News Archive October 2023

In a joint effort between Australia, the US, Canada, and the UK, two multi-lateral research projects have been announced today as part of the National Science Foundation Global Centers in Climate Change and Clean Energy (NSF Global Centers) program.

Axpo will supply Pilkington Automotive Finland’s two manufacturing plants with an annual total of 35 GWh of wind-generated electricity from the Storbacken wind farm, located near the city of Vöyri in Finland, for eight years.

The company has now finalised its investment decision for a Dutch battery storage project with an installed power capacity of 35 megawatts (MW) and a storage capacity of 41 megawatt-hours (MWh).

“The energy storage market is on pace for a record year, as utilities and larger power users increasingly turn to storage to enhance the grid and improve reliability,” said ACP VP of Research and Analytics, John Hensley.

Riggs Distler will provide onshore heavy civil, mechanical, and electrical services focused on the construction, assembly, inspection, and onshore installation of advanced foundation components.

How to capture winds blowing higher above the ground in the U.S.

A recent NREL study has revealed that technology innovations could unlock an additional 80% economically viable wind energy capacity as soon as 2025.

Floating wind industry leader Principle Power has expanded its WindFloat product portfolio to two fully industrialized products: the existing WindFloat tubular design – now called WindFloat T – and the new flat panel, pontoon-based solution, known as the WindFloat F.

Andrew Truscott, Chief Executive of John Laing, said: “We are delighted to acquire this portfolio of operational core infrastructure assets backed by long-term contracts linked to inflation."

One of the largest cranes in the world, the height and size of the PTC210-DS belie its greatest strengths – its versatility and ability to operate in areas where space is limited.

The Crown Estate and Crown Estate Scotland have today announced a new partnership to collect and share data that will provide a more comprehensive and integrated understanding of the UK’s seabed benefitting many users.

Alongside information on the location and size of the new windfarms, The Crown Estate has also updated developers on its multi-million-pound programme of marine surveys.

Ørsted starts operations on 200 MW wind farm in Kansas

Sunflower Wind is located in Marion County, Kansas, and has the capacity to power more than 70,000 homes.

Prysmian signs contracts worth around €1.1 bn with 50Hertz for German grid projects

Prysmian has been awarded new contracts worth in total around €1.1 billion by 50Hertz, a transmission grid operator in Germany.

Ocean Winds sells minority stake in Moray East Offshore Wind Farm to Equitix

Ocean Winds will continue to manage the daily operations of the Moray East project and plans to invest the money in further offshore wind developments.

WFO: Offshore wind growth slows down

World Forum Offshore Wind (WFO) published its Global Offshore Wind Report for HY1 2023 today.

Statkraft to build Energy Isles Wind Farm in Shetland

Energy Isles Wind Farm will see up to 18 turbines constructed, with an installed capacity of approximately 126MW

Van Oord starts cable installation at German offshore wind farm

Van Oord will install transition pieces and start cable installation word at Iberdrola Deutschland’s Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm.

The SunZia Wind project in New Mexico will be the largest wind farm in the Western Hemisphere. Peninsula Clean Energy will receive 220MW of renewable energy that will supply 13 percent of the agency’s total annual electricity demand.

Entrion Wind is developing the Fully Restrained Platform. The FRP monopile combines fixed and floating platform technologies extending the water depths of the monopile up to 100 meters.

For a long time it looked as if Europe's first energy island would be built off the coast of Denmark, but now Belgium is getting ready to push ahead with the energy transition on the North Sea.

How to become a wind turbine technician

RES’ Turbine Apprentices begin their first day on the job.

The pipeline of floating offshore wind projects has grown significantly in the last 12 months in terms of capacity from 185 gigawatts a year ago to 244GW now - a 32% increase.

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its approval of the final Clean Air Act Outer Continental Shelf air quality permit for Revolution Wind, LLC. The permit includes air pollution control requirements for the construction and operation of a windfarm of up to 880 megawatts. EPA's approval is in concert with other federal approvals for the project, including the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's (BOEM) Record of Decision.

Vestas wins offshore wind order in Germany

Vestas secures a 960 MW firm order of V236-15.0 MW wind turbines for EnBW’s He Dreiht offshore wind project.

Marc Hirt, Country Manager for Ocean Winds in France, expressed: "We are delighted to announce the expansion of our partnership with Banque des Territoires for our participation in AO7."

Nordex wins 45 MW order from Spain

Enerfin, one of Spain’s leading mechanical engineering and construction groups, awarded the Nordex Group an order for 45 MW in Spain.

Vestas receives large onshore order in Poland

The order consists of 23 V110-2.0 MW wind turbines and 40 V100-2.0 MW wind turbines all in 2.2 MW operating mode.

ELANTAS GmbH, a subsidiary of the specialty chemicals group ALTANA AG, has finalized the purchase agreement initially signed on August 11, 2023, to acquire a majority stake in Von Roll Holding AG. All competition law clearances and other approvals required for the execution of the purchase agreement, as well as the public tender offer, have been granted.

The Polish Minister of Infrastructure has awarded the ORLEN Group licences for five new offshore wind farm development sites in the Baltic Sea. The planned wind farms will have a capacity of approximately 5.2 GW, generating clean energy for 8 million households.

The new test rig with a weight of more than 1000 tons has advanced design features to secure optimised operational efficiency through the test performing, while at the same time reducing critical handling and lifting operations.

Ørsted among 15 climate tech companies to watch

Independent media company MIT Technology Review included Ørsted on its new list of 15 climate tech companies to watch

Floating Offshore Wind Centre of Excellence launches new strategic programme

The FOW CoE launches a new programme focused on reducing risk and costs associated with floating offshore wind.

The contract covers inspection and maintenance of cranes, personnel lifts, general lifting, and safety equipment across all of the wind turbines and balance of plant.

ESB raises €1 billion in bonds

The green bond funds will be allocated to renewable energy projects which will include investment in smart meters, battery storage, solar and wind generation.

The report, which presents the latest deployment and employment figures for the renewable energy and clean technology industry, shows that while progress on renewable power remains positive, until supportive Government policy measures are forthcoming for heat, transport and circular bioresources, it will continually be a challenge for the UK to meet its legally binding net zero commitments.

Report: UK offshore wind supply chain has £92 billion potential for UK economy by 2040

The analysis finds that targeted intervention in the UK supply chain has the potential to bring £92 billion of GVA into the economy.

Alcazar Energy announces its acquisition of rights to a 118 MW wind farm project in Montenegro – a major milestone in its ambition to build the largest renewable energy platform in the Western Balkans.

SeaRenergy Poland to work on BC-Wind OSS permit design

The scope of the contract covers OSS topside concept design including electrical design which creates a basis for the construction permit.

Monthly report: Ireland can do better

Strong winds throughout the second half of last month delivered a third consecutive record-breaking month in wind power generation in Ireland.

Study: Europe can become the first climate-neutral continent by 2030

A new study by various research institutes concludes that Europe can achieve climate neutrality by 2030 with existing renewable energy technologies.

The European Commission has approved a €193 million Lithuanian scheme to support offshore wind farms to foster the transition towards a net-zero economy, in line with the Green Deal Industrial Plan.

Statkraft's CEO to step down

Christian Rynning-Tønnesen will step down as CEO after almost 14 years of leading the company.

The Norwegian state-owned company, which on 1 October also celebrated five years in Ireland, has witnessed significant expansion of its workforce and project portfolio over the past five years.

The next Labour government will make it easier, cheaper and quicker to build in Britain, with a new plan to build the infrastructure Britain needs to grow the economy, cut bills, boost energy security, and unlock over £200bn of investment into communities across the country.

The world’s largest offshore wind farm under construction, Dogger Bank, has started producing electricity for the first time for British homes and businesses, the developers have announced.

Mondi Grünburg has partnered with NKE, a prominent manufacturer of bearing solutions for wind, railway and industrial applications, to create a new packaging solution for wind power components.

The agreement with ENGIE is part of Ferguson’s strategy to reduce its environmental footprint through fleet management, energy-efficient upgrades across its facilities, investing in onsite solar and seeking offsite renewable energy opportunities.

GWEC publishes first 'Status of Wind in Africa' report

The report provides a stocktake of the wind industry in Africa and delivers a forecast of the continent’s wind energy pipeline.

The Earth is off course

Limiting global warming to 1.5°C is more unlikely than ever. This is the conclusion of DNV's freshly published 'Energy Transition Outlook'. What are the reasons?

Through the ABO Wind team, the project obtained the necessary permits and consents to be ready to build. The investor concluded a private power purchase agreement with an off-taker for the produced electricity.

ORLEN Group reaches Final Investment Decision for Baltic Power OWF

The project adds nearly 1.2 GW green electricity to the Polish energy mix and will be pursued in partnership with Canada’s Northland Power.

Jan De Nul and Hellenic Cables to supply export cables for Baltyk II & III OWF

Wind farms Baltyk II and Baltyk III are located in the Polish zone of the Baltic Sea.

Jumbo Offshore has been contracted by Van Oord for the transportation and installation of transition pieces for the Baltic Eagle offshore wind project in the German Baltic Sea.

RWE has now commissioned its onshore wind project Orkoien testing two innovative technologies to reduce environmental impact during the plant’s construction phase on the one hand and greenhouse gas emissions during its subsequent operation on the other.

“The patents represent a blend of technical innovation and strategic foresight, particularly through smartification, AI, and digital twins, aiming to enhance not only operational efficacy but also grid stability, signifying a move towards more interconnected, smart infrastructure in the power and utilities sector," GlobalData says.

Ørsted and Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, have entered a multi-year partnership to advance the positive social impact of renewable energy projects.

AFRY supports Malta in planned offshore wind energy expansion

AFRY supports the process of defining and awarding offshore renewables concessions in Malta’s exclusive economic zones in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Global Wind Organisation (GWO) and Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) have published their latest joint report forecasting the numbers of wind technicians required to construct, install, operate, and maintain (C&I and O&M) the anticipated global wind fleet up to 2027.

Companies are outsourcing services so that they can devote their full attention to their own core activities and issues. This is where the new Industrial Services exhibition area comes into play.

wpd has secured the grid access for the two wind farms Broboberget and Lannaberget by signing the grid connection agreement for up to 740 MW installed wind power capacity with the grid operator Ellevio.

ABO Wind has become leading wind project developer in Finland

ABO Wind has reached two milestones in Finland and further strengthened its position in one of the largest wind energy markets in Europe.

Masdar inaugurates UAE Wind Program

Masdar inaugurates wind farms in four locations, with total combined capacity of 100+ megawatts which will power more than 23,000 homes.

Polenergia enters Romanian renewables market

The largest Polish private energy group has signed a conditional agreement with Naxxar Renewable Energy Management Holding.

The Windmill Cup 2023 took place in the Dutch Windpark Fryslân

Wind force 5 creates spectacle during battle for Windmill Cup 2023

The U.S. Department of Energy has selected a team of researchers led by Oregon State University to find out what people at the coast think about offshore wind energy.

Vattenfall powers up battery at wind farm in England

Vattenfall has installed a 20MW, 2-hour Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) next to its 16 turbine Ray Wind Farm near Otterburn in NE England.

Nordex Group achieves order intake of over 2.2 gigawatts for Q3

Nordex received orders from eleven countries in the third quarter 2023.

Clean Energy Council releases Power Playbook with recommendations for Government

The Australian Government should formalise a ‘Renewable Energy Superpower Masterplan’, the Clean Energy Council says.

The aim is to offer nBS’s customers PPAs for renewable energies in the future. Therefore, the two companies have signed a MoU which will provide RWE with an additional route to market for its renewable generation.

UAE-based Masdar has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) for 10 GW of renewable energy projects. The agreement includes the development of solar plants, floating solar plants, onshore wind farms and battery storage systems.

Japanese Marubeni signs MoU with UK Government

The cooperation will include clean energy projects like offshore wind and green hydrogen businesses in the UK.

Having been acquired from ABO Wind AG, a German project developer for renewable energy, the 86.8 MW project will provide clean energy for the equivalent of 36,800 homes across Finland once fully operational.

SMC and Ørsted continue working together

Specialist Marine Consultants (SMC) has been awarded two contracts by Ørsted to continue delivering Structural Inspections Above Water (SIAW) until 2026.

Financial close reached on Jeonnam 1 offshore wind project in Korea

Jeonnam I is a joint venture between SK E&S and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners through its fund Copenhagen Infrastructure III.

Located in Lee and Lasalle Counties, Illinois, GSG Wind commenced onsite construction to repower LRE’s legacy 80-MW wind facility, decommissioning 40 turbines and constructing 26 new turbines.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) monitors golden eagle populations, which are protected through the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Threats to golden eagles include loss of habitat and prey.

Maxwell Marine wins supplier contract for anchoring system for first USVs

The Maxwell anchoring system, which will be fitted to all vessels, had to meet the strict requirements of the highly technical, USVs.

EIB supports extension of Spanish electricity distribution network

It will increase the integration of renewable energy sources into the network, contributing to the decarbonisation of the Spanish energy mix.

Axpo announces plans for 25 MW wind farm in Finland

Axpo acquired the rights to construct the Lålax wind farm in Western Finland.

Braun Windturbinen sells another small wind turbine to northern Germany

The small wind turbine Antaris 5.5 kW was installed on the 12m high wooden mast 'Dali Tower' in Lower Saxony.

The Draft WEA announced last week has a capacity of over 40 GW, which exceeds the current combined offshore wind energy planning goals for the Gulf of Maine states.

Vestas secures Swedish 115 MW order

The order consists of 18 V162-6.2 MW wind turbines in 6.4 MW power optimised mode and includes supply, delivery, and commissioning of the turbines for the Anglarna onshore wind farm.

Trelleborg launches Orkot® C620, an innovative ultra-low friction bearing material with five times the compressive strength of other Orkot materials for offshore and marine applications.

Statkraft is now looking for a new partner who will be involved in the further development of Silva Green Fuel and the construction of the first full-scale production plant for biofuel.

U.S. offshore wind industry hit by continued financial challenges

"The U.S. offshore wind market felt its growing pains over the past quarter," said the Business Network for Offshore Wind.

Van Oord finished installation work on French offshore wind farm

Van Oord has completed the installation of 62 jacket foundations at the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm in France.

Fugro starts geophysical survey for Thor OWF

RWE has appointed Fugro to complete a geophysical survey for Denmark’s largest offshore wind farm, Thor.

Huisman has launched a new system that empowers crane operators with the ability to anticipate and react to approaching wind speeds, gusts, and direction during the installation process of turbine blades.

In a letter to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt Scottish Renewables highlights the need for an urgent strategy to address investor confidence and attractiveness, as well as action on a number of specific renewable energy technologies including offshore wind and hydropower.

Grids have formed the backbone of electricity systems for more than a century, delivering power to homes, factories, offices and hospitals – and their importance is only set to rise as electricity’s role in energy systems increases.

The current metals super-cycle that is a major component of the global energy transition could stall due to a gloomy global macroeconomic environment, geopolitics and a lack of investment in new production facilities according to analysts from Wood Mackenzie.

Prysmian successfully finishes work on Vineyard Wind 1

Prysmian Group successfully completed the installation and HV testing activities at Vineyard Wind 1, the first utility-scale offshore wind farm in the US.

New 'Electrification Manifesto' unveiled

The Manifesto calls for a dedicated Electrification Action Plan in the first 100 days of the incoming European Commission’s mandate.

Roxtec seals in AVEVA E3D Design

Simplify your cable and pipe transit design.

The ceramic components produced in Schweinfurt and Livange will be used in many promising growth areas like wind power, railway, aerospace, and medical and electric machinery.

At the world's leading trade fair for industry the EU presents itself as a strong economic alliance, just two months before the European Parliament elections. Last year, industry contributed around 23.5 percent to the EU's gross domestic product, and the service sector approximately 64.5 percent.

“Offshore wind’s untapped potential on the West Coast could be the key to achieving California’s ambitious climate and reliability goals while supporting regional jobs and community opportunities,” said Molly Croll, Pacific Offshore Wind Director, American Clean Power Association. “We welcome the expertise and dedication of CCOWL members to strengthen our collective mission of meeting California’s emissions-free future.”

Iberdrola wins bid for 790 hectares of wind farm land in Germany

ForstBW has awarded Iberdrola Germany the contract for three wind farm areas with a total potential capacity of 200 megawatts.

WindEurope: Wind Power Action Plan to strengthen Europe’s wind energy industry

The Package proposes a Wind Power Action Plan which sets out 15 actions to strengthen Europe’s wind energy industry.

The European Commission has presented a European Wind Power Action Plan yesterday to ensure that the clean energy transition goes hand-in-hand with industrial competitiveness and that wind power continues to be a European success story.

The next Research and Innovation Summit will take place on 22 April 2024 within the framework of HANNOVER MESSE 2024. Representatives from business and science as well as from politics and civil society will discuss the topic of innovations in Europe: catalysts, competencies and cooperation, based on the example of AI.

Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer, invests in a portfolio managed by Source Galileo which is developing 10GW of offshore wind to electricity and hydrogen production off the northwestern coasts of Europe.

PivotBuoy Project shows encouring results in first tests

The X1 Wind-developed project was tested in full operational conditions.

RWE wins 1.3 gigawatt offtake contract in New York

Sven Utermöhlen, CEO RWE Offshore Wind, is happy: “RWE has reached a major milestone in securing its first offshore wind offtake award in the United States."

GE today announced that it plans to spin off GE Vernova and launch GE Aerospace in the beginning of the second quarter of 2024, subject to final approval from the GE Board of Directors and other customary conditions.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects the energy system to change fundamentally by 2030 compared to today. Even though it will be difficult to reach the 1.5 degree target, the triumph of clean energies can no longer be stopped. But how we will get there is an open question.

Respect Energy Holding wants to build a floating offshore wind farm off the coast of Estonia

The floating offshore wind farm will have a total capacity of up to 820 MW.

TotalEnergies and its partner SSE Renewables are pleased to announce that their Seagreen offshore wind farm is now fully operational and running at its design capacity of 1,075 MW.

SAWEA announces third Wind Industry Internship Programme (WIIP) 2024

The programme will offer young professionals an opportunity to embark on a journey in the renewable energy sector.

“These projects will create more than 8,000 jobs and spur the development of new supply chains, attracting businesses and fostering innovation that will stimulate economic growth, and enhance the overall competitiveness of the state," the American Clean Power Association (ACP) said.

Statkraft supplies green power to Daimler Truck in Germany

The PPAs with different supply start dates support Daimler Truck AG in switching its power supply for all German production sites to 100% green power in the long term.

Eolus and Volvo form partnership for Swedish offshore wind project

The partnership involves the Västvind wind power project supplying significant amounts of electricity to Volvo Cars’ operations at Hisingen in Gothenburg.

The Attentive Energy project aims to develop more than 3 gigawatts of offshore wind located 54 miles from New York State and 42 miles from New Jersey shores.

Ørsted has signed an exclusivity agreement with Cathay Life Insurance today, selecting the Taiwanese leading insurance company and its affiliate as preferred bidder for the acquisition of a 50 % ownership stake.

VARD and Windward Offshore sign contract for two CSOV

This groundbreaking collaboration marks Windward Offshore's maiden project with VARD.

Statkraft acquires two Swedish wind power companies

Statkraft has acquired two companies in onshore and offshore wind power.

Eolus submits application for Swedish Arkona offshore wind farm

Eolus wants to build the offshore wind farm just over 22 km south of Skåne's coast within Sweden's economic zone.

Irish developer gets the nod for Australian 430 MW onshore wind farm

The State Assessment Referral Agency has awarded a Development Approval to DP Energy for its Callide Wind Farm in Queensland.

Borealis signs first long-term power purchase agreement with Alpiq

Borealis has entered into a long-term PPA with Alpiq to source renewable electricity from the Finnish wind farm Merkkikallio.

Air Liquide and Vattenfall sign PPA

Contracted over a 15-year period beginning in 2026, the PPA will bring overall renewable power capacity available to Air Liquide to around 270 MW in Benelux.

Ilmatar finishes Palma wind farm ahead of schedule

Ilmatar’s 17.2-MW wind farm in Somero’s Palma is now generating renewable energy for the Finnish grid.

Evaluating the effects of wind turbines on marine populations

It's difficult to distinguish the effects of wind turbines on the North Atlantic right whale from effects of climate change and other influences, says new report.

The HexDefence jacket system aims to eliminate or dramatically reduce the need for traditional and resource-intensive scour protection methods, such as rock dumping with additional benefits of being installed at quayside, eliminating the requirement for additional installation vessels and ensuring the scour protection is active from point of foundation installation.

According to a new ACP report, hydrodynamic effects that occur naturally in the ocean and from climate change are likely to dwarf any possible effects that offshore wind turbines have on the flow of ocean water.

Survey: mood in the European wind industry declines

The lack of resources is weighing on sentiment in Europe, but a positive assessment of the overall situation remains.