News for December 2013

News Archive

Pattern Energy acquires pair of wind power projects

When completed, the installations will add 214MW in net capacity to Pattern Energy's portfolio.

First Solar PV modules chosen for slew of Photosol projects

Advanced thin-film photovoltaic modules will power four solar energy plants in France totalling 48MW.

Vestas extends contract with ScottishPower Renewables

Deal includes installion of five Vestas wind power plants in Scotland with a total capacity of 120 MW.

New whitepaper download: How can cities become smarter?

Part 2: Cities face daunting obstacles in their quest to achieve the desired level of attractiveness. In some cases, rapid growth is driving increased pollution and congestion. So what needs to be done?

New whitepaper download: How can cities become smarter?

Part 1: In less than 40 years, 70% of the world’s population will reside in our cities. But can this rapid population shift into an urban environment happen in a sustainable way?

New whitepaper download: the hidden cause of underperforming wind projects, and how to protect yourself

For the past few years, investors, owners, and consultants in the US wind industry have been challenged by well-documented cases of wind project under-performance...

TPI re-opens Mexican wind blade factory

TPI Composites, Inc. is re-opening its plant in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico to provide blades to the North American wind market.

Vaisala Corporation acquires 3TIER

Purchase of renewable energy assessment and forecasting services company valued at EUR 10.7 million.

OCI Solar Power names new vice president of development

John Huffaker brings more than 25 years of energy development experience.

New whitepaper download: How to minimise uncertainty when predicting solar irradiance

Could a Solar Resource Assessment be the difference between a solar plant that performs well and one which under-delivers?

Blade Dynamics progresses long blade project with Siemens Wind Power Blade Dynamics progresses long blade project with Siemens Wind Power

Blade Dynamics has concluded the design phase of its ‘Very Long Blade Project’ for the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) and confirmed that the prototyping phase will now begin.

Siemens to supply 448 wind turbines to MidAmerican Energy Siemens to supply 448 wind turbines to MidAmerican Energy

Deal represents the largest order ever for onshore wind turbines for Siemens.

Kinangop wind farm in Kenya to be powered by 38 GE wind turbines

When complete, the Kinangop facility will be one of the largest wind power generation projects to be built to date in sub-Saharan Africa, according to GE.

First Wind inks deal with Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co.

Agreement will bring renewable energy from First Wind’s planned Hancock Wind project near Ellsworth, Maine, to 17 Massachusetts municipal utilities.

Orbotech LT Solar receives US$10million in orders

New orders reflect spike in solar demand, Orbotech says

GE invests in EDF plant GE invests in EDF plant

GE Energy Financial Services has completed an equity investment in EDF Renewable Energy’s Catalina Solar plant, one of the world’s largest photovoltaic plants.

Environmental Ohio group publishes positive report on wind power trends

Findings show wind energy yields major environmental benefits for the state.

All forms of energy necessary, says ExxonMobil

The world will require all forms of energy over the next quarter century to meet a greater than one-third increase in demand, says ExxonMobil’s Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040 forecast report.

Geothermal Energy Association names winners for GEA Honors 2013

GEA Award recipients were selected in categories including Technological Advancement, Economic Development and Environmental Stewardship.

Financing secured for world’s largest solar project

Total, Etrion Corporation and SunPower Corp have secured financing for construction of a 7MWp solar project in the Atacama region of Chile.

DECC grant to build energy storage

The Department of Energy and Climate Change has awarded EValu8 Transport Innovations Ltd (on behalf of the EVEREST Consortium) a £3.4 million contract to develop and build a technology demonstrator system for plug-in vehicles.

Amyris and Total form biofuels JV

Biofuel specialist Amyris and oil producer TOTAL have formed Total Amyris BioSolutions BV, a 50-50 joint venture that holds exclusive rights to produce and market renewable diesel and jet fuel from Amyris’s main product, renewable farnesene.

REpower wins 266MW orders for community wind farms in Germany

REpower Systems SE will deliver 103 wind turbines with a total capacity of over 266MW for 24 community wind farm projects in the Schleswig-Holstein region of Germany.

EIB re-invests in clean energy vehicle

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has made a second investment of €50m in Glennmont Partners, one of the largest infrastructure vehicles dedicated to clean energy across Europe.

Toshiba moves into German solar

Toshiba Corporation has entered the solar power market in Germany with a new on-site consumption model for apartment buildings.

Natcore Technology develops low-temperature cell production

Natcore Technology is developing laser processing technology to replace the high-temperature diffusion furnace in the solar cell production process, thus reducing the energy and chemical costs associated with the furnace.

Martifer Solar completes Romanian PV plants Martifer Solar completes Romanian PV plants

Martifer Solar, a subsidiary of Martifer SGPS, has completed the construction of two photovoltaic plants in Romania, in a total of 5.41MWp, for Eurowind Energy A/S.

Progressum acquires 254MW new UK projects

Progressum, an engineering firm based in London specialising in UK photovoltaic, and investor Quercus Asset Selection have acquired 21 photovoltaic plants located in the south-centre of the UK with a total project value in excess of £300 million.

3TIER makes wind and solar data open access 3TIER makes wind and solar data open access

Renewable energy forecaster 3TIER has made its wind and solar annual averages available via the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)’s Global Renewable Energy Atlas, an open-access online platform.

Fuel Cells 2014 Science & Technology Conference: Call for Abstracts

The Fuel Cells 2014 Science & Technology Conference will take place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on 3–4 April 2014. Abstracts are invited for oral and poster presentations.

Deep-cycle batteries supplied to India

Trojan Battery Company has contracted Manikandan Dunamis Pvt Ltd to distribute Trojan's deep-cycle batteries in India.

Fraunhofer and Wind Energy to develop new turbine Fraunhofer and Wind Energy to develop new turbine

Researchers from the Fraunhofer IWES and the FITT wind energy research team are collaborating on developing a new direct drive 3 MW wind turbine design concept.

UK cuts onshore wind and solar PV funding

The UK government has reduced financial support for onshore wind and solar PV, but has increased the incentives available for offshore wind.

DP Cleantech to build Thai coconut-to-energy power plant DP Cleantech to build Thai coconut-to-energy power plant

Biomass and waste-to-energy provider DP Cleantech has developed an advanced biomass combustion technology to convert coconut waste into clean energy.

Centrosolar America completes Solar Installation in Hawaii Centrosolar America completes Solar Installation in Hawaii

Hawaiian Energy Systems Inc and Centrosolar America have completed a 243kW solar power system at the Sacred Hearts Academy in Honolulu, a prestigious private school.

Siemens’ wind turbine rotor blade wins renewable energy award Siemens’ wind turbine rotor blade wins renewable energy award

Clean Technology Business Review has declared Siemens’ wind turbine rotor blade the winner of the ‘Innovation in Renewable Energy’ Award.

JinkoSolar builds solar plant in Lingwu city

JinkoSolar Holding Co Ltd has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the local government of Lingwu City, Northwest China, to develop a 200 MW ground-mounted PV power plant.

RES submits plans for Scottish wind farm

RES has submitted an application for Keirs Hill Wind Farm near Patna in East Ayrshire, Scotland.

Hitachi launches all-in-one energy storage system

Hitachi Ltd has developed an all-in one, container-type energy storage system for wind and solar power.

WFES 2014 mirrors increase in renewable investment WFES 2014 mirrors increase in renewable investment

Reed Exhibitions has announced that 90 per cent of exhibition space has already been sold for the 7th World Future Energy Summit (WFES), which takes place from 20-22 January 2014 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Green Plains completes acquisition of ethanol plants

Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc has completed its acquisition of two ethanol plants, located in Wood River, Nebraska and Fairmont, Minnesota, from Ethanol Holding Company, LLC.

Astronergy acquires Conergy module factory

PV panel manufacturer Astronergy has completed purchase of Conergy SolarModule GmbH & Co KG, based in Frankfurt, Germany.

Ethiopian solar project approved

Global Trade Development Consulting and Energy Ventures have been awarded a contract by the Ethiopian Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy and the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation to build, operate, and transfer three 100MW solar farms in Eastern Ethiopia.

SPI Solar looks into reinstatement of financing

Following improved results for Q3 2013, SPI Solar says that the China Development Bank (CDB) may reinstate financing for the company’s global engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) business.

Gaelectric receives €90 million funding boost

Dublin-based renewable energy group, Gaelectric, has been funded €90 million to develop and expand its wind and energy storage business in Ireland, the United States and the UK.

European consortium bids for French wind projects

The European consortium comprising EDF Energies Nouvelles and wpd offshore have submitted two bids for the Tréport and Ile d’ Yeu/Ile de Noirmoutier projects in France.