With a significant proportion of the European offshore wind support vessel fleet entering the latter phases of its operational lifetime or no longer able to meet changing industry demands, there is a growing emphasis on the vessel market to refit or repurpose these boats.

In doing so, vessel owners and shipyards can seize a commercial opportunity to maximize the value of these assets and support the overall sustainability of the offshore wind sector.

That, at least, is according to Chartwell Marine, a pioneer in next-generation vessel design that has supported a number of offshore wind vessel refit projects in recent months. Chartwell Marine has substantial expertise in vessel repurposing, including re-flagging, re-coding, and complete vessel conversion – such as from crew transfer vessel (CTV) to ferry, or leisure fishing boat to workboat.

While offshore wind is a young sector, with the majority of large-scale European projects no more than 10 years old – and expected to continue operating for 25 years in total – vessel lifetimes do not match those of offshore wind turbines. Furthermore, rapidly evolving construction and operational standards mean that many of the CTVs originally commissioned to service these projects may no longer meet the requirements of offshore wind developers and operators.

This is not to say, however, that these vessels are no longer fit for purpose. Indeed, for vessel owners, there are two main options on the table: One is to repurpose these catamarans for operation in other sectors, or for different functions within offshore wind. Offshore wind CTVs have been redeployed effectively for purposes including survey, dive support and security.

The other option is to conduct refits that extend the operational lifetime of the vessels in offshore wind. This often involves upgrades to propulsion systems, increasing the number of people who can be carried onboard, and lengthening of the hull to enhance deck space and potentially seakeeping. Chartwell Marine has provided design consultancy services to shipyards and vessel owners on a number of these refit projects.

Recent contracts have included supporting shipyard Diverse Marine in full refits of CTVs Maestro and Don Quixote, both of which were acquired by Turner Iceni in early 2019. Maestro, an 18-meter catamaran, has been refitted with Volvo IPS propulsion system, while Don Quixote has been refitted with 1,400 horsepower MAN engines and Hamilton 651 waterjets, and lengthened from 20 to 23 meters. Both are set to re-enter service later this year.

“For a sector like offshore wind, which is founded on principles of sustainability, vessel support is one area where substantial efficiencies can be realized,” said Andy Page, managing director at Chartwell Marine. “With robust design support, vessels that are starting to reach the end of their utility for offshore wind operators can either be upgraded in a cost-effective manner to re-enter service or set to work in other maritime sectors.”

“This creates plenty of opportunity for U.K. shipyards to carve out a niche in vessel refits – particularly during the winter months when demand drops off a little,” he said. “Furthermore, given an overall shortfall of new builds currently in build, and demand for offshore wind crew transfer vessels ramping up considerably, these vessel refits may well help to plug a gap until the next generation of offshore wind CTVs starts to enter operation.”

More info: www.chartwellmarine.com

BladeEdge, a leading provider of big data solutions for the wind industry, recently announced the launch of EDDIE, the world’s first artificial intelligence image analysis engine designed specifically for the wind industry.

EDDIE was created to enable automated condition assessments of blade inspection images, data analytic processing, and report generation.

“EDDIE brings the future to today’s wind industry,” said Chris Shroyer, BladeEdge president. “This revolutionary technology truly has the power to transform the industry by working up to 75 percent faster, more accurately, and more scalable than traditional data analysis methods.”

BladeEdge debuted EDDIE at the AWEA Wind Project O&M and Safety Conference in Coronado, California, treating conference goers to live demonstrations of EDDIE at work. EDDIE processes wind-turbine inspection data and automatically generates easily-consumable reports.

As AI, EDDIE has the capacity to work around the clock, processing data non-stop and delivering results with 98.8 percent confidence in data accuracy. EDDIE helps maximize the useable life of each asset reviewed, and tracks changes over time. With EDDIE, blade damage is caught sooner, making decisions regarding maintenance and repair easier than ever before.

EDDIE was designed to process any type of wind-turbine inspection data — from drone or ground scope capture images to legacy data. EDDIE automatically categorizes data and identifies anomalies, delivering reports that highlight blades requiring immediate attention and provides operators with a comprehensive understanding of all reviewed assets.

Blade management processes become more efficient when backed with the power of EDDIE, freeing teams to focus on revenue generation instead of data analysis.

“The true benefit of EDDIE lies in the time savings,” Shroyer said. “When engineers can spend less time analyzing large amounts of data and more time strategizing on improving efficiencies with preventative maintenance, EDDIE’s ROI is incredibly high.”

More info: www.bladeedge.net

With the release of major climate reports depicting alarming risks to the environment and economy, an increasing number of companies are establishing environmental, social and corporate governance initiatives. Swytch, a blockchain-based clean-energy platform, recently conducted a survey of 1,000 employees in the U.S. who either currently work for or have worked for a company with more than 5,000 employees to explore their sentiments around employers’ corporate sustainability activities.

The survey results show employees of all generations seek companies that have programs set in place to be more sustainable. Gen Z and Millennials in particular are the most enthusiastic about pursuing and staying loyal to greener companies.

When choosing a company to work for, more than 70 percent of people surveyed are more likely to work for a company that has a strong green footprint. Nearly half of respondents are even willing to accept a smaller salary to work for an environmentally and socially responsible company. In fact, more than 10 percent would accept a salary decrease between $5,000 and $10,000, and more than 3 percent would even be inclined to accept a decrease of more than $10,000 per year.

Younger generations feel the most strongly about their employers taking steps to increase corporate sustainability. Over a third of both Gen Z and Millennials say it would be a deal breaker for them to work for a company that does not have a strong sustainability culture, whereas under a quarter of Gen X and only 17 percent of Baby Boomers would agree. In fact, nearly 40 percent of Millennials have accepted one job offer over another because that company was sustainable.

Beyond just attracting new talent, Swytch’s study shows that creating and circulating long-term sustainability goals will also help a business retain its employees. Nearly 70 percent of respondents say that a strong sustainability plan would affect their decision to stay with a company long term. In fact, about 30 percent have left a company due to its lack of a corporate sustainability agenda and more than 11 percent have done so more than once.

“Extreme weather events and natural disasters are serving as a wake-up call to the severe effects of greenhouse gas emissions,” said Evan Caron, co-founder and managing director of Swytch. “As a growing number of employees are eager to see corporations take a stand on environmental responsibility, employers will have to respond accordingly in order to attract and retain top talent.”

Other findings include:

● More than 35 percent of total respondents, and more than 40 percent of Millennials, have committed more time and effort to a company because they were happy with its sustainability agenda.

● Across the political spectrum, both liberals (95 percent) and conservatives (89 percent) overwhelmingly agree that companies should be rewarded for producing and/or consuming renewable energy.

● Over a third of respondents believe the national government should be primarily responsible for addressing climate change while nearly a quarter of respondents believe large corporations should be responsible.

More info  swytch.io

Using its Nooteboom triple extendable Super Wing Carriers, Collett delivered 78 turbine blades (26 turbines in total) destined for Kype Muir Wind Farm.

Collett’s teams undertook the planning and delivery of 494 components including blades, towers, nacelles, drive trains, and hubs required for the development of Kype Muir Wind Farm. The 80-meter hub height towers of the Senvion 3.4MW turbines feature 52-meter blades, and while these are not the largest the company has been appointed to handle, they necessitated the use of its Super Wing Carriers due to the problematic road restrictions and alignments en-route.

Several areas of route modifications were identified ahead of the project – including bridge restrictions – with an emphasis on the Lambhill Road and Brown’s Bridge areas on approach to the site. Excluding the loaded wind-turbine blades, each of the components would be loaded to a combination of 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-axle stepframes, modular low loaders, and clamp trailers for transportation to the site. With the planned route modifications – including removal of vegetation, road signs, and road widening – already having been completed, this did not pose challenge to navigate.

The challenge arose when it came to the transportation of the 52-meter blades, which is where Collett’s Super Wing Carriers came into effect. The use of these specialist trailers provided the ability to shorten the body and wheelbase of the trailer while loaded with the use of the bolster arrangement on the trailer deck. Using the features of these Super Wing Carriers, extendable up to 64.3 meters, meant that the proposed access route to the development site became a viable option for this size of turbine.

Proof of this flexibility was demonstrated prior to transport by Collett Consulting creating a 3D model of the loaded vehicle. This then allowed Collett to produce a detailed swept-path analysis video of the blade components, successfully negotiating restricted route sections by manipulating the trailer while loaded.

This in-depth planning allowed Collett to highlight the sections of the route where the steering angle of the Super Wing Carrier’s bogie provided extra maneuverability. The challenge was to ensure there would be no contact with any part of the blade or the trailer chassis with the road surface, bridge structures, or buildings when navigating several sections of the route. This is where capabilities of the Super Wing Carriers to raise the trailer height came into action, allowing Collett to raise the height of both the front and the rear of the trailer, resulting in each of the blades oversailing the embankments and stone parapets when crossing the bridges en-route. By employing the capabilities of these trailers, Collett was able to remove the need for further, more costly modifications, and ensure that each of the 78 52-meter blades would safely arrive.

The 18-week delivery schedule that began in July is now complete. Following an agreed timetable of 1.5 turbines per week, Collett systematically transported each of the 494 cargoes from their portside location direct to the delivery site. Working on a multi-port strategy with components arriving at the Port of Grangemouth and King George V Dock, the Collett team has undertaken all ship’s discharge and stevedoring duties, port storage, extensive planning and delivery for each complete turbine.

Deliveries to the site, three miles south of Strathaven, South Lanarkshire, are now completed and construction of the wind farm is underway. Kype Muir Wind Farm is the flagship development of Banks Renewables and is expected to be fully operational in early 2019.

More info  www.collett.co.uk

In a public signing ceremony, global wind industry leaders Envision Energy, NGC, CLCP, and AMSOIL recently became strategic partners in the world’s largest renewable energy market.

The China Wind Energy Association and other guests gathered in Beijing to witness the wind-energy leaders signing the “Powering the World’s Renewable Future” agreement. The partnership leverages proven expertise and innovation from four sectors within the industry: lubrication from AMSOIL, smart energy technology from Envision, gearboxes from NGC, and service from CLCP. Collectively, the partnership will provide a comprehensive array of wind-industry products and services to support rapid growth in an already exploding market.

“We’re excited to join NGC, CLCP, and Envision in this strategic partnership,” said AMSOIL President and CEO Alan Amatuzio. “Our organizations share the same high standards of innovation, service, and quality, and our combined leadership supports an ambitious vision for the future of renewable energy.”

“Being young, successful, and fast-growing are not the only reasons for our cooperation. Innovation and focus on customers are as well,” said Global Vice President of Envision Energy Kane Xu.

“It’s a great pleasure to witness this strategic cooperation among the leading wind companies from China and the U.S.,” said Qin Haiyan, secretary general of the China Wind Energy Association and vice president of the World Energy Association.

At a time of strained U.S.-China relations, the signing ceremony is a bright spot of collaboration between Wisconsin-based AMSOIL and three Chinese wind industry leaders. The strategic partnership is a perfect example of pioneering companies working together to address climate change while enhancing economic development, including meeting the goals of China’s Wind Energy Development 13th Five Year Plan and One Belt and One Road initiatives. The agreement advances global wind energy development, deepens international cooperation and will truly “Power the World’s Renewable Future.”

More info  www.amsoilwind.com

Wind Cluster ApS, global distributor of wind-turbine components and accessories, together with New Avionics Corp, leading maker of modern optical ice sensors for industry and aerospace, recently announced the two companies have signed a distribution agreement covering modern ice sensors for wind-turbine manufacturers, operators, and energy companies throughout Europe, China, and India.

In Europe and Asia, Wind Cluster is a one-stop shopping center for turbine manufacturers and operators, offering a wide variety of components and accessories to the global wind power industry. Wind Cluster operates through a network of offices in Denmark, China, and India.

In Florida, New Avionics has developed the Ice*Meister™ line of NASA-tested optical ice sensors for aerospace and industry, where the need is to sense hazardous ice and take corrective action. These are demonstrably the smallest, lightest, most-sensitive ice detectors for wind-power turbines, unmanned aerial vehicles, commercial refrigerators and heat pumps, HVAC cooling towers, radio and TV broadcast towers, autonomous commercial drones, vehicular bridges and overpasses, oil and gas sites, etc.

“Ice detection is a necessity for optimum power production and safety in many countries,” said Peter Nyegard Jensen, CEO of Wind Cluster. “Until now, solutions have been complex and expensive. Therefore, we are happy to introduce the products and unique expertise of New Avionics to the industry.”

“New Avionics is extremely pleased to sign this agreement with Wind Cluster for distribution of our ice sensors,” said Richard Hackmeister, CEO of New Avionics Corp. “This pact helps turbine manufacturers and operators maximize operational efficiency during icing conditions, at the lowest possible sensor cost. We look forward to a long and productive relationship with the hardest-working distributor of wind-power components and accessories.”

More info  www.newavionics.com

RES’ North American operations delivered 1 GW of renewable projects in 2018, helping the company reach a 16 GW global milestone in what it describes as the “Year of Renewables.”

A total of 12 wind, solar, and energy-storage projects and 30 transmission and distribution projects were developed and/or constructed across North America. During peak construction periods, these projects created more than 2,000 jobs. Among the 2018 milestones were the development and start of construction on a combined solar/energy storage project in Texas, and the sale of three projects: the 200-MW Reading Wind project, the 50-MW Lamesa II solar project, and the 100 MW Wildhorse Mountain Wind project.
“For us, 2018 was the ‘Year of Renewables’ and one in which Power Purchase Agreements came of age, the clearest indication yet that renewable energy has become as competitive as other forms of energy,” said Ivor Catto, chief executive officer at RES. “We have now developed and built over 16 GW of wind, solar, and storage assets across the world after growing our portfolio by 1.6 GW in the last year. Collectively, we now offset enough carbon, which is equivalent to 531,250 trucks of coal – if you lined them up end-to-end, they would stretch from Albuquerque to London.”

Globally, 2018 proved to be the year of the PPA, with November’s agreement with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. helping the company surpass more than 1 GW of contracts with corporate customers. RES has previously signed agreements with Microsoft, Google, General Mills, Telstra, HSBC, and General Motors. RES also continued to serve utility customers in 2018, signing PPAs for the Crossett Solar project with Arkansas Electric and Delta’s Edge Solar project with Cooperative Energy in the United States.
In a year of milestones, RES also:

• Commenced work on the 429-MW Murra Warra wind farm in Australia, which will be one of the largest in the world when completed in 2020.
• In France, finalized construction and commissioning of the 14.2-MW Montigny la Cour, 8-MW Bricqueville, and 17.6-MW Rosieres wind farms, as well as the 5MWp Lauzieres solar farm.
• Won its first wind farm repowering tender in France for the historic Souliella project – the first wind farm built in the country in 2001.
• Delivered three energy-storage projects totaling 80 MW in the U.K., also taking on management of the 25-MW Castlecraig Wind Farm in Northern Ireland.
• Won a new 10-MW battery storage project in Bordesholm, Germany.

“We have made great progress in 2018, and this provides us with a solid foundation to continue to build toward a future where everyone has access to affordable zero carbon energy, which is the vision of the company,” Catto said.

More info  www.resgroup.com

By the end of 2017, offshore wind had only been deployed commercially across seven markets, with the U.K. and Germany accounting for 68 percent of the grid-connected capacity. However, according to a recent report from Wood Mackenzie Power and Renewables, global offshore wind power demand will increase almost sixfold over the coming 10 years with projects deployed commercially across 18 countries by 2027.

As the pool of offshore markets is expanding beyond a handful of markets in Europe, local content policies in different forms are becoming an increasingly important topic for developers and suppliers as governments look to bolster their local industry and create more job opportunities for local labour forces.

“While the influence of local content policies has been limited thus far, these policies will impact 72 percent of future demand,” said Soren Lassen, leading author and offshore analyst with Wood Mackenzie.

The deployment of next-generation turbines will double average turbine ratings globally over the next 10 years and, in turn, subdue growing demand in the balance of plant segments in terms of number of units and material per megawatt – most notably in the foundation space where the weighted average monopile weight per megawatt will decrease by 36 percent by 2023 in Europe. Similarly, the average installation time per megawatt for turbine and foundation campaigns has been halved in Europe since 2010 and is set to continue. The transmission space is also undergoing holistic innovations where capacities are being increased and materials reduced.

“The proliferation of demand in new markets globalizes the European supply chain and motivates the entry of new suppliers,” Lassen said. “This is particularly true when supported by local content policies as the pressures in Europe lead to consolidation across the European supply chain – especially in the installation segments.”
Furthermore, the report points out that the high growth rates in offshore wind makes it increasingly attractive for oil and gas companies looking to leverage their offshore experience.

Average CAPEX for European offshore projects is dropping quickly, mainly driven by the increased competition in wind-farm development, increasing turbine size, and economies of scale.

“CAPEX and OPEX across Europe will drop, on average, by 36 percent and 55 percent respectively by 2027,” said Shimeng Yang, report author and European offshore analyst.
Offshore LCOE across Europe is also projected to go down at a fast pace with “the average LCOE across Europe for grid-connected projects expected to reach 53.6 euros/MWh by 2027, dropping from approximately 107 euros/MWh in 2018,” Yang said.

The report, Global offshore wind industry dynamics 2018, is available for purchase here.

Leading wind Lidar developer, ZX Lidars, has successfully demonstrated the use of Drone Wind Lidar to accurately measure the wind in what is believed to be a world-first.

ZX Lidars provides vertical and horizontal profiling wind Lidars to accurately measure wind conditions remotely and above or ahead of their installed position. These accurate, independent wind measurements are a cornerstone in the development, construction, and operation of wind farms globally.

The company has now achieved accurate wind Lidar measurements from a commercially available drone (an unmanned aerial vehicle) for demonstration purposes and trialed the system successfully during summer 2018 with excellent data rates and sensitivity.

“ZX Lidars is a pioneer of wind Lidar technology — we were the first on turbines, the first offshore … now we’re the first to fly on a small drone,” SAID ZX Lidars’ Managing Director Ian Locker. “This and other trials conducted since 2015 only stand to further confirm that our core technology is accurate, reliable, and robust lending itself perfectly to a range of applications such as Drone Wind Lidar.”

Dr. Michael Harris, director of Science at ZX Lidars, has pioneered wind Lidar for the wind-energy industry for nearly 20 years and has been the driving force behind this latest innovation.

A number of ZX Lidar systems are available for trialing in this or similar applications.

2018 Drone Wind Lidar trial results will be presented at the Wind Energy Science Conference (WESC) 2019.

Fred. Olsen Windcarrier recently made an agreement with the Seafox International Group for the acquisition of a 51 percent ownership in the jack-up vessel Seafox 5.

By this move, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier will include this vessel under its commercial, technical, and administrative management as an integral part of their fleet of jack-up vessels for offshore wind. Singapore based Keppel Offshore and Marine Ltd. indirectly owns the remaining 49 percent of the vessel.

“We very much look forward to welcoming Seafox 5 to the Fred. Olsen Windcarrier fleet,” said Even Larsen, CEO in Fred. Olsen Ocean, the parent company of Fred. Olsen Windcarrier. “Seafox 5 is a highly capable vessel well suited to operate in the deepest waters and toward the most challenging offshore wind farms emerging in Europe, Asia, and the U.S. To us, this marks an important investment, and the vessel will be a perfect supplement to our current fleet. We believe in offshore wind, and this acquisition further strengthens our position in the growing global offshore wind market. For the Seafox 5, we look forward to partner up with Keppel Offshore and Marine Ltd., a highly reputable player within offshore marine solutions.”

Consequent on this the transaction, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier will be offering a fleet of three modern offshore wind transport & installation vessels, consisting of Seafox 5, Brave Tern and Bold Tern. Seafox 5’s first job under the Fred. Olsen flag will be the “Hohe See” project in 2019, where it will work side-by-side with the Brave Tern.

More info  www.windcarrier.com

The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) commends the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) and the Government of Alberta for its continuing success in attracting some of the lowest prices ever seen for wind energy generation in Canada.

This news comes with the recent announcement of contracts for Rounds Two and Three of the Alberta Renewable Electricity Program (REP).

The AESO will secure power from five new wind-energy projects representing 763 MW of capacity at an average weighted price of $39 per megawatt-hour.

Since REP was originally announced in 2016, the AESO has awarded contracts to projects that will nearly double Alberta’s installed wind-energy capacity, positioning Alberta as the leading province for wind-energy investment in the country today. These commitments will result in a 10 percent increase to Canada’s installed wind-energy capacity, which currently sits at just less than 13,000 MW.

The companies behind the projects have each signed a 20-year Indexed Renewable Energy Credit (IREC) agreement with the AESO, providing predictable revenues while protecting Albertans against increases in the price of power. Under the IREC, when the market price is lower than the contracted price, the generator will be paid the difference; and when the market price is higher, generators will be required to pay back the difference to the government.

As mandated by the procurement process, all of the projects providing power through REP Round 2 (363 MW) meet the required minimum 25 percent equity partnership with Indigenous communities. Such partnerships have also been seen in other jurisdictions across Canada and have proven to provide training opportunities, jobs, revenue sharing and other economic benefits to participating communities.

The projects are expected to be operational by mid-2021.

The wind-energy industry looks forward to details about the schedule of future procurements for new renewable energy and will be active participants in the process.

“By attracting investment in the wind energy projects announced, Alberta is diversifying its economy, driving economic growth, and creating much-needed jobs in multiple sectors such as engineering, construction, and local services,” said Robert Hornung, CanWEA president. “Indigenous and rural communities around the province will benefit from the employment opportunities, and income streams associated with ownership, municipal taxation, or lease payments for landowners. We are pleased that these competitive renewable electricity procurements are resulting in very low costs for the non-emitting electricity that Alberta needs.”

“The competitive nature of these procurement processes made it possible to secure low-cost power for the Alberta grid,” said Evan Wilson,
CanWEA regional director – Prairies. “That in turn provides an incredible opportunity for significant and sustainable greenhouse gas reductions in the electricity sector while also presenting Albertans, particularly Indigenous and rural communities, with new job and economic opportunities.”

More info  canwea.ca

Vestas has received an order for 56 V136-3.45 MW turbines delivered in 3.6 MW Power Optimized Mode for an undisclosed wind project in the U.S.

With 112-meter-tall towers and a tip height of 180 meters, the project will be the tallest in the U.S. Deploying taller towers unlocks new and previously unharnessed wind-resource areas and further increases the project’s annual energy production.

“We’re pleased to expand our tall tower technology and 4-MW platform,” said Chris Brown, president of Vestas’ sales and service division in the United States and Canada. “The combination of taller towers and 4-MW technology is perfectly designed to extract the abundant resource at the site, and deliver low-cost, reliable energy to the community and customer.”

The order includes supply and commissioning of the turbines as well as a 10-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement, designed to maximize uptime and energy production and ensure optimized performance for the lifetime of the project.

Deliveries will begin in the third quarter of 2019, with commissioning scheduled for the fourth quarter.

More info  www.vestas.com

Apex Clean Energy recently announced the sale of Sugar Creek Wind to a wholly owned subsidiary of Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp.

The advanced-stage 202 MW project is in Logan County in central Illinois. In fall 2018, Apex secured a long-term contract with the Illinois Power Agency to provide renewable energy certificates to utilities in the state.

“Sugar Creek Wind demonstrates the Apex team’s proven ability to identify and advance projects with strong fundamentals, including access to transmission, exceptional resources, strong community support, and financeable offtake,” said Mark Goodwin, president and CEO of Apex.

More info  www.apexcleanenergy.com

The Danish Government Scheme for Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program has awarded financial support to the CORTIR project proposed by a partnership of 21 industry companies and two universities headed up by Bladena ApS.

The total budget for the project is 3.9 million euros and the EUDP support is 51 percent.
CORTIR – Cost and Risk Tool for Interim and Preventive Repair – includes the development of a sophisticated, yet user-friendly, numerical tool (CAR-Tool) to optimize the management of turbine-blade maintenance in terms of risks and costs, with the main focus to reduce the levelized cost of energy and secure alignment toward maintenance throughout the full value chain. Early work in this area has illustrated that significant improvements can be achieved by employing an all-encompassing and rigorous tool based on known structural issues.

The CAR-Tool input parameters will be widespread from reliability data to detailed knowledge about structural blade and composite behavior during operation of the wind turbines. Relating the technical inputs to the cost structures within O&M activities, the tool output will suggest an optimum inspection and maintenance strategy to be used for decision making which is both technically and financially sound.

CORTIR will further demonstrate how blade retrofits can be deployed beneficially in this effort and support the reduction of LCOE by diverting from standard repair solutions. This part of the project includes both experimental and theoretical work.

The project aims at benefiting everyone engaged in the blade maintenance activities, the owners as well as the companies that provide maintenance services to the industry, i.e. manufacturers, wind-turbine owners, service companies, and insurance companies. The importance of covering the entire value chain is reflected by the comprehensive list companies that participate and sponsor the project.

“We look forward to being part of this project and giving our input on how the industry can minimize risk and O&M cost on blades,” said Finn Thyrring, technical manager from CODAN insurance, which is partner in the project.

Partners include Bladena, AAU Civil Engineering, DTU Mechanical Engineering, Kirt x Thomsen, ECC, Guide2Defect, Codan, Global Wind Service, E.ON, Engie, Hofor, EDF Energy, Equinor (Statoil), Innogy, EWII, Acciona Energy, Arise, Ørsted, Enel, Vector Cuatro (Part of FalckRenewable), LM Windpower, Nordex, and Vestas.

The project was scheduled to start in January 2019 and run for two years.

More info  www.globalwindservice.com

The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) recently released the results of polling conducted by Saskatoon-based Insightrix Research at an industry event held in Regina.

The province-wide representative poll showed overwhelming support for the development of wind energy with 84 percent of respondents supporting policies that encourage the development of wind energy in Saskatchewan and 78 percent supporting the development of wind farms near their communities.

The polling follows recent announcements that the province will be adding two wind-energy projects that together will add nearly 400 MW of wind-energy capacity to its grid in the near-term. In September, the Ministry of Environment approved the 177-MW Blue Hill Wind Energy Project, and in October, SaskPower announced that it had signed a power purchase agreement with Potentia Renewables for its 200-MW Golden South Wind Energy Facility. Both facilities are expected to be operational in 2021 and will more than double Saskatchewan’s installed wind energy capacity.

“We’re pleased to see the exceptional level of support for wind energy in Saskatchewan,” said Robert Hornung, president, CanWEA. “The wind-energy industry is continuously looking to improve and strengthen the ways it consults and engages with residents, local businesses, municipalities, and indigenous communities. Additionally, the province has put in place wind-energy-specific and results-based standards to ensure developments are located and operated with low environmental impacts. This combination ensures the groundwork is in place for the best possible projects as the government moves forward with its ambitious plans for renewable power.”

“As part of our Prairie Resilience Climate Change Strategy, our government has committed to reduce our emissions from electrical generation by 40 percent by 2030,” said the Honorable Dustin Duncan, Saskatchewan Minister of Environment, Minister Responsible for the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency, and Minister Responsible for SaskPower. “Increasing wind energy is an integral part of achieving this goal, and I am pleased to see the public support for this commitment. We look forward to realizing the environmental and community benefits of increasing Saskatchewan’s wind energy as new projects come online.”

More info: www.canwea.ca

More than two dozen companies in the U.S. wind power industry have signed up so far to back a new fund facilitating research that will speed development and deployment of innovative solutions related to wind and wildlife.

The news was announced at the Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront Hotel in Saint Paul, Minn., before an audience of 400 wind and wildlife researchers, regulators, conservationists, and industry leaders gathered for the national Wind Wildlife Research Meeting held every two years.

The new Wind Wildlife Research Fund will be housed within the American Wind Wildlife Institute (AWWI), an independent, nonprofit organization created by leaders in the wind industry and conservation and science communities to better understand wind energy’s risks to wildlife and create solutions. The Wind Wildlife Research Fund has 28 companies participating, and organizers hope to reach 35 corporate participants in 2019.

“I’m excited. This really is unprecedented,” said Kyle Boudreaux of NextEra Energy Resources and chairman of the Fund’s leadership group. “The only thing that would limit this is participation, and it’s off to a great start.”

The Wind Wildlife Research Fund continues the wind industry’s proud legacy of care for wildlife. Increased reliance on wind power results in cleaner air, water, and other environmental benefits. Even with relatively low impacts, the wind industry continues its commitment to work with conservation partners to avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts to wildlife and their habitats.

Industry leaders were briefed on progress in creating the Fund during the American Wind Energy Association’s Clean Energy Executive Summit in Colorado Springs. There Tristan Grimbert, CEO of EDF Renewables, and Greg Wolf, CEO Leeward Renewable Energy, celebrated AWWI’s 10th anniversary and described the new effort.

“The Fund is a tremendous step forward, and further evidence of the wind industry’s commitment to responsible wind development,” Grimbert said. “A significant amount of important research about how to make wind energy safer for wildlife has been done since AWWI was founded in 2008, but collectively, we recognize that there is more to know, and we are pleased to support this initiative.”

The Fund will be used to directly support research projects that will advance understanding of technologies and strategies that can help reduce or avoid those interactions. Investments in the Fund will come from wind energy companies, supplemented by public funding and with support from other conservation-minded entities.

“This first-of-its-kind fund will make it possible to continue to expand wind-energy development while also protecting and conserving wildlife populations,” Wolf said. “It speaks volumes about the wind industry’s values that so many companies have stepped up to invest in the Fund. I encourage everyone to participate, because doing so will help position wind energy to prosper and thrive in the years to come.”

Participating in the Fund include: American Wind Energy Association, Apex Clean Energy, Avangrid Renewables, Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company, Clearway Energy Group, ConnectGen, DTE Energy, Duke Energy Renewables, EDF Renewables, EDP Renewables, Enel Green Power, Engie, Identiflight, Invenergy, Innogy Renewables, Leeward Energy, MAP Energy LLC, NextEra Energy Resources, NRG Systems, Pattern Energy Group, Portland General Electric, Puget Sound Energy, RES Americas, Siemens Gamesa, Southern Power, sPower, Tradewind Energy, and Tri Global Energy.

More info: awwi.org

Cherbourg blade factory recently completed its 2018 recruitment plan at its offshore wind turbine blade manufacturing site in Cherbourg, France.

The site counts more than 100 employees, 34 percent of whom are women.

The first group of 30 newly-hired employees, from all functions, participated in the launch of the factory’s Center of Excellence training center September 30. These new employees joined a one-week theoretical class, followed by a week of practicing on an actual piece of a wind turbine blade mold.

After completing the Center of Excellence course, each trainee left Cherbourg to spend a month abroad at other LM Wind Power sites — from Spain, to Denmark, Poland and even Canada depending on the job scope. Employees from sites around the globe will also travel to Cherbourg to support the ramp-up of the factory. The second group started their training program on October 22.

“The Cherbourg site is a great location to support the development of the offshore wind industry in Europe and beyond, with a positive impact on the jobs and the ecosystem in the surrounding region,” said Alexis Crama, LM Wind Power Offshore Wind vice president. “We are investing in building a strong and sustainable value chain and are happy to welcome the first hundred recruits.”

The construction of the factory is on track to start the prototyping phase in January 2019. The first blade produced will be shipped to ORE Catapult Research & Development Center in Blyth, U.K., for indoor testing. The next three blades produced will be installed on GE’s Haliade-X 12-MW prototype at the end of the second quarter of 2019 at a yet to-be-determined site.

“This project entails new challenges and creates enthusiasm as we are starting up a new factory, installing new equipment inside, and welcoming new people with diverse backgrounds,” said Lukasz Cejrowski, LM 107.0 P project director. “At the same time, we are developing a new product: a new blade of a size we have never achieved before.  We can witness a significant combination of efforts as we use the expertise from our facilities worldwide to train the people in Cherbourg. This enthusiasm from all our teams will bring us to the successful ramp-up of the factory.”

In parallel to the development of the LM 107.0 P blades in Cherbourg, GE’s Offshore Wind teams is focused on the assembly of the first two Haliade-X nacelles at the Saint-Nazaire manufacturing site in France.

More info: www.lmwindpower.com

Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) has been awarded a sizable export cable installation contract for the Ostwind 2 offshore grid connection.

The contract was awarded by 50Hertz and carries a value for Boskalis in excess of 250 million euros, making this the largest cable installation contract acquired by Boskalis ever.

The contract scope comprises design and installation of approximately 270 kilometers of export cable that will connect the planned Arcadis Ost 1 and Baltic Eagle offshore wind farms to the onshore substation in Lubmin, Germany. The project is expected to begin in 2019 with a planned completion late 2022.

Boskalis will execute this contract in consortium with its partner NKT that will supply the high-voltage cable system. For this project, Boskalis will deliver an integrated solution of in-house services including supporting UXO survey, geotechnical, and geophysical surveys (through Boskalis subsidiary Gardline), seabed preparation works, pre-lay run, transport, and installation of the 220kV export cables and seabed reinstatement.

Boskalis will deploy a wide variety of its in-house assets including trailing suction hopper and backhoe dredgers, geophysical and geotechnical survey vessels, cable-laying vessels, and a wide range of trenching tools.

“We are very proud to have been selected for this contract, the largest cable installation contract ever for Boskalis,” said Peter Berdowski, CEO of Boskalis. “The fact that we are able to combine our dredging services, recently acquired survey capabilities together with our cable installation competencies demonstrates Boskalis’ ability to offer a unique breadth of services. We look forward to further expanding this position for our clients as the leading subsea cable installation contractor.”

Boskalis’ strategy is aimed at benefiting from key macro-economic factors that drive worldwide demand in our markets: expansion of the global economy, increase in energy consumption, global population growth, and the challenges that go hand-in-hand with climate change. This project is related to the development of generating renewable energy due to climate change and increasing energy consumption.

More info: boskalis.com

In support of the president’s America-First Offshore Energy Strategy, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) recently announced its intention to issue a Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Construction and Operations Plan (COP) submitted by Vineyard Wind LLC.

This would allow it to construct and operate an 800-MW wind energy facility offshore Massachusetts. The NOA will be published in the Federal Register on December 7.

The DEIS analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the proposed action described in the Vineyard Wind COP and reasonable alternatives to the proposed action. The publication of the NOA opens a 45-day public comment period. During this time, BOEM will conduct five public meetings and accept comments. The input received via this process will inform preparation of the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Comments on the DEIS should be submitted or postmarked no later than January 21, 2019.

Public meetings will be held during the comment period at the following locations: Hyannis, Narragansett, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and New Bedford.

“The Vineyard Wind Draft Environmental Impact Statement is another important opportunity for us to hear from our stakeholders,” said BOEM Acting Director Walter Cruickshank. “Public feedback is a vital part of our process and we would like to hear from everyone before preparing the Final Environmental Impact Statement.”

More info: https://www.boem.gov/Vineyard-Wind/

HTL Group recently returned to ADIPEC to showcase their U.K. designed and manufactured controlled bolting equipment on the EIC U.K. Pavilion.

With more than 110,000 delegates in attendance each year, ADIPEC was always on the agenda for HTL Group to demonstrate bolting solutions to industry professionals in attendance at the show.

Whilst meeting and networking with clients and overseas Distribution Partners, HTL’s on-stand team presented their full range of tools designed for controlled bolting applications on a fully equipped demonstration rig, allowing delegates to view the equipment on application including many unique safety features.

In keeping with the digital and innovative culture of the show, HTL brought their latest product innovations to the stand including i-Calibrate. Throughout ADIPEC, the team undertook demonstrations of i-calibrate; HTL’s asset management software platform for complete control and access to calibration and test certificates, anytime, anywhere via QR codes. Likewise, the HTL DSX Dedicated Square Drive Torque Wrench was showcased, which through industry first patented features improves both operator and job site safety.

“ADIPEC yet again was a great success for HTL Group,” said Paul Storey, HTL Group managing director. “We all thoroughly enjoyed a very busy week, meeting and networking with our existing and new clients in addition to overseas distribution partners. I look forward to building relationships with all of those we met and returning to ADIPEC next year.”

More info: www.htl-worldwide.com