Spurred by eligibility criteria to access a growing number of financial incentives the small wind industry is making solid headway toward consistent ratings, reliable performance estimates, and demonstrated compliance with safety standards.
28 February, 2012
The new-generation of wind turbines that will operate offshore require very large rotors. George Marsh takes a look at the Vestas approach.
28 February, 2012
Wave and tidal power generation is receiving significant attention, but many believe that the industry is where wind power was 15 years ago, on the cusp of a flurry of activity set to accelerate development in the sector.
27 February, 2012
Part one: Oil and gas companies have learned to overcome many offshore difficulties, so what, if anything, can they bring to the renewable energy table?
20 February, 2012
With a new generation of sophisticated wind turbines targeting inhospitable offshore regimes comes the need for better day to day testing of components. Jari Toikkanen, manager of the research and test group at Moventas looks at how the company’s testing is being streamlined through technology to produce quicker results.
17 February, 2012
Energy storage is well known in off-grid installations, but how can energy storage be used as a way of accessing the grid for connected renewable energy systems?
15 February, 2012
Once heavily in debt, Suzlon Energy Limited, the world’s fifth largest wind turbine supplier, is setting its finances in order.
13 February, 2012
The world wind turbine market is set for continued growth, with the Global Wind Energy Council forecasting up to 1 TW installed by 2020 in its most optimistic scenario. As wind turbines go offshore and into more extreme environments, the demands put on their blades increase. To ensure the blades meet design requirements, they are tested – both internally and by full-scale testing facilities. We see how the testing is done and why.
09 February, 2012
Production challenges grow as wind turbines get bigger, and some blades now exceed 80 m in length. So what are some of the new products and processes being developed to meet the needs of utility-scale blade producers?
02 February, 2012
It is not just in laptop computers, mobile telephones and LED screens that scarce metals are to be found but also in solar cells, batteries for mobile technologies and many other similar applications. And the rising demand for these metals increases the risk of a bottleneck in supplies...
01 February, 2012