Wind turbines are getting bigger and heavier, so it makes sense that the machinery and techniques used to lift them should evolve too. Electric chain hoists have been used within the industry since the early days, so what changes are being seen and how are companies like LIFTKET adapting their products to suit? As early… Read more »
Staying ahead of the curve is a recurring theme that anyone involved in a competitive industry contends with. In the offshore platform sector, one example is to invest in a forward-looking project infrastructure to ultimately achieve significant long-term cost savings and other benefits. Outdated operating methods are replaced with better, modern alternatives. Technologies become more… Read more »
Digital innovation is crucial for tracking blade damage history and repair details on large fleets. As the first software-as-a-service for this market, Blade Expert sets a new communication standard for rotor blade works and data management that allows any service company to deploy its own system, while enabling owners and operators to optimise their maintenance… Read more »
New challenges call for new ideas. Recognising the unpredictability of the offshore environment and understanding that when it comes to solutions and equipment, one size doesn’t fit all, is an important key to success within the sector. Offshore wind is a fast developing and ever-changing industry, and nowhere are the challenges greater felt than in… Read more »
The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has launched three hydrogen flagship projects which reinforce the German National Hydrogen Strategy. The H2Mare flagship project is one of them, bringing together 33 partners from industry and science. In the scope of this project, Fraunhofer IWES is investigating the scientific basis for quasi-autonomous offshore hydrogen… Read more »
Data is essential in helping optimise future wind farm design, allowing for improvements to the efficiency of operations during the construction phase and throughout its lifecycle. Collecting the data accurately is crucial, so we were keen to learn more about the technology that makes this possible, from Sergi Roma, Business Developer at EOLOS Floating Lidar… Read more »
From manufacturer, to installation and maintenance, having the right tools for the job at any point in the process is crucial for effective turbine and blade management. As the machinery gets bigger and the demands on the sector grow, the tool makers themselves are faced with new challenges. PES heard from Erik Roos, Director of… Read more »
With safety, efficiency and cost-effectiveness among the driving factors for wind turbine manufacturers, there is currently a big rush on high-end yokes. Something that ematec is well placed to help with. By taking customer feedback on board, the German supplier is enjoying full order books as it celebrates its 25th year in business. Why are… Read more »
DHSS, recently acquired by Clarkson Port Services and now part of Clarkson PLC, continues to grow its coverage of services on a global scale. With strategic locations around the UK and the Netherlands, the combination forms a solid tandem, providing important turn-key services, including port agency, terminal handling and quayside logistics, warehousing, helicopter services as… Read more »
In-person, no more virtual, no temperature control at the entrance and with visitors and exhibitors shaking hands and no restrictions. All of these contributed to an unbelievable energy that rocked the exhibition hall and stages in the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center during an action-packed three days for Wind Energy Asia. There is talk of problems in… Read more »
Wind power has made great strides in a very short time. It is now a cornerstone of Europe’s energy system, and at the heart of its long-term ambitions. It makes up 17% of all electricity consumed in Europe today, and the European Commission wants that figure to grow to 43% by 2030. But the wind… Read more »
The global economy has seen some of its most significant challenges in modern history in the last decade. One of the main drivers is the increasing focus of governments worldwide bolstering their energy supply, to reduce vulnerabilities to catastrophic global events, like the ones we have seen this century. Combined with the increasing drive to… Read more »
‘Floating wind’, the new buzzword of the offshore energy sector, is said to revolutionise the global energy infrastructure. Floating turbines open up new potential sites for exploitation, further offshore, in deeper seas, where stronger and more consistent winds mean better yields. Only four floating wind farms have been built so far, but this relatively new… Read more »
With the increasing size of wind farms and the turbines themselves, the scale of inspection and maintenance challenges faced by the wind energy industry is also growing. Servicing the blades has become more difficult, whereas turbine failure and downtime are more costly. Additionally, growing risks related to increased lightning damage due to towers and blades… Read more »
Globally, the use of data is becoming increasingly important, enabling many processes to be optimized. At 4cast, physics, computer science, meteorology, and mathematics experts work together with data. The company uses big data to create precise energy yield forecasts for wind and solar parks. By providing accurate predictions directly to marketers, grid operators, energy service… Read more »
According to WindEurope’s latest analysis, Europe currently has 255 GW of wind energy installed, of which 19 GW are newly established facilities from 2022. WindEurope’s expectations for the future are that an additional 129 GW will be established in Europe between 2023 and 2027. To meet the 2030 climate goals, the expansion is expected to… Read more »
Ingenuity through simplicity. Discussing simple yet effective solutions to very common problems in the industry, with VelociWrapper®. Thousands of years ago, a caveman brought a round, flat rock to his council meeting. He showed how the rock could be rolled on its side, enabling it to be moved with relatively little effort. If the rock… Read more »
Fuel prices are rising exponentially across the world and demand for cleaner, cheaper electric vehicles is growing. We thought it was a good time to catch up with Soltaro CEO Tynan Coles, to get his take on the market, the opportunities it presents for the solar industry and what uptake has been like so far…. Read more »
With big change comes unpredictability. At a time when the world is increasingly relying on green energy including solar, this uncertainty has the potential to cause problems. PES sat down with Travis Snyder, Product Manager at Solis Europe, to find out how it is reacting to an increased need for solutions that insulate electrical users… Read more »
All over Europe, string inverters have been the standard for decades, not only in large-scale industrial PV plants, but also in residential rooftop installations. Although there have been some alterations in the product standards to tackle performance, safety and other issues, there hasn’t been a major reformation in the residential market for a long time…. Read more »
Logistics hubs, the central facilities for distributing goods, are the core of logistics companies. Their vast, flat roofs are ideal for installing solar. As energy is one of the leading costs for operating a warehouse, solar can play a crucial role in lowering this outlay. Now, many logistics companies are planning for another huge challenge:… Read more »
A stable power supply is the focus of current energy debates. The ultimate target is to become independent from fossil fuels. However, the change from a few centralised energy producers to many decentralised ones means a complete reorganisation of the power grid, which has existed in this form for over 100 years, something that isn’t… Read more »
There are common, and intertwined, misconceptions in the PV industry about string inverters today. The first is that they are subject to the ‘Christmas light effect’, meaning, if one module can’t produce power, the whole string will stop working. The second is that in the presence of shade, inverters will be forced to work at… Read more »
The transformation from fossil fuels to solar and climate-neutral energy generation is a huge task. Integrating sustainability into our entire life cycle will involve the creation of products and services to help people and industry to solarize their energy needs. Thus, effectively reducing their emissions. This can only really be achieved through collaboration and the… Read more »
Schmid introduces inline single side wet processes along with Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition doped glass layers. IBC (interdigitated back contact) solar cells have metal on the non-illuminated side, to maximize the absorption of incident light on the front . Other advantages of the IBC architecture include lower series resistance due to higher metal fraction,… Read more »
With the growing season approaching, PES caught up with Renu Robotics’ CEO Tim Matus to find out the latest on autonomous technology in the solar industry and how it can help solve issues around vegetation while keeping costs and energy use in check. PES: Tim, it’s always good to talk to you. When we’ve spoken… Read more »
While the European demand for Solar PV soars, why hasn’t the Solar PV industry raced forward to scale up? The conundrum is that European companies and investors face a high business risk in establishing a sustainable solar upstream manufacturing value chain. Over the past two years, Norwegian Crystals has been providing thought leadership around the… Read more »
As market demand for solar increases, so companies within the sector are expanding their premises and their product ranges. Among these is Mounting Systems GmbH, a business that is taking its solutions for pitches and flat roofs to new heights. As Germany’s only manufacturer of solar mounting systems, Mounting Systems GmbH, located in Rangsdorf, near… Read more »
Managing remote power systems is a challenge, but an increasingly necessary one. Fortunately, there are new hardware and software technologies emerging that will allow solar electric system optimization in the field while reducing downtime, without being on-site. The past decade has seen tremendous growth in solar electric systems being used to power remote applications and… Read more »
Solar panels are becoming increasingly part of our everyday world, so ensuring they blend seamlessly into their surroundings is key. A good time then for us to discuss this issue and some possible solutions for color solar modules, with Sebastian Barth, Business Development Manager Electronic Materials, at Merck. PES: Hello Sebastian and welcome back to… Read more »
Producing over 560 GWh of energy annually, the Baynouna solar park is helping Jordan achieve its objective of meeting 50% of its electricity needs from renewables by 2030. Creating enough energy to power 160,000 homes, this is a large-scale project that is also providing jobs and economic opportunities for the area. The Baynouna Solar Energy… Read more »
There is lots of talk about power shortages and how we can produce even more power through solar or wind. It is true, nothing works without power. However, the current crisis in eastern Europe shows that we cannot only focus on power shortages. There is another source of energy, that might actually be a way… Read more »
Is it really possible to produce and store cost-effective electricity without being dependent on electricity suppliers and in an environmentally friendly way? The latest innovation from KOSTAL may have made this vision much closer to reality, enabling self-generated solar energy to not only be used directly, but also allowing surplus to be saved for later… Read more »
Solar panel maintenance is crucial for ensuring that the installed photovoltaic (PV) system remains in great working condition, both now and in the future. Many problems with solar panels can go unnoticed for some time and may end up being quite costly to fix. There are a few ways you can ensure you’re taking good… Read more »
With the pace of the industry shifting up a gear, new projects and technologies are implemented and PV plants are upgraded much more frequently to optimise energy yields. We were keen to speak to Kees Hoogendijk, Managing Director of EKO Instruments Europe B.V., to find out how manufacturers are able to respond to this demand…. Read more »
Lachlan Bateman, Head of Power Systems Planning, Asia Pacific Energy Systems at DNV, discusses how, with some minor modifications to the ‘standard’ electrical distribution design approach for residential developments, networks may be able to accept high volumes of solar power within distribution code limits. Multiple stakeholders in grid-connected, community solar residential projects need assurance that… Read more »