Since our jump into the façade market, we’ve encountered multiple technology-combinations on façades, which make a lot of sense and left us scratching our heads, thinking, why hasn’t this been done before? The answer turns out to be deceptively simple: PV hasn’t really been a building element until now. Seeing other companies use our products… Read more »
With over 500 GW of installed capacity, photovoltaic power generation has long since become a global industry. Financial and economic interests depend on the reliable production of PV energy. The German PV expert, Solare Datensysteme, has specialized in monitoring PV power generation since 2007. Solar-Log™ data loggers and the Solar-Log WEB Enerest™ online portal offer… Read more »
LOSER CHEMIE GmbH, Chemische Werke Tangermünde GmbH and FRESITEC GmbH are merging and bundling their expertise in to the LFFICIENCY Holding. Why? So far, many related technologies of recovery of precious raw materials have been located in various holding companies. In order to be able to offer our customers even more consistent solutions from a… Read more »
‘Observe the evening red sky, which gives a reliable forecast of fair weather next day’. We’ve all heard this expression, which has a long history and valid phenomena for mid latitude regions. What is behind the ordinary bright and white sunlight, which is actually composed of a spectrum of colors that grade from violets and… Read more »
In the past decade, significant progress has been made to move the world towards a cleaner era in electricity production. Investment in renewables and advancing technology has resulted in a decrease in the overall cost of generating renewable power. In solar photovoltaic power, this decrease has been particularly marked. The cost of generation has plummeted… Read more »
Data is the cornerstone of every energy project. Whether it is wind resource data for the purpose of project development, operational data used in the monitoring and optimisation of an existing power plant or power performance data used in the verification and acceptance testing of existing or newly installed individual turbines, the need for low… Read more »
We all know the importance of a good pit crew during a pit stop in a race. Team members work closely together to have the racecar optimized and back on the track as soon as possible. The same idea and spirit for service teams apply to wind turbines. ZF Wind Power’s service organization works closely… Read more »
Theresa Trevor, Director of Marketing, SkySpecs brings PES her view on how to improve efficiency in our industry, by the use of data: not just its collection. Digitization is the answer. The past two years have revealed the near-term need for digital transformation of the energy industry in order to maximize ROI and minimize risk… Read more »
At great heights, maintenance technicians around the world ensure that wind turbines reliably deliver energy to private households and industry. Employees cannot do without fall protection. In most cases, a rescue device stored on a wind energy plant is also indispensable for their safety. This is the only way they can leave their workplace quickly… Read more »
Wind power transport requires extreme precision during the planning phase. The route choices and changes required by the roads can be anticipated during the planning phase, but the changing weather conditions in northern Europe can still surprise. The northern conditions require special transport expertise and an ability to act even in unforeseen circumstances. When large… Read more »
The 1962 Bob Dylan lyrics ‘The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind’ was somewhat prophetic to the surge of renewable energy, led by wind, as the answer to eliminate fossil fuels and non-renewable sources on our planet. Most people support renewable energy, and the battle tends to be how quickly to move off… Read more »
Renewable energy has a key role to play in powering Turkey’s future. A quarter of Turkey’s energy now comes from renewable sources. The government plans to aggressively increase this proportion to 30% by 2023. Turkey’s daily electricity generation from wind recently hit a new record, with 16.8% of the nation’s electricity being generated from wind… Read more »
The offshore wind market is growing rapidly. Therefore, the demand for equipment and services to support its growth is sure to rise with it. Together, the UK and Germany, account for over two-thirds of the total offshore wind power installed worldwide, and the UK has an established track record in exporting physical manufactured products. Does… Read more »
Trygve Espeland, naval architect for the Norwegian ship design company ESNA is enthusiastic about new suppliers and equipment for the high-speed ship vessel sector. He gives PES his thoughts on the new, exciting, electric solutions for high speed vessels. Electric propulsion solutions are something we have been looking at for many years, but there haven’t… Read more »
As the renewable energy industry continues to grow globally, the amount of maintenance required grows with it. Wind turbines and solar farms need regular inspections to ensure they are functioning optimally. With all those inspections comes a mountain of data. Data that needs to be sorted, stored, and converted into actionable steps regarding part replacements… Read more »
In recent weeks, the UK offshore wind community welcomed the UK Government’s new Offshore Wind Sector Deal – which will see £250 million being invested into the sector. Emma Harrick, Business Development Manager for Renewables at A&P Group tells PES what it means for her company and the wind industry in general. The Sector Deal… Read more »
The offshore wind market in the U.S. is about to take off and there are enormous growth projections. For the installation of the first wave of U.S. wind parks starting in 2020, European built and operated installation jack-ups will be needed, because currently no U.S. built jack-ups have the capacity to install the turbines. Nor… Read more »
Our renewable electricity energy needs are growing in a world that is constantly evolving. The market requires more renewable energy for less money. The reduction of government subsidies means that the industry needs to start looking for ways to increase its efficiency. More energy for less money There are different possibilities for lowering the levelized… Read more »
As recent zero-subsidy projects show, the cost of wind energy is decreasing at an impressive rate. Nonetheless, production and maintenance costs remain high compared with rival sectors. One key route to decreasing overheads is the effective use of performance data. In many similar industries, data is used to streamline maintenance systems and reduce O&M costs… Read more »
While more than seven decades have now passed since the end of WWII, the remnants still remain in the North Sea today. It is common practice for Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) to be found during offshore projects, with potential to pose a threat to offshore work and vessels, particularly when laying pipelines and cables in the… Read more »
With the continuous progression of the offshore wind industry we find more operators than ever searching for effective and efficient solutions to their operations. In the wind energy sector, modular units can be placed on a huge variety of vessels and barges to accommodate the manpower required during the commissioning phase of the projects. Accommodation… Read more »
Our climate is changing. Extreme weather events will become the new standard, temperatures are rising around the globe. Only a few degrees more already means immense consequences for ecosystems, economic sectors and human health across Europe and worldwide. The WWF analyzed that climate change causes around half of all animal and plant species, in the… Read more »
The rapid market expansion, in offshore generated wind power, requires a new approach towards offshore access for maintenance of wind generators. Two experts in access systems, Willem Prins and Marco Klitsie, developed a totally new and patented access method for which solid investors and building partners have already been found. The EAGLE-ACCESS SYSTEM will be… Read more »
High-quality wind resource data is essential for investors and developers looking to guarantee the accuracy of financial modelling – all the more so as the decline in subsidy tariffs, both in the UK and further afield, leave little margin for error. When it comes to guaranteeing the accuracy of this data, industry conversations have typically… Read more »
The battery market is seeing unprecedented interest and investment. This comes from existing battery manufacturers, vehicle makers, chemical companies, energy suppliers and others, with many businesses moving outside their traditional comfort zones. However, amid all the positive announcements, return on investment has so far been slight. Companies, whether new entrants or existing businesses, face significant… Read more »
The price per megawatt used to be the sole decision-making criteria in sustainable energy sources. Now the tide is beginning to turn – the whole energy value chain needs to be taken into account when assessing feasibility. Power purchase agreements are on the rise. Most active are those energy intensive players who see sustainability and… Read more »
ZF is a leading pioneer in cost-efficient wind turbines. The reduction of Levelized Cost of Energy (LCoE) is their principal aim. The SHIFT platform concept means it’s now possible to optimize gearboxes for specific-site loads. PES wanted to know more. LCoE of wind energy happens with big evolutions in wind technology. Big is important. There… Read more »
When it comes to occupational safety, emergency rescue plans are a critical factor that should not be overlooked. Every company is obliged to create these as part of a risk assessment — including the wind energy industry, which employs tens of thousands of people. For example, if an accident occurs during maintenance or servicing of… Read more »
When you look ahead are you able to say with confidence that your business, organization, or community is truly prepared for a radically different future of energy? It’s the time of year when demand on the world’s energy systems peak. Summer in many parts of the world means that electrical grids are working overtime to… Read more »
Since 2016 MegaWindForce has been working on a special type of wind turbine with remarkable characteristics. The team found a way of improving electricity production by leaving off 1/3 of the blade! Innovative carbon production methods make this attainable. A worldwide patent was granted on this invention. With the growth of the size of turbine… Read more »
Deutsche Windtechnik operates a unique Training Center with actual turbines from various manufacturers. In a time in which technology, systems, processes and learning methods are constantly changing, it is important to train your company staff using intelligent, agile methods. The much-discussed shortage of skilled workers also highlights the need for targeted management of competencies within… Read more »
Over the years, Jo van Montfort, from Bjond b.v.b.a. has convinced PES that the wind industry needs to look beyond standards and protocols to reduce the maintenance costs of turbines. It seems incredible that companies don’t seem to realise that they are not getting the best out of their coatings, despite what the tests say…. Read more »
In the manufacturing process of its products, Pfeiffer Vacuum does not only attach importance to advanced technologies and highest quality standards but also to energy and resource efficiency, as these are important features of our corporate philosophy. Efficient solutions, with significant cost savings can be provided to customers, by incorporating these features in Pfeiffer Vacuum… Read more »
The importance of recycling in the solar/PV industry is globally recognized. PES has followed LOSER CHEMIE for a long time. This new joint venture takes them nearer the goal of 100% reuse of the discarded products and materials and also provides support to the industry in various other ways. Whether or not this story shall… Read more »
It might sound like bringing sand to the beach, but in the PV sector a lot of friction inside business processes is still accepted. Looking at business processes in PV, several fields and several players can be identified. We at PES were intrigued by this statement from Stefan Wagner, Head of Marketing & Sales at… Read more »
It’s been three years since the founding of Kameleon Solar and I find myself, only now, writing the first in-depth article about our company. It’s not that we’ve never had news worth sharing, as you will find, there have been plenty of milestones. Your first publication largely defines who you are as a company, and… Read more »