Category: Exclusive Articles

Managing Risk and Reducing Project Costs

In a time when energy companies are coming under increasing pressure to reduce costs, the need for reliable and innovative solutions that focus on improving efficiency and optimising ROI has never been more important. A company fully focused on this core objective is the SeaRoc Group. Formed in 2002, SeaRoc Group has almost 15 years’… Read more »

Standards up – costs down

Dr. Til Assmann and Stella Göttel, tells PES about the benefits of using UPDRAFT LS lifting slings. They are strong, precise, lighter, last longer and cost in total, less than traditional lifting slings.. UPDRAFT LS lifting slings provide the strength and precision of heavy wire rope lifting slings at just a fraction of the weight,… Read more »

Whats In A Name Change

Matthias Mroß, Managing Partner Global Renewables Shipbrokers GmbH, tells PES about the current challenges facing the shipping industry. He also explains the GRS name change and their expansion in to other business areas. PES: Welcome back to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about… Read more »

bespoke is the new standard

Growing competition and cost pressure have prompted some companies to delay modernisation projects and new purchases. This decision, while causing a short-term drop in operating costs, will lead to higher operational risks. New maintenance strategies promise high savings potential. However, for power plants and systems in the process industry there is no ‘one size fits… Read more »

Reshaping the Industry

Benchmarking exercise of predicted and actual production losses based on SCADA data (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition). Régis Decoret presents his findings to PES. The need for post construction performance assessmentIt’s nothing new: wind energy is a capital intensive business, meaning that wind farm developers need a significant capital over 
a short period of time… Read more »

New guidelines for marine UXO management

Simon Cooke, Managing Director of 6 Alpha Associates, a specialist risk company with particular expertise in the assessment and management of offshore UXO, who co-authored CIRIA’s report, speaks to PES about the extent of the UXO threat and the current risk mitigation options available to offshore developers. Over 70 years have passed since the end… Read more »

Floating LiDAR technology

Using tried and tested technology it is possible to save the cost and time of installing offshore met masts by using floating LiDAR systems Offshore wind resource assessment: floating LiDAR replacing met mastsInitial wind resource assessment is a critical first step to offshore wind development, and the single most important characteristic of a site is… Read more »

Remote sensing drives down offshore wind costs

Baker Consultants, an ecological consultancy working on various offshore projects including wind developments in the North Sea and the Baltic, has gained a deserved reputation for innovation. PES asked them to expand on the latest in remote sensing technology and how they have developed this into a new ecological surveying service that could aid the… Read more »

Towards life extension

Extending the life of wind turbines is a preoccupation of our industry today. Ángela Angulo, TWI Ltd, tells PES how the TOWERPOWER project will help wind farm owners, operators and insurers collect extremely valuable data. As EU energy policy calls for 20% of the EU’s 3,040 Terra Watt hours per year electricity demand to come… Read more »

Transport Engineering

PES talks to Alejandro Cañas, Head of Special Projects Department at Coordinadora, about growth and logistics. Transport Engineering is their new concept and philosophy in logistics, a unique offer to the offshore wind industry… PES: Welcome back to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little… Read more »

Meet the Innovation

PES discovers the background to GeoSea, part of the DEME group, from Christopher Iwens, General Manager of DEME’s German Subsidiaries. It was also an opportunity to hear about the recently completed work on the offshore windfarm Nordsee One … DEME has a rich history that dates back to 1852. The company has evolved from a… Read more »

Independence: the key to cutting costs

Deutsche Windtechnik Offshore und Consulting GmbH explains to PES how it is possible for them to offer an excellent maintenance service whilst keeping the costs down. They do this by providing a variety of individual service packages through synergies and flexibility…. Maintenance work on offshore wind farms can be a real cost factor for operators…. Read more »

Testing, validation, an opportunity for offshore wind power

Jan Wenske and Maik Wefer of Fraunhofer IWES, show PES how testing should be regarded as a method to accelerate time to market of new designs and stand out by offering approved overall system reliability – instead of restricting the view to the one-time expenses. An opportunity to improve turbines and technology and enhance the… Read more »

Proactive O&M needed in the wind Industry

Minute inspection of turbines, particularly the blades and rigorous data collection using the GEV Habitat means it’s possible to work through all weather. This contributes to proactive O&M and therefore to cost reduction in our industry. We were at a conference for off-shore wind in Boston recently (the US is a core and expanding market… Read more »

A bright future

Guy Auger, CEO of Greensolver, talks to PES about asset management of plants, construction supervision and technical due diligence. He introduces us to the Greensolver index, their benchmarking tool and GreenBoost®. 
Guy is optimistic about the future. PES: Welcome to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining… Read more »

What’s in a name change?

Matthias Mroß, Managing Partner Global Renewables Shipbrokers GmbH, tells PES about the current challenges facing the shipping industry. He also explains the GRS name change and their expansion in to other business areas. PES: Welcome back to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about… Read more »

All in a Spin

Jan Nikolaisen, Co-CEO of ROMO Wind AG, talks to PES about the importance of accurate wind data collection and spinner anemometer technology…. PES: Welcome to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about the background of your organization 
and how you currently serve the wind… Read more »

Making the right decision

Moray Melhuish, director of Rovop, talks to PES about the importance of planning ahead for all eventualities with Rovop’s Integrated Management System….. PES: Welcome back to PES Wind. Would you like to introduce your company and explain a little about how you serve the wind industry? Moray Melhuish: ROVOP is an independent ROV (remotely operated… Read more »

A giant amongst the heavy weights

PES talks with Helder Cavalheiro, Manager of the Wind Division of Sarens Projects, about their work in the on and offshore wind markets… PES: Welcome to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for taking the time to speak with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about the background of your organization and how… Read more »

Optimistic outlook

nke Onnen-Lübben, MD, Seaports of Niedersachsen GmbH talks to PES about the changes in legislation in Germany to wind energy and consequenses to the ports…… PES: Welcome back to the magazine. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about the background of your organization and how you currently serve the wind industry? Inke… Read more »

Due diligence

When wind farms change owners, detailed expertise is in high demand; these projects may involve specific risks that – although not immediately apparent – may result in higher costs, lower energy production than predicted, or liability issues that affect returns on investment and cash flow. It is therefore vital to identify potential risks in advance… Read more »

Financing for wind farms: making consistent use of empirical values

The recently revised TR6 Technical Guideline of the German Public Association of the Renewable Energy Sector (Fördergesellschaft Windenergie (FGW)) is designed to ensure the provision of reliable yield forecasts. Wind reports based on the Guideline play a critical role for producing reliable estimates of the profitability of a wind-farm project. In the past, turbines have… Read more »

The state of wind in Germany

The onshore wind energy market in Germany has seen some turbulent years recently. PES finds out more from Cornelia von Zengen and Silke Lüers, Deutsche WindGuard… The 2014 amendment of the Renewable Energy Law (EEG) implicated the most considerable change since its introduction in 2000, including a new definition of the reference yield model, direct… Read more »

Central Management Systems: under the spotlight

PES hears from Rainer Duus, Project Management & Sales, INTEC, as he discusses the ever growing importance of Central Management Systems within the wind sector…. INTEC Industrial Technologies has stood for highest quality and reliability since its foundation in 1999 in Dietramszell near Munich. In recent years, we have been able to expand our business… Read more »

Sign of the times?

Offshore wind investments in Europe doubled in 2015 to €13.3 Billion in a record year for financing and grid-connected installations. We look at what this means for the future of offshore wind towards 2020. 
2015 proved to be a bumper year for offshore wind investments in Europe with total investment doubling from previous years. A… Read more »

Made to measure or off the shelf?

Klaus Hirzel, CEO at Lufft Mess- und Regeltechnik GmbH, questions why turbine manufacturers have never asked suppliers for their ideal set of environmental sensors…. Taller, more extreme, more reliable: in parallel with the increasing requirements 
on wind turbines, the demands on wind sensors for the monitoring and maintenance of the systems are also on the… Read more »

From small beginnings…

Ton Bos, founding partner and CEO of Mega Wind Force, talks to PES about how curiosity, research and perseverance helped him and his co-founders to launch a new company and develop a new wind turbine … PES: Welcome to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for taking the time to speak with us. Would you like to… Read more »

Excellence in offshore steel

PES talks to Markus Hummel, managing director of mh² offshore GmbH, about this new steel construction company in the offshore wind sector…. PES: Welcome to PES Wind. Would you like to introduce your company and explain a little about how you serve the offshore wind industry? Markus Hummel: The mh² offshore GmbH is a small… Read more »

Case carburizing – The secret ingredient of gearbox longevity

Major forces test wind turbine drivetrains, the long-term reliability of which requires special materials meant for significant wear. Case carburizing ensures a competitive solution for lifetime costs of gearboxes’ planetary stages. Jari Toikkanen, Manager of Moventas’ Conceptual Design & Analysis team, explains more… In a wind turbine gearbox, the greatest torque goes through the planetary… Read more »

A Bright Future for the Ports of Normandy

Jérôme Chauvet Development Manager at the Ports of Normandy (PNA,) talks to PES about current expansion plans and offshore wind in Cherbourg and Caen….. PES: Welcome to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about the background of your organization and how you currently serve… Read more »

Moving with the times

Fred. Olsen Windcarrier prepares for the next generation of offshore wind farms. Since the earliest offshore wind farm was installed just over 20 years ago, the offshore wind industry has been characterised 
by continuous improvement and innovation as firms at all junctures along the supply chain have leapt at the challenge to contribute to reducing… Read more »

Short stay

Brad Hirst, Sales & Marketing Manager, talks in more depth to PES about the value of temporary accommodation rentals… PES: Why are temporary living quarter rental companies critical to the offshore wind supply chain? Brad Hirst: At various stages of an offshore wind project’s life cycle there will be varying workforce needs: i.e. during the… Read more »

Floating in the Wind

Bruno G. Geschier, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Ideol, talks to PES about the growing demand for floating offshore solutions… PES: Welcome to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about the background of your organization and how you currently serve the offshore wind… Read more »

Optimising energy consumption, maximising generating efficiency

PES speaks with Jesús Mayor, Ingeteam Wind Managing Director, for an insight in to the importance of the wind industry, synergy and their think globally act locally philosophy… PES: Welcome to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about the background of your organization and… Read more »