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 »
With a 150-year history behind it, Carl Zeiss MicroImaging has an unrivalled reputation for high-quality optics and opto-electronics, and was in at the start of PV solar cell production. Key account manager Peter Lamparter explains the company’s expertise and how it stays ahead of its competitors. PES: Welcome back to PES, for the benefit of… Read more »
The InFrame Synapse product family of German company Information Technology AG (acp-IT) offers all the IT functionalities necessary to manage and control a high-tech manufacturing line in the PV as well as semiconductor, electronics and automotive industries. Dr Frank Frauenhoffer, one of the founders of the company, talks about its product portfolio. PES: Dr Frauenhoffer,… Read more »
A leading global provider of intelligent vision-guided robotics systems and services, Adept Technology GmbH systems provide performance and economic value throughout the production lifecycle, enabling PV customers to achieve precision, quality and productivity in their assembly, handling and packaging processes. PES spoke to Joachim Melis, Vice President Worldwide Sales. PES: Intelligent automation has come a… Read more »
Air Liquide is a leading France-based supplier of gases for industry, health and the environment. The group, established as a small company back in1902, offers innovative solutions based on constantly updated and advanced technologies and produces air gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, argon and other rare gases as well as hydrogen. PES talks to Olivier… Read more »
A global supplier of gases and chemicals, Air Products supplies customers in technology, energy, healthcare, and industrial markets. Crucially, it has adapted to serve the PV sector and boasts a massive portfolio of clients worldwide. PES asked Jeff Handelman, General Manager, Photovoltaics, for his global perspective on the industry. PES: PV seems to be developing… Read more »
Applied Materials is a US company that focuses on its 40-year equipment manufacturing competency to unlock cost reductions and accelerate the march towards peak and grid parity. Robert DeLine, Applied’s Managing Director of Channel Development, talks PES through the process. PES: Grid parity is the buzz word of 2010. How does your company aid cost… Read more »
Canadian Solar Inc. is one of the world’s largest solar module producers. In this interview, Gregory Spanoudakis, President of European Operations, shares his thoughts on the company’s ever-growing success and the outlook for 2010. PES: Welcome back to PES magazine. What have been the challenges and the successes that your company has faced since we… Read more »
Don Buchalski, senior marketing specialist, Dow Corning Solar Solutions, talks to PES about the advantages silicon-based materials bring to the PV industry and the specific solutions offered by Dow Corning. PES: Stephanie Burns, Dow Corning’s CEO, has stated that making solar energy economically competitive with traditional energy sources is a corporate priority for your company…. Read more »
PES is proud to welcome back Egbert Wenninger, Vice President, Sales Glass Technology of Grenzebach Maschinenbau GmbH (Grenzebach). We pressed him on recent business partnerships, product development and more. PES: We note that Grenzebach has formed a recent partnership with Algoscan. Can you explain a little about this business and what you intend to offer… Read more »
As a comprehensive optoelectronics group, Jenoptik is well-known – and indeed, well respected – within the PV arena. With its group headquarters in Jena (Germany), the company is represented in nearly 70 countries and has major production sites abroad in the USA, France and Switzerland as well as shareholdings in India, China, Korea and Japan…. Read more »
As CEO of Meyer Burger, Peter Pauli has helmed the company through a period of impressive – and perhaps unprecedented – growth. Their all-share acquisition of 3S Industries has created a company with a workforce comprising more than 1,000 employees, making it the world’s third-largest PV equipment supplier. Here, he tells PES about the past,… Read more »
One of the most forward-looking operators within the PV industry, Multi-Contact is nevertheless built upon decades of innovation and experience across a broad sweep of industries. PES caught up with CEO, Rainer Isenrich, who is currently steering the company into previously-untapped global markets. PES: Welcome back to PES. For the benefit of any new readers… Read more »
As CEO of Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum, Dr. Andreas Widl is one of the PV industry’s leading lights. Here, he talks to PES about the evolution of the company and the technological advances that have made it a major global player. PES: Welcome to PES magazine, for the benefit of our readers who might not be… Read more »
Since 1995, Prediktor has delivered advanced industrial IT tools and solutions to a wide range of industries, including the PV sector. As CEO Steinar Sælid explains, the company’s solutions are based on deep process knowledge and insights into customers’ processes and operations. PES: When you were formulating your Manufacturing Execution System (MES) solution back in… Read more »
In October last year, Hans-Joachim Bender was awarded a German Enterprise Medal (“Wirtschaftsmedaille”) in recognition of his corporate merits and achievements as the managing partner of Robert Bürkle GmbH. The Black Forest plant manufacturer is bucking the recent economic trend by introducing new products and innovations and has aggressively opened up the photovoltaic market as… Read more »