The need to recruit people with the right skills is causing worries in the renewables sector as demand for good employees far outstrips supply. With the cost of energy rising rapidly, the need for alternative supplies and people with relevant skills to produce it is producing challenges says Stuart Brown, Practice Head of Energy and… Read more »
Pioneering UK green electricity firm Ecotricity has been highly commended in a national awards ceremony that honours green business. The company, which introduced green electricity as a consumer choice for the first time when it was launched in 1995 was praised for its efforts at the 2008 Barclays Commercial Bank Green Leaders in Business Awards…. Read more »
While the debate over offshore oil drilling in the United States rages, the federal government is looking to lease large swathes of its continental shelf to wind turbine operators. Competition is hotting up to develop wind projects on the shelf, which is currently covered by an oil-drilling ban that has become a contentious issue in… Read more »
Technology launched to cut unnecessary power generation Dynamic demand for electricity is a step closer with the launch of innovative new technology from energy company RLtec. Dynamic demand is a way of managing electricity consumption that delivers significant cost and carbon savings, and is increasingly recognised as a key technology for reducing carbon dioxide emissions…. Read more »
Entries sought for 2009 awards European and global companies in the renewable energy sector are being asked for submissions to the second annual Rosenblatt New Energy Awards. The Awards are being staged at London’s Natural History Museum on Wednesday 25th February 2009 to recognise the achievements of management teams, companies and projects that have made… Read more »
Radical solutions call to reverse carbon levels A call for governments to adopt a ‘global energy technology revolution’ has been made in a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).The report, entitled ‘Energy Technology Perspectives 2008′ indicates that if countries continue with their existing policies, global carbon emissions will rise by 130 per cent while… Read more »
‘Green’ energy spending on rise Global investment in green energy surged ahead in 2007 and has continued to grow this year despite turmoil in financial markets, a report says. Spending on green power last year hit $148bn (£75bn), up 60% from 2006, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said. {pagebreak} Rising oil prices, concerns over… Read more »
Ireland and Scotland unite in green energy plan The Irish and Scottish governments and the Northern Ireland executive are co-operating on a plan for a wind electricity grid linking all three jurisdictions. Energy ministers recently launched the plan to make the case for an offshore wind-power grid operated by all three administrations. {pagebreak} “This… Read more »
Hydro power for city tram system A collaboration to provide hydroelectricity for the tram system in Manchester, UK, comes hot on the heels of an announcement that the UK city will be the second place in Britain to introduce congestion charging. Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) and the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) {pagebreak}… Read more »
European utilities acquire Shell’s stake in world’s largest offshore wind farm The world’s biggest offshore wind farm has been put back on track after the UK energy minister boasted that the technology could attract £3bn investment to the north-east of England alone. A host of wind schemes have been hit by planning delays, cost-inflation fears… Read more »
China is at the cutting edge of photovoltaic manufacturing and Solarfun is one of Asia’s leading companies in the sector. The upswing in PV interest mirrors the company’s rapid growth rate of the last few years and there is confidence this curve can be maintained. We talk to new CEO Harold Hoskens, who has joined… Read more »
With oil prices reaching record levels and natural gas doubling in price over the last two years, the main beneficiaries are wind power and the environment. Manel Romeu Belles, of Danish turbine company Vestas, looks at how the harnessing of the wind is becoming a complement to oil and gas. {pagebreak} Over the last few… Read more »
Wind as a modern energy source: The Vestas View.Wind is an energy source which can help the world’s largest and fastest growing economies to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and on imported energy. {pagebreak} Over the past couple of years, Vestas, the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturer, has experienced tremendous growth, and the company… Read more »
By ramping up production capacity while driving down unit cost through new mass-production technologies and strategies, solar power is poised to reach a much wider market.KUKA Systems’ goal is to pioneer automated manufacturing solutions, including robotized cells and integrated production lines that can be adapted to any type of solar-cell technology, so that a labour-intensive… Read more »
Taking wind turbines to new heights Wind turbines are highly engineered and sophisticated machinery which may operate in wide ambient operating temperatures and extreme environments such as offshore. As a vital asset, it makes good business sense to protect it and prolong its life. Correct lubrication is a critical factor that has been recognised by… Read more »
Detlev Koch, Head of Solar Thin Film, Oerlikon Solar.For the PV industry, this is a time of optimism, historic economic potential and technological progress – and unprecedented challenges. But governments and the private sector alike are betting on our industry to meet the challenges and supply an increasingly larger share of the world’s future electricity… Read more »
PV could represent 25% of global electricity consumption in 2040. Dr Winfreid Hoffmann, President, European Photovoltaic Industry Association.Writing exclusively for PES, Dr. Winfried Hoffmann, President of the EPIA, discusses the current state of the industry and his hopes for a bright future… {pagebreak} The global photovoltaic sector has been growing significantly over the last eight… Read more »
Wind industry ready to boom. European Wind Energy Association Chief Executive Christian Kjaer talks exclusively to PES about how the European Commission’s ongoing efforts to tackle climate change are paving the way for “a massive expansion in wind power”, but certain member states should be reaching to pull their socks up. {pagebreak} In January this… Read more »