Iran’s quest to rejuvenate its energy industry after decades of sanctions is attracting renewable energy developers eager to plant turbines on windy ridges across the country. Since 2012 the government Continue Reading
Chart: German Wind Power Peaks Germany’s drive to harness wind and solar power is producing so much electricity that it’s spilling over into neighbors’ grids and increasing the threat of blackouts. Poland and the Czech Republic are spending $180 million on equipment to protect their systems from German power surges, while Austria is curbing some trading to prevent regional networks from collapsing. On a windy day, the overflow east can exceed the output from four atomic reactors. Germany’s fivefold increase in green energy in the past decade has outpaced investment in power lines to move it across the country. Electricity is looping through Poland and the Czech Republic to reach southern Germany, where supply is constrained as Chancellor Angela Merkel shuts nuclear plants after the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan. The disruptions show the limits to the European Commission’s vision of a single power market. “A huge accumulation of […]
BLOCK ISLAND, R.I.—Beloved by locals and tourists for its soaring clay bluffs and unspoiled views, this small New England island is heading toward another distinction: home to the nation’s first offshore wind farm. Five towering windmills off the island’s southeast coast are scheduled to begin generating power late next year. The Block Island plan has moved ahead of the Cape Wind project, a much larger turbine farm planned in the waters off Cape Cod in Massachusetts, wind-energy experts said. A contract dispute with local utilities following a slew of legal fights has thrown that 14-year effort into question. Proponents of the Block Island plan hope it will help jump-start the offshore wind industry in the U.S. The American Wind Energy Association trade group estimates there are 11 projects in 10 states in various stages of development. The U.S. lags behind other parts of the world in developing offshore wind, […]
Welsh first minister on hand for inauguration of offshore wind farm, which German energy company RWE says will put it in a leadership position in the offshore market. Photo courtesy of RWE. CARDIFF, Wales, June 18 (UPI) — With Wednesday’s inauguration of a Welsh wind farm, German energy company RWE said it’s positioned to be one of the largest wind energy providers in the world. Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones was on hand for the inauguration of the Gwynt y Mor wind farm, the second largest installation of its kinds with 160 turbines. "Local companies have been among those to benefit during construction and the site will bring high quality employment and opportunities for years to come," he said in a statement. The wind farm will have a peak operational capacity of 576 megawatts, which RWE says will be enough to meet the energy demands of about 30 percent […]
British government proposes end to public subsidies for onshore wind, but Scotland, which hosts most of the regional onshore wind farms, says the move is regrettable. File Photo by UPI/Pat Benic LONDON, June 18 (UPI) — Scotland said an end to subsidies for onshore wind farms will tack on extra costs, though the British government said it’s the best deal for consumers. London announced plans to end public subsidies for new onshore wind farms starting in April 2016. Last year, the $1.2 billion in government support helped onshore wind power generate 5 percent of total British electricity and bring the region closer to its climate change goals, the British government said. "We are driving forward our commitment to end new onshore wind subsidies and give local communities the final say over any new wind farms," Energy and Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd said in a statement. "Onshore wind is […]
Rhode island wind farm, billed as first offshore wind farm in the United States, is moving closer to construction phase. Photo by Teun van den Dries/Shutterstock NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I., May 19 (UPI) — A Rhode Island company will be the first of its kind to build a vessel to support the development of the inaugural U.S. offshore wind farm, planners said. Rhode Island Fast Ferry was contracted by developer Deepwater Wind to build a vessel and design the training for crew transfer. The ferry company will invest more than $4 million and employ more than 70 workers to build the vessel. "This will mean more jobs in the marine trades for Rhode Islanders and another way that the Ocean State will lead the growth of this new American offshore wind industry," Deepwater Wind Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Grybowski said in a statement. The ferry company will provide crew and […]
German energy company E.ON makes final investment decision to build wind farm in English Channel. File Photo by UPI/Shutterstock/Teun van den Dries. DUSSELDORF, Germany, May 18 (UPI) — German energy company E.ON said Monday it’s continuing its legacy as the largest European investor in wind by building a wind farm in the English Channel. E.ON said it made a final investment decision on the Rampion wind farm in the English Channel. Backed by a $374 million commitment by the U.K. Green Investment Bank, the project is expected to generate enough energy to meet the annual demand of 300,000 average households. The German company is the third-largest offshore wind energy operator, with 1.2 gigawatts of capacity on the regional grid. Since 2007, the company said it’s invested more than $10 trillion on renewable power. "Our Rampion project starts from a strong position," Mike Winkel, an E.ON board member, said in […]
One of the largest offshore wind farms of its kind, Nordsee Ost, inaugurated off the German coast. Photo courtesy of RWE. HAMBURG, Germany, May 11 (UPI) — Wind energy is a vital part of a German move to a low-carbon economy, the German economic minister said during the inauguration of RWE’s Nordsee Ost wind farm. German Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel hosted ministers from the Group of seven industrialized economies, along with representatives from RWE, for the inauguration of the 48-turbine wind farm off the northern German coast. "Offshore wind energy is a strategically important element of Germany’s energy and climate policy and is key to the success of the energy transition," Gabriel said in a statement. In April, German company E.ON started producing electricity from its Amrumbank West wind power project in the German waters of the North Sea . Germany is one of the world leaders in renewable […]
An employee walks between wind turbine blades at the Vestas Wind Systems A/S blade factory in Lem, Denmark. Photographer: Freya Ingrid Morales/Bloomberg Vestas Wind Systems A/S raised its sales and income forecast after strong orders in the usually weak first quarter drove the backlog at the biggest wind turbine maker to a record. Shares surged to a five-year high. The Aarhus, Denmark-based company reported net income of 56 million euros ($63 million) in the first three months, almost double the 29.7 million euro average that analysts had expected. It also enjoyed a 13 percent increase in revenue from its services business even though the year-ago period was fattened with rare contracts maintaining machines offshore. “This has been a historically strong first quarter on revenue, margins, order intake, and return on invested capital,” Chief Executive Officer Anders Runevad said. “Vestas is making good progress toward achieving its profitable growth objectives. […]
Ocean advocacy group says offshore wind could provide effective balance to U.S. energy economy with the right policies in place. (UPI/Shutterstock/Teun van den Dries) One of the main barriers to a diverse energy economy in the United States is an investment scenario that benefits oil and gas, an ocean advocacy group said. "It’s time for the U.S. to join many other parts of the world and invest in our clean energy future," Nancy Sopko, a campaigner with Oceana, told UPI in response to email questions. The European Commission this week announced some member states had already met their 2020 goals for renewable energy development . While solar power in the United States is gaining momentum, sectors like offshore wind have yet to reach commercial capacity. With high bids totaling $448,000, the Interior Department in January doubled the total acreage available for wind energy development off the coast of Massachusetts […]
