Policy, investment and markets News for September 2013

Policy, investment and markets News Archive

Vestas and Mitsubishi partner on offshore wind turbines

Vestas Wind Systems and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) have agreed to form a joint venture (JV) dedicated to offshore wind energy.

Contract for multi-megawatt Nordex turbines

The Nordex Group has been awarded its largest ever contract for a German wind farm with N117/2400 turbines by STEAG New Energies GmbH.

E.ON to repower Wales’ oldest wind farm

E.ON says that it is considering repowering Wales' oldest wind farm, Rhyd-y-Groes on Anglesey, after more than 20 years of generating electricity, may be repowered.

A Guide to UK Offshore Wind Operations and Maintenance A Guide to UK Offshore Wind Operations and Maintenance

Prepared by GL Garrad Hassan on behalf of Scottish Enterprise and The Crown Estate, this publication aims to outline the scale and nature of the opportunities offshore wind operations and maintenance presents.

World’s largest solar thermal plant on line World’s largest solar thermal plant on line

The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, the world’s largest solar thermal plant, has produced its first output of energy with its Unit 1 station synchronized to the power grid for the first time.

First Wind wins bids for two plants in Massachusetts

Two of First Wind’s proposed Maine wind power projects have been selected by Massachusetts utilities to provide clean wind energy to homes and businesses.

TÜV NORD and OutSmart join forces for wind TÜV NORD and OutSmart join forces for wind

TÜV NORD and OutSmart have formed a strategic partnership to strengthen their international presence in the energy market and to offer more services in the field of wind energy.

Algae biofuel could cut CO2 emissions by 68% compared to petroleum

Algae-derived biofuel can reduce life cycle CO2 emissions by 50 to 70 per cent compared to petroleum fuels, according to a new peer-reviewed paper published in Bioresource Technology journal.

Commercial energy storage set to rise to 2.3 GW in 2017 Commercial energy storage set to rise to 2.3 GW in 2017

Global installations of photovoltaic (PV) storage systems for commercial use, currently the smallest part of the global solar energy storage business, are projected to expand by a factor of 700 in the coming years and become the largest market segment in 2017, from only 3.2 MW in 2012.

Latest White Paper Download: Using LEAN techniques to cut VOC emissions

This white paper from Kimberly-Clark looks at how organisations can adopt ‘Lean’ systems to get to grips with the problem of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) emissions reduction.

Nordex wind farm bought by Munich utility Nordex wind farm bought by Munich utility

Munich municipal utility Stadtwerke München has acquired a further wind farm from Nordex SE.

Fortum, DCNS, AW-Energy and Bretagne Region develop wave power project Fortum, DCNS, AW-Energy and Bretagne Region develop wave power project

Fortum, DCNS and AW-Energy have signed an agreement to develop and demonstrate 1.5 MW WaveRoller power technology.

New biotech converts wastewater to hydrogen gas

Researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Florida-based Chemergy Inc plan to demonstrate a bioenergy technology that converts wastewater treatment plant byproducts into hydrogen gas to produce electricity.

Siemens sells CSP assets

Abengoa has bought Siemens' concentrated solar power (CSP) assets through its subsidiary Rioglass Solar.

Soitec solar-energy module efficiency “highest of any commercial module”

Soitec says that its new concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) module has a record power-generating efficiency of 31.8%, the highest efficiency of any commercial product available for multi-megawatt installations.

Ashden Awards call for entries

Ashden is today launching its call for entries for the 2014 Ashden Awards.

Gamesa designs wind course for Mexican university

Gamesa and the University of Istmo, located in Oaxaca, Mexico, have agreed to develop specialist wind power learning in the region, the windiest part of Mexico.

Wind O&M market to reach US$19 million by 2020

With wind energy capacity growing at a rapid pace, the value of the operations and maintenance (O&M) market is expected to increase from US$3 billion in 2008 to US$19 billion by 2020, says GlobalData.

German solar customers not told about storage

According to EuPD Research's latest research, a large majority of German end-users of PV products are not told about possible battery storage solutions.

London Array JV sells transmission assets

A joint venture owned by DONG Energy, E.ON and Masdar, has sold transmission assets at the world's largest offshore wind farm to Blue Transmission London Array Limited.

DOE launches National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center to advance hydrogen and fuel cell technologies DOE launches National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center to advance hydrogen and fuel cell technologies

The US Department of Energy has unveiled the National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center, a unique national secure data facility dedicated to the independent analysis of advanced hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

Green power certification approved for EU trading

A new standard covering renewable energy has been approved by the Association of Issuing Bodies (AIB) as an independent criteria scheme (ICS).

Overwhelming majority of UK support renewable

A survey set up by the UK Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) to understand and monitor public attitudes says that 76 per cent of people surveyed support the use of renewable energy sources to generate the UK’s electricity, fuel and heat.

First Solar/Belectric JV

First Solar Inc and Belectric Holding GmbH have formed a joint venture (JV) to develop photovoltaic (PV) power projects independently acquired or developed by either of the two companies in Europe, North Africa and the United States.

Four new biogas plants in France

Weltec Biopower GmbH and partner Domaix Energie in have begun rolling out four agricultural biogas plant projects in France.

EU boost for North Pacific renewables EU boost for North Pacific renewables

The North Pacific Renewable Energy Efficiency Project (North-REP) has been boosted by an investment of almost €2 million from an EU agency.

European ene.field project installs first residential fuel cell combined heat and power units European ene.field project installs first residential fuel cell combined heat and power units

The first two fuel cell-based combined heat and power (FC-CHP) units have been officially installed in Germany by the ene.field project partners Baxi Innotech GmbH and Elcore GmbH, in homes in Homburg and Munich, respectively.

Strategic alliance between Access Intelligence and Hannover Fairs USA supports power generation events

Hannover Fairs USA to host international pavilions at 2014 Electric Power and RETECH Shows

Editorial Leader: Time to pass on the renewables baton

It’s been some year since I took on the role of Managing Editor for Renewable Energy Focus. The highlight? When...

Approval for Australian wind farm

The Bodangora Wind Farm in central west New South Wales (NSW), Australia, has received development consent by the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure.

Moventas expands wind footprint in UK

Moventas Group has acquired its sister company David Brown’s wind gearbox business and established a UK-based company that significantly increases its wind gear manufacturing and service footprint.

New faces at Renewable Energy Focus

We welcome Reginald Tucker and Amanda Jacob to the editorial team...

US Energy Department invests US$16 million in tidal energy

The US Energy Department has announced an investment of US$16 million in seventeen projects to capture energy from waves, tides and currents in a sustainably and efficient way.

Reed Elsevier announces Environmental Challenge winners

Reed Elsevier has announced the winners of the 2013 Reed Elsevier Environmental Challenge, which supports innovative solutions to improve sustainable access to safe water and sanitation.

Inverter shipments fall for the first time since 2011

Worldwide market shipments of solar photovoltaic (PV) inverters declined by 5 per cent year-on-year in the Q2 2013, the first such decrease since Q3 2011.

Clariant ethanol plant certified as sustainable Clariant ethanol plant certified as sustainable

Chemicals specialist Clarian has received International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) for its cellulosic ethanol demonstration plant in Straubing, Germany, which was opened in July 2012.

SunEdison separates semiconductor business

SunEdison Inc has approved initial public offering of its semiconductor business to create SunEdison Semiconductor Inc.

US Army awards solar contracts

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has awarded Multiple Award Task Order Contracts (MATOC) to a group of 22 qualified solar technology contractors.

Transmission link brings hydropower from Malaysia to Indonesia

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Government of Indonesia plan to build a cross-border power transmission line linking West Kalimantan with Sarawak, Malaysia, bringing hydroelectricity to West Kalimantan and adding 8000 households to its power grid.

M+W Americas acquires Gehrlicher

M+W Americas (M+W), a company of M+W Group, acquired 100% ownership of Gehrlicher Solar America Corporation.

62 countries have biofuels friendly policies

According to the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA), 62 countries now have biofuels friendly policies in place, by which ethanol production alone has replaced the need for over 2 million barrels of crude oil per day.

Insurance helps guard against feedstock supply chain failures

Savills and R K Harrison have developed a new UK-based insurance product to support developers and operators of bioenergy plants by providing insurance against lost income arising from previously uninsurable failures within the feedstock supply chain.

Nordex doubles sales volume in Germany Nordex doubles sales volume in Germany

Turbine manufacturer Nordex has more than doubled its sales volume in Germany, installing wind farms with a combined capacity of 109 MW n the first half of 2013.

Solar capital spending on the rebound

Growing demand in developing regions will create the first increase in industry-wide capital spending in three years in 2014, according to a new report.