Around the year 2000, wind turbines of around 1MW and 70m in diameter were common but 20 years later, giants are now being installed. This is especially so offshore, where barriers to installation are lessened. Siemens Gamesa’s latest 14MW offshore wind turbine, with its 222-meter rotor diameter, dwarfs its immediate predecessors and even larger turbines… Read more »
Author: Francesco
Offshore energy in a changing world
The world is changing. The industry is changing. The need to innovate and transform are key in remaining relevant and future-proof. This is true during the COVID-19 period, and it will be so after the pandemic. The world did not stop spinning the last year and the energy transition is shifting into higher gear. Companies… Read more »
Year zero: building our energy future faster
The Global Offshore Wind (GOW) conference and exhibition is returning in a convenient hybrid format this September. It will provide an exciting opportunity for individuals across the offshore wind sector to immerse themselves in the latest news, challenges, solutions and trends within the field. There will be government updates, company insights and interactive discussions with… Read more »
High-performance visibility measurement
Wind energy is one of the forefront sources society has come to depend on as a clean energy solution. Of course, there are always challenges when it comes to implementing new solutions. Wind turbines are a key component of wind energy generation but are known to have some drawbacks that make them less desirable to… Read more »
Critical bolting demands innovative thinking
The wind industry has a huge number of bolted joint connections and for the most part they are critical to both performance of the turbine and safety of those working on or around it. The primary installation method for assembly of equipment, construction of turbines and for maintenance is the tightening and checking of threaded… Read more »
Q CELLS reaches agreement to license use of its patent-protected technology with a German solar module manufacturer
Agreement allows unnamed German solar company access to Q CELLS’ patent-protected cell passivation technology. [Berlin, Germany, September 13, 2021] Q CELLS has today announced that it has entered into a license agreement with a German solar module manufacturer to allow the company access to Q CELLS’ patent-protected solar cell passivation technology. The terms of the… Read more »
Hydrogen innovation set to drive 17,000 green jobs in Britain’s industrial heartlands, new research shows
Planned hydrogen innovation projects could create over 17,000 high-tech, green jobs in Britain’s industrial heartlands, new research published by Energy Networks Association (ENA) reveals today. £4.4bn of investment is proposed in developing hydrogen gas grids to help reduce carbon emissions from Britain’s six Industrial Clusters, where strategically important heavy industries such as chemicals, iron, steel,… Read more »
The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy has today released outline details of the pot capacities and caps for the Contracts for Difference Auction Round 4 to be held in December 2021.
Responding, Claire Mack, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, said: “This auction comes at a crucial time for the UK’s climate leadership and I’m very pleased to see that greater renewable capacity will be unlocked by what is being set out today, particularly recognising Scotland’s offshore expertise and ambition. “While we are pleased that a balanced… Read more »
O&M equipment for solar parks from a single source
SunBrush® mobil and AVANT SA establish sales office in South Africa Lachen, Germany, September 13, 2021. With immediate effect, solar park operators and operation and maintenance companies from South Africa and Namibia can purchase SunBrush® mobil cleaning equipment made in Lachen, Germany, with the matching loader vehicles from AVANT. For this purpose, the expert for… Read more »
Plant inspections on the fly
Move over drones, could airplanes be the next big thing for site inspections? PES had a conversation with Wesii CEO, Mauro Migliazzi to find out why he believes the advantages of this solution will forever change the way the solar industry inspects PV plants. PES: A very warm welcome back to PES Solar Mauro, it’s… Read more »
Recycled rubber components: engineering more sustainable products for the solar market
TCT-Europe is a UK based, European company focused on the design, engineering, prototyping and volume manufacturing, using compression moulding, of products made from recycled rubber crumb. The company was set up three years ago, with operations in the UK and Poland, to take advantage of the growing innovation in sustainable materials emerging in Europe. According… Read more »
A partner with forward thinking solutions
Facing the fast and dynamically growing photovoltaic (PV) capacity worldwide, the market leader for PV connections is prepared to serve and improve the safety of this still young industry. Stäubli Renewable Energy offers tailored services along the PV project lifecycles for eBoS (electrical Balance of System) applications and is investing in product innovation, resources and… Read more »
Why AC coupled doesn’t hold up in a blackout
Do you know the difference between AC and DC coupled connections? Is it even relevant to most people thinking of investing in energy storage? What does an AC battery do when compared with a DC version? Which is best for back-up power in a power outage? These are just some of the questions people regularly… Read more »
Clear thinking
As the world steers its way towards carbon neutrality and the immediate effects of climate change are brought into ever sharper focus, Claire Gardner, Marketing Manager, Europe, at Solis spoke to PES about what the future may have in store and how solar technology looks set to play its part. PES: It’s great to welcome… Read more »
The future is now for autonomous solar panel cleaning
With the increasing demand for renewable energy, solar energy production is rapidly growing around the world and the size of solar plants is increasing as well. More and more nations come to realise the potential of planting solar panels in deserts which creates value on low fertility grounds. Extending up to several million square metres… Read more »
The path to climate neutrality
Being ‘climate neutral’ means only releasing as much greenhouse gas as can be recaptured or absorbed. Many nations have set themselves this goal, however the path to doing so is lengthy and exacting on all involved. Germany, for instance, has declared its intention to be climate neutral by 2045. To do this in the time… Read more »
Grid-forming takes charge
Grid-forming is an emerging technology that allows solar and inverter-based energy sources to power up the grid independently. We spoke with Blair Reynolds, product manager for energy storage with SMA America, about his perspective on the technology, case studies and how the future of the industry may change in response to grid-forming. PES: It’s lovely… Read more »
Vegetation management has a robotic future
Renu Robotics, based in San Antonio, Texas, is developing new innovations in autonomous technology for the renewable energy industry. PES spoke to CEO Tim Matus to learn more. PES: Tim, tell us how Renu Robotics is serving the renewable energy industry – particularly solar – and what’s the latest on the company’s innovations? Tim Matus:… Read more »
The sun as a natural power plant
Powerful vacuum technology and reliable tightness control for improved efficiencies of solar receivers When solar energy for electricity generation is discussed, photovoltaic systems most often come to mind. However, concentrated solar power systems are gaining popularity as an interesting alternative. In this type of power plant, collector systems concentrate sunlight and collect it on an… Read more »
ISO 9060: 2018 reflects the reality much better than its predecessor
In late 2018, the ISO 9060 standard for solar radiometers underwent a remarkable update that brought significant changes to the classification of solar radiation measurement quality. At first glance, ISO 9060:2018 appears to be mainly a renaming of radiometer classification launched in the original version from 1990. But, as often, the devil is in the… Read more »
Reaching cost-efficient climate neutrality: the essential reboot of the European PV Industry
Climate neutrality by 2050. That is the stated goal. But how does Europe achieve it? The European Photovoltaic (PV) sector has faced an era of rapid and complex change over the past two decades. If we flashback to the early 2000s, some argued that European PV manufacturing growth would be continuous and dominant. That did… Read more »
Quality made in Germany
In Rangsdorf, 30 minutes outside Berlin, surrounded by beautiful fields and lakes, an impressive building appears. This is where Germany’s only manufacturer of solar mounting systems, Mounting Systems GmbH, is located. The company specialises in the development and manufacture of the entire product range for pitched and flat roofs, as well as solar carports and… Read more »
Solar powering the digital oilfield
What exactly is meant by the digital oilfield? From its origins in the early 1970s when the first pressure/temperature gauges were fitted into subsea wells and data logging via satellite began, the digital oilfield concept has evolved from simple data gathering activity to the automation, control, and optimization of nearly every process involved upstream (exploration,… Read more »
Hochiki life safety products are the ‘go to’ brand when it comes to keeping one of the UK’s biggest offshore wind farms operating safely
For a country once solely reliant on coal to power its homes and businesses, the UK is now the leader in offshore wind energy. Encouragingly, today 44% of the UK’s electricity comes from renewable sources – a figure expected to grow to meet the UK’s climate goals of net-zero emissions by 2050 and 40 GW… Read more »
FuturaSun PV modules for the largest photovoltaic installation ever built in Latvia
This summer, on the roof of SIA Lyngson’s production building, the largest solar panel park in Latvia was completed. The project was successfully implemented in cooperation with the largest Latvian private energy group AJ Power and has a total capacity of 489 kW generated by 1580 FuturaSun photovoltaic panels. Currently, it is the biggest solar panel… Read more »
Offshore wind Roadmap sets out path to growing Scottish and UK content
Report sets out baseline of Scottish content for the first time, with clear route map and priorities for action, helping industry track and deliver commitments within ScotWind Leasing programme Scottish onshore supply chain has opportunity to grow and support floating offshore wind installation A new Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council report has set a clear… Read more »
KENZFIGEE UK EXPAND TO NEW MULTI-PURPOSE SITE TO SUPPORT INCREASED DEMAND IN OFFSHORE OIL & GAS AND WIND SECTORS
KenzFigee, a well-established lifting, handling and service specialist of tailor-made equipment for the marine, offshore and wind energy industry, is delighted to announce the opening of the new UK office, workshop and storage facility at Brechin (Angus), 35 miles south of Aberdeen. The new site at Brechin Business Park (Scotland) has been chosen to allow… Read more »
New Project Director for WindEnergy Hamburg and NORTEC
Hamburg, 9 June 2021 – Andreas Arnheim became new Project Director for WindEnergy Hamburg and NORTEC on 1 September 2021. He follows Anja Holinsky who has taken on responsibilities in business development at Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH. Andreas Arnheim has been a Project Manager for WindEnergy Hamburg since 2012. He was previously employed as… Read more »
Revolutionary mounting solution for sandwich roofs
AEROCOMPACT launches patented support system for PV installations Satteins, Austria, Sept. 9, 2021. The Austrian expert in PV mounting solutions AEROCOMPACT has developed a new support system for solar power systems on sandwich panels. The patented racking system is the first solution on the market that neither stresses nor damages the panels as it transfers… Read more »
Toshiba’s Polymer Film-Based Perovskite Large-Area Photovoltaic Module Reaches Record Power Conversion Efficiency of 15.1%
Contributing to carbon-neutrality by advancing practical application of light and flexible next-generation photovoltaic modules that can be widely installed TOKYO—Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502), the world-leader in development of perovskite photovoltaic modules for next-generation solar power generation, has developed a new coating method for the perovskite layer that boosts power conversion efficiency (PCE) to 15.1% for… Read more »
dship Carriers Expands Its Fleet by Two Further Vessels
Hamburg, Germany, September 9, 2021 – dship extends its fleet with two further general cargo vessels: EemsliftDafneandEemsliftNadine.TheirdeliveryisscheduledforSeptember2021. Both vessels have a deadweight (DWAT) of 4,200 metric tons and on-board cranes with a combined lifting capacity of up to 300 metric tons. They are certified for open hatch sailing and will be serving dship’s clients in… Read more »
Q CELLS successfully develops, sells 50 MW Spain solar PV plant to NextPower III
Q CELLS successfully developed the Agenor project in Spain, and sold a 100% equity stake to NextPower III ESG (“NPIII ESG”), NextEnergy Capital’s international institutional solar fund, in June. Now the construction work is in full swing. [Berlin, Germany, September 9, 2021] Q CELLS’ Green Energy Solutions (GES) division has successfully developed a new 50… Read more »
Green Investment Group acquires vanguard offshore wind development project in the west of Ireland
GIG acquires Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta, the developer of the Sceirde Rocks offshore wind farm, in Galway, Ireland Sceirde Rocks is a proposed 400 MW offshore wind farm, capable of generating enough energy to power the equivalent of up to 295,000 homes. Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG) has acquired Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta, the developer of the… Read more »
Bifacial solar modules: how to measure them in production
Abstract Bifacial modules are entering the large-scale solar installation market. This article briefly describes the technology behind bifacial modules and focusses on what is needed to measure them with a sun simulator to show the extra power gain they provide. The procedures described here are based on the Technical Specification IEC 60904-1-2:2019, touching also on… Read more »
Keeping an eye on video technology
It is the nature of the beast that solar parks are often sited in remote locations and with so many valuable components, keeping them secure from theft and vandalism can be a challenge. PES had a great interview with Marc Thurn, CEO of LivEye International Group, along with his colleagues Arkadiusz Plaskowicki, CCO, LivEye International… Read more »
Prevention is better than cure
Video surveillance provides an excellent deterrent against intruders on solar farms. Just as the technology never switches off, neither does the research and production of the systems themselves, particularly when it’s in such high demand. Providing remote video monitoring for solar farms is a 24/7 operation so it’s perhaps only fitting that the production of… Read more »