As the wind industry maintains and develops on its past successes, the problem of transporting a huge amount of equipment across thousands of miles is one which cannot be ignored. So, what is the state of the industry’s transportation business? Moving wind turbine components from the factory floor to the project site is no easy… Read more »
With offices throughout Europe and the US, Navigant Consulting’s Energy practice helps clients strengthen their enterprises in order to increase performance, opportunity, and growth. PES spoke to Bruce Hamilton, the company’s Director of Energy, in Portland, Oregon, about its success record and about the future of wind and other renewables … PES: Welcome to PES… Read more »
Dr. Robert McCunney is a research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Biological Engineering, a staff physician in occupational and environmental health at Massachusetts General, and a clinical faculty member at the Harvard Medical School. He was the lead drafter of Wind Turbine Sound and Health Effects: An Expert Panel Review. Here,… Read more »
The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is about to release the Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study (EWITS). This unprecedented two-and-a-half year technical study of future high-penetration wind scenarios is designed to analyze the economic, operational, and technical implications of shifting 20 per cent or more of the Eastern Interconnection’s… Read more »
As the world becomes ever more conscious of the need to conserve fossil fuels and move towards greener methods of energy production, the EC’s Joint Research Centre remains at the centre of efforts to spread the word. Here the group gives PES an overview of the current state of play and looks into its crystal… Read more »
The EU was marginalised at Copenhagen. As a consequence, the Copenhagen Accord neither conceptually nor substantively reflected the EU’s original negotiating position. Joseph Curtin of the IIEA believes that this failure must lead to a re-evaluation of its modus operandi in international negotiations if Europe wishes to match its rhetoric of leadership on climate protection… Read more »
PES talks exclusively to Adel El Gammal, Secretary General of the European Photovoltaic Industry Association, to hear his views on PV market perspectives and challenges, and how can solar PV become a mainstream energy supplier in Europe by 2020. PES: Welcome. It’s good to have the EPIA back in the magazine again, how has 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 »
Grid parity for solar power – competitiveness with electricity prices – has for some years been known as the ‘Holy Grail’ of the PV industry, with many speculating on when and where it is likely to be achieved. PES investigates. Obviously, much depends on the amount of sunshine in the skies above. The west coast… Read more »
California-based Paula Mints is widely recognised as one of the foremost experts in the PV industry. For many years she has provided clients with objective, comprehensive industry analysis based on extensive primary research, including her forward-looking understanding of market and technology trends. Her strong background in primary research qualifies her to provide insight into the… Read more »
So: the European super grid. We at PES are broadly enthusiastic about the scheme, but what do our esteemed peers in the wind industry make of it? Here’s what some of them have had to say… “[The] North Sea grid will connect offshore wind to our electricity supply, enabling Europe to exploit its largest untapped… 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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »