As offshore wind begins to take off, many organizations are concerned about the impact on ocean life. Last week, the Nova Scotia Legislature passed the Marine Renewable Energy Act (Bill 110) as a means to ensure that ocean renewable energy has appropriate licensing and environmental protections in place to protect marine life. Novia Scotia is looking at tidal energy as …
Wind Energy Can Lead Europe in 2030
According to a new report from the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), wind power can exceed gas, coal and other forms of energy by 2030 if European member states follow the ambitious policy framework put in place through 2030. The report finds total wind installations in Europe could reach 392GW with 294GW of onshore and 98GW of offshore wind. Today, …
Researchers Develop New Offshore Wind Prototype
Two researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya’s (UPC) Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering have developed a new model for floating structures designed for offshore wind turbines anchored in deep, deep waters. Climent Molins’ and Alexis Campos’ prototype, WindCrete, is a cylindrical structure with a large float and ballast base that enables the platforms to be self-stabilizing. The researchers …
Dong Opens Offshore Wind Farm
DONG Energy and LEGO Group along with William Demant, have opened BorkumRiffgrund 1, an offshore wind project expected to power more than 320,000 homes. The wind farm was officially commissioned by His Royal Highness, Prince Joachim of Denmark. Thomas Thune Andersen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DONG Energy said during the opening event, “BorkumRiffgrund 1 is our first …
Interior to Auction 344,000 Offshore Acres
The U.S. Department of Interior has announced the auction of 344,000 offshore acres off the coast of New Jersey for development of offshore wind projects. The lease sale will take place on November 9, 2015. Should the area be fully capitalized, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates at least 3,400 MW of wind power could be developed. “On the heels …
Block Island Wind Farm Has Steel in Water
The American wind energy industry along with Rhode Island state legislators and others celebrated what Deepwater Wind is calling a “historic moment” for the offshore wind industry as the first “steel in the water” milestone was met this week for the Block Island Wind Farm. This marks the installation of the first offshore wind farm foundation component – a 400-ton …
Vattenfall’s DanTysk Offshore Wind Project Online
Vattenfall has officially begun operations of its DanTysk offshore wind farm. Located 70 kilometers west of Sylt Island, the project is the first infrastructure project jointly implemented by Vattenfall and SWM. DanTysk is comprised of 80 Siemens wind turbines with a total installed capacity of 288 MW. The event was celebrated by several key energy players in Europe including: German …
Offshore Wind Tech Being Tested
China Ming Yang Wind Power Group Limited’s super compact drive (“SCD”) offshore wind turbine prototype of 6.5MW platform has begun a commercial trial operation in Rudong,Jiangsu Province, China. The 5 -7 MW wind turbine prototype features a two-blade design with a light weight permanent magnet generator and is able to adapt to various extreme offshore weather conditions, offering high reliability …
Offshore Wind Can Compete With Fossils in Decade
A new study, “Offshore Wind in Europe: Walking the tightrope to success,” finds that the European offshore wind energy industry can compete with coal and natural gas by 2023. The Ernst & Young (EY) reports states that for this to occur, however, the industry must significantly reduce costs over the next five years. Cost savings can be achieved in several …
Alstom Announces Deepwater Wind Will Proceed
The Deepwater Wind Block Island project will be proceeding. Alstom, the company that will provide five Haliade 150 6MW offshore wind turbines, said they have received formal notice to proceed from the developers of the project with the announcement that the project is now fully financed. The Haliade operates without any gearbox (using direct-drive), due to its permanent-magnet generator. “This …