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 »
Category: Exclusive Articles
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 »
‘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 »
Reducing wind turbine gearbox and bearing failures
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 »
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 »
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 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 »
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 »
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 »
Size Matters!
The photovoltaics market continues to grow: the cumulative installed PV capacity in Europe reached 151.7GW at the end of 2020. The potential for both residential and commercial applications is still huge. But the market requirements change. In addition to larger modules with higher outputs, visual aesthetics play an increasingly important role. This also influences the… Read more »
One-stop-shop solution for wiring PV plants
PV projects are divided into specific phases before the plant is finally connected to the grid. The installation phase in particular is key for success. HIS is there from the start and optimizes the project along the value chain, as well as after the COP. Whether high quality single components, pre-assembled solar cables or individually… Read more »
Thinking small to make it big
PES caught up with Dr. Daniel Faltermeier, Founder and Managing Partner of helioconsult, to see how the pandemic and its aftermath has impacted the market for small scale renewable energy systems. Could flexibility hold the key to high market demand in this sector? PES: Welcome to PES Daniel, it’s great to meet you again. Perhaps… Read more »
Well stored
As residential PV systems are becoming increasingly complex and new technologies come to market, PES was keen to hear from Thomas Haering, Managing Director of GoodWe, about its installer program and how it’s becoming a one-stop-shop for complete storage systems. PES: A warm welcome to PES Thomas, it’s lovely to have you with us. It… Read more »
Keeping clean solar on track
Balancing the ever-rising cost of raw materials against the rate of return is always precarious and never more so since the pandemic and the resulting logistics issues. PES caught up with Arturo Herrero, Chief BD Officer at GameChange to see how he’s using his experience to good effect for EPCs and developers. PES: A very… Read more »
Living in a digital world
The market for sustainable energy is growing and in today’s fast-paced, always-on world giving potential new customers the information they need, when they want it is a challenge for installers and suppliers. The answer lies beyond the online calculator tool. Things are looking good for the PV industry as more and more homeowners are considering… Read more »