News Archive March 2021

UK: Triton Knoll Delivers First Electricity

Triton Knoll offshore wind farm is located over 32 kilometres off the Lincolnshire coast.

Vestas Ventures Further into Ukrainian Market

Vestas to supply the first EnVentus order in the Eastern Europe region for the 126 MW DTEK Tiligulska project in Ukraine

As part of this transaction Eni has also completed the agreement to purchase a 10% interest in the Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B assets from project partner SSE on the same terms.

Falck Renewables: Brattmyrliden Wind Farm Starts Operation

The turbines now undergo final testing before reaching full commercial operations, expected by the end of Q1 2021.

UNFCCC: "2021 Is a Make or Break Year"

Nations must redouble efforts and submit stronger, more ambitious national climate action plans in 2021 if they’re to achieve the Paris Agreement goal, a new UN report says

Indiana: PPA for EDPR Wind Farm Signed

The contract will last 15 years and the project, located in the state of Indiana, is expected to start in 2023

GE Power Conversion launches Connectix™

Announcing the launch Philippe Piron, CEO of GE Power Conversion, said: “Connectix will help to take data analytics to the next level in energy conversion systems."

ZITON to Overhaul and Upgrade Meerwind OWF Rotor Blades

Siemens Gamesa has selected Danish company ZITON to work on the blades of German offshore wind farm Meerwind.

Offshore Wind in the Black Sea?

The World Bank estimates the Black Sea has 453 GW of technical offshore wind potential – 269 GW for bottom-fixed and 166 GW for floating offshore wind.

Roxtec Designs Oval Seal for Rambøll

The objective was to be able to save steel in the heavy transition pieces by reducing the stress and risk of fatigue

NSK Acquires Brüel & Kjær Vibro

Toshihiro Uchiyama, president and CEO, NSK, said, “I am excited to welcome all of B&K Vibro’s valuable team members to the NSK group."

Vestas Wins Swedish Order from TRIG

Vestas will supply, install and commission 12 V162-5.6 MW turbines, part of Vestas’ EnVentus platform, for the Grönhult wind farm.

UL Becomes the First Foreign-funded Certification Body Qualified to Issue China Green Product Certification

UL-CCIC Co. is officially approved to provide China Green Product Certification (CGP) certification

WEC Energy Group Acquires 90% of Kansas' Jayhawk Wind Farm

WEC Energy Group has acquired a 90% ownership interest in the Jayhawk Wind Farm, to be built in Bourbon and Crawford counties, Kansas.

OHT's New Heavy Installation Vessel Launched

Alfa Lift has been floated-out from its dry dock at China Merchants Heavy Industry shipyard in China

Ocean Infinity and MMT have announced the acquisition to combine the deep expertise and established track record as a distinguished marine survey and data analytics provider from MMT and Ocean Infinity’s robotic technology and operational expertise.

RAD Torque Systems is a globally known manufacturer of battery-powered, electric and pneumatic torque wrenches. On January 1st 2021 RAD Torque Systems authorized M-PT Matjeschk-PowerTools as the sole German sales and service partner for its products.

Triton Knoll OWF: All Wired In

NKT completed delivering export and array cables for 857 MW Triton Knoll offshore windfarm in the UK.

OCEAN WINDS (joint venture EDP Renewables/ ENGIE) and TERNA ENERGY have signed a collaboration agreement to co-develop floating offshore wind projects in Greece.

The Corona crisis triggered a global decline in CO2 emissions in 2020. As predicted, however, with the restart of the economy, emissions have risen again. Fossil fuel companies are stoking this development up by clinging to structures they have grown fond of. And where that isn't enough, they sue.

UK Government Launches Innovation Program to Reach Net Zero

The Net Zero Innovation Portfolio provides funding for low-carbon technologies and systems, including offshore wind industry.

Schaeffler Group Weathers Crisis in 2020 Well

Schaeffler Group has published its results for the COVID-19 ravaged 2020.

Enel Signs VPPA for Hybrid Project in the U.S.

The Azure Sky wind project is located in Texas and consists of a 350 MW wind facility paired with approximately 137 MW of battery storage

Wood Mackenzie’s latest scenario report reveals that a significant increase in carbon pricing is needed to achieve the goals of limiting the rise in global temperatures to within 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Report: Offshore Wind Next Big Thing in the U.S.

The Business Network’s annual U.S. Offshore Wind Market Report analyzes opportunities for growth, supply chain expansion, and more.

TenneT and CrossWind Sign Contract for Dutch Offshore Grid Connection

The agreement signed by CrossWind and TenneT formalises the connection of the offshore wind farm to the Dutch electricity grid.

The technical wind resource potential on the African continent alone is over 59,000 GW. According to the latest data released by GWEC Market Intelligence, the Africa and Middle East region installed 821 MW of new wind power capacity in 2020, bringing total capacity in the region to over 7 GW.

As part of its sustainability strategy, Schaeffler consistently aligns its production processes towards resource efficiency, environmental compatibility, and the conservation of resources.

North Carolina with Huge Offshore Wind Industry Potential

A new study commissioned by the North Carolina Department of Commerce shows the state can significantly contribute to the U.S. offshore wind supply chain.

CIP Sells Stake in Spanish Wind Farm Cluster

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has divested a 49% stake in the Monegros wind portfolio.

Ørsted Signs PPA for U.S. Haystack Wind Farm

In addition to PepsiCo, Target and Hormel Foods have also signed long-term agreements with Ørsted to purchase energy from the 298 MW Haystack wind project in Nebraska.

DNV advises PGE Baltica on the setup of a joint venture structure between PGE and Ørsted for the development of two offshore wind projects in the Baltic Sea with a total potential capacity of up to 2.5 GW.

The ‘Electricity Consumption and Renewable Generation in Northern Ireland: Year ending December 2020’ report by the Government shows that Northern Ireland used 49.2% of renewable energy last year.

Siemens Gamesa to Install its SG 5.8-155 Turbines in Scotland

The SG 5.8-155 turbine is one of the most powerful wind turbines in the sector. It's the first time, these turbines will be installed in the UK.

Danish Energy Island: Invitation to Market Dialogue

The Danish Energy Agency will conduct a market dialogue for potential bidders and relevant industries for the planned Energy Island for offshore wind in the North Sea.

Iowa State University Publishes Study on Rotor Blade Icing

Icing can cost wind turbines up to 80% of power production, a new study finds.

TrønderEnergi and Stadtwerke München Acquire Norway's Second Largest Wind Farm

Statkraft sold all its shares in the Roan wind farm in Åfjord to TrønderEnergi and Stadtwerke München, the Norwegian utility announced on Friday.

ACCIONA Signs VPPA in Poland

ACCIONA has signed its first Virtual Power Purchase Agreement in Poland, where the company already has 101MW in installed wind capacity.

BOEM Decision on Vineyard Wind

The decision approves the installation and operation of 84 offshore wind turbines, paving the way for the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the U.S.

HAWE Hydraulik Builds New Plant in China

The company plans to build system solutions for key industries such as wind turbines, solar plants, machine tools and medical technology primarily for the Chinese market in Wuxi.

CAT: China's 14th Five Year Plan Is Underwhelming

“It’s disappointing that China is placing such a large focus on continuing its reliance on coal - and oil and gas," says Climate Action Tracker (CAT).

Siemens Energy Technology for Chinese Offshore Wind Farm

Siemens Energy will supply 22 fluid-immersed distribution transformers for the Yuhuan Offshore Wind Power Project in China.

Insurance Rates and Wind Turbine Fire

A fire in one of your turbines can significantly increase your insurance premiums and raise your deductible levels, causing your insurance to become even more expensive.

In 2019, Statkraft developed and built County Kerry’s first large scale storage battery and is currently working on a second larger project of 26 MW nearby.

DEME Offshore and Sabca Drone Test for O&M at Offshore Wind Farms

DEME Offshore and Sabca successfully performed a series of tests at the Rentel offshore wind farm in the Belgium North Sea.

Renewable energy organisations representing different spheres of the renewable energy community have gathered today on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima nuclear accident to emphasise that renewable energies are not only available in abundance but ready to deliver a renewable world.

Despite the COVID-19 crisis, a record number of power purchase agreements (PPAs) were signed last year. A turnaround in the market is not in sight, especially as other regions besides Europe and the U.S. are increasingly coming into focus.

The German-African Energy Forum is the flagship event of economic cooperation between Germany and the African continent. For thirteen years, the conference has been hosting up to 500 participants, a yearly average of ten African government delegations and continues to be a popular destination for leading energy businesses from Germany, Europe and Africa.

UK: GE Renewable Energy to Build New Rotor Blade Manufacturing Facility

LM Wind Power plans to open and operate a new manufacturing plant for the production of offshore wind turbine blades in Teesside, UK.

The slewing platform, as well as the A-frame of the upcoming Heavy Lift Crane HLC 150000, are now on their way to being assembled on OHT’s next-generation offshore wind foundation vessel Alfa Lift.

Prysmian Publishes Results

CEO Valerio Battista: "Examining the results for the year just ended, we can say that we have achieved our objectives."

RTS Wind Wins Offshore Turbine Maintenance Job from RWE

The service provider RTS takes over the annual maintenance of the wind turbines of the German RWE offshore wind farms Amrumbank and Nordsee Ost

Invenergy's Blooming Grove Wind Energy Center Starts Electricity Production

Located in McLean County, Illinois, Blooming Grove generates enough electricity to power about 69,000 American homes each year.

Total wind power capacity in North and Latin America is now 136 GW and 34 GW respectively, helping to avoid 250 million tonnes of C02 emissions annually – equivalent to taking 1.2 billion passenger cars off the road.

Forecast: China to Become Largest Offshore Wind O&M Market

Wood Mackenzie predicts the global offshore wind O&M market to grow 16% annually to US$12 billion by 2029.

The Canadian Government has announced a $7.1-million investment for TUGLIQ Energy Co. to help fund the third phase of its wind energy project that will displace diesel generation in northern Quebec while creating local job opportunities.

Wind Turbine Manufacturers: Change at the Top

The annual wind turbine manufacturers ranking has a new leader for the first time in four years with the preceding one slipping down to third place.

RWE Now Holds Majority Stake in Rampion Offshore Wind Farm

RWE has taken over a further 20% stake from E.ON in the British offshore wind farm Rampion.

A team of engineers in the Electrical Systems group at GE Research have achieved one of the world’s firsts in the power conversion sector, demonstrating a MW-scale modular, multi-level wind power converter in its lab in Upstate New York.

The Swedish wind farm "Hultema" with a planned nominal capacity of around 60 MW, which was developed by the PNE Group, has been sold to the Swiss infrastructure fund Reichmuth Infrastruktur II KmGK.

ABO Wind Continues Net Profit Success

"In terms of content as well as financially, we have created very good conditions for further successful business years," summarises Managing Board member Matthias Bockholt.

The analysis assesses the reliability of variable energy resources during extreme weather events such as extended-duration cold snaps and heat waves or wind and solar generation lulls.

GE Renewables to Hire Employees in France

GE Renewable Energy has announced to recruit 300 employees at its LM Wind Power wind turbine blade manufacturing site in Cherbourg, France, in 2021.

President Joe Biden’s new Cabinet Secretaries – all champions of renewable energy development – lead three federal agencies that have broad powers and responsibilities that directly affect the development of the growing U.S. offshore wind industry.

For many European Sea basins, such as the Mediterranean or the Black Sea, floating offshore wind is a favourable technology. For this to happen, the costs of floating offshore wind must continue their downward trend.

Equinor to Conduct Fish Survey at Hywind Scotland Floating OWF

The company has contracted Akvaplan-niva to use their Sailbuoy, a glider, to conduct the survey.

When maintenance-free is not an option, but a must. When there is no alternative to ergonomics. When longevity and reliability are the justified customer demand. Then Moog Rekofa GmbH offers the perfect way to combine all these requirements in one product.

GWEC India Announces New Policy Director

Martand Shardul, previously a Fellow at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), has joined GWEC India as its first Policy Director

WWEA: Study of Russian Wind Market

Russia has an enormous wind power potential. A new study now presents an in-depth and detailed analysis of the current wind sector and its strengths and weaknesses.

Danfoss has signed a 10-year fixed price corporate power purchase agreement (CPPA) with Ørsted to offtake the renewable electricity output of 27 MW of Ørsted's 209MW Danish offshore wind farm Horns Rev 2.

To help Tunisia, the Energy Transition Facility (ETF) from the Netherlands organised an offshore wind training course in cooperation with the ANME and DOB-Academy. ETF aims to support countries in the Middle East and North Africa with their transition to a more sustainable energy supply.

Video: Moog Rekofa Slip Rings - 100 Years of Innovation

Moog Rekofa boosts its presence at Windfair with a video. Take a closer look at the company!

Merck Signs VPPA with Enel Green Power in the U.S.

Merck has signed a 12-year, off-site, virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with Enel Green Power

RWE likes to emphasise that they are second only to world market leader Ørsted on the list of offshore wind project developers. Unlike the Danes, however, the German company continues to rely on coal as an energy source. And there is no end in sight, says Greenpeace, and gives the company a scathing verdict.

RES to Build Corlacky Hill Wind Farm in Northern Ireland

Energy company RES has received consent to build for 11-turbine Corlacky Hill Wind Farm, near Swatragh.

Iberdrola Commits to Second Japanaese Offshore Wind Project

Iberdrola will co-develop Seihoku-oki wind farm, which will enter the round 2 auction, together with Japanese developer Cosmo Eco Power and Hitz Engineering

Swire Energy Services have partnered with ELA Container Offshore to support the promotion and delivery of Offshore Accommodation to the UK energy markets.

The New York State Public Service Commission today unanimously voted to grant the Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need for New York’s South Fork Wind Farm.

Antaris Small Wind Turbine Installed in Belgium

Despite the ongoing pandemic, another Antaris small wind turbine has been installed in Belgium.

Germany Needs More Onshore Wind Energy

Giles Dickson, WindEurope CEO: “We’re asking the German Governments to take six simple measures which will unlock immediate investments, jobs and growth."

Installation Start at Taiwanese Greater Changhua 1 & 2a OWFs

Located 35-60km from the coastline of Changhua County, the first large-scale and far shore offshore wind farms in Taiwan are scheduled to be finalized by 2022.

GWEC: China Doubling Annual Installations in 2020

In 2020, China broke the world record for most wind power capacity installed in a single year with 52 GW of new capacity.

Air Liquide Signs PPA with Vattenfall

Air Liquide has signed a long-term PPA with Vattenfal to purchase a total of 25 megawatts of offshore wind capacity in the Netherlands.

A researcher used computer models to show that wind turbines, averaged over large regions, actually ramp up their power during cold snaps, when demand for home and business heating is the greatest.

OX2 Sells Two Onshore Wind Farms in Poland

DIF Capital Partners will acquire 100% of two onshore wind projects in the Podlaskie and Lodz regions of Poland, with a total capacity of 63 MW.

Renewables capex, which equals purchases from supply firms, is set for another record year, picking up where last year left off, when spending hit $224 billion, Rystad Energy predicts.

Offshore wind has the potential to deliver 90 percent of America's projected 2050 electricity demand. This finding comes from Offshore Wind for America, a new report released Thursday by Environment America Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group that examines U.S. offshore wind potential by coastal region and by state.

Nexans Partners Globally with Shippeo

The collaboration with Shippeo will help advance Nexans’s strategic transition to an even more customer-centric organization.

BayWa r.e. needed a flexible solution that can be integrated with the new wind farms and disconnected again without disrupting the operation of both the wind farm and the SCADA overlay solution.

GE Renewable Energy announced that it has been awarded a contract to supply a total of eight wind turbines to support construction of the Thuan Nhien Phong (TNP) wind farm in Binh Thuan province in Vietnam.

World's Most Powerful Onshore Wind Turbine Celebrates German Premiere

Siemens Gamesa will install two SG 5.8-155 with a capacity of 6.6 MW in Schleswig-Holstein in the north of Germany.

DNV Wins Contract to Support Development of Taiwanese Offshore Wind Farm

Taiwan Power Company appoints DNV as Owner’s Engineer for the 300 MW Changhua II offshore wind farm. The contract is worth USD 17.7 million.

PNE Installs Wind Farm in Poland

The Polish 'Jasna' wind farm with a total nominal capacity of 132 MW has been completed on schedule.

Owned by Japan Renewable Energy Corporation, the wind project will be constructed by Shimizu Corporation and will feature 13 V105-3.45 MW turbines in 3.6 MW operating mode with 84-meter towers.

The Polar Pod will enable international scientists and researchers to study the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which has a major influence on the Earth’s climate and contains an immense reserve of marine biodiversity.

GWEC: Global Wind Turbine Supplier Ranking for 2020 Published

GWEC Market Intelligence has released the preliminary rankings for the world’s top five wind turbine original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”).

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted a €350 million credit line to a consortium made up of EDF Renouvelables, Enbridge and wpd to co-finance the construction of a wind farm off the coast of Courseulles-sur-Mer in France, the bank has announced.

After excited years with Donald Trump and his dayly Twitter rumblings, the new administration under U.S. President Joe Biden has now found itself and has begun its work. During the election campaign, the topic of climate protection took a major position. What has happened since then?

Automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler and drive manufacturer Flender have joined forces to create a new, innovative and eco-friendly reusable packaging system.

Vattenfall Selects Siemens Gamesa's Turbines for Hollandse Kust Zuid OWF

The Dutch offshore wind farm Hollandse Kust Zuid will be the first to install a new series of wind turbines: the Siemens Gamesa Direct Drive 11 MW.

RWE has taken the Financial Investment Decision on its 1.4 gigawatt flagship Sofia Offshore Wind Farm project, globally the largest offshore project in its renewables fleet.

Covestro and ENGIE Sign PPA for Belgium Facility

Covestro will be covering almost half of its future electricity demand in Belgium from wind energy.

U.S.: Nucor Signs Long-Term PPA with Ørsted

U.S. steel manufacturer Nucor has signed a long-term agreement to purchase energy from the 367 MW Western Trail wind farm in Texas.

Equinor Unveils Design for O&M Base at the Port of Tyne

The developers of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm have revealed the design for the multi-million pound Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Base.

DNV has issued a Statement of Feasibility to the Spanish ship design and offshore engineering company Seaplace for its CROWN Spar offshore wind floating platform concept.

Siemens Energy will supply a reactive power compensation plant to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). The plant will enhance operations at Barren Ridge Switching Station, LADWP’s renewable energy transmission facility in Kern County, California, about 80 miles north of Los Angeles.

The number of people working in direct and indirect jobs in the UK’s world-leading offshore wind industry is set to rise significantly, from 26,000 currently to over 69,800 by 2026.

Tthe 12th edition of the most comprehensive report on fossil fuel bank financing documents an alarming disconnect between the global scientific consensus on climate change and the continued practices of the world’s largest banks.

wpd Presents Image Film

A new wpd image film presents fascinating insights into the commitment of the project developer from Bremen, Germany.

Scotland Misses Target of 100% Renewable Energy in 2020

97.4% of Scotland’s electricity consumption met by renewables in 2020

2020 was the best year in history for the global wind industry with 93 GW of new capacity installed (a 53% year-on-year increase), but it's still not enough!

Octopus Energy Group continues its rapid expansion and today announces its intention to acquire sister company Octopus Renewables in a move designed to shake up the global energy market and help drive a cheaper, faster energy transition through technology.

Antaris Small Wind Turbine Installed in Sweden

Another Antaris 3.5 kW has been installed on a 12m high wooden mast installed in Sweden.

Statkraft Signs PPA with Daimler

To enable the long-term 100% green power supply on an industrial scale, Statkraft will supply further wind power and solar power to Daimler in the form of PPAs.

The Danish government together with the parties to the Climate Agreement have entered into an agreement on a subsidy scheme for Hesselø OWF that ensures a sound framework for reaching the political objectives of net zero subsidies while at the same time continuously supporting the future OWF owner.

Enel Searches for Innovations in Recycling

For some years, Enel Green Power has been researching new sustainable solutions based on reuse and recycling, to give new life to wind turbine blades.

Siemens Gamesa Wins Two Orders from Sweden

European Energy orders wind turbines from Siemens Gamesa for two onshore wind farms in Sweden.

PNE AG commissioned two wind farms in Schleswig-Holstein with a total nominal output of 21 MW. The "Langstedt" and "Lentföhrden" wind farms were developed by WKN GmbH, a company of the PNE Group.

The U.S. Government has held an Offshore Wind Roundtable, stating several key announcements that give the green light for the long-awaited U.S. offshore wind energy sector kick off.

AWS and EWE Establish Joint Venture Alterric

The Aloys Wobben Stiftung (AWS) and the EWE AG have successfully launched their joint venture for the project management and operation of onshore wind energy projects called Alterric.

Wood Mackenzie: Golden Age of Wind Power Ahead

Wood Mackenzie predicts the wind industry to install nearly 1 TW of new capacity from 2021 to 2030.

A consortium of GE Renewable Energy’s Grid Solutions and Sembcorp Marine has announced they have been awarded the full contract to supply a state-of-the-art high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system for Sofia, one of the world’s largest offshore wind farm projects.

Prysmian Signs Contract for UK's Sofia Offshore Wind Farm

Prysmian was selected as preferred bidder in November 2020 and has now finalized its contract.

BASF presents roadmap to climate neutrality / The company wants to invest in renewable energy and the production of hydrogen to achieve its ambitious goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

With increasing shares of distributed energy, seamless data exchange between power generation assets and grid operators is central to a cost effective management of the energy system.

PNE: Successful Business Year 2020

PNE AG closed the 2020 business year very successfully. Markus Lesser, CEO of PNE AG, comments on the good business results: "2020 was both an extraordinary and a successful year for PNE AG."

The two companies have signed a partnership agreement to reduce risk and promote best practices for turnkey deliveries of high voltage power cables used for connecting offshore wind farms (OWF) to onshore grids.

Nexans Signs PSA for U.S. Empire Wind Project

Empire Wind is being developed by Equinor and BP through their 50/50 strategic partnership in the U.S and located south of Long Island.

The American Jones Act law dictates that all vessels operating domestically in the United States must be built in the United States, fly the American flag, have a U.S. crew, and be majority owned by a U.S. citizen. So, ESVAGT is creating a joint venture to fulfill these requirements.

Siemens Gamesa and Spanish energy giant Repsol have signed their first contract together that will see the installation of 24 SG 5.0-145 wind turbines across four wind farms in Spain, with a total installed capacity of 120 MW.

Until the end of April the EU member states have to submit their 'recovery plans' for the use of the money from the EU recovery fund totalling 672.5 billion €. Various environmental organisations have been taking a closer look and scrutinising the plans: What will the money be spent on? Climate protection measures or rather climate-damaging actions?