Freiburg/Germany, 8th July 2015 – Storage systems manufacturer ASD Automatic Storage Device was yesterday awarded the Baden-Württemberg Environmental Technology Prize (Umwelttechnikpreis) for its innovative control system Pacadu, which considerably boosts the performance and lifespan of storage systems. Every two years, the Ministry of the Environment presents the prize to outstanding products and processes in environmental… Read more »
Hamburg: In May 2015, Senvion connected its 6,000th wind turbine to the public power grid. Eight Senvion 3.0M122 turbines, designed to produce the highest possible yields at low-wind sites, have been running since May 2015 at the Hollich community wind farm in Burgsteinfurt, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Since its inception, the company has installed turbines with… Read more »
In a speech at this year’s Energy Storage Conference and Exhibition, Prof. Dr. Eicke R. Weber, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, stated that: “The energy storage market is in the same situation today as photovoltaics was ten years ago; only development in the area of storage must proceed significantly faster.” Why?… Read more »
We’re once again joined by the CEO of MBJ Solutions, Dr. Michael Fuß. A long-serving industry expert working at the heart of innovation both at home in Germany and further afield, he tells us how MBJ Solutions is performing and offers us his take on the sector. PES: Welcome back to PES. How has business… Read more »
As costs fall, the importance of solar power to senior executives is rising. Is there a downside to the continued ascent of our industry? The shifting sands of the global economy might suggest so… The economics of solar power are improving. It is a far more cost-competitive power source today than it was in the… Read more »
A bustling province with a proven appetite for renewables, Québec is a potential long-term market for wind power. It’s currently entering a busy period of construction and financing, and is ripe for investment. PES investigates. Québec is Canada’s second largest wind energy market after Ontario. In 2003, the government set a target of 4,000 MW… Read more »
29 January 2013. Motorola Mobility has been awarded the WindMade certification label, demonstrating that 66% of the power used in its U.S. operations is covered by wind energy. WindMade is a global consumer label for companies that use wind energy and other renewables. The label, which is backed by the UN Global Compact and conservation… Read more »
2012 will go down as being a watershed year for the solar/PV industry in Europe; a year of consolidation and, for a few, decline. Yet where there is shade there is light, and we’re certainly looking forward to a brighter 2013. In fact, we go into the coming year far stronger than we have for… Read more »
How competitive is the LCOE of crystalline silicon PV plants compared to traditional forms of energy generation? Will the latest R&D developments in batteries significantly strengthen the PV industry? To discuss these among other questions, Schmid Silicon Technology GmbH (SST) organised an international press event (Schmid & SST International Press Meeting IPM) in Dresden on… Read more »
In just a handful of days, the PES team will be packing their bags and heading to Germany for HUSUM WindEnergy 2012 – one of the most relevant and powerful trade fairs on the planet. Naturally, we’ll be unveiling our latest issue while we’re there, and it’s well worth a look. We lead on onshore… Read more »
The GOEDE-Foundation has reached an important milestone with its initiative “Solar Energy for Education”. The first photovoltaic off-grid systems, as well as solar modules and material for further stand-alone PV systems, have arrived in Vietnam after extensive preparations. These off-grid systems are intended for families living on islands in Halong Bay, one of the most… Read more »
We’re delighted to announce that the latest issue of PES Solar/PV: China Edition is out now, and once again it leads the way in solar/PV news and views. The country may be facing challenging times as far as the domestic market is concerned -as is the industry as a whole – but we’re very much… Read more »
Given all the troubling financial news in Europe at the moment, it would be easy to feel jaded by the current situation. But let’s not forget – our industry is one of few that is bucking the trend; we’re still forging ahead, breaking new markets and doing great business. Most of this is due to… Read more »
Summer is fast approaching, but you won’t find us at PES heading off to the coast just yet, for this is our busiest time of year. And it seems, from the many conversations we had at the recent Solarexpo 2011, it’s also a very productive quarter for many of you. It was encouraging to witness… Read more »
The gloom of winter has well and truly passed, but you won’t find us at PES heading off to the coast for our summer break just yet, for this is our busiest time of year. And it seems, from the feedback we receive from you, it’s also a very productive quarter for the wind industry in general. Of… Read more »
We at Power and Energy Solutions would like to wish all of our friends in the solar/PV industry a very happy and prosperous new year. 2010 turned out to be a landmark year for all of us, with increased capacity despite the economic downturn. And with the same focus, dedication and vision, we’ll ensure that… Read more »
It’s been noted before that war drives innovation. From cling film to aerosols, digital cameras to cold medicine and GM foods to Google, many of the gadgets and conveniences enjoyed today can be traced back to conflict. It’s therefore encouraging to learn that the US military has recently announced that it aims to use 50% renewable energy within ten… Read more »
The GRIDS 2010 conference & exhibition, organised by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) will provide policy-makers, industry leaders and engineering experts with a platform to debate the issues surrounding the design, planning and building of new European electricity infrastructure that will meet Europe’s energy, consumer and climate needs. · Top speakers representing all stakeholders:… Read more »
It would be too easy for us, as champion of wind power, to focus on the desperate situation that befell the Gulf of Mexico earlier this year. The oil spill has been ruinous and BP’s reputation was severely damaged, but it’s encouraging to know that the company is still pressing ahead with its wind energy division. It’s an area… Read more »
Welcome to this, the latest PES e-newsletter, which comes in advance of our latest printed issue, and prior to HUSUM Wind Energy 2010. We’re once again proud to be media partners at this essential event and are looking forward to meeting many of you there. By all means come and say hello if you see… Read more »
We at PES have been marvelling at the inexorable growth of the offshore industry in recent months, having witnessed a raft of new project announcements from all corners of the globe. The US, Germany, Spain, Scotland and a host of other nations have all finally come around to the power of offshore energy, but we… Read more »
We at PES, like many of you reading this, are currently preparing for Valencia and the 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition. We’re proud to be media partners and you’ll find our latest publication in abundance at the show. We’ll also be meeting up with many of you there – if you’d like… Read more »
With BP still struggling to plug its broken deep-water well in the Gulf of Mexico and end what appears to be the worst oil spill in American history, these should be sunny days for investors in the clean business of renewable energy – particularly solar/PV. Unfortunately, as the European industry is acutely aware, solar depends… Read more »
Like many of our readers, PES has recently returned from the Windpower 2010 convention in Dallas, Texas, full of optimism for the coming year. It proved to be a watershed event, and one that we very much enjoyed – not least because we got to meet so many of you. What was particularly illuminating about… Read more »
Newport Corporation was formed in 1969 to provide vibration control solutions for laser-based laboratory applications. In the 40 years since, as technology has advanced, the company has grown and developed significantly and now offers a comprehensive range of products meeting the needs of the optical industry. We spoke to Ron Hartmayer, Director of Marketing, PV… Read more »
Welcome to this, the latest issue of PES e-news, which heralds our latest print edition – out now. Published to coincide with Windpower 2010, the industry’s biggest conference and exhibition devoted to the wind energy industry, PES North America is currently being couriered to all our subscribers. We’re also an official media sponsor for the… 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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »