It seems as if America is not the only nation in North America that is crying out for reform. The Canadian wind energy industry needs improved support from governments, utilities, and communities as it moves into the mainstream of country’s energy sector, says the new Chair of CanWEA’s board of directors. Gary Pundsack, Government Relations… Read more »
The wind industry could soon be using a new type of innovative technology that has more to do with lasers than ecology. A new laser system that can be mounted on wind turbines allows them to prepare for the wind rushing toward their blades. These lasers act like sonar for the wind, bouncing off microscopically… Read more »
American companies are being squeezed out of the lucrative Chinese wind-power market at the same time as Dallas-based investors are bringing Chinese firms to the US via a big wind farm project in Texas, according to a new industry report. PES examines a potentially-damaging situation. The study examines Chinese government policies promoting the development of… Read more »
Wind turbines are on the up. The giant constructions are constantly getting taller because, as every schoolboy knows, the higher you get off the ground, the greater the wind speeds. But building big towers is a costly business, especially if you want one 15,000ft tall. So why not ditch the tower and make the windmill… Read more »
The Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz fretted over his joints, and owners of wind turbines have the same angst. They need to be assembled offshore and maintenance of the joints is critical where a 20+ year life expectancy under the buffeting of winter seas and gusting storms is normal. The assembly is subject… Read more »
French fur traders first visited Nebraska in the 17th Century and the state was later explored by pioneers Lewis and Clark from 1804-1806. A few years later, Robert Stuart pioneered the Oregon Trail across Nebraska in 1812-1813 and the first permanent white settlement was established at Bellevue in 1823. Now a new report says Nebraska… Read more »
The solution to offshore wind energy obstacles lies in pooling all the power into one common electricity grid, according to researchers at the University of Delaware and Stony Brook University. “We hypothesize that wind power output could be stabilized if wind generators were located in a meteorologically designed configuration and electrically connected,” say the authors… Read more »
The potential for serious accidents in the wind industry should never be underestimated. Wind turbines are massive, potentially highly dangerous structures and in an industry that boasts an enviable safety record, it is as important now as ever to ensure that safety remains our watchword. PES looks into what is going on in the industry… Read more »
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 »
Some people’s enthusiasm for an industry that can often seem impersonal and product-centered might wane after a few years. Not so Uwe Schenk, Product Manager of HELUWIND Cables. His passion for the wind business remains as intact now as it was when he joined a burgeoning industry, more than a decade ago. PES spoke to… Read more »
Rickmers-Linie, the heavylift, breakbulk and project cargo specialist based in Hamburg, has seen indications that the challenging months of financial crisis have been overcome – with wind power transport identified as one of the defining drivers of the upturn. PES takes a closer look at the company and its wind-optimised fleet. Gerhard Janssen, Director Marketing… Read more »
There are four basic elements necessary for successful wind farm development: sufficient wind resource, access to transmission, someone to purchase the power, and the appropriate land on which to site turbines. The first three parts of the equation either exist or they don’t. It is the fourth element – the social aspect of dealing with… Read more »
Renewable energy appears to be one of the areas that have been less affected by the financial market’s turmoil and economic downturn. In fact, green energy is widely regarded as a fairly safe haven for investors in many countries, offering long-term prospects with low risk because of reliable technology, rated off-takers and attractive returns. Wind… Read more »
With wind turbines helping the worldshift to a greener energy supply, moreand more environmentally-consciousmanufacturers – and their customers– are interested in utilizing a greenertransportation mode to get their windturbines to their destination. CN is in astrong position to support this importantemerging market, with a shipping solutionthat is truly seamless, and a definitegreen advantage.Emissions reduction is… Read more »
A family-owned company, Vest Kran is one of the leading full-service providersof engineered heavy lifting and logistics in Scandinavia. PES talks to Njaal R. Solange about the firm’s expansion into global markets and its dedication to maintaining high standards. PES: Welcome to PES magazine. Can you tell us a little about the history of your… Read more »
Union Pacific is one of America’s leading transportation companies. Its principal operating company, Union Pacific Railroad, is North America’s premier railroad franchise, covering 23 states across the western two-thirds of the United States. PES speaks to Ken Adams who heads up the company’s wind team … PES: Welcome back to PES magazine. First, can you… Read more »
SIMPACK AG offers general purpose three dimensional Multi-Body Simulation Software which is uniquely suited to the analysis and design of any type of wind turbine design. Built upon well-proven technology used in other application areas – such as the gear wheel element developed for the Formula 1 racing industry – the company delivers a pre-eminent… Read more »
Gulf Stream Marine commands attention for its innovations and flexibility. Now more than ever, both help the company maintain its position as a leader in the specialized field of wind turbine transportation. Company CEO, Jan Rietdijk, explains … PES: PES first caught up with Gulf Stream Marine last year. What is new with the company?… Read more »
As Vice President of Industrial Products Sales for BNSF Railway, Katie Farmer has witnessed railroad’s evolution into a 21st century transport provider for 21st century industries such as wind power. PES talks to Katie about the company’s growing influence and its ‘total transportation package’. PES: Welcome to PES magazine. Can you explain a little about… Read more »
PES last spoke to Emerson Network Power’s Jeky Li Gang (International Sales Manager, Department Of Wind Power Product) in 2009, just after the company had posted a record trading year. We caught up with him once more to find out how the Chinese company has evolved and to discover what they’ve planned for the coming… Read more »
Invenergy LLC officials say they have a track record of profitable projects and satisfied customers to support their efforts to bring a wind farm to Brown County. “If one looks overall at this, they’ll see there’s a high level of comfort,” said Kevin Parzyck, project manager for the proposed 100-turbine Ledge Wind Energy Project in… Read more »
Dow Wire & Cable, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, will be participating in the WINDPOWER 2010 Conference and Exhibition, May 23-26, 2010 at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas, TX. The company formulates, tests and validates medium voltage (MV), high voltage (HV) and extra-high voltage (EHV) materials ideal for underground (UG) and… Read more »
SGS is one of more than 100 exhibitors at RenewableUK’s (formerly known as British Wind Energy Association, BWEA) annual offshore wind energy event. The RenewableUK Offshore Wind 2010 conference and exhibition will take place on June 29-30, 2010 at the Arena & Convention Centre in Liverpool, United Kingdom. SGS Renewable Energy Services will be exhibiting… Read more »
Swiss firm Aravis Energy I LP realises first project sale on the Swiss market Zurich, 4 May 2010 – Aravis Energy I LP (Aravis Energy), a Swiss venture capital firm based in Zurich, has sold the Swiss wind energy company LuciaWind AG to the utility company EBM, which is based in Münchenstein in the canton… Read more »
April 20, 2010 Rockwell Automation’s EtherNet/IP-based Wind Park Management solution offers a speed of response so fast that not only does it remove the need for millions of euro’s worth of capacitor banks, but it also surpasses the requirements of proposed 2013 utility-end-user requirements 60 milliseconds may not sound like a lot, but it makes a huge… Read more »
Wind power reduces electricity prices and CO2 emissions, a study published today by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) reveals. The review ‘Wind Energy and Electricity Prices’, a comprehensive assessment of studies of the impact of wind energy on electricity prices, was carried out by the independent consultancy Pöyry AS on behalf of EWEA. It… Read more »
Wind energy will meet 50% of the EU’s electricity demand in 2050, top wind energy personalities told Europe’s largest wind energy conference and exhibition. Topping the agenda at the opening day of the European Wind Energy Conference and Exhibition (EWEC 2010) in Warsaw was Europe’s long-term energy supply. “2050 might seem like a long way… Read more »
FloDesign Wind Turbine Co. has put the rest of the wind turbine manufacturing industry on notice. They will be a major player in wind power technology for years to come if all the numbers hold up. The Obama administration said the clean energy economy will be led by small businesses, FloDesign Wind Turbine is the… Read more »
Swedish wind farm Eolus had signed an agreement with Vestas (VWS.CO) for 70 wind turbines with a total wind power capacity of 140 megawatts. Eolus said the three-year agreement with Vestas, the world’s biggest maker of wind turbines, had an option to buy an additional 20 wind turbines. Eolus Vind AB is one of the… Read more »
Supporting today’s publication “RE-thinking 2050 – A 100% Renewable Energy Vision for the European Union”, by the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC), Christian Kjaer, Chief Executive of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), said: “EWEA fully supports EREC’s vision of Europe moving towards 100% renewable energy by 2050. We have abundant wind, sun and other… Read more »
Wind Works Power Corp. is pleased to announce that from the first contracts offered through the Ontario Power Authority’s (OPA) Feed-in-Tariff program, we have been notified that we will be offered 7 power purchase agreements for a total of 80 megawatts (MW), for the following projects: Ganaraska: 20 MW Settlers Landing: 10 MW Snowy Ridge:… Read more »
NextEra Energy Resources, the competitive energy subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc., remained the nation’s largest owner of wind farms at the end of 2009, according to the Annual Wind Industry Report released today by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). NextEra Energy Resources ended 2009 with more than 7,500 megawatts of installed wind capacity in… Read more »
Global wind energy markets are expected to continue their rapid growth, with the world’s wind power capacity increasing by 160% over the coming five years, according to the annual industry forecast presented by the Global Wind Energy Council today. GWEC expects that the global installed wind capacity will reach 409 GW by 2014, up from… Read more »