The offshore wind turbines that will fulfil the UK’s Round 3 needs require a sophisticated supply chain of service and installation vessels, not to mention highly-developed port facilities. The industry has some way to go to reach Government targets but, as George Marsh explains, marine infrastructure will develop on the right track – as long as companies can keep up with demand.
29 July, 2010
The United Kingdom’s windswept coastline makes it the ideal location for exploiting the vast quantities of offshore wind energy available, and the UK Government sees this resource as vital to achieving its 2020 renewable energy targets. In addition, the UK has a unique opportunity to establish itself as a global centre of excellence for marine renewable technologies and infrastructure for wave and tidal power.
27 July, 2010
The UK is perhaps not the first country one thinks of when talking about solar photovoltaic (PV), but the country has some great potential. Dr Serge Younes, Sustainability Services Director at WSP Environment & Energy, explores.
21 July, 2010
Dr Rob Banerjee, Vice President, Business Development at WebCore Technologies, discusses how a new core material can help manufacturers of large wind turbine blades optimise their designs.
20 July, 2010
The UK coalition Government’s decision to scrap Regional Spatial Strategies (RSSs) will leave the future of renewable energy generation schemes in doubt, warns independent planning and sustainability consultancy DPP.
20 July, 2010
Talking to Renewable Energy Focus at Intersolar, SCHOTT Solar CEO Dr Martin Heming said SCHOTT Solar managed to grow in both its concentrating solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV) segments in 2009 despite the economic recession. He believes this is down to having a strong brand and high quality of products.
20 July, 2010
When talking about solar thermal, it is tempting to think only about domestic hot water, and in some cases, space heating, but solar thermal has potential for larger applications and cooling/air-conditioning. Kari Larsen looks at how solar can heat and cool Europe towards 2020.
16 July, 2010
Solar photovoltaic cells become less efficient as they get hotter, a decline that can be substantial on hot sunny days. Furthermore, solar PV is inefficient and some energy is ‘lost’ to the surrounding environment. What solar PV needs is a partner able to complement its strengths and compensate its deficiencies. Fortunately, such a partner exists – solar thermal. Now it seems the two are getting together in what could be a happy marriage.
15 July, 2010
Lightning safety is a key concern for maintenance crews at wind farms, as most farms are located in wide open, lightning-prone areas and include turbine structures hundreds of feet high. And while tall structures are especially prone to lightning because they provide a conductive channel to the ground, some experts suspect that wind turbines may even have a higher risk of a lightning strike than most tall structures.
14 July, 2010
Accurate measurements and assessments of wind farm sites are becoming increasing important. NRG Systems' Brendan Taylor and Steven Clark look at recent developments in wind resource assessment.
13 July, 2010
The explosive global growth of the wind turbine industry has created several unique challenges for suppliers of the hydraulic components and systems used to control blade pitch. These challenges include an often hostile operating environment, difficult access for maintenance, and combinations of force, vibration, and motion seldom, if ever, experienced in more traditional applications.
07 July, 2010
Performance standards for wind turbine components, particularly those operating offshore, confront manufacturers with tough challenges. In this case study we look at how one organisation - the Linde Group - is offering help to wind turbine tower manufacturers.
07 July, 2010
Wind power firms need a wide array of specialised knowledge to measure the environmental impact of their turbines. Richard Foote finds out how companies are working with ornithologists to plan wind farms around bird flight patterns and migratory routes.
07 July, 2010
Part 2: Utility scale installations can cover anything from municipal distributed solar centres to complete plants with acres of solar farms for harvesting the sun's energy. Building the best structures and systems that offer the technology to back them up is critical to this area. Joyce Laird turns her attention to specific installations at the distributed/commercial scale, as well as the utility side of solar PV.
07 July, 2010