Archives January 2014

Archives

January 2014

ARTICLES

Up-Tower Electrical Testing

A comprehensive approach to maximizing generator and component lifespan, dependability, and performance through periodic electrical testing and fault analysis.

Premature failures of mechanical systems have a significant impact on the cost of wind turbine operations and thus the total cost of wind energy. Recently, the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) took a giant step forward in the quest for more reliable, lower-cost wind power with the addition of the new 5 MW […]
Kevin Alewine, Casey Gilliam

Turbines Directory 2014

Wind turbines are the one component that wind farms simply cannot do without. More than 100 wind turbine manufacturers exist globally, offering as many 1,000 turbine models. No single turbine is the right fit for every application. In the following pages, Wind Systems has compiled news, turbine models, and general specifications from common utility-scale wind […]
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NEWS

Siemens Lands Largest Single Turbine Order To Date

OEM will supply 1,050 MW to MidAmerican Energy for Iowa projects Siemens has received an order from MidAmerican Energy for the supply of 448 wind turbines. With a total capacity of 1,050 MW, this represents not only the largest order for onshore wind turbines for Siemens, but also the largest single order for onshore wind […]
January 9, 2014

GE, Mitsubishi Reach Settlement In Patent Litigation

Turbine OEMs keep patents, agree to cross-licensing of intellectual property General Electric Co. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. have mutually agreed to end longstanding legal battles surrounding wind turbine intellectual property, according to a statement from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The two wind turbine manufacturers “have reached amicable settlement of all legal actions taken by both […]
January 9, 2014

DNV GL Unveils Post-Merger Branding

The merger of DNV and GL in September led to the creation of DNV GL, a world leading ship and offshore classification society, a leading independent service provider in the oil and gas sector, a powerhouse in energy and renewables, and one of the world’s top three certification bodies. “Businesses are facing increasing technological, regulatory, […]
January 9, 2014

UBS to acquire 50 percent of 161 MW Spinning Spur II project in Texas

EDF Renewable Energy and UBS International Infrastructure Fund announced in December that they have signed a definitive agreement under which UBS International Infrastructure Fund will acquire a 50 percent equity interest from EDF Renewable Energy in the 161 MW Spinning Spur II wind farm project, subject to completion of construction and customary conditions precedent. Spinning […]
January 9, 2014

DONG Energy acquires 580 MW Race Bank offshore project from Centrica

DONG Energy has acquired a 100 percent ownership interest in the UK offshore wind development project Race Bank, from Centrica. The project has a total consented capacity of up to 580 MW and is located in the Greater Wash area approximately 27 km off the east coast of England. The purchase price (enterprise value) for […]
January 9, 2014

USDA Providing $250 million to Rural Electric co-ops for Energy Efficiency Loan Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will take new steps to save consumers money on their energy bills in partnership with rural electric cooperatives. It plans to provide rural electric cooperatives up to $250 million to lend to business and residential customers for energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems. The program will help build […]
January 9, 2014

First Wind and Burlington Electric sign 10-year PPA for Maine’s Hancock Wind Project

First Wind has reached an agreement with Burlington Electric Department (BED) to sell the utility power generated from the planned Hancock Wind project near Ellsworth, Maine. First Wind will sell 25 percent of the power and renewable energy certificates (RECs) generated at the 51 megawatt (MW) wind farm for the next 10 years under a […]
January 9, 2014

NREL taking Applications for National Executive Energy Academy through January 31

The Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is accepting applications for its 2014 Executive Energy Leadership Academy. NREL’s Executive Energy Leadership Academy, also known as Energy Execs, is a program for non-technical decision-makers throughout the country to learn about renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, analytical tools and financing. Leaders in government, communities, non-profits […]
January 9, 2014

Clean Energy Jobs Top One Million, Index Shows

Ecotech Institute’s Clean Jobs Index, a tool to compare states’ use and development of clean energy, found more than one million job postings in the clean energy sector from July 1, 2013, through September 30, 2013. This shows a 54 percent increase in needed clean energy employees, evidence that the sector is rapidly growing and […]
January 9, 2014

ENERCON Installs Prototype E-115 Turbine In Northern Germany

ENERCON recently installed a prototype of its IEC class IIa wind turbine in northern Germany and launched operations according to schedule. The prototype is perched on a precast concrete tower at a hub height of 135 meters, but is also available with towers ranging from 92 to 149 meters (hub height). Thanks to its performance-optimized […]
January 9, 2014

Ampair To Acquire Westwind

Ampair, the Dorset (UK)-based wind turbine manufacturer, is pleased to announce that it is in exclusive negotiations to acquire Westwind, the Belfast-based wind turbine manufacturer. Ampair, with over 40-years’ experience, is the UK’s oldest manufacturer of wind turbines.  Westwind relocated from Australia to the UK several years ago and now offers the widest range of […]
January 9, 2014

RTS Signs On To Become UK Service Provider For Vensys

German turbine manufacturer Vensys and UK engineering services supplier RTS International have announced their UK framework agreement. RTS has been chosen to become the UK Service Provider for Vensys. RTS will undertake the project management of the erection process as well as the on-going service requirements for Vensys turbines at onshore locations throughout the UK. […]
January 9, 2014

GE’s 2.5-120 Turbine Now Operating Commercially at German site

Two months after the completion of installation, the first GE 2.5-120 wind turbine has been put into commercial operation in Schnaittenbach, a town in Bavaria, Germany. The 2.5-120 produces approximately 8,000-megawatt hours a year, which is equivalent to the required average energy needs of about 2,000 German households. The investor and operator of this project […]
January 9, 2014

Siemens, DONG Energy Reach Deal on 582 MW German North Sea Offshore Projects

Siemens recently announced it will supply 97 wind turbines, each with a rating of six megawatts and a rotor diameter of 154 meters, to the Danish energy provider DONG Energy. The total capacity for the Gode Wind 1 and Gode Wind 2 projects is 582 MW, enough to supply around 600,000 German households with eco-friendly […]
January 9, 2014

Vestas and Enel Green Power Ink Deal for 350 MW, Plan for Order of Additional 636 MW

Vestas will supply 75 V100-2.0 MW turbines for the 150 MW Origin wind power plant in Oklahoma. Vestas and EGP-NA also have signed an agreement for up to an additional 836 MW worth of 2 MW turbines of which 200 MW is firm. Deliveries for Origin are expected to occur midyear, followed by commissioning by […]
January 9, 2014

Gamesa to Supply Gestamp Wind 128 MW for Five Wind Projects in Brazil

Gamesa has signed a supply agreement under which it will supply 128 MW of its turbines to a Brazilian wind farm complex being developed by Gestamp Wind, the wind energy subsidiary of Gestamp Renewables, in Lagoa Nova in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The development encompasses five wind farms: Santana I (20 MW), […]
January 9, 2014

REpower Receives Turbine Orders Totaling 266 MW for 24 German Community Wind Farms

REpower Systems SE, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Suzlon Group, has signed contracts to deliver 103 wind turbines with a total capacity of over 266 MW for 24 community wind farm projects in the Schleswig-Holstein region of Germany. The contracts were concluded with different contractors who were previously represented by a purchasing association. REpower […]
January 9, 2014

Acciona’s 3MW Platform Issued Seven GL DesignType Certificates

GL Renewables Certification, issued seven new certificates for different models of ACCIONA Windpower’s 3 MW AW 3000 turbine. With these new certificates, Acciona Windpower now has 15 awarded for its 3 MW platform, a range of turbines for which the company has supplied or has orders for over 1,300 MW. Specifically, GL Renewables Certification issued […]
January 9, 2014

Nordex Extends “Generation Delta” with the Addition of the N131/3000 for Light-Wind Sites

Nordex SE is extending the “Generation Delta” turbine platform launched in spring 2013 with the addition of a turbine for light-wind locations. With the N131/3000, customers will not only be able to choose from strong and moderate-wind turbines but now also from a highly efficient system specially designed for IEC-3 locations. The N131/3000 combines the […]
January 9, 2014

Goldwind Breaks into Romanian, Eastern European Markets

Goldwind recently announced the first successful installation of its 2.5 MW PMDD wind turbine, as part of a 50 MW turbine supply contract with the Romanian company Mireasa Energies S.R.L. The installation also marks the first Chinese wind turbine in Romania as well as Eastern European Market.The Mireasa project is located in Constanta, Romania’s second […]
January 9, 2014

Vestas approves first fill agreement for Castrol synthetic gear oil

Castrol has signed a global three-year deal with Denmark-based Vestas Wind Systems to deliver first and service fills for all of its new builds and existing turbines. It is projected that Castrol will deliver in excess of 1.5 million liters per year under this deal. The agreement follows the full product approval for global use, […]
January 9, 2014

New ASTM Standard Test Method certifies capabilities of Spectro’s FluidScan handheld infrared oil analyzer

ASTM International approved Test Method D7889, “Standard Test Method for Field Determination of In-Service Fluid properties using IR Spectroscopy,” in October. The approval represents official confirmation that the FluidScan handheld infrared oil analysis technology from Spectro Inc. meets ASTM guidelines for the analysis of in-service lubricants. The FluidScan method provides direct, immediate measurement of multiple […]
January 9, 2014

James Fisher Renewables Launches Offshore Oil Change System Using Sage Oil Vac Technology

U.K. marine services provider James Fisher Renewables has launched an oil change system utilizing technology patented by Sage Oil Vac. The Ship-to-Turbine system is designed to improve speed and efficiency in offshore wind turbine gearbox oil changes. The oil exchange pumping technology includes an on-board filtration system that filters new oil to ISO-approved levels. Fresh […]
January 9, 2014

Availon Selected By Energiequelle To Maintain Portion of German Turbine Fleet

Availon recently announced that it won a full maintenance contract for seven Vestas wind turbines. The German multi-brand service provider is taking over the full maintenance of seven out of a total of 12 Vestas V80 turbines in the Hakenstedt wind farm. The wind farm is located 30 kilometers west of Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.  “The […]
January 9, 2014

Marshall Wind Energy, Mortenson Team Up On 74 MW Kansas Project

Marshall Wind Energy LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of RPM Access LLC, has commenced construction of its 74 MW wind farm in Marshall County near Beattie, Kansas. Since project initialization in 2009, local landowner and community enthusiasm coupled with mutually beneficial arrangements established with Marshall County have underpinned the ongoing success of this development effort. Marshall […]
January 9, 2014

EDF Acquires 200 MW Texas Project, starts Construction

EDF Renewable Energy has announced it has acquired the 200 MW Hereford 1 Wind Project in the Texas Panhandle from Lincoln Renewable Energy and construction has commenced. Encompassing approximately 15,000 acres in Deaf Smith County, southeast of the town of Hereford, the project will take advantage of the CREZ (Competitive Renewable Energy Zone) transmission lines […]
January 9, 2014

RMT begins construction on Greenbriar Capital’s 80 MW Blue Mountain Project

Greenbriar Capital Corp. announced in December that it has commenced formal construction at its 80 MW Blue Mountain, Utah wind energy site. Blue Mountain is a fully contracted 80 MW wind energy project holding a 20-year energy sales agreement with PacifiCorp, a subsidiary of Mid-American Energy Holdings Company (itself 89 percent owned by Berkshire Hathaway). […]
January 9, 2014

AWS Truepower Expands Online Knowledge Center

Coupled with the redesign of its website, AWS Truepower has revamped its online Knowledge Center—a virtual library of articles, maps, videos, technical papers, and other resources of interest to renewable energy industries. The company’s new website has undergone a significant overhaul, and now contains a greater volume of timely information, user-friendly navigation, as well as […]
January 9, 2014

Calculator App Is All-In-One Solution For Electrical Contractors

Copper electrical wire and cable manufacturer Cerro Wire LLC, has introduced a powerful electrical calculations app for the iPhone and iPad, giving electrical contractors instant access to an easy-to-use, all-in-one tool for computing field measurements. Electrical contractors can calculate conduit fill, voltage drop, and amperage all within a single mobile app. Using the conduit fill […]
January 9, 2014

United Wind Teams With Bergey To Extend Unique Financing Model

Company aligns with leading distributed-scale turbine manufacturer to increase customer savings.  United Wind recently announced a partnership with Bergey WindPower. Under terms of the agreement, United Wind will be the exclusive provider of third-party financing options to customers seeking to lower their electricity costs. As part of the agreement, United Wind will lease Bergey WindPower’s […]
January 9, 2014

Shaft Alignment System Takes Advantage Of iOS Platform

Greg Knitz, President of Alignment Supplies, Inc., announced today the North American launch of the ALiSENSOR® SHAFTLASER™, a completely revolutionary new system for shaft alignment that combines all of the best aspects of Apple’s iOS devices like the iPad and iPhone with the most streamlined and easy-to-use shaft alignment interface ever developed.  “ALiSENSOR has already […]
January 9, 2014

Advanced Outdoor Wind Test Facility Grand Opening

UL and West Texas A&M University announce the opening of large-scale wind turbine test facility in Canyon, Texas Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) in December announced the grand opening of the Advance Outdoor Wind Test Facility in Canyon, Texas, which will provide services for large, small and micro wind manufacturers as […]
January 9, 2014

DOE Awards $150 Million In Tax Credits For Clean Energy Manufacturing

Investment allows LM Wind Power to hire 170 workers for its Grand Forks, North Dakota blade plant The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced $150 million in clean energy tax credits to build U.S. capabilities in clean energy manufacturing. The credits will go towards investments in domestic manufacturing equipment by 12 businesses. Through the Advanced […]
January 9, 2014

Rockwell begins DOE test-bed project at Army manufacturing plant

Rockwell Automation has initiated a project to optimize manufacturing assets at a U.S. Army-owned, contractor-operated, metal-parts manufacturing plant in Scranton, Pa. The work is one of two test-bed efforts in the $10 million Smart Manufacturing Leadership Consortium (SMLC) project to develop the first open smart-manufacturing (SM) platform in the United States. The U.S. Department of […]
January 9, 2014

CG distribution transformers receive GL Renewables Certification

Avantha Group Company, CG was awarded the certification from Germanischer Lloyd Renewables Certification (GL RC), for its liquid immersed SLIM and Bio-SLIM distribution transformers. The testing for adherence to certification norms was carried out according to GL’s Guidelines for the Certification of Offshore Wind Turbines, Edition 2012. The transformers are hermetically sealed with biodegradable fluid […]
January 9, 2014

MFG introduces UL-approved non-flammable SMC material

Molded Fiber Glass Industries has announced the availability of a new proprietary sheet molding compound (SMC) material with non-flammable properties. Known as iNVENTA 616UL, the material received UL 723 approval from Underwriters Laboratories earlier this year. UL 723 is recognized as the industry standard for evaluating surface burning characteristics of building materials. Initially formulated for […]
January 9, 2014

Moventas Group Rebrands Industrial Gear Segment

Moventas has reintroduced its legacy brand Santasalo as the brand for its industrial gears business. The Moventas Group, now renamed Santasalo Moventas, has two brands and business areas; Santasalo for industry and Moventas for new energy.  Santasalo Moventas now reintroduces its long-standing brand Santasalo as the brand for its industrial gears business, industrial gearboxes and […]
January 9, 2014

Eagle Take Permit Revisions Spark Debate

In December, the Department of the Interior extended the duration of programmatic eagle take permitting from five years up to a maximum of 30 years. Extended permits will only be issued to applicants willing to employ and maintain adaptive management measures to sustain eagle preservation. According to the Interior, the new permit regulations will allow […]
January 9, 2014

Developer Invests In Education And Career Development Of Wind Communities’ Youth Program Expands To Provide Up To 16 One-Time Scholarships Of $3,000 For One Year

First Wind has announced that applications are now open and available online for its annual scholarship program. Entering its fifth year, First Wind Scholars will make scholarships available to qualified high school seniors in communities where the company currently has projects in operation or in advanced stages of development. As part of the 2014 program, […]
January 9, 2014

PRODUCT SHOWCASE: Primerless, Oil-Tolerant Loctite Threadlocker Sticks Cure through Contaminants

locker sticks to deliver advanced performance on oil-contaminated surfaces without requiring primers or accelerators. Formulated as wax-like, semi-solid adhesives packaged in a self-feeding stick applicator, Loctite® 248TM and Loctite® 268TM Threadlocker Sticks are designed to securely lock and seal threaded assemblies, fill gaps between threads and prevent corrosion. Delivering the same proven performance as liquid […]
January 9, 2014