DNV announces that it has obtained accreditation by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) for power quality testing on wind turbines. The DNV Seattle office, which obtained the accreditation, now provides power quality testing services to global customers along with accredited power performance, acoustic, and loads measurement services. A2LA’s accreditation for power quality testing… Read more »
EDF EN GREECE, awarded the construction of a 1,1 MWp photovoltaic park in Greece to the EPC Contractor Positive Energy EDF EN GREECE, a subsidiary of EDF EN Group, awarded Positive Energy the supply of equipment, project design and construction of a 1,1 MWp photovoltaic park in the Prefecture of Fokida, Greece. The operation of… Read more »
Researched by Industrial Info Resources Europe (Galway, Ireland) — Norwegian oil and gas company Statoil ASA (Stavanger, Norway) has signed two agreements for the sale of a major part of its onshore wind development portfolio. The sale is part of Statoil’s strategy to focus wind energy investment in offshore projects to better utilise the group’s… Read more »
Iberdrola Renewables and AREVA have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop offshore wind projects in France following the government’s announcement of a plan to reach a 6 GW target by 2020. The partners will compete for two of the country’s five offshore zones offered in a first phase of bidding. Under the terms of the agreement, AREVA will be sole supplier of the turbines that will equip the offshore farms to be developed by Iberdrola Renewables. Iberdrola Renewables is the largest wind energy company in the world and has a pipeline of around 10,000 MW in offshore wind projects across Europe, primarily in the United Kingdom. AREVA is a top tier European player in the offshore wind industry. Its successful M5000 turbine won 600 MW of orders confirming the industry’s confidence in the group’s field‐proven technology. By the end of 2013, an installed base of over 120 new turbines will be in operation in Europe. Keith Anderson, Chief Executive of Iberdrola’s Global Offshore Division, said: ”The development of offshore wind projects is one of the key areas of growth for Iberdrola Renewables and we are now assessing major projects in the UK, Germany and France. AREVA has a very strong … Read more »
While the wind industry has been through several challenging years in terms of numbers of orders and installations, the rise of emerging windpower markets such as China, India, Eastern Europe and Brazil has arguably reinvigorated the turbine manufacturing industry, with leading manufacturers establishing new centres to capitalise on new opportunities. To adapt to shifting manufacturing… Read more »
Turbine manufacturers are constantly reviewing their component sourcing strategies as they seek to reduce their costs and increase product quality and reliability. As manufacturers try to balance in-house manufacturing and outsourcing supply, shortages in previous years have forced OEM’s to pay closer attention to their relationships with component manufacturers. With the development of new, bigger… Read more »
As part of Stena Line’s environmental efforts, a world first project is now getting underway.As the first passenger ferry in the world, the Stena Jutlandica, Gothenburg-Fredrikshaven, is being equipped with two wind turbines at the prow,which will contribute by both supplying energy and reducing fuel consumption. “Within our Energy Saving Programme, we are currently pursuing… Read more »
In order to increase its visibility on the global market and respond to its international clientele, the German wind measurement expert Ammonit is now operating with an English company name: Ammonit Measurement GmbH. The name change has been effective since 14 June 2011. For more than 20 years Ammonit has played a leading role in… Read more »
The concrete sector is developing solutions that will meet the challenges set by Offshore Proof, a new survey by accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) which believes that offshore wind power has some way to go to prove that it can be a valid part of the renewable energy mix. The survey reports that the next 5… Read more »
When a seven metre portion of a Vestas blade prototype broke off last year – only weeks after the company had a signed a deal to supply the same model to a 420MW wind farm in Australia – the company felt it had some explaining to do. But according to the latest Wind Energy Update… Read more »
Rising fossil fuel prices, devastating oil spills and the nuclear crisis in Fukushima have in 2011 substantially raised expectations of wind energy. On the eve of Global Wind Day – June 15 – the wind industry can today reveal the globally avoided fuel costs from wind energy.In 2015 wind power will avoid 23.7 billion Euros… Read more »
Henrik Kuffner has been appointed as the first CEO of the newly created WindMade organisation. He took up his position on 1 June 2011 and will lead the creation of a global consumer label for companies and products using wind power. From 2002 to 2011, Mr. Kuffner served as Director General of the International Wool… Read more »
Offshore wind farm operators could be facing O&M costs as high as €100,000 to €300,000 per year, per turbine, according to the latest Wind Energy Update Operations and Maintenance report. This figure could be spiked by an additional 20 percent over the short term, as innovative 5MW variable-speed and direct-drive designs enter the market. Unknown… Read more »
To ensure offshore wind turbines are still upright 20 years down the track, more research is needed into the behaviour of the soil structures underlying them, says the latest report from Wind Energy Update. A distinguishing feature of offshore wind turbine structures is that the turbines impose a large horizontal load, at a great height,… Read more »
Leading turbine manufacturers GE and Siemens have come out in full support of a family approach to offshore health and safety today in London. With an estimated 40GW of offshore wind set to be installed by the end of the decade in Europe alone, the potential for employee accidents and projects put at risk due… Read more »
In recent years, and most noticeably 2011, the Occupations Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been turning its attention to the North American wind industry, regularly issuing between 5 and 8 figure citations. Next year wind farm owners, operators, manufacturers and contractors can expect at step up in enforcement of employee safety regulations that will… Read more »
Dow Formulated Systems, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: Dow), today announced the introduction of the COMPAXXTM 700 foam core system for wind blades, the first in a line of new core materials that will help manufacturers extend blade life through the creation of high performance sandwich composites. Extensive sandwich panel fatigue… Read more »
On 15 June 2011, ‘Global Wind Day’, citizens from around the world can discover the benefits of wind energy while having fun. With Middle East instability affecting oil prices and debate over nuclear following Fukushima, the hundreds of events on offer on Global Wind Day will show people everywhere how wind can be part of… Read more »
The Global Wind Energy Council called for urgent action to exploit Japan’s tremendous wind power potential for a speedy transition towards renewable energy. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s announcement at the G8 Summit that Japan would move away from nuclear power towards more reliance on renewable sources is a welcome development, but there is a… Read more »
SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, is pleased to announce the opening of the SGS Wind Energy Technology Center (WETC), taking place on June 13, 2011, in Tianjin, China. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the SGS test center provides a complete range of full-scale testing capabilities for rotor blades, including natural frequency,… Read more »
Today’s vote in the European Parliament’s powerful Environment Committee and the launch of a new report by the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) have increased the pressure for a higher EU emissions reduction target and a renewable energy target for 2030. The EP Committee voted in favour of increasing the EU’s greenhouse gas emission reduction… Read more »
A flexible, ocean-going carrier with a well-earned reputation in the wind industry, BBC Chartering operates more than 120 multipurpose vessels from a global administrative coverage of 24 local offices. The company is equipped to serve even the smallest of ports – perfect for the remote locations where wind turbines are employed – and as the… Read more »
Having enlisted in the Air Force in 1981, Mark Goldstone finally retired as a Senior Master Sergeant in 2005 after a 24-year career. He quickly found employment in the wind industry, where he quickly discovered the similarities between his former service and his new career. Goldstone has never looked back, and now manages wind farm… Read more »
Many organisations can become disconnected in the way in which Energy and Sustainability is managed so that significant environmental and financial benefits can be lost. Here, Allen and York’s Victoria Kenrick presents an in-depth look at the development of the Energy and Sustainability role within North American wind energy organisations. Sustainability has become a mantra… Read more »
It was not so long ago that President Obama went to the World Trade Organization with a forthright complaint over the protectionist tactics of the Chinese renewables industry; a grievance which was subsequently vindicated. Great! we all thought. At last an administration is prepared to back our essential industry. But, hold on there – now… Read more »
As a marketer for Pall, Daniel Alessandri is used to asking questions of his suppliers, peers and colleagues. But answering them? In print? PES puts a selection of slightly more personal questions to one of the industry’s most influential figures. PES: Welcome to PES magazine, can you firstly explain a little about your role, and… Read more »
The late economist E F Schumacher (1911- 1977) became something of a hero to the early environmental and ecological movements, not least because of his oft-quoted maxim: small is beautiful. But if that was true back in the 1970s it is nevertheless a rule which is being ignored in the current wind generation industry. If… Read more »
Here PES presents the latest in our ongoing series of fascinating roundtable discussions, bringing together the leaders of the industry to discuss all the salient issues, including the role of pressure groups, relations with the Chinese, and the future of the industry. ContributorsCarl Levesque, Communications Editor, American Wind Energy Association Dave Lopez, Secretary of The… Read more »
An iconic American company that enjoys a near legendary reputation across the country and beyond, BNSF Railway delivers a effective transportation solution for the emerging wind energy industry. The company has the personnel, network, equipment and technology to make your wind shipment cost-effective and convenient, and provides a customized shipping solution for all your wind… Read more »
A recent decision by the Ontarian regional government in Canada has thrown the province’s ambitious offshore wind plans into apparent meltdown. In an unforeseen move, the province’s Liberal administration has cancelled offshore wind turbines over concerns about a lack of data, claiming there is insufficient information available about the technology’s proven success capability. PES investigates… Read more »
A Calgary-based company has been given the green light from provincial regulators in Alberta to construct what is expected to be the country’s largest wind energy project. The Alberta Utilities Commission has granted final approval to construct and operate the Blackspring Ridge I Wind Project which could be online as soon as 2013. PES reports… Read more »
In this far-ranging and prescient report, Large-Scale Offshore Wind Power in the United States: Assessment of opportunities and Barriers, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) examines the state of play for the wind industry in the US as well as examining the vital steps the continent needs to take in order to ease the pressure… Read more »
Although wind energy only produces about two per cent of the current electricity demand in the US, the Department of Energy, in collaboration with wind industry experts, has drafted a plan that would bring the installed wind capacity up to 20 per cent of the nation’s total electrical supply. To meet these expectations, wind energy… Read more »
The US Department of Energy has recently published its Rebuilding After Disaster: Going Green from the Ground Up report – a document which brings to mind the words of Theodore Roosevelt: “The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not… Read more »
While a political battle rages over whether Ontario’s Great Lakes wind scheme will go ahead, there’s no doubt that the Canadian state leads the way in wind generation, with more than 2,600 MW of capacity expected to be in service by the end of 2011. And while this is impressive, the fact is that more… Read more »
BBB Umwelttechnik GmbH (BBB), one of Germany’s leading providers of wind energy services, is offering a new systems solution for monitoring and safeguarding valuable wind measurement data. The Measurement Monitoring System (MMS) was developed in-house by BBB engineers and has several benefits for the clients. The solution enables web-based, location-independent access to real-time wind measurement… Read more »