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The University of Maine-led New England Aqua Ventus I offshore wind project will be awarded an additional $3.7 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) (subject to appropriations) to complete engineering and planning work and approach financial close. In a joint statement, Sen. Susan Collins and Sen. Angus King announced that the funding is […]

At EWEA 2015 in Paris, Siemens presented the company’s new offshore logistics concept. A key element of this is an improved transport solution. Siemens has signed a long-term framework contract with transport service provider deugro Danmark A/S, an international transport company, utilizing two purpose-built transport vessels to efficiently link Siemens’ existing production locations in Denmark […]

In the wind industry today, there is more discussion than ever on loads in the drivetrain of turbines. A significant amount of work has been done over the past few years to show that transient loads, particularly transient torque reversal loads, are occurring more often than expected. NREL’s Gearbox Reliability Collaborative has discussed transients and […]

For more than a decade, offshore wind has been viewed as the next big thing in the U.S. energy mix. In Europe, billions of euros have been invested in 82 offshore wind farms — 10.4 GW of capacity, according to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) — roughly equivalent to the power production of 10 […]

Block Island Wind Farm completes and installs first of five steel foundation jackets

In a historic moment for the American offshore wind industry, the Block Island Wind Farm has reached its “steel in the water” milestone with the installation of the first wind farm foundation component. Deepwater Wind’s offshore foundation installation contractor set the first, 400-ton steel jacket on the sea floor on Sunday, July 26, at the […]

Coastal Carolina University (CCU) scientists deploy the instrumentation buoy at the McManus Reef off North Myrtle Beach

CCU’s School of Coastal and Marine System Science (CMSS) is deploying its meteorological and oceanographic instrumentation buoy to support long-term student research at the McManus Reef off North Myrtle Beach. The buoy system will also be part of broader experiments continuing the school’s work on evaluating the potential for wind energy development off South Carolina’s […]

Siemens has invested roughly €200 million (approximately $221 million) to build its first production facility for offshore wind turbine components in Germany. The factory will manufacture nacelles for the company’s next-generation wind turbines. These wind turbines are designed for use at sea and have a capacity of 7 MW. The new factory in Cuxhaven will […]

CWind, a leading provider of integrated services to the wind industry, has announced that it has been awarded a contract for the supply of two crew transfer vessels to the London Array offshore wind farm (OWF) supporting operation and maintenance (O&M) activities. London Array OWF is located 20 km off the Kent coast in the […]

Could wind drones be the next evolution in wind power generation?

Drones will eventually be “as ubiquitous as pigeons,” London-based futurist Liam Young recently predicted. They are omnipresent already. Only five years ago drones belonged to the realm of the military, unaffordable for anyone else. Today, they are for hobbyists and even kids. Drones arrived in our lives and conquered the extreme ends of the market […]

Not all wind energy students plan to climb towers for a living. Fortunately, there are plenty of career opportunities for Ecotech Institute grads that don’t require them to leave the safety and security of terra firma. Two options that I discuss at length in the classroom are jobs in manufacturing of turbines and components as […]

Wind Energy Technology program balances classroom instruction with hands-on experience to prepare the next generation of wind turbine technicians for the careers ahead

Since its founding in 1965, Redstone College in Denver, Colorado has been committed to providing students with quality, skill-based educational opportunities centered around industry demand. Originally focused on airframe and power plant training, the institution has expanded in the decades since to include avionics and HVAC.  In 2010, amid accelerated growth of the wind energy […]

If you read my article last month, you may have enjoyed some of the naïve but entertaining questions prospective wind energy students ask the wind instructors during campus tours. As they approach graduation, their questions take on a more serious tone. One recurring theme as of late is related to falling oil prices. “Will cheap […]

Holistic operations knowledge and ongoing training are key factors in bolstering efficiency

When I worked for large international wind companies, like GE and Nordex, I saw entire infrastructures — engineering, EHS management, spare parts warehousing, SAP specialist, IT support, O&M schedulers, remote monitoring, process writers, etc. — created to support the operation. However, very few people actually climbed the turbines to do maintenance and troubleshooting.  I have […]

The U.S. wind energy industry meets in Orlando to discuss current challenges and its vision for the future

The U.S. utility-scale wind energy industry gathers once again this month for the American Wind Energy Association’s annual WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition. The 2015 event runs from May 18 – 21, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The event could not have come at a better time for an industry that, following […]

Maximum reliability and low life-cycle costs are the decisive key factors for systems operators in nearly all areas of industry, including the windpower industry.

That also applies to gearboxes in windpower turbines functioning as the main constituent of the drive train. Journal bearings now offer a technology that is already being used successfully in other areas of industry and is further enhancing the availability of windpower systems. Experience shows that journal bearings make a very good alternative to the […]

With Orlando as the host city, North America’s premier wind energy event approaches

Companies and individuals representing the global utility scale wind energy industry will gather once more next month, as the American Wind Energy Association hosts its annual WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition — this time at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The event, to be held May 18-21, is the preeminent annual gathering of […]

Study outlines long-term economic and environmental benefits of wind growth

The U.S. Department of Energy has released a new report looking at the future of wind power through 2050 and the economic benefits that come with a robust wind industry. The report, “Wind Vision: A New Era for Wind Power in the United States,” confirms that with technological advancements driving projected cost reductions, in combination […]

Industry maintains overall fifth ranking among all generation sources

American wind power added significantly more new electricity than any other resource in 2014, according to U.S. Department of Energy data released in early March. Wind power generated 4.4 percent of all the electricity in America in 2014 and maintained its position as the fifth largest electricity source in the U.S., according to the latest […]

Over 8,000 delegates from 54 countries descended on Copenhagen this year to attend the EWEA OFFSHORE 2015 event at the Bella Center — the world’s largest offshore wind energy conference and exhibition. In addition to more than 430 exhibitors, the event saw keynote speeches from high-level political and industry players on the state of Europe’s […]

A guide to avoiding costly missteps in component safety certification

As wind energy continues to grow, the increase in the annual number of wind turbine installations will draw more manufacturers of wind turbines and components into the U.S. and Canadian markets. However, before a manufacturer can take advantage of this growing opportunity they need to be familiar with the regulatory requirements pertaining to these markets. […]

Siemens has secured a large wind power contract in South Africa with an order for 157 wind turbines for three projects in the South Africa province of Northern Cape. The 2.3 MW Siemens G2 platform turbines will be installed at the wind power plants Khobab, Loeriesfontein 2 and Noupoort. The customer, a consortium led by […]

Advanced technologies help wind farm operators maximize plant potential

As the wind power industry matures, project developers, owner-operators, and financiers are asking for ever more reliable predictions of power output from both new construction and existing assets. Industry studies analyzing operating wind power plant production data indicate that the accuracy of pre-construction estimates compared to actual performance has greatly improved. However, long-term climate variability (i.e. […]

Condition monitoring approach reduces downtime while providing cost savings

Operations and maintenance (O&M) of wind turbines is estimated at 21 to 24 percent of the total cost of energy from wind. As turbines are built larger, the capital-expenditure component of the cost of energy from wind drops, but there is still room to reduce the cost of O&M. Too often maintenance is carried out […]

SKF introduces ‘smart’ bearing technology with integrated wireless sensors

At Hannover 2013, SKF unveiled a new and innovative technology that promised to revolutionise the way in which engineers use and interface with bearings. Called SKF Insight, this new technology integrated a miniature, self-powered and intelligent wireless sensor at the heart of the bearing. For the first time, this allowed engineers to monitor the operating […]

100kW turbine makes history as the first of its size to certify under large wind standard

Medium-scale wind turbine manufacturer Norvento has completed the TÜV SÜD design evaluation process for its nED100 100kW turbine. In doing so it has set an industry benchmark for technical excellence by becoming the first company to achieve IEC 61400-1 certification for a turbine of this size. The small and medium wind turbine industry has grown […]

‘Advanced Blade Tip’ design project aims to improve leading edge durability and increase energy yield

Blade Dynamics announces today the award of Process Technology Innovation Funding under the GROW:OffshoreWind program for a £1m Advanced Blade Tip development project, due for completion in Q2 2015. The performance of offshore wind turbine blades in their challenging operating environment is one of the critical issues in energy cost, reliability and safety. Costs associated […]

GE Energy 1 River Rd Schenectady, NY 12345   (518) 385-2211   www.ge-energy.com/wind   @GErenewables   gepowerandwater GE Chosen to Supply Turbines for Wind Project in Poland GE announced that it will supply Lewandpol Company with 27 GE 2.5-103 wind turbines for the Galicja Wind Farm in Poland. Ten of the wind turbines are currently […]