A maximum uptime is especially important for large commercial and utility-scale solar plants. Herein the inverter system plays a key role, being responsible for the maximum energy harvest. In order to meet the requirements of large solar parks even better, Dr. Marco Trova from Power-One and his team developed a new circuit topology and cooling… Read more »
Founded in 2008, EKO Instruments Europe B.V. is a European centre of competence, offering products and services to the photovoltaic industry. The heart of its work is related to the provision of highly accurate and reliable solar radiation measurement equipment for outdoor use, as company Director, Dr Los, explains… Solar radiation is not only the… Read more »
Market analysts insist Belgium remains a profitable investment for solar manufacturers and consumers alike. Last year’s an annual growth of 737MW of solar capacity and high residential growth rates allayed fears brought on by the abolishment of tax reductions, and point to a very bright future indeed. Until the end of last year, photovoltaic panels… Read more »
PES takes a closer look at one of Multi Contact’s most-trusted pieces of equipment. With the MC4PLUS, Multi-Contact introduced a PV connector to the market which is especially designed for internationally operating module manufacturers. The MC4PLUS is the first connector worldwide to be recognised for both 1500 VDC TÜV and 1000 VDC UL, and within… Read more »
Cutting production costs and improving product throughput – from thin-film through to CPV. At the next EU PVSEC, the equipment supplier and automation specialists Grenzebach will demonstrate their preparedness for market challenges. The high tech experts present their efficient process solutions for thin film modules, CSP and CPV in hall 3, stand J41. With over… Read more »
Industry evidence shows that the PV industry has been suffering from an imbalance between supply and demand for over a year now. There are many factors that come into play with this situation – some we can control, and some we can’t… Luvata, a PV connector-ribbon manufacturer, is working hard on what it CAN control… Read more »
“Glaston is known for providing customers with superior machines, tools and solutions to help them take the lead in their chosen business area. As the solar panel business continues to surge, we have designed the most innovative pre-processing and heat treatment solutions for solar applications to help customers increase capacity, improve output and cut costs,”… Read more »
Energy storage facilities are indispensable for a revolution in energy production, as they add predictability to the fluctuations of eco-power. The German government has therefore started to sponsor the development and launch of storage technologies, and have used expertise of solar equipment manufacturers to explore the possibilities. PES explains. Any conversion to renewables is hard… Read more »
When PES last spoke to Abwood Machine Tools’ Rob Nicholas, the company was embarking on a considerable expansion plan that would take it to ‘the next level’. We caught up with him six months later for a quick status update, and to hear all about the launch of the company’s latest grinding machine. PES: Since… Read more »
The international marine contractor Van Oord continues to shine in our sector through its Offshore Wind Projects division, which focuses on Europe. We last spoke to the company’s Johan van Wijland (Director of Offshore Wind Projects) in 2011, and caught up with him again this summer – an exciting time for the company. PES: Welcome… Read more »
A relatively new addition to the wind sector, WINDSOURCING.COM uses cutting-edge technology to service sales and procurement processes. We asked Stefan Weber to talks us through the pioneering online service… PES: Welcome to PES magazine. Can you begin by explaining a little about your company and how you serve the wind industry?Stefan Weber: WINDSOURCING.COM is… Read more »
The number of wind farms connected to the electricity grid is steadily rising, and proof of grid compatibility is mandatory for grid connection. But what criteria do wind turbines and wind farms have to meet for certification in Germany, for example? PES investigates… Before wind farms can be connected to the German electricity grid, they… Read more »
Wind energy infrastructure, be it onshore or offshore, relies heavily on the use of steel for most of its key components, whether it be turbines, towers, foundations or transformer stations… the list goes on. As a result there is a significant amount of work required to transform ‘bare’ steel into something able to produce the… Read more »
A well-respected figure in the industry, Stuart Clough joins us to discuss offshore wind farms and APEM’s Remote Sensing team, which uses the most powerful medium format camera in the world. The importance of environmental surveys to offshore wind farm developmentLocation is important to the energy sector, but none more so than wind farms, where… Read more »
Using industrial Ethernet switches to assure maximum uptime A high-speed, industrial-grade network infrastructure offers wind farm operators many benefits, including improved operational management, visibility and access to key data. Real-time data access enables operators to monitor wind turbine uptime, performance and power output – even from remote locations. This data, which is used to track… Read more »
We return to the pioneering EU funded project, which ran from May 2010 to June this year. coordinated by the European Wind Energy Association, it provides an in-depth analysis of the national and international Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) practices; policy recommendations for developing existing and potentially new MSP for the development of offshore renewable power… Read more »
A 1.5bn wind farm that could have powered almost 400,000 homes has been rejected by the British government because it might kill 90 small birds a year. Clearly, our avian friends present us with a (costly) problem that is not going away… Over £10m, and three and a half years of planning, have been wasted… Read more »
In the early part of 2011, we wrote about a new global branding initiative for the industry that was set to “change how the world consumes energy, one product at a time”. It was a lofty claim, for sure, but has WindMade begun to deliver on its ambition? Or even started to make a difference?… Read more »
Our round-up of the season’s best wind power quotes returns – with a heavy dollop of politics. It seems as though we’re not all singing from the same European hymn sheet, and that there are some wildly diverging views about the way forward. Plus ça change… “Having seen a year in which the solar industry… Read more »
Regular contributors to PES, Damen are boat builders of some note. A major force in the European wind industry, they’ve carved a niche by tailoring their products to our precise needs. We spoke to the company’s Jan-Hein Reeringh and Remko Bouma. PES: Welcome back to PES magazine. How’s business been since your last appearance –… Read more »
A reliable operator of several German terminals, Buss Port Logistics is known for providing a sterling service to the wind industry’s most demanding clients. PES takes a closer look at the company. Buss Port Logistics operates efficient multi-purpose terminals in Hamburg and other ports, and represents a diverse range of port-specific services. The terminals handle… Read more »
PES is proud to introduce a new regular columnist to the magazine: Christian Holmgaard, CEO and Senior Consultant Project Manager for WTG Partners – a well-respected and well-known Danish consultancy. In this, the first of his missives, he discusses the (manifold) merits of turbine inspections… We see many companies that are looking to invest in… Read more »
The European wind turbine manufacturing industry has “little meat left on its bones” and is heading for a “critical” 12 months in 2013, according to international financier Rabobank. In its latest quarterly renewables report, the Dutch bank said that 2012 would be “a defining year in the survival” of major players in the market, such… Read more »
In this article Vicky Kenrick from international recruitment consultancy, Allen & York, explores the reasons for this surge in potential by examining electricity and turbine prices and the state of the investment market, before concluding with an overview of the job opportunities being created. Wind power is the world’s single fastest-growing source of energy, and… Read more »
Is Europe’s terrestrial wind business in danger of being forgotten? Despite having battled severe economic headwinds, Europe’s offshore wind industry has really picked up the pace this year and substantially increased its market share. According to EWEA, developers connected 132 turbines to the grid in the first half of 2012, and those turbines, which have… Read more »
This September a small town on Germany’s North Sea coast will once again stage what’s billed as the world’s leading wind energy fair. PES will be there of course, and we’re delighted to be able to offer an exclusive preview of the show. Almost a quarter of a century ago, a group of wind turbine… Read more »
As the demand for flexible, controlled power in the grid increases, today’s wind turbines and parks are growing in size. In order to control these wind parks, and to ensure that they are balanced and able to comply with the grid codes all over the world, Mita-Teknik offers an open, reliable, flexible and intelligent Wind… Read more »
As Sales Director (Europe) for Taewoong, Michael Birk Petersen is a familiar face to many in the industry. The company specialises in seamless rolled rings and open die forgings, and from its satellite office in Denmark, serves all of Europe. We spoke to Michael about the company, the stability of the sector, and future growth…. Read more »
Earlier this year, Alstom – a global leader in the world of power generation and transmission – announced that it was to build four new factories in France. In today’s uncertain economic environment, it could be perhaps considered a brave move, but with production of the Haliade 150 at the beating heart of the expansion,… Read more »
While the spotlight tends to fall on the German PV sector, there’s no doubt that the country’s wind industry is one of the most enviable in Europe. Granted, there are some national concerns that need to be addressed, but both the country’s domestic market and export record show remarkable signs of life. PES investigates. As… Read more »
Although global shipping markets currently show signs of recovery, the next threat may just lurk around the corner. In interconnected global markets, non-linear dynamics contribute to sustain or break existing resource flows and associated dominant thinking patterns. It seems that nothing is ever free ofwhat Schumpeter referred to as process of “creative destruction”. In the… Read more »
PES speaks to Morgan Troedsson, Product Manager from FORCE Technology, a leading global technological consultancy and service provider in Scandinavia, employing specialised engineering know-how for practical and efficient solutions to the wind energy business. Wind turbine blades are highly sophisticated products, composed of a variety of materials and composites. During operational life the blades are… Read more »
Rikke Berg, Business Sector Manager for Danish Wind Energy Group of the Danish Export Association provides PES with an in-depth analysis of the organisation and its many benefits. HistoryThe Danish Export Association was founded in 1965 by a number of forward-thinking business leaders in Jutland with Grundfos as one of the main players. The association… Read more »
Stephen Norman, the Met Office’s Senior Wind Energy Consultant, examines recent developments in wind data and assessment, and speaks to PES about how data can be used to a far greater effect on wind energy investments.As the popularity of renewable energy solutions continues to soar worldwide, there are ever increasing numbers of farmers and landowners… Read more »
PES: Welcome back to PES magazine. How’s business been since your last appearance – is the market performing much as your company had predicted? Mikko Niininen: The business has been booming and we are still on a growth base. Happily, the outlook is even more promising for next year than it was last year –… Read more »
Speak to virtually anyone connected to the wind industry in Europe, and they’ll tell you that this year has been perhaps one of the most important that we’ve ever faced. A springboard period for future growth, 2011 was a seminal period, and the highs and lows have all been documented by the European Wind Energy… Read more »