Category: Exclusive Articles

Blustery winds onshore in Latin America

S&P Global Ratings rated its first onshore wind project in 2003. Since then, the renewable energy sector has undergone tremendous expansion. In the past decade alone, its compound annual growth rate has totalled 20%, thanks largely to the rising awareness of how using fossil fuels for power generation contributes to climate change. In Latin America… Read more »

Ultrasonic clamp load testing: the best way to ensure correct bolt pretension

Achieving the correct bolt pretension is essential in assuring bolted joint integrity. Bolted joints are critical when ensuring the safe operation of wind turbines or other similar bolted connections. In this context, ultrasonic measurement has proven to be a very accurate and cost-effective solution when installing new bolts, as well as when evaluating existing bolts… Read more »

Don’t make public approval of your wind plans the most difficult part of your projects

Although wind power remains broadly powerful as a renewable resource, opposition to wind farms is nothing new. For supporters, wind seems to offer something for everyone: carbon-free electricity, construction and maintenance jobs, and competitive utility rates. Still, wind farms are not accepted by all, and criticism of new wind installations around the world has effectively… Read more »

Renewing the energy industry

PES wanted to know more about how Peterson is applying a collaborative approach, together with transferring expertise and know-how to become a top player in offshore wind and renewables logistics. Sander G van Helvoort, Business Manager Wind & Renewables, Peterson was happy to help with this. The global energy industry is currently under-going a change… Read more »

World class state of the art asset management leads renewable energy optimisation

The past ten years has seen a massive step change in the renewable energy sector. It is becoming one of the most innovative industries, continually evolving to deliver greater value to wind farm owners and to provide a future-proof solution for our global energy demands. With the demise of subsidy driven economics, the industry has… Read more »

How to break the vicious cycle of extreme weather and energy security, whilst saving money

The battery storage market is expanding and domestic and community users are expected to install small-scale batteries. This is linked to coal phase out and cold waves, such as The Beast from the East. PES invited Keith Robertshaw, Business Development Director from N-ERGY Power Solutions to clarify the link and explain why the batteries market… Read more »

Surveying the offshore scene

We look into the increasing importance of geophysical and geotechnical pre surveys in the offshore wind market. MMT is a Marine survey company that is leading the way in this specialist area. PES: Welcome back to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. For the benefit of our new readers would you like to… Read more »

Modular accommodation: flexible assistance to the offshore wind sector

With the continuous progression of the offshore wind industry we find more operators than ever searching for effective and efficient solutions to their operations. In the wind energy sector, modular units can be placed on a huge variety of vessels and barges to accommodate the manpower required during the commissioning phase of the projects. Accommodation… Read more »

Outsmart the future with digitalisation

Wind energy is proven to be a reliable way of producing clean renewable energy, and the net inflow of financial investors reflects that the industry has matured. Wind energy is clean and safe and simply constitutes a smart investment. The business will, however, see some challenges going forward. Generating new electricity has always depended on… Read more »

How can the offshore sector finance hybrid power?

The offshore industry is now recognising the potential of utilising hybrid power linked to innovative propulsion systems. However, the cost of adopting hybrid technology on retrofit projects and new vessels requires a viable business case to justify higher capital expenditure (CAPEX). Offshore maritime cannot afford to go ‘green’ for no reason; there simply is not… Read more »

Heading for new shores: emerging markets drive global offshore wind growth

Offshore wind is all the rage right now, competing without subsidies, floating into deeper waters with new foundation designs and bigger turbines. For all its promise, however, offshore wind remains mostly a European affair, with more than 15 gigawatts of capacity installed in European waters by the end of 2017 and less than two gigawatts… Read more »

Offshore wind: great expectations

PES once again brings you an inside preview, this time of Global Offshore Wind 2018. Don’t miss out, book your tickets and come along to the biggest offshore conference of 2018. The industry is currently on a high and there is expectancy in the air. Offshore wind has massive potential. But what are the pathways… Read more »

The next generation offshore access system

The rapid market expansion, in offshore generated wind power, requires a new approach towards offshore access for maintenance of wind generators. Two experts in access systems, Willem Prins and Marco Klitsie, developed a totally new and patented access method for which solid investors and building partners have already been found. The EAGLE-ACCESS SYSTEM will be… Read more »

Reduce costs using light weight slings

Lindø Industrial Park saves time and manpower by replacing heavy polyester slings with lightweight Dynamica SafeLift slings manufactured in Dyneema®. The industrial park on Funen has a great experience with the handling and shipping of large components for the offshore and heavy industry. The industrial zone in Odense is, amongst other things, a collection point… Read more »

Heavy lifting capacity combined with low maintenance costs

Blaaholm designed and manufactured the Davit Crane because of the increased weight of future wind turbine components, which puts greater demands on crane capacity and the demand for savings on service costs from their customers. PES sat down with Torben Blaaholm to find out more about this crane’s innovative features. The new crane offers the… Read more »

Worldwide tailor made chartering solutions

Mads Poulsen, Sales and Chartering Manager, BBC Chartering, Esbjerg, got together with PES to share his optimism on the outlook for the wind industry. He also talks about working with the bigger and bigger component sizes we are seeing today. Their worldwide offices mean they are more than well positioned to meet their customers’ needs…. Read more »

Innovative developments: increasing the reliability of power electronic modules in wind turbine applications

The search for reliability in the renewable energy sector is an ongoing one. Increasing reliability in wind turbine parts reduces downtime and costs while allowing for a constant flow of power to the grid. Also, by finding new ways to improve processes and reduce the time and effort taken to identify and replace faulty parts,… Read more »

Walk to Work solutions take flight for the offshore wind market

The offshore wind market is set to grow six-fold by 2030. A recent report states that the UK, Germany, The Netherlands, and China will drive forward the development of new fields over the next decade, while Taiwan and the US will become more prominent gigawatt markets. The latest wind farm to be developed in Europe… Read more »

Buyer beware!

Jose Vega-Lozano, Director at Aerial Vision Ltd, gives PES a thought provoking look in to the world of UAV providers. He suggests caution and questioning before deciding who to use: make sure your chosen company can deliver what you need and what you expect. There are many drone services out there, but which one is… Read more »

Caught in the investigators’ GSM network

The future of solar farm security lies in communications technology. And in an optimised cooperation between security service providers and authorities. PES wanted to find out what advancements had been made at viamon since last hearing from them. Worldwide – but especially in sun-drenched regions such as the so-called Sun Belt near the equator –… Read more »

Made in Germany

Gordon Clements, General Manager Residential Power & Energy VARTA Storage GmbH, caught up with PES, during his very busy schedule, to bring us up to date with the latest news from this innovative company. PES: Welcome to PES Solar/PV publication. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about… Read more »

New opportunities: why the UK market for battery storage systems is relevant to us

The battery market has gained added momentum. There is now a global awareness that renewable energies can only be successfully expanded in combination with efficient energy storage. The greatest efficiency – and profit margin – is currently offered by battery storage systems, as this technology is already extremely advanced. At Tesvolt we specialise in high-performance… Read more »

Mini-grid solutions: the available options

Mini-grids have become the solution for efficient and economic electrification in developing countries and in remote areas. PES gets an overview of the different configurations available from Pablo Muñoz, Technical Support Manager at Studer Innotec*. He will also be a guest speaker, at the Intersolar Europe Conference 2018, on this topic. PES: Welcome to PES… Read more »

Bankability and quality

Olivier Haldi, Global Business Development Photovoltaics and Alternative Energies, met up with PES to share the reason behind the recent rebranding from Multi-Contact to Stäubli Electrical Connectors and the importance of using high-quality components. PES: Welcome back to PES Solar/PV magazine. Thanks for talking with us. For the benefit of our newer readers, would you… Read more »

Don’t play with PV power

PV energy has become indispensable for power companies. About 390 GW are installed around the world and a growth of 113 GW is expected this year. PES investigates the importance of monitoring. Why PV monitoring is important There are many reasons for the success of PV energy. It is decentralised, has a simple technology and,… Read more »

The quest for better performance and cost savings

Dr.-Ing. Stefan Rinck, CEO Singulus Technologies AG, caught up with PES to tell us about the latest business activities and technology.This is a company which makes a significant contribution to the solar/PV market. It is innovative and always strives to improve performance and save costs. PES: Welcome back to PES Solar/PV magazine. Thanks for talking… Read more »

Pump down curves and their information value

Pfeiffer Vacuum are specialists in vacuum technology. They provide the highest quality testing in order to provide top class products. Here we learn about the importance of the pump down curves and the different materials that can affect them. Displaying and interpreting processes in different vacuum ranges Pump down curves are a popular control instrument… Read more »

The life of a PV system: thinking on a 20 year timeline

PES asked Tyler Ogden, Lux Research Inc. to give us his expert viewpoint on the longevity of PV systems. Lux Research is a leading provider of research and advisory services, helping clients drive growth through technology innovation. Utility-scale systems are now a competitive choice for electricity supply, with bids undercutting conventional sources of generation in… Read more »