Category: Wind

Bill to open wind energy to private sector widely praised

A state bill that would open wind power to private developers was praised by a variety of groups during a legislative hearing on Wednesday, including some who called it a potential milestone for Nebraska’s fledgling wind power industry. “I think this is the most significant legislation relating to electricity in this state, probably, since the… Read more »

Turbine company in talks to open UK factory

One of the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturers is in talks with the government about setting up a factory in Britain. Gamesa, the Spanish turbine company, is being urged by Iberdrola, the owner of Scottish Power, to build a manufacturing facility to serve the British market, according to Ignacio Galan, Iberdrola’s chief executive. Gamesa confirmed… Read more »

Wind Potential Grows in ND

It’s really not surprising to many of us in North Dakota, but a new report from the American Wind Energy Association says there’s more wind energy potential in the Dakotas than previously estimated. The report lists North Dakota number six in the nation in wind energy potential. However several companies are arguing that the state… Read more »

Kansas needs to capitalize on wind

Kansas learned last week that it’s second only to Texas among states for its potential wind generation, according to a new report co-authored by the U.S. Department of Energy. Now, the state and its leaders, with help from Congress, should take the second-place status and run with it, turning that potential into power, jobs and… Read more »

US Wind Energy Potential 3Xs Higher Than Thought

The potential amount of wind energy in this country is actually more than three times what is was previously thought to be. This post from the Energy Collective blog says a new analysis from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) credits the increase to improvements in wind turbines over the last decade and a half:… Read more »

Poor Showing for WYO on Nat’l Conservation and Energy Scorecard

Wyoming may be one of just a few states aggressively developing wind energy, but the new National Environmental Scorecard released today by the League of Conservation Voters ranks the state last when it comes congressional representation on energy and conservation issues. The organization has put the tally together for 30 years, and this past year,… Read more »

Turbine design breathes new life into hopes for UK’s renewable targets

A radical windmill design could hold the key to making offshore wind power more economical and helping the UK meet its ambitious renewable energy targets. The Aerogenerator turns conventional windmills on their side, with a 100m tall V-shaped blade rotating on a vertical, rather than the usual horizontal, axis. By building all the moving parts… Read more »

U.S. wind capacity has more than tripled: report

Wind capacity in the United States has tripled and is enough to meet U.S. electricity consumption, according to a new report co-authored by the Department of Energy. President Obama has promoted renewable energy sources such as wind as well as nuclear power plants as ways to generate carbon-free energy. The country’s wind could generate 37… Read more »

Ice halts northern N.B. wind farm

Northern New Brunswick’s cold, icy weather is causing wind turbines to freeze and stop producing power at the Caribou Wind Park near Bathurst. The new wind farm’s 33 turbines have been generating power since November, but they have been forced to shut down for the past two days due to ice forming on some of… Read more »

Wyoming House sends wind energy tax to the Senate

The Wyoming House has approved a state excise tax on commercial wind energy generation and sent the measure to the Senate. House Bill 101 would impose a $1 per megawatt hour tax, generating an estimated $3.8 million annually under current production rates. The House approved the bill Thursday with two-thirds support. Representatives opposed to the… Read more »

RI gets $22M in stimulus money to upgrade port

The port at Quonset Point will receive more than $22 million to improve its dock and buy cranes so it can accommodate a wind turbine developer, serve container cargo ships and create jobs in a state with nearly 13 percent unemployment, officials said Wednesday. The federal stimulus money is meant to support Deepwater Wind LLC,… Read more »

Renewable Energy to Supply 40% of Falklands Power

Annual wind power contribution in the Falkland Islands is set to rise to 40 per cent of total energy generated with the installation of three new wind turbines, which started going online on 15 February. The installation of the first three wind turbines in 2007 has resulted in the displacement of 26% of annual fuel… Read more »

Turbine factory plan for former Anglesey Aluminium site

Plans have emerged to turn the former Anglesey Aluminium site into a wind turbine factory. Smelting operations at the Holyhead metal plant, which was the largest employer in north Wales, ended in September last year. A turbine company is now looking at the possibility of using the site as a factory, although Anglesey council stresses… Read more »

Boom for small-scaled wind turbines at New Energy Husum

Small-scaled wind turbines are currently something of a renewable energy niche product in Germany at this time. But this situation can change very quickly – especially if you look at the market success and the potential of small-scaled wind turbines in other countries. The New Energy Husum trade fair now offers a worldwide overview. With… Read more »

REpower gets wind turbine orders from French firm

Mumbai: REpower, in which Suzlon Energy holds a majority stake, said it has got an order from France-based EOLE-RES SA to supply 26 wind turbines. REpower has entered into an agreement with EOLE-RES SA to supply 26 wind turbines of 2 MW each, generating a total capacity of 52 MW, Suzlon said in a filing… Read more »

Spanish Wind Turbine Company To Build Milwaukee Factory

A company in Spain that makes generators for high-tech wind turbines will put a new factory in Milwaukee. Mayor Tom Barrett confirmed in his \”state of the city\” address Monday that Ingeteam will locate in the Menomonee Valley between downtown Milwaukee and the Miller Park baseball stadium. Julia Taylor of the Greater Milwaukee Committee says… Read more »

GE files new suit against Mitsubishi over wind-turbine patents

General Electric Co., the biggest maker of wind turbines in the U.S., filed a new patent-infringement lawsuit against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and plans to appeal an earlier case it lost. The new complaint, filed Thursday in federal court in Dallas, claims Mitsubishi Heavy infringes two patents. One is related to the base frame supporting… Read more »

Gains in Global Wind Capacity Reported

The Global Wind Energy Council, a trade association based in Brussels, estimates that wind power capacity grew by 31 percent worldwide in 2009, with 37.5 additional gigawatts installed, bringing global wind power capacity to 157.9 gigawatts. China accounted for a third of the new capacity, and the Chinese market experienced more than 100 percent growth…. Read more »

Eu Nations Expect To Meet The Eus Renewable Energy Target

The EU will meet its 2020 20% renewable energy target – slightly exceeding it – according to an analysis by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) of all 27 Member States’ national forecast documents. The EWEA analysis shows that EU member states are on course to achieve over 20% renewable energy by 2020, with 21… Read more »

GE Energy Finance Unit May Expand B.C. Wind Farm

General Electric Co.’s energy finance unit said it may double the capacity of a wind farm in British Columbia, increasing its bet on renewable-power in Canada’s westernmost province. GE and Vancouver-based Plutonic Power Corp. last year bought the unfinished, 144-megawatt Dokie Ridge Wind Project, the first equity investment in wind energy in Canada for both… Read more »

Mitsubishi Heavy Considers US Wind Turbine Plant

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd said it is considering building a wind turbine plant in the United States, and will a make final decision after seeing how demand recovers. Mitsubishi is currently tussling with General Electric over wind turbine patents, with the GE this month filing patent suits against the Japanese company in a U.S. Court…. Read more »

Vestas secures order for 33 new wind turbines

Vestas Wind Systems has secured an order to help produce 33 new turbines for a New Hampshire wind farm, a contract that experts say should help sustain work at its Windsor plant. The Weld County operation, where the blades will be constructed, temporarily halted turbine work in December in light of weak sales. “The turbines… Read more »

Wind Is Key to Turkey’s Growing Energy Needs

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) this week at a workshop in Turkey, said that Turkey must exploit its huge wind energy resources if it wants to meet its increasing power demand while becoming less dependent on energy imports. The workhop on integrating wind power was held in Ankara and organized by the European Wind… Read more »

Renewables Industry Promotes Its Potential

Funds from the $787 billion stimulus package and other federal assistance kept growth in the renewable energy sector strong in 2009, a trend that will probably persist as federal investment continues to pay off over the coming year, industry leaders said in a teleconference Tuesday. The picture was especially good for the solar industry, which… Read more »

State approves grants for wind technology research

The Michigan Public Service Commission has approved two grants totaling about $1.7 million for studying the development of offshore wind technologies in the state. Grand Valley State University’s Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center and the University of Michigan’s Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute are getting $1.3 million for jointly researching offshore wind and ice data… Read more »

Farms Plan to Harness Wind Energy

It started as just an idea, but now the thought of a wind farm in mid-Missouri could become a reality. Mark Chamberlin is a chicken and dairy farmer who originally had the idea to put a wind turbine on his property. “You always have a lot of time to think when you’re in tractors,” Chamberlin… Read more »

Low costs in Asia sap green jobs in America

President Obama is spending $2.1 million to help Suntech Power Holdings build a solar-panel plant in Arizona. It will hire 70 Americans to assemble components made by Suntech’s 11,000 Chinese workers. That gap shows the challenge Obama faces as he works to create “green” jobs. Asia makes more than half the world’s wind and solar… Read more »

Global wind grows 31 per cent

The world’s wind power capacity grew by 31 per cent in 2009, according to statistics released by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). The boost added 37.5 GW to total global wind power installations, bringing the figure up to 157.9 GW. One third of these additions were made in China, which experienced yet another year… Read more »

1st World Summit for Small-scale Wind Turbines

New Energy Husum, in cooperation with the World Wind Energy Association, is hosting the 1st World Summit for Small-scale Wind – Turbines, with participants and speakers from 11 nations. Leading experts from Egypt, Argentina, Belgium, China, Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom, India, Mali, Spain and the USA will be presenting an overview of the use and potential… Read more »

Wind industry says yes to regional initiatives, but final aim is a European single market by 2015

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has welcomed the publication of the European Energy Regulators (ERGEG) draft strategy on the role of Regional Initiatives towards a single energy market in Europe. “Regional Initiatives are a very good step forward, but the final aim remains the creation of a single European market for energy, which should… Read more »

Michigan’s foray into wind energy is faltering as orders for turbines lag

Data released Tuesday by the American Wind Energy Association show that Michigan’s efforts to diversify into wind energy face some significant headwinds Orders for new wind turbines have slowed dramatically and the state lagged far behind others last year in the installation of wind turbines, the association’s report shows. And any hope that production of… Read more »

Conference over claims wind farms are health risk

Claims that wind turbines cause health problems will be discussed at a conference in Cardiff later. “Wind turbine syndrome” was dismissed last year by a panel of experts, commissioned by the American and Canadian Wind Energy Associations. They said headaches, nausea and panic attacks “were more likely associated with annoyance to low sound levels”.Environment Minister… Read more »

Nd Wind Energy in Top 10

North Dakota has been at the top of many lists. And recently, the state was added to yet another one. The American Wind Energy Association names North Dakota as one of the top ten wind producing states in the country. P-S-C Commissioner Tony Clark says it a pretty remarkable accomplishment for the state. Nearly ten… Read more »