wind
-
Renewables
Blackspring Ridge Wind Project, Carmangay, Alberta
With its vast resources of oil, gas, coal, and tar sands—some of the largest in the world—the province of Alberta has long been known as Canada’s fuel tank. Coal- and gas-fired power has supplied the
Tagged in: -
-
Renewables
Plans for Giant UK Offshore Wind Farms Reconsidered
In the UK this August, two massive offshore wind developments were thrown into tumult. A consortium that secured the UK government’s approval in early August to build an array of offshore wind farms in the Dogger Bank development off the east coast of Yorkshire said it would proceed with only four projects instead of the […]
Tagged in: -
O&M
High-Performance Synthetic Rope Allows Craneless Wind Turbine Blade Replacement
Replacing blades on a wind turbine is not a simple task. Blades range from 40 to 60 meters in length and can weigh 16 tons or more. Combined with hub heights that can exceed 100 meters and locations that are, by definition, subject to prevailing winds, replacing blades becomes challenging. Add in the cost of […]
Tagged in: -
Renewables
India Approves National Offshore Wind Energy Policy
A new policy approved by India’s cabinet will simplify its foray into offshore wind power, says a key stakeholder. The National Offshore Wind Energy Policy approved by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Union Cabinet on Sept. 9 designates the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) as the nodal ministry for use of offshore areas […]
-
Coal
Solar and Wind Power Each Surpass Nuclear Generation in Germany Since Mid-Year
According to data compiled and reported by Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE—a German-based solar energy research institute—from July 1 through August 5, solar and wind energy produced 6.24 TWh and 7.09 TWh of electricity respectively, compared to 5.94 TWh of nuclear power generation in Germany. Although it’s not the first time wind production has exceeded […]
Tagged in: -
Renewables
Statkraft Shelves Wind Projects in Norway, Cites Unprofitability
Lower power and electricity certificate prices in the Nordic region have made two wind power projects in Central Norway—with a combined capacity of 1 GW—unprofitable, Statkraft said in June as it announced it would scrap them. Norway produces the bulk of its power from hydropower (Figure 3), but the country’s government has encouraged wind farm […]
-
Renewables
The Wind Sector’s Elusive Quest for Quality
Despite wind power’s going “mainstream,” original equipment manufacturers and end users struggle to pin down quality standards for ever-evolving wind turbine component technologies. As more utilities embrace wind power, the U.S. wind turbine market has expanded tremendously over the years. It has proliferated into numerous facilities that specialize in the roughly 8,000 component parts that […]
-
O&M
New Renewable Projects Face Old Safety Hazards
Many of the dangers existing at conventional power plants also threaten personnel in the wind and solar energy sectors. All workers can benefit by reviewing lessons learned and implementing corrective actions to improve health and safety performance. The expanding wind and solar energy sectors are not immune to industrial hazards affecting all energy generation markets. […]
Tagged in: -
Renewables
New U.S. Offshore Wind Farm Breaks Ground
On April 27, the U.S. saw yet another significant milestone for its so-far nonexistent offshore wind sector as Deepwater Wind broke ground on the Block Island Wind Farm in Rhode Island. The company says that the five-turbine 30-MW wind farm will produce enough electricity to power all of the island’s homes and businesses when it […]
Tagged in: