The sale of Vestas’ converters and controls business has been completed and marks the transfer of Vestas’ three converters and controls factories to KK Wind Solutions. Around 600 of Vestas’ experienced and skilled colleagues will join KK.

“I’m very excited about the next chapter of our partnership with KK Wind Solutions, and I look forward to growing and maturing the wind energy supply chain together. I would also like to extend my deepest appreciation to our dedicated and skilled colleagues, who will join KK. You have done an outstanding job, and I know you will continue doing so together with your new colleagues at KK,” said Tommy Rahbek Nielsen, Executive Vice President and COO at Vestas.

“Our people are our most important and valuable asset. Their expertise and dedication are vital in accelerating the green energy transition, and we are excited to welcome our new colleagues whose skills and know-how will help us further develop the industry’s supply chain,” said Mauricio Quintana, Chief Executive Officer, KK Wind Solutions.

Vestas looks for partners that help scale renewables efficiently in the long-term. As part of the partnership between Vestas and KK, KK will exclusively supply converters and control panels to Vestas, and the partnership will further advance with co-development of future Vestas converters.

KK Wind Solutions and Vestas have agreed on several transactional service agreements to ensure business continuity, knowledge transfer, and stable operations throughout the integration period.

More info: 
https://www.kkwindsolutions.com/

GE Renewable Energy has approved the use of the nacelle-based Continuous Wave scanning Lidar ZX TM from Lidar OEM ZX Lidars for power performance testing.

Within the past year, the International Electrotechnical Commission released the standard IEC 61400-50-3, Use of nacelle-mounted lidars for wind measurements. In anticipation of and response to this new standard, GE Renewable Energy studied the use of those devices for power performance measurements.

This specific Lidar, ZX TM, allows the power curve of GE onshore wind turbines to be measured and verified as a function of the hub height wind speed and may be, when agreed with the customer, used instead of the procedure described in the IEC61400-12-1:2017 (ed. 1/ed. 2) using a meteorological mast and anemometry installation.

In addition to hub height measurements specifically used for power performance tests, operational rotor equivalent power curves can also be measured with ZX TM’s 50 points around the full rotor swept area, providing full veer and shear information. These measurements help to inform operational strategies relating to turbine performance outside of warranted conditions, and may be important for turbines with larger rotor diameters offshore and on sites with complex veer or shear profiles onshore.

More info: 
https://www.zxlidars.com/

Vestas has signed a preferred supplier agreement with Korea South-East Power Company (KOEN) for the 600 MW Wando Geumil offshore wind project in Wando-Gun, South Jeolla Province, South Korea.

If the project materializes, Vestas will supply and install 40 units of the V236-15.0 MW turbine. Vestas will also deliver 20 years of operation and maintenance service for the wind farm when operational.

“We are honored to have been selected as preferred turbine supplier by KOEN for the Wando Geumil offshore wind project and the trust that the customer placed in Vestas,” said Purvin Patel, President of Vestas Asia Pacific. “Aiming to become a leader in offshore wind, Vestas is committed to support decarbonization of the country as well as the Asia Pacific region, in close partnership with our customers.”

“We are so excited to take part in this project, which will be the first collaboration for us with KOEN. Through the project, KOEN and Vestas will work together to unleash the potential of offshore wind in the west coast of the country and contribute to South Korea’s goal of generating 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030,” said Srdan Cenic, Country Manager of Vestas Korea & Vice President, Head of Sales Offshore of Vestas Asia Pacific.

KOEN is a power generation company newly started on April 2, 2001, according to the South Korean government policy for restructuring the power generation industry.

The company operates five power generation facilities with a total capacity of 10,324 MW.
Delivery of the turbines will be expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025, with commercial operation scheduled for the third quarter of 2026.

More info: https://www.vestas.com/en

Vaisala, a global leader in weather, environmental, and industrial measurements, has announced the integration of lightning data from Vaisala’s Global Lightning Dataset GLD360, part of its Xweather suite of weather and environmental data services, into its Helideck Monitoring System.

Built to meet the demands of challenging offshore environments, Vaisala’s Helideck Monitoring System uses thunderstorm and lightning information from GLD360, the only global sensor network that detects thunderstorms in real time anywhere, including oceans, seaports and other areas outside the range of weather radars. Helicopter pilots, helideck operators, and offshore authorities can now make informed “waiting on weather” decisions that result in minimized operational downtime, improved route planning, and reduced cost and impact of weather disruptions.

This solution for offshore operations delivers:

Detection efficiency and location accuracy: Vaisala’s global lightning data network identifies 100% of global thunderstorms and locates lightning with a median accuracy of 1 km.


Complete situational awareness: The Vaisala Lightning Threat Zone provides storm and lightning trajectory in 10-minute increments up to 60 minutes out, advising when a location of interest may be impacted.

Maintenance-free lightning data services: With no capital investment needs or expensive offshore maintenance costs, the Helideck Monitoring System eliminates the need to purchase, install, or maintain single-point lightning detection sensors.


Highest-quality lightning data: Vaisala’s expertise in lightning data, and its ongoing investments in operating and maintaining the world’s best global lightning network, safeguards offshore operations with real-time lightning data with better than 99.99% availability.

Proven lightning and offshore weather expertise: Vaisala lightning detection networks are used by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, National Weather Service, Federal Aviation Administration, and many large power utilities and commercial organizations globally.


Lightning data when needed: The lightning data services are compatible with 4G LTE, 5G, and all common satellite internet communication solutions used at sea with minimal bandwidth requirements.

Compliance with industry standards: The certified Helideck Monitoring System solution complies with current CAP437 and Helideck Certification Agency requirements, and its CAA-certified software adheres to international aviation regulations.

“It’s all about safety and efficiency. Lightning can cause power outages, damage helicopters and infrastructure, and even put people in harm’s way. Monitoring lightning in real time to assess its impact is essential for protecting lives and assets and optimizing the timing of offshore helicopter takeoffs, landings, hoist operations and fueling,” said Mikko Nikkanen, head of maritime at Vaisala. “Our upgraded Helideck Monitoring System allows offshore customers to stay ahead of the weather and gain oceans of actionable insight to boost their operations with confidence.”

Leveraging more than 85 years of measurement expertise, including 45-plus years in aviation weather and more than a decade of experience in demanding offshore weather applications, Vaisala’s global support team has delivered hundreds of Helideck Monitoring Systems to partners around the world.

More info: 
www.vaisala.com/helideckmonitoring



Last month, the Biden administration set out new streamlined regulation for offshore wind development as it chases its highly ambitious installation target of 30 GW by 2030.

In the first major regulatory shakeup since 2009, the U.S. Interior Department will offer more flexibility on survey requirements, reform lease auctions, and improve the verification of project designs, it said.

The new rules come as the Interior Department plans to hold up to four additional offshore lease sales by 2025 and aims to complete environmental reviews of at least 16 offshore wind projects by 2025, representing more than 20 GW of new capacity.

Subject to 60-day public consultation, the rule changes represent a “very big package of important incremental improvements” that is “long overdue,” Seth Kaplan, Director of Governmental and Regulatory Affairs at Ocean Winds North America, told Reuters Events.

In particular, more flexibility on surveys in construction and operations plans (COPs) will simplify the permitting and approval process.

“The new rule adds flexibility in the timing of data submittal, which saves costs, and enables developers to do fewer unnecessary surveys, said Josh Kaplowitz, vice president of Offshore Wind at the American Clean Power (ACP) association.

The Interior Department will also clarify leasing criteria and release five-year leasing roadmaps, providing investors with much-needed certainty.

The rule improvements “will provide the necessary predictability to grow the domestic clean energy economy,” Joris Veldhoven, CEO of Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, told Reuters Events.

The rule changes “give the industry certainty moving forward,” an Equinor spokesperson said.

Under the proposals, developers will be allowed to submit a range of design parameters in their construction and operations plan (COP) and defer certain survey requirements until later in the development process.

This new approach is less prescriptive and more similar to the project design envelope (PDE) process used in Europe and would give developers greater flexibility to tweak their designs and incorporate the latest technology before installation begins.

Developers could install larger, more efficient turbines “without having to restart the process, so long as you were approved to use a larger model,” Kaplowitz said. Suppliers continue to release higher capacity turbines as developers seek a lower cost per megawatt.

The approval of Vineyard Wind, the U.S.’ first large offshore wind project, was delayed when BOEM expanded the scope of the environmental review to take into account larger turbine considerations, previously unavailable fishing data, a new transit lane alternative, and cumulative risks from multiple offshore wind projects. The environmental review took three years to complete and the 800-MW project is due online in Massachusetts waters in 2024.

The new rules also remove the requirement for site assessment plans (SAPs) for meteorological buoys, providing further savings for developers.

Developers will also be allowed to pay the cost of decommissioning the asset at the end of its life incrementally over the lease term, rather than upfront as required currently, which will create significant savings over the life of the project.

BOEM estimates that the new rules will save U.S. offshore wind developers $1 billion over 20 years, mostly due to the change to decommissioning funding.

The rule changes will help clarify development processes and avoid some delays but the exact impact on project timelines is unclear. Approval processes will remain rigorous and can involve around a dozen federal agencies, industry sources said.

More specific timelines within the rules would help developers plan resources, Kaplowitz said.

“Adding these timelines could be very helpful in terms of making the length of the process more predictable,” he said.

More info: www.reutersevents.com/renewables/wind

SKF has developed a compact cartridge pump that provides effective lubrication to applications such as small agricultural and construction machinery.

The pump, called AECP,  automatically lubricates up to 22 lubrication points making it more time and cost-effective – than manual methods. The pump dispenses grease from standard tubes that are widely available from distribution or retail outlets.

“Using standard grease tubes makes refilling an auto-lube system as easy as refilling a grease gun,” said Jordan Butler, lubrication product line manager at SKF. “This saves operator time and automates a time-consuming maintenance task.”

Typical applications include dozers, loaders and farm machinery such as balers and municipal equipment. This type of machinery is typically lubricated manually, which has downsides such as time consumption and the cost of repairs, which is picked up by the equipment rental fleet owner.

The system is also more straightforward for the end-user and keeps both grease and the machine clean. OEMs are likely to see a reduction in warranty claims over traditional manual greasing methods.

Other benefits include increased equipment availability and reliability; simpler maintenance; lower cost of maintenance and spare parts; and easier retrofitting.

The AECP requires no special refilling tool or equipment. Grease is stored in standard grease cartridges making it easy to swap out and prime while the motor and pump elements pull grease in a metered way. The use of cartridges also allows for a wide range of lubricants. It also fits into tight spaces and can withstand harsh working conditions and environments.

The pump can be used to create a small progressive lubrication system when combined with SSV progressive metering devices. A built-in sensor gives early warning that a cartridge needs replacing. For more advanced monitoring options, the AECP can be operated with a controller.

The pump is ready for sale in North America, with global availability in the works.

MORE INFO  https://www.skf.com/us

Emerson has combined its power expertise and renewable energy capabilities into the Ovation Green portfolio to help power generation companies meet the needs of customers navigating the transition to green energy generation and storage.

By uniting the recently acquired Mita-Teknik software and technology with its own Ovation automation platform, renewable energy knowledge base cybersecurity solutions and remote management capabilities, Emerson has created a new extension of its power-based control architecture. The resulting portfolio focuses on the emerging clean energy market to provide simplified renewables automation to help power producers build and scale sustainable operations.

“Countries around the globe are focused on transitioning to a clean energy economy in the coming decades, and while green energy is a simple concept everyone understands, the road to implementation is not always clear,” said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson’s power and water solutions. “With the Ovation Green portfolio, our software, support and solutions are unified in one system from a single trusted provider to help power producers more quickly, easily and reliably manage their renewable electricity operations.”

Renewable electricity capacity has seen record growth in recent years. However, transitioning to cleaner energy systems or scaling up existing ones is a complex undertaking for power producers. Wind turbines, solar arrays, lithium-ion batteries, hydrogen electrolyzers and hydroelectric power all use a wide variety of automation software and technologies. As renewable portfolios grow, the number of applied technologies will multiply, increasing learning curves and adding complexity to operations as solutions from different vendors require additional integration. While some existing systems can provide layers of connectivity between very specific assets, the Ovation Green portfolio will deliver a single set of purpose-built software and solutions that supports different technologies in one standardized, intuitive system.

By gathering, collating and contextualizing vast amounts of data created by renewable generation and storage assets, Emerson’s Ovation Green portfolio provides a clear view of renewable operations in a seamless space. The portfolio will empower actionable intelligence from a unified platform to drive faster, more informed decisions to increase availability and production while reducing operations and maintenance costs.

MORE INFO  https://www.emerson.com/en-us/automation/ovation-green

Planning law changes proposed by the UK government lack measures that aid larger onshore wind projects and national targets are needed to make stakeholders accountable, project partners told Reuters Events.

The UK government in December said it would ease restrictions on building onshore wind farms in England after objections by 34 MPs from the ruling Conservative party.

The UK operates 15 GW of onshore wind capacity and development activity has mainly been confined to Scotland since rules in England were toughened by David Cameron’s Conservative government in 2015. Much of Scotland benefits from windier conditions and larger areas of unpopulated land but electricity demand is higher in England.

In a U-turn by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the government said it would adapt the National Planning Policy Framework to permit onshore wind development where local consent is demonstrated and any impacts identified by the local community are appropriately addressed. Previous rules meant opposition from one person could block the project, despite government surveys showing 80% of the public were in favor of onshore wind farms.

The details of the reforms will be established through a public consultation that will conclude in April and will also seek views on how local communities could benefit from the projects through lower energy bills.

Further reforms are needed to support larger onshore wind projects as the proposed changes are likely to mainly aid smaller, community-scale projects, wind farm developer RWE told Reuters Events.

Turbine supplier Siemens Gamesa welcomed the reforms but called for the government to set national onshore wind targets that include planning milestones. Prior to the reforms, industry group RenewableUK targeted 15 GW of new onshore wind capacity by 2030 but only 1 GW in England.

The government is already reforming planning rules for offshore wind as it looks to quadruple capacity to 50 GW by 2030.

“It’s important that planning constraints are part of the progress tracking as they already hinder offshore progress,” a Siemens Gamesa spokesperson said.

“We should use our combined and substantial knowledge to improve these lead times,” the spokesperson said.

MORE INFO  https://www.reutersevents.com/renewables/wind/

The wind power industry’s challenging period continued in 2022 due to unexpected geo-political uncertainty, an accelerating energy crisis, and high inflation. In this environment, Vestas’ fourth quarter results were negatively impacted by additional challenges. The negative impact in the fourth quarter causes the full-year results to be lower than the outlook, primarily driven by a confined number of project delays, an impairment on the V174-9.5 MW turbine and increased warranty provisions.

In 2022, Vestas made strategic and commercial progress in terms of strengthening operations and substantially raising prices that indicates Vestas will deliver improved financial results in 2023. Activity levels in 2023 are expected to be lower than in 2022 followed by a step up in 2024 where installations in key markets are projected to increase.

Vestas’ preliminary and unaudited 2022 results show a total revenue of EUR 14,486m, (outlook: EUR 14.5-15.5bn). The Service business accounted for EUR 3,155m of the total revenue, corresponding to a year-on-year growth of 27 percent (outlook: min. 20 percent). The higher-than-expected revenue growth in Service thereby partially offsets the lower-than-expected Power Solutions revenue, which has been impacted by delays in execution.

Based on preliminary numbers, the EBIT margin before special items was 8.0, primarily driven by isolated events in the fourth quarter of 2022 as well as delays in a confined number of projects by the end of the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, additional warranty provisions of EUR 210m were made. The higher warranties primarily relate to increased repair and upgrade costs and a few select cases. As a result of an expected challenged profitability and lower order intake for offshore projects using the V174 turbine, an impairment of EUR 95m has been made on that platform in the quarter.

Increasing the price on wind turbines is and has been a necessity to address the external cost inflation and ensure the industry’s long-term value creation. Order intake in the fourth quarter was 4.2 GW with an average selling price of EUR 1.15m per MW, a sequential increase of 8 percent.

For the full year 2022 this resulted in an average selling price of EUR 1.07m per MW (onshore only: EUR 1.04m per MW).

Free cash flow amounted to EUR 1,283m in the fourth quarter but was negative EUR 953m for the full year compared to EUR 183m in 2021. This development was primarily a reflection of the lower profitability and resulted in a net debt position of EUR (46)m.

In 2023, high inflation levels are expected throughout the supply chain and reduced wind power installations to impact revenue and profitability negatively. The lower level of installations is caused by slow permitting processes in Europe as well as dampened activity levels in the U.S. due to a steep ramp-up ahead of a busy 2024 driven by the Inflation Reduction Act. Increasing prices on our order intake is an offsetting factor, but still leaves Vestas challenged on profitability in 2023.

MORE INFO  https://www.vestas.com/en

WindGuard Certification is now among only 10 companies worldwide that have been approved to issue type certificates for wind turbines according to IECRE OD-501 (“Type and Component Certification Scheme – Wind Turbines”).

In addition to prototype, type and component certification, the scope of validity
includes design evaluation and site suitability conformity statements. The certificate of
acceptance confirms that the internationally operating certification body from Varel,
Germany, complies with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17065:2012 as well as the rules
and procedures of the IECRE system.

The IEC System for Certification to Standards Relating to Equipment for Use in
Renewable Energy Applications (IECRE) established by the International Electro-
technical Commission aims to facilitate international trade of products and services
in the field of renewable energies.

“Certifications under IECRE guarantee our customers not only highest quality and
safety standards, but above all the international recognition of their products,”
said Jerome Feldhaus, head of type and project certification.

“With our many years of experience in type certification according to IEC 61400-22,
we were accredited by the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS) for type certification
according to IECRE standards already at the beginning of 2020. The official IECRE
recognition was therefore the logical consequence,” said Lars Weigel, managing director
Director of WindGuard Certification.”

“We are thus optimally positioned for the future and have further strengthened our international market position. The type certificate according to IECRE OD-501 will be a prerequisite for global marketing of wind turbines in the future. For clients from India and the Netherlands, for example, our IECRE authorization was a decisive criterion for selecting us as their certifier,” Weigel said.

MORE INFO  https://www.windguard.de/

The market for offshore drone inspection is anticipated to reach $421.6 million in 2023 and grow at a healthy 13 percent CAGR between 2023 and 2033.

The various advantages offered by advanced drones (stability, low deployment costs, improved data quality, superior navigation algorithms, etc.) have increased their use in offshore inspection and maintenance services.

The use of these advanced unmanned vehicles is increasing in the oil and gas industry and in the defense sector. This has encouraged investment in this sector and strengthened offshore inspection and maintenance services. The increasing demand for energy has led to exploration activities in a variety of deep-sea and hostile environments using innovative technologies developed in recent years. Areas that were humanly impossible to explore are now delved into with the help of drones.

For example, in August 2021, multinational energy company Equinor ASA completed the world’s first drone logistics operation to an offshore facility. As a result, the offshore drone inspection market is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period.

Takeaways from Market Study include:

• The global offshore drone inspection market is projected to reach $1.4578 billion by 2033.
• The market witnessed 9.8 percent CAGR between 2018 and 2022.
• Filming and photography in application segment dominates the market with 24.4 percent market share in 2023.
• Under drone type, rotary wing offshore drone inspection dominates the market and is valued at $226.4 million in 2023.
• Based on region, demand for offshore drone inspection is expected to increase at CAGR of 13.5 percent in East Asia during the forecast period.

Traditional inspection methods can be replaced with advanced technology, providing more data with less risk and less downtime. Offshore operators will continue to use other assistive technologies such as AI, wireless networks, analytics, robotics, IoT, and cloud systems to access and analyze data to improve data-driven decision making. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been highly efficient and lucrative technology for conducting surveillance activities in offshore environments across a variety of industries. Due to the great advantages these devices offer, governments and companies are using them to perform a variety of functions such as collection of data for inspection, security, and surveillance. This increases the demand for the offshore drone inspection market.

MORE INFO  www.factmr.com/report/offshore-drone-inspection-market

In a pilot project for a European wind turbine manufacturer, TÜV NORD is using drone support for end-of-warranty inspection. The entire concrete tower is photographed by drone; experienced TÜV NORD experts later evaluate the images. In the medium term, an automated image recognition system is also to be used, which will pre-sort images with conspicuous features on the basis of extensive training data so that the experts can view and evaluate the images in an even more targeted manner.

“Initially small cracks and spalling can later lead to critical damage in the concrete structure. That is why it is important to assess any anomalies on the tower before the end of the warranty period so that they can be repaired,” said wind energy expert Michael Lange, who is responsible for remote inspection projects for renewable energies at TÜV NORD.

Using drones for this inspection simplifies image capture and also means greater occupational safety, as no additional skilled personnel with rope access technology have to be deployed, said Lange. “We are also working on a system that will allow the drone to fly autonomously up the tower, so that jobs can be completed in less time.”

“We use digital technologies such as drones or new software solutions to make services more efficient or safer. Pilot projects evaluate the benefits in practice,” said Alexander Ohff, TÜV NORD’s executive vice president of the renewables segment.

Using the drone-based inspection, 34 of the manufacturer’s wind turbines have already been assessed this year. The results have been validated. Now, the procedure is being extended to additional sites. Talks are under way with other manufacturers and wind farm operators.

MORE INFO  tuev-nord-group.com

Ireland’s largest Phase One offshore wind project, Codling Wind Park, which will be located off the County Wicklow coast, will require almost 30% fewer wind turbines than originally proposed. The development will still generate enough renewable electricity to meet over 20% of Ireland’s 2030 offshore wind targets.

While the initial estimate for the number of turbines required had been put at a maximum of 140, the project team said that advances in wind turbine technology, combined with a more detailed understanding of the wind farm site, means a maximum of 100 turbines will now be required.

Poolbeg in Ringsend will be the location of the project’s electricity grid connection with 1,450MW – enough electricity to power up to 1.2 million Irish homes – confirmed as the maximum amount of electricity it will generate.

Codling Wind Park is a 50/50 joint venture between Fred. Olsen Seawind and EDF Renewables and will be located around 13 to 22 kilometers off the Co. Wicklow coast between Greystones and Wicklow Town.

Feedback gathered from the public as part of a January and February consultation process will feed into the ongoing development of the project, and updated proposals will be presented at a third phase of public consultation later this year.

“We have made significant progress since our first phase of public consultation in March 2021 and we are looking forward to updating people, in Wicklow and Poolbeg in particular, and receiving their thoughts and feedback on a range of topics, including the design of the project, the Environmental Impact Assessment we are working on, the best way we can deliver benefits to local communities through the Community Benefit Fund over the next 20 years and how best we can continue to engage with the fishing and sailing communities,” said co-project director Scott Sutherland.

When developed, Codling Wind Park will be Ireland’s largest offshore wind farm. The project is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs in the construction phase and 75 new, long-term jobs associated with its proposed Operations and Maintenance Base at Wicklow Port.

Subject to all necessary permits and consents being received, Codling Wind Park could begin construction in 2026, and is expected to take two to three years to complete.

MORE INFO  codlingwindpark.ie

ArcVera Renewables, a global provider of consulting and technical services for wind, solar and energy storage projects, has revised its growth objectives upwards as market demand expands in key renewables project services segments. The company is looking to fill multiple roles in all business areas to support its new targets.

Over the past three years, ArcVera Renewables has experienced strong development with an average 20% year on year growth. With the Inflation Reduction Act policy driver set to create positive market conditions for renewable energy deployment in the United States, the company forecasts another 30% demand increase for its services in 2023 and beyond. In its new strategy update, ArcVera expects to continue reaping the benefits of its diversification into solar and storage, in support of hybrid and green hydrogen projects, with solar energy services becoming a key engine of its growth alongside onshore and offshore wind.

“This steady performance is largely supported by our company’s long-term commitment to continuous innovation, and an intrinsic desire to help renewable energy projects succeed across the globe. It has been strengthened by timely investments in key overseas markets, notably South-Africa, Brazil and India. We are now actively seeking new administrative and technical talents to join our teams of atmospheric scientists, engineers, data analysts and commercial specialists to deliver technical excellence for our clients’ projects around the world and contribute to maintaining our leadership position at the forefront of renewable energy technical innovation,” said ArcVera Renewables’ CEO Gregory Poulos.

For the last four decades, ArcVera has built its success by leveraging expertise at the intersection of science, technology, and engineering to meet clients’ most complex project technical challenges. Its teams mobilize technical expertise and decades of global experience to provide trustworthy, insightful, risk-mitigating, and accuracy-driven renewable energy project services.

“2022 has been a great year for ArcVera and its clients. We were particularly excited to see the billion-dollar acquisitions of Scout Clean Energy and TriGlobal Energy, two loyal clients, whose projects we have proudly supported from company inception. These success stories underpin what ArcVera really stands for, which is to provide our clients with a significant technical edge to increase their projects’ value. We will keep doing what we do best and seize the new opportunities presented by the IRA to accelerate our growth next year,” said Poulos.

MORE INFO  www.ArcVera.com

Vestas has finalized installation of the V236-15.0 MW prototype turbine at the Østerild National test center for large wind turbines in Western Jutland, Denmark. The prototype has successfully produced its first kWh of power and will now undergo an extensive test and verification program to ensure reliability before full type certification and serial production begins.

“This is a great step forward in our ambition to accelerate the green energy transition and it is a major milestone for Vestas and our partners. Colleagues across Vestas have worked very hard and collaborated closely to ensure the rapid progress in developing and assembling the V236-15.0 MW prototype, and this achievement is a testament to the dedicated work of the many Vestas employees involved. With this wind turbine we set new standards for technological innovation, industrialization and scale across renewable energy to create a sustainable offshore wind industry,” said Anders Nielsen, Vestas Chief Technology Officer.

The prototype development and assembly work has taken place across Vestas’ R&D and production sites in Denmark. The blade molds have been developed at Vestas’ blade factory in Lem and the 115.5m prototype blades have been manufactured at Vestas’ offshore blade factory in Nakskov. The prototype nacelle has been developed and assembled at the offshore nacelle factory in Lindø port of Odense. The test program for the generator, converter and grid system integration has already started at LORC test facility in Denmark.

With a swept area exceeding 43,000 square meters, the V236-15.0 MW moves the boundaries of wind energy production to around 80 GWh/year, enough to power around 20,000 European households and displace more than 38,000 tons of CO2 every year.

The V236-15.0 MW is designed to perform while reducing the number of turbines at park level, strengthening the project business case. The globally applicable offshore turbine offers 65 percent higher annual energy production than the V174-9.5 MW, and for a 900 MW wind park it increases production by five percent with 34 fewer turbines. It offers partial-load production, resulting in a more stable energy production, and a capacity factor over 60 percent depending on site-specific conditions.

Vestas has announced preferred supplier agreements for the V236-15.0 MW turbine for a total of more than 8 GW in five different markets.

MORE INFO  www.vestas.com

Global Wind Service (GWS) is celebrating its 15-year anniversary in wind. Since securing its first contract in Esbjerg, Denmark, GWS has worked on close to 2000 projects in 40 countries around the world.

The company employs more than 1,700 people from 39 different nationalities, working across 13 local business units and on site.

“Global Wind Service has come a long way over the past 15 years. From being a smaller entrepreneurial provider of manpower, co-founded by Lars Bo Petersen and Michael Nielsen who is still active and shareholders in GWS, to now being one of the preferred project partners globally, for complete wind turbine services. We have managed to grow together with our clients and adapt to industry needs. We can all be very proud of what we have achieved – it is something that would not have been possible without all our dedicated and skilled colleagues,” said Michael Høj Olsen, CEO of GWS.

As projects have become more complex and challenging, GWS has invested in training, processes and in systems to meet higher standards for safety, quality and technical expertise. In 2021 Global Wind Service Academy was established in Szczecin in Poland to further develop and strengthen competences and to make sure GWS can educate technicians with the right mindset and skills.

“It’s only by working together, that we can reach the ambitious targets set out by the different governments for a greener planet,” Olsen said.

Key accomplishments over the past 15 years include taking a leading position within offshore installation and service; the installation of the first offshore wind turbines in U.S. at Block Island in 2016; installation of the first offshore wind farm in France, Parc Éolien en mer de Saint-Nazaire, in 2022; and playing a role in the growing offshore market in Taiwan with local establishment and colleagues.

Other accomplishments include the establishment of a team of more than 250 specialized blade technicians and back-office staff, as well as the entering of markets such as Turkey, Lithuania, Serbia, etc. to support partners and clients in the installation of onshore wind farms.

MORE INFO  www.globalwindservice.com

The IPLEX G Lite-W videoscope combines portability with imaging features packed into a small, ergonomic form. It enables users to visually inspect inside a wind turbine gearbox without disassembling it to spot issues before they turn into lengthy shutdowns.

Wind turbine gearboxes contain lubricating oil, which can adhere to the videoscope’s lens and cause blurry images. The IPLEX G Lite-W videoscope’s sealed tip keeps oil out while channels on the oil-clearing tip adaptor use capillary action to draw oil away from the lens, helping keep images clear.

To reduce the chance of damage during an inspection, the IPLEX G Lite-W videoscope is designed to meet IP65 standards and built to pass U.S. Department of Defense testing (MIL-STD). The insertion tube’s durable articulation mechanism helps protect the scope from damage when used in tight spaces.

The videoscope’s optics balance the need to see areas of the wind turbine gearbox up close, such as bearings and gear teeth, spot defects in large spaces and be small enough to fit into the spaces between turbine bearings to look for damage. An optional LED guide tube offers illumination to spot defects in large, dark spaces while the semiflexible guide tube makes it easy to position the videoscope to capture images. Users need one hand to control and maneuver the 4 mm scope to difficult-to-reach areas.

Weighing 1.16 kg (2.56 lb.), the compact IPLEX G Lite-W videoscope is easy to carry safely to the top of a wind tower nacelle. Its ergonomic design enables users to control it while wearing gloves in tight confines. When the inspection is complete, the scope’s smooth, oil-resistant coating makes cleaning fast and simple.

MORE INFO  EvidentScientific.com

Texas has generated more than $12 billion in PTC revenue by itself. Oklahoma generates $58,125 worth of PTC revenue per MW per year, with Kansas second at $57,893 per MW per year and Nebraska third with $57,266 per MW per year.

The Production Tax Credit (PTC) in the U.S. has been a powerful tool for asset owners to ensure the favorable financial health of their projects. More than 75% of the 138GW of operational capacity in the United States has taken advantage of the PTC. Historically, it has provided between a $10 to $26 per MWhr incentive on top of the power purchase contract price or merchant market rate.

NextEra Energy Resources has been the largest beneficiary of PTC revenue based on net production data through December 2021, but this perspective is skewed given the size of the fleet in the U.S. The normalized PTC revenue per installed MW per year indicates that many of the top asset owners in the USA are hovering around the capacity weighted market average of $47,416.

IntelStor also benchmarked the capital efficiency of an asset owner’s project CapEx expenditure relative to the amount of PTC revenue they earn. Some asset owners are only able to recoup single digit to low double-digit returns, but some savvy asset owners have managed to see a return on their project CapEx of upwards of 40 – 50% just through PTC revenue alone. While this is project-site dependent, it underscores why site selection, the right equipment supply, and a proactive maintenance approach can have a profound influence on financial outcomes.

Out of the top 10 wind energy asset owners in the USA, EDF North America’s fleet of Vestas turbines is the most productive at generating PTC revenue with $65,664 per MW per year. Next on the list is Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s Siemens Gamesa fleet at $61,100 per MW per year and EDP Renewables’ fleet of Siemens Gamesa turbines at $54,427 per MW per year.

MORE INFO  www.intelstor.com

Windcat Workboats, a European provider of specialist crew transfer vessels to the offshore wind power industry, has installed Reygar’s Digital Daily Reporting System, Digital DPR, across its entire fleet of more than 50
workboats.

The Digital DPR (DDPR) app runs from a touchscreen tablet onboard and is easy to use for busy workboat skippers. It reduces the administrative burden of daily progress reporting as well as improving report accuracy and timeliness.

“DDPR saves a lot of time on what is otherwise a long and detailed task. The daily progress report is automatically generated and sent out at the end of the shift in a format that is simple to digest,” said Aaron Trebilcock, Windcat Workboats master.

Reygar’s time-saving reporting technology has gone through comprehensive trials on several Windcat Workboats CTVs over the past 18 months. Feedback from skippers and management was positive and fleet wide rollout was completed in mid-October.

“We are committed to meeting the reporting needs of our customers with a digitalized vessel fleet. We also want to look after our crews and back-office teams by reducing the reporting burden and streamlining where possible,” said Phillip Goffin, Windcat IT manager.

DDPR either works alongside Reygar’s award-winning BareFLEET vessel monitoring system, where installed, or runs as a standalone solution. The app can be customized to gather DPR data including crew details, fuel and consumables use, various task types, transits, passenger transfers to turbines and working hours data. Data input live from the vessel can be seen instantly in the cloud by shore staff, with users also able to access cloud based KPI data.

“By providing our customers with a standalone version of this reporting solution we can make the benefits of digitized reporting available to all fleet operators, whether they use our BareFLEET monitoring system or not. We enjoyed working closely with the team at Windcat to ensure that our DDPR app incorporated the needs of different stakeholders both within and outside their organization,” said Chris Huxley-Reynard, Reygar CEO.

MORE INFO  www.windcatworkboats.com

Pattern Energy has named Hunter Armistead as its new CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2023.

Armistead, Pattern Energy’s current chief development officer, will succeed Michael Garland in the role. Garland will retire after his successful tenure as CEO of Pattern and its predecessors since 2009.

“This is an extraordinary time for the renewable energy sector and the entire Pattern team is exceptionally well positioned to deliver on the opportunities ahead. Given his long history as a leader of this company, the strength of his commercial instincts, and his passion for Pattern’s vision, I believe Hunter is uniquely capable of leading this company in a way that provides consistency, continuity and leadership across the business both internally and externally,” said Garland.

“It has been a tremendous journey since we founded Pattern in 2009, and it is my honor and privilege to take on the CEO role. Pattern began with a modest pipeline, a few dedicated professionals, and a vision to accelerate the world’s energy transition. To see Pattern and our industry evolve into what we have become has been a beautiful ride and is one that has only just begun. I am 100% committed to driving the next chapter in our growth in a manner that is consistent with our mission, our culture and our values,” said Armistead.

“I have seen first-hand Mike Garland’s exceptional leadership of the company since 2009. During his long service he has led Pattern through many successful phases of development. We are most grateful for all he has done. We conducted a thorough search for his successor and concluded that Hunter Armistead was the ideal candidate. He cares deeply for the company’s culture and people and brings great experience and understanding of the company’s business to the role,” said Lord John Browne, chairman of the board.

MORE INFO  www.patternenergy.com