by piotr | Jul 20, 2011 | Wind
Bonn (WWEA) – WWEA President Dr. Anil Kane declares on the occasion of the Global Wind Day: “Wind energy has become the locomotive of the change of the energy system worldwide. Today, the worldwide wind capacity has crossed 200 Gigawatt and wind power covers almost 3 % of the global electricity demand. Wind is one of the fastest growing energy sources, and today one of the most economical solutions for electricity generation. Unfortunately many countries have neglected investment in new capacities in the past years and decades and kept electricity prices artificially low. In such light, wind and other renewables appear to be more expensive, although in reality wind is lower priced than most other technologies, when new and full investment costs are compared. Operation cost of wind turbines are amongst the lowest as well. At the same time, recent incidents have indicated very clearly that nuclear power, also due to its big risks and external costs, is not feasible economically, socially and environmentally. Hence an increasing number of countries have started to phase out nuclear power, like decided last weekend by an overwhelming majority in Italy where 94 % of the population refused a nuclear renaissance and wants more renewable energy instead. In total, only 30 countries are using nuclear energy, while already more than 80 countries are using wind energy on a commercial basis today. Other traditional energy sources such as coal, oil or gas are not only facing limitation of resources, but they are causing greenhouse gas emissions and pollution and hence cannot be seen as sustainable energy sources either. Instead, the world has to look...
by piotr | Jun 25, 2010 | Wind
Urban Green Energy Launches Small Vertical Axis Wind Turbine for Home and Office New York (Issues Wire / PRWEB) May 21, 2010 — The small vertical axis wind turbine that is poised to change the landscape of wind power. On the site, interested parties can learn about eddy’s powerful capabilities, including the capability to back up an existing solar power system, view images of eddy in action and learn how to order an eddy of their very own. eddy from Urban Green Energy Designed and manufactured by Urban Green Energy, the leader in vertical axis wind turbines, eddy is whisper quiet, resembles a modern art sculpture and produces clean energy day or night, year after year. Those interested in adding eddy into their residence qualify for a 30% federal tax credit. Several states offer further incentives as well. “Now is the perfect time to make the switch to wind power,” said Nick Blitterswyk, CEO of Urban Green Energy, the New York-based company that is among the leading providers of small turbines in the world. “Considering the rising cost of grid energy and the government incentives in place for renewable energy sources, consumers who opt for eddy can reap enormous savings over the lifetime of their homes. The 5-year financing in place makes eddy affordable for nearly all power needs.” Eddy performs well in winds that change directions quickly, and when combined with the turbine’s low start-up speed, there’s even greater energy production, delivering a higher return on investment for the customer. With a maximum safe wind speed of more than 120mph (55 m/s), and an engineered lifetime of 20 years,...
by piotr | Nov 20, 2009 | Wind
A new crop of entrepreneurs believes that wind power can and should take to the skies — literally. By: Frank Nelson Magenn has developed the blimp-like Magenn Air Rotor System, a revolving cylinder with three blades spinning in the wind like a paddle steamer wheel turning in water. Is it pie in the sky or something much more substantial? Some scientists, academics and entrepreneurs are convinced that to meet the world’s energy needs and roll back the ravages of global warming, we need only look up. “A river of energy flows above us,” said Cristina Archer, assistant professor of energy, meteorology and environmental science in the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences at California State University, Chico. “People talk about oil lakes under the ground, but we have the same [energy resource] in the sky. There’s a lot of wind energy up there. It’s astonishing. And it’s free. It makes sense to tap into that free source.” Archer, also a consulting assistant professor in the department of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University, is regarded as an authority on high-altitude wind power, or HAWP. In 2007, working with Ken Caldeira, senior scientist in the department of global ecology at Stanford’s Carnegie Institution for Science, she began a six-month research project, crunching through 28 years of global data to determine wind characteristics up to about 7.5 miles. Her findings, published in the journal Energies earlier this year, revealed immense reserves of sustainable energy at different altitudes and at different times of the year, all around the world. “The total wind energy in the jet streams is roughly 100 times...
by piotr | Nov 2, 2009 | Wind
By JOHN COLLINS RUDOLF A consortium of Chinese and American companies announced a joint venture on Thursday to build a 600-megawatt wind farm in West Texas, using turbines made in China. Construction of the $1.5 billion wind farm will be financed largely by Chinese banks, with the help of loan guarantees and cash grants from the United States government. “This wind farm project came about thanks to the openness of the United States for investments in the field of renewable energy,” said John S. Lin, chief operating officer of A-Power Energy Generation Systems, which is part of the consortium building the project. The wind farm will be the first instance of a Chinese manufacturer exporting wind turbines to the United States, said Yang Yazhou, vice mayor of the city of Shenyang, where the wind turbines will be manufactured. The farm, to be built on 36,000 acres in West Texas, will use 240 of its 2.5-megawatt turbines. Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2010, and the project is expected to create 300 temporary jobs and about 30 permanent jobs. Six hundred megawatts of wind power is enough to meet the electricity needs of between 135,000 and 180,000 American homes for a year. Other partners include the U.S. Renewable Energy Group, an investment firm, and a wind-farm developer, Cielo Wind Power of Austin,...
by piotr | Oct 21, 2009 | Wind
China is preparing to significantly reduce the number of wind energy companies operating in the country by 90%. The government in Beijing has also ordered banks not to extend loans for wind farm projects that are deemed to be unnecessary or of poor quality. According to information published in the South China Morning Post, the Chinese government has said that it is to cut the number of wind energy companies currently operating in China from 100 to just 12 in response to signs of excess capacity in the sector. Furthermore, the Chinese authorities have called on banks to restrict financing to all but the best wind farm projects. According to Hu Yueming, chairman of High Speed Transmission Equipment Group that manufactures wind turbine components, the planned reduction is “a correct measure” because the number of turbine manufacturers already exceeds 100, compared with only a handful just a few years ago. “Ten companies could still be too many for China”, says Hu, who emphasised that surplus capacity only exists in turbine manufacturing, not in the gear transmission segment. “There are only a few companies manufacturing gear transmission systems and these products are still in short supply,” said Hu. According to this businessman, only five companies manufacture gear transmission systems for wind turbines in China, while only a few major companies do so worldwide. High Speed has about 90% of the Chinese market for wind power transmission equipment. Shu Yinbiao, Executive Vice President of the Chinese State Grid Corporation (the state-run organisation responsible for building and operating power grids) recommended back in August that a wind energy plan was required for...
by piotr | Oct 2, 2009 | Wind
Scientists at the University of Calgary claim that reducing wind turbine speed in low wind periods significantly reduces bat mortality at wind farms. “Biologically, this makes sense as bats are more likely to fly when wind speeds are relatively low. When it’s really windy, which is when the turbines are reaping the most energy, bats don’t like to fly. There is a potential for biology and economics to mesh nicely,” says Co-Author Robert Barclay. TransAlta, which participated in the research, has already applied the low wind mitigation strategy to the 38 turbines identified in the study area. “This new mode of operation is now in place and will be applied to new wind farms,” says TransAlta’s Jason Edworthy. (Source: EScience Ne ws, September 28, 2009) Contact: Robert Barclay, Professor, Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, (403) 220-3564, barclay@ucalgary.ca, www.ucalgary.ca; Jason Edworthy, Director, Community Relations, TransAlta, (403) 267-2000 jason_edworthy@transalta.com,...
by piotr | Sep 24, 2009 | Wind
Following up on a deal last discussed in our July 30, 2009 edition, GE Energy Financial Services, a unit of GE, and Plutonic Power Corporation are proceeding with their plans to purchase the 144 MW Dokie Ridge Wind Project, the largest wind farm under construction in British Columbia, from EarthFirst Canada Inc. GE and Plutonic have completed their due diligence, waived initial due diligence conditions and have committed to purchase the Dokie project. A GE affiliate will hold 49 % and a Plutonic affiliate will hold 51 % of the Dokie partnership, which has signed and put into escrow an amended and restated electricity purchase agreement with BC Hydro. Among other conditions, the transaction is subject to the BC Utilities Commission’s acceptance of the electricity purchase agreement. (Source: CNW, September 23, 2009) Contact: Brian Trypka, Chief Restructuring Officer, EarthFirst Canada Inc., (403) 513-0780, www.earthfirstcanada.com, btrypka@earthfirstcanada.com; Donald McInnes, CEO Plutonic Power, (604) 669-4999, Donald@plutonic.ca, www.plutonic.ca; Andy Katell, GE, (203) 961-5773, andrew.katell@ge.com,...
by piotr | Sep 22, 2009 | Wind
enXco Service Corporation has signed an “Operations and Maintenance Agreement” with Chevron Global Power Company, a division of Chevron U.S.A. Inc., for the Casper Wind Power project in Wyoming. enXco will provide commissioning assistance during construction, on-site O&M for the 11 wind turbines and the balance of plant during the first five years of operations. (Source: Welt Online, September 21, 2009) Contact: Sandi Briner, Marketing Manager, enXco, (760) 740-7022 ext. 140, sandib@enXco.com,...
by piotr | Sep 22, 2009 | Wind
ACCIONA Energy North America has opened its 100.5 MW EcoGrove Wind Farm, in Stephenson County, Illinois – the company’s fifth wind project in the U.S. and the first in the state. The project’s turbines were manufactured in ACCIONA’s West Branch, Iowa turbine manufacturing facility. (Source: Reuters, September 18, 2009) Contact: Acciona,...
by piotr | Sep 21, 2009 | Wind
Dong Energy has opened its Horns Rev 2 wind farm – the world’s largest offshore wind farm – in the North Sea off the west coast of Denmark. The project is comprised of 91 turbines in a 21 square mile area and is anticipated to generate 210 MW of power/year. (Source: AFP, September 27,...
