberdeen for Floating Offshore Wind 2021, Industrial Leadership: Unlocking the UK’s Floating Wind Potential has… Read more »
Germany’s leading wind fair opens in Husum
Wind industry shows confidence at Husum Wind / 390 exhibitors expect 8,000 trade visitors / Before Bundestag elections: Husum appeal for increased wind expansion published Husum | 14 September 2021 – It is a special day for the wind industry: Husum Wind successfully opened its doors today as a full-presence trade fair. After one and… Read more »
RES, ZX Lidars and KK Wind Solutions develop product to upgrade performance of existing wind farms
ReLACS (Retrofit Lidar Assisted wind farm Control System) retrofits cutting-edge technology to existing wind farms and has been piloted on a TRIG project RES, the world’s leading renewable energy company, alongside ZX Lidars and KK Wind Solutions, has developed a Retrofit Lidar Assisted wind farm Control System (ReLACS) which will improve the performance of existing… Read more »
Scotland’s wind potential to decarbonise oil & gas By Rick Campbell, Head of Offshore at Natural Power
Oil and gas extraction from the North Sea has been a core feature of the global energy market for many decades but whilst the oil and gas sector has been transformational for Scotland, and the UK, our wider commitments to net zero encompass these sectors, and it will mean significant changes are required to meet… Read more »
First agrivoltaic system for carbon-neutral orcharding being tested
As part of the project “APV-Obstbau”, BayWa r.e. and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have cooperated with other research partners to set up an agrivoltaic system for research purposes at the “Bio-Obsthof Nachtwey” in Gelsdorf, Rhineland-Palatinate. It is the first system of its kind in Germany. The total test area for the… Read more »
Sulzer Schmid and ENERTRAG Betrieb improve wind turbine blade inspections with new drone-based lightning protection system testing solution
Zurich, Switzerland, 14 September 2021 – Sulzer Schmid, and ENERTRAG Betrieb have teamed up to provide a new wind turbine blade inspection solution that integrates ENERTRAG Betrieb’s innovative lightning protection systems (LPS) testing solution with Sulzer Schmid’s UAV technology and digital inspection platform. This key innovation will enable LPS testing to be carried out at… Read more »
InfraStrata plc to Trade Under New Harland & Wolff Group Holdings plc Name
InfraStrata plc, the UK quoted company focused on strategic infrastructure projects and physical asset lifecycle management, is pleased to announce it has applied to Companies House to trade under the name Harland & Wolff Group Holdings plc. The company has, over the past 18 months, proceeded through various phases which have included, the acquisition of… Read more »
‘Being there where the wind industry develops’
As a leading energy logistics service provider, DHSS is the single point of contact for offshore energy related companies in the field of ships agency services, port logistics and helicopter operations. ‘We unburden all stakeholders involved in the offshore energy industry; from vessel owners to charterers and service-related companies,’ says Wim Schouwenaar, founder and owner… Read more »
Working smarter while working harder
Achieving true logistic visibility from planning to completion may seem like something of a pipe dream for offshore operators, but can digitizing and automating many processes and linking procurement and operations make it a reality? Jim Hededal Nielsen, CEO & Founder of DECK1, tells PES why he believes it can. PES: A very warm welcome… Read more »
Protect, preserve, repair
Reducing the cost of offshore wind through proactive maintenance, inspection, protection and repair Ambitious environmental targets from governments around the world, including Germany’s 20GW by 2030, and the UK’s commitment to 40GW by 2030, are accelerating the growth of offshore renewables and in particular, offshore wind, which is set to skyrocket over the next decade…. Read more »