The future is now for autonomous solar panel cleaning

With the increasing demand for renewable energy, solar energy production is rapidly growing around the world and the size of solar plants is increasing as well. More and more nations come to realise the potential of planting solar panels in deserts which creates value on low fertility grounds. Extending up to several million square metres […]

Technologies fit for a new era for utility-scale solar

The deployment of solar PV across the world is on an upward trajectory, with recent reports highlighting the growing popularity of both commercial and utility-scale projects. Despite the disruption of the past 12-18 months, in its most recent Renewable Energy Market Update, the International Energy Agency (IEA), said that in 2020, annual renewable capacity additions […]

Lidar lives

She may have started life in rural England, but today ZX Lidar’s Unit #106 is tramping the complex terrain of Greece, as she helps to pioneer the country’s clean energy transition. ‘Eunice’ may be named after a sea nymph, but she’s really a star when it comes to understanding the wind. Starting life in the […]

Wrestling risk in green projects: take time to think before acting

The increasing attention given to large-scale renewable energy projects over the last five years, has been driven primarily by larger companies. This has included specialist renewable energy organisations, such as Vestas or Orsted, alongside traditional oil and gas companies who are increasing their focus on renewable investment and generation. Some smaller organisations, both upstream energy […]

Lifetime of pipelines transporting H2

Hydrogen is regarded as the alternative energy carrier of the future. However, its transport over long distances calls for a special safety concept. Energy managers wishing to transport hydrogen in existing and new pipelines must furnish evidence of their pipeline’s service life by way of fracture mechanics. TÜV SÜD’s experts supply fracture mechanical analyses as […]

Making plans for plain sailing offshore

In July 2021 the UK government published updated requirements for the supply chain plan element of Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction round 4 (AR4). So, as we move forward and prepare for the next round, we must use experience from previous CfD auctions and share insights into key challenges for developers to consider, particularly in […]

Riding the IoT wave for improved workability

Safe and efficient offshore wind operations are reliant on accurate, instantaneous and trusted information from many parameters including environmentals, such as the sea state or weather conditions. With the advance of digitalisation, a considerable volume of data sets is now even more accessible than before. However, while the amount of data is plentiful, analysing and […]

US offshore wind energy

Combining European expertise and US content Developing offshore wind energy production facilities presents interesting operational requirements and logistical challenges, especially along the US Northeast Coast. Environmental conditions in the Northeastern US are challenging, harsh and some areas have relatively deep water for production of offshore wind energy. However, GustoMSC does not foresee any insurmountable problems. […]

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 […]

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 […]