The Southeastern Wind Coalition is pleased to provide information about an exciting event in the offshore wind industry.

The one-day 2018 Virginia Offshore Wind Executive Summit brings together the supply-chain business community with federal and state government officials to accelerate Virginia’s inclusion of large-scale offshore wind within the state’s energy mix. 

Join Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and Orsted North American President Thomas Brostrom, as well as representatives from Dominion Energy, Siemens Gamesa, U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy and Management, and many others as they discuss port infrastructure, supply chain procurement, and market opportunities. 

More info

Ingeteam, an independent global supplier of electrical conversion and turbine control equipment, recently announced an in-house R&D study that allowed them to work out the optimal electrical power conversion designs for offshore wind turbines up to 15 MW.

The research, taking into account the complex set of parameters at play in LCOE, enabled the company to develop a medium voltage power converter based on the parallelization of several conversion lines (core product) reaching up to the 15 MW power range. Ingeteam said its new design is the ideal solution for scaling up offshore turbine platforms and will present its converter and the associated research at the Global Wind Summit in Hamburg next month.

Ingeteam’s R&D study assessed the complex relationship between the cost of the power conversion stage and its reliability and maintainability metrics (MTBF and MTTR respectively[1]) to determine the lowest LCOE. Based on the study findings, Ingeteam found that the optimal solution for the offshore wind market is a medium voltage power converter based on the parallelization of several conversion lines (core product) reaching up to the 15 MW power range. The power conversion line designed by Ingeteam offers the best investment/availability ratio, with efficient operation, easy maintenance and improved reliability

“With current technologies, as well as the expected progress in materials and engineering integration, we think that offshore wind turbines will continue to rapidly increase their power capacity,” said commented Ana Goyen, director of Ingeteam Wind Energy. “Therefore, a robust medium voltage power converter has been developed focusing on a market that demands a low levelized cost of energy (LCOE) without compromising quality or performance in wind turbine platforms that are continuously scaling up.”

Ingeteam’s new core product is capable of reaching the 15 MW power range and has been conceived considering the modularity of the system as a key feature. It therefore allows multiple solutions depending on customer requirements regarding the integration in the wind turbine. The design of the converter offers maintenance friendly characteristics with front access and withdrawable main components that directly contribute to minimize the OPEX related to the service of the wind turbine.

This medium voltage converter has been specially designed for the offshore market with fully enclosed cabinet and a liquid cooling system that guarantees the safe operation of the converter even in harsh environments. With efficiencies higher than 98 percent at rated operating conditions, the proposed solution contributes significantly to minimize the production losses of the wind turbine.

Ingeteam has developed the control algorithms of its full power converters to guarantee the fulfillment of the most demanding grid codes, such as German EON-2006 and Indian CERC-CEA. Additionally, country-specific power quality requirements are fulfilled by applying advanced modulation strategies. Ingeteam’s medium voltage converter solution is able to control the torque of different types of generators (IG, PMG or EESG) with the highest performance dynamics but always remaining within winding and bearing limits. Finally, the control algorithms can be adapted to operate with single and multiphase stator generators in order to optimize the whole wind-turbine solution.

More info

U.S. distributed wind market surpassed the 1 GW milestone with 81,000 turbines generating power across 50 states, according to the 2017 Distributed Wind Market Report released recently by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

In 2017, 21 states added 83.7 MW of new distributed wind capacity. Iowa leads all states with 63.5 MW installed distributed capacity.

“Despite minimal policy support, the market is poised for further growth in response to the recent ITC extension,” said Jennifer Jenkins, AWEA’s Distributed Wind Program Director. “We are working with industry to leverage the ITC, its proven success in reaching this important milestone, and drive new markets like C&I and microgrids.”

In contrast with utility-scale wind farms, which are larger with an average capacity of roughly 200 MW, distributed wind systems are generally connected behind the meter or to a local distribution grid. Distributed wind can range in size from a 1 kW or smaller off-grid wind turbine, to a 10kW turbine at a home or farm, to several multi-megawatt wind turbines at a university campus, manufacturing facility, or small community.

More info: https://www.awea.org/DistributedWind_Reaches1GW

Renewable energy career-training college Ecotech Institute invites the community to attend its “Crash-A-Class” event Saturday, August 18, 2018.

Ecotech Institute is a college dedicated to preparing graduates for careers in the energy industry. Open to the community, this free event will feature complimentary lunch and offer visitors a unique opportunity to experience what it’s like to be an Ecotech Institute student.

WHAT: A special event providing visitors with an exclusive chance to experience the hands-on learning that Ecotech Institute offers and find out more about specific career-training programs available at the school.

WHEN: Saturday, August 18, 2018 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. MST.

WHERE: Ecotech Institute, 1400 South Abilene Street, Aurora, Colorado 80012.

RSVP: The event is free and open to the public.

More info: ecotechinstitute.com/rsvp

Pattern Development joined New Mexico officials to recognize the job creation and other economic benefits of the state’s growing wind energy industry.

Construction is mobilizing around the Grady Wind project, a 221-MW project in Curry County. Officials included State Senator Pat Woods, Cabinet Secretary of the State of New Mexico Energy Minerals Natural Resources Department Ken McQueen, Curry County Commissioner Robert Thornton, Pattern Energy Senior Director of Business Development Ward Marshall, CRELA Board Member Paul Stout, and Clovis Industrial Development Corporation Economic Development Director Chase Gentry.

Grady Wind, expected to create hundreds of jobs for New Mexicans during the construction phase, will also deliver other financial benefits such as land lease payments to local landowners and new tax base for the host communities of eastern New Mexico. Once placed into operation, Pattern Development’s affiliate Pattern Energy will own and operate the Grady Wind facility, along with the neighboring 324 MW Broadview Wind facilities.

“The Pattern Development team is excited to continue helping New Mexico become a western regional leader in the wind-energy industry,” said Adam Renz, External Affairs and Government Relations specialist. “The Grady Wind facility represents an important step in New Mexico’s evolution as a major renewable energy producer. As wind and solar energy development grows, New Mexicans will reap the economic benefits.”

Once in operation, the Grady Wind facility will provide enough clean energy to power nearly 90,000 homes each year. Currently, the solar and wind energy industries employ more than 5,500 in-state workers. Of these, between 3,000 and 4,000 are employed by the wind industry, either directly or indirectly.

More info: patternenergy.com

As part of Vestas’ Service strategy to optimize the performance of wind-energy assets, Vestas is expanding its partnership with leading gearbox provider ZF to offer global service solutions for customers’ gearboxes. By expanding the partnership with ZF, Vestas will offer customer solutions that can lower repair costs, decrease downtime, and limit additional future repairs.

Leveraging the companies’ complementary service capabilities and global footprint, the partnership also promotes mutual knowledge transfer, cooperation on training, and joint documentation development. Through the partnership, Vestas becomes ZF’s preferred supplier to perform uptower repair work, and ZF becomes Vestas’ preferred supplier for shop repairs and replacement units. Vestas has a long track record of efficiently repairing gearboxes on site without removing them from the turbine, saving significant time and reducing cost.

This expertise will result in unparalleled speed and efficiency offered to fleet owners worldwide. “By partnering with ZF, we can return the turbine to service faster than anyone in the market and leverage our extensive volume with ZF to have best-in-market pricing, terms, and lead times,” said Christian Venderby, GSVP, Service. “And depending on the customers’ asset management strategy, we can now deliver everything from a standalone uptower repair to a complete exchange and turnkey solution globally.

With this new partnership, we are expanding our gearbox capabilities and are, at the same time, lowering the total cost of ownership — all to the benefit of our customers.” ZF develops, manufactures and repairs gearboxes for the wind industry at plants and repair shops in Germany, Belgium, China, the US, and India. Going forward, Vestas and ZF will also collaborate on new repair and gearbox service products that can benefit the rest of the industry.

More info: www.vestas.com

America celebrates U.S. leadership in wind energy production and the benefits it creates this week as American Wind Week 2018, August 5-11, officially kicks off.

Wind power is an affordable, reliable and rapidly growing segment of the U.S. electricity supply that supports jobs in all 50 states. Those benefits help drive broad popular support for wind power, on display this week at nearly 30 events in over 15 states, on social media, and through proclamations from governors and mayors from Washington to Kansas and North Carolina.

“This American Wind Week, we salute the more than 105,000 U.S. workers who make it possible to transform the power of wind into affordable electricity that our families and businesses rely on,” said Tom Kiernan, CEO of AWEA. “We’re building more U.S. wind power today than ever before. This is what leadership looks like — growing economic opportunity, homegrown energy, and cleaner air from sea to shining sea.”

Supporters of wind energy across the U.S. launched American Wind Week last year when wind power became the country’s largest source of renewable energy capacity. Today, that leadership is growing with a record amount of wind power under construction at wind farms across America. The U.S. possesses world-class wind resources, with some parts of the heartland and coasts known as the “Saudi Arabia of wind,” and U.S. wind farms are the most productive among countries with the highest levels of installed wind power such as China and Germany.

 The economic and environmental benefits of U.S. wind power are substantial. A record 105,000 Americans work in wind power across 50 states, affordably and reliably supplying more than 6 percent of U.S. electricity. In fact, wind-turbine technicians and solar installers are the nation’s two fastest growing jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And using wind energy created $8 billion in public health savings during 2017 alone by avoiding air pollution that creates smog and triggers asthma attacks.

The week’s events range from a community barbeque in New Mexico to a wind farm tour in North Dakota. If you can’t make it to a Wind Week event in your state, you can still participate by sharing why you’re proud of American leadership in wind power with #americanwindweek on social media.

More info: AmericanWindWeek.org

Companies in the American wind energy industry recently announced they will donate $1 million to Hurricane Harvey repair and rebuilding as keystone partners of Habitat for Humanity’s Habitat Hammers Back initiative.

Participating companies include Apex Clean Energy, Blattner Energy, Duke Energy, EDF Renewable Energy, EDP Renewables, Enel Green Power North America, Inc., E.ON, Goldwind Americas, Hannon Armstrong, Invenergy, Leeward Renewable Energy, MAP Royalty, Pattern Energy, TPI Composites, and the American Wind Energy Association.

The money will support repairs and rebuilding efforts in areas affected by the storm, which first made landfall August 25 near Corpus Christi, Texas. The wind companies also plan to send volunteers to help with the rebuilding effort. Texas has a quarter of U.S. wind-power capacity and more than 22,000 Texans work in the industry, among 102,500 wind jobs nationwide. The state’s more than 12,000 wind turbines themselves emerged unscathed from the storm.

“The EDF group has 400 employees in Houston serving various sectors of the energy industry, including our regional wind-project development team,” said Tristan Grimbert, president and CEO of EDF Renewable Energy. “As Texas wind is an important contributor to our nation’s energy mix, and Houston in specific is the center of energy diversity, we are committed to the ambition to offer our resources in the recovery and rebuilding efforts.”

“Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to everyone along the Texas Coastal Bend and in Houston who was impacted by this storm,” said Patrick Woodson, chairman of E.ON North America. “Several E.ON employees around our Papalote Creek Wind Farm lost their homes, and even more saw their communities devastated when the hurricane made landfall. Habitat for Humanity will play a critical role in helping people rebuild their homes and communities. With Texas as the nation’s leader in wind energy, it is only right that we and the wind industry be a leading force to help Texans rebuild and recover.”

“More than 22,000 wind workers are in the state of Texas, so this has hit very close to home for us,” said Steven C. Lockard, president and CEO of TPI Composites. “We all feel the need to help with this rebuilding effort. I am especially proud participating companies from across the United States and their associates are committed to volunteer their time in addition to financial resources.”

“Habitat for Humanity is committed to helping families recover from Hurricanes Harvey, and we wouldn’t be able to do it without the support of our partners like these American wind-energy companies,” said Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford. “Their gift is an investment in the long-term recovery of these communities.”

Habitat is already at work responding to Hurricane Harvey, helping families to clean up and prepare for the rebuilding effort to come. Habitat will work with its local offices throughout the hurricane-affected regions to assess the shelter and housing needs and develop response options. In addition to long-term housing repair and construction, Habitat’s response includes organizing volunteers and resources to help with the cleanup of homes damaged by wind and flood waters.

Source: American Wind Energy Association

For more information on Habitat for Humanity and American Wind Rebuilding Texas hurricane response program, go to habitat.org/American-Wind-Energy/Harvey

By Kenneth Carter

Hurricane Harvey may have been downgraded to a tropical storm, but it still is pummeling Texas’ Gulf Coast and dumping an unprecedented amount of rain on Houston and other cities in its path.

As of Sunday, about 22 percent of the U.S.’s oil production had been “shut in,” according to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.

In addition to oil production, Texas produces more than 21,000 MW of electricity a year from wind. Could Harvey have an impact on the wind industry?

If there is any good news coming from the storm, it’s that Harvey shouldn’t have much or any effect on the more than 40 wind projects that call Texas home, according to Edward Einowski, who is a partner at Stoel Rives LLP where he specializes in renewable energy project finance and development.

Einowski represents developers (including biomass, wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal), primary investors, tax-equity investors, biofuel producers, investment-banking firms, commercial banks, and other financial institutions. He has published articles on renewable energy and is a prominent speaker at renewable energy conferences in the U.S. and internationally.

“I’m not sure Harvey will have much of a direct impact on Texas’ wind-energy generation, as relatively few wind projects are located in the southern part of the state,” he said. “Most are in the central part near the panhandle where the wind regime is excellent.”

However, he did warn that since the wind that generates power is never constant, that it could have some impact on restoring electrical power.

“The intermittency of wind may provide some challenges in restoring service to those areas that got knocked out by Harvey,” Einowski said. “But other than the scale of the outages (which may end up being quite large), I am not sure there is much unusual in that regard.”

At one point over the weekend, more than 213,000 people along the Texas Gulf Coast were without power, according to Electric Reliability Council of Texas.

Wind energy’s pivotal role in Canada’s transition to a low-carbon future will be in the spotlight when industry leaders gather this fall for the Canadian Wind Energy Association’s (CanWEA) 2017 conference and exhibition.

CanWEA and its partner Hannover Fairs (Canada) have unveiled the program for this year’s event, set for October 3-5 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal.

The theme of the conference is Energy Transition, and over the course of 2 ½ days, a line-up of expert speakers will examine how the rise of low-cost renewable generation sources, the rapid pace of technological innovation, shifting consumer expectations, and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are disrupting electricity business models and transforming the way we produce and use energy.

The event’s three plenary sessions will discuss emerging demand drivers for wind energy in Canada and explore how electricity infrastructure modernization, grid operational changes, and electricity market reforms can enable integration of the high penetrations of renewable energy required to meet Canada’s economic and environmental goals.

A series of eight concurrent educational sessions are also planned, providing insight on how forward-thinking wind-farm operators, project developers, and electricity system planners can turn change into opportunity, tackling the permitting, resource assessment, and health and safety challenges facing a growing industry, and delving into the operational improvements, technology advancements, and policy solutions that will contribute to the sector’s ongoing success.

“The world is in the midst of an unmistakable and unstoppable transition to a low-carbon future, and Canada is no exception,” said CanWEA President Robert Hornung. “The role the wind-energy industry will play in shaping that future is what CanWEA 2017 is all about. No other form of electricity generation is better positioned to provide the low-cost, reliable, and emissions-free energy that Canada needs to remain competitive in the next century of clean growth.”

“Finding ways to power our lives with non-emitting energy sources is top of mind around the globe, and Canada is a step ahead,” said Larry Turner, president and CEO of Hannover Fairs. “Canada’s grid already boasts more than 80 percent emissions-free electricity and is aiming for 90 percent by 2030. This conference is focused on providing delegates with critical policy, technology, and best-practice updates, as well access to the top organizations and companies moving wind energy forward in a cleaner economy.”

The CanWEA 2017 program is available on the conference website, windenergyevent.ca.

Online registration is now open, with early bird rates in effect until August 30.

CanWEA’s 33^rd Annual Conference & Exhibition is Canada’s largest wind-energy event, attracting about 1,500 attendees and more than 100 exhibiting companies from around the world.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s New Energy Outlook 2017 predicts nearly three-quarters of the $10.2 trillion to be spent on new power generation worldwide to 2040 will be invested in wind and solar plants. Wind and solar will make up 48 percent of the world’s installed generating capacity and 34 percent of electricity generation by 2040, compared with just 12 percent and 5 percent now.

The International Energy Agency’s World Energy Investment 2017 report found spending in the electricity sector exceeded the combined spending on oil, gas, and coal supply for the first time ever last year, and the largest share of electricity investment was in renewables.

Canadian provinces are part of the global-energy transition. Alberta and Saskatchewan are moving aggressively to modernize their electricity systems and expand their energy economies; Ontario is building a clean and flexible grid to underpin its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050; Quebec’s new 2030 energy policy accelerates its shift toward renewable energy sources and positions the province to become a provider of competitive clean power to neighboring markets, and the Maritimes is exploring the use of smart-grid technologies and regional dispatch to reliably integrate high levels of renewable generation. For more information, please visit the CanWEA Wind Markets web page.

Source: CanWEA

Invenergy, North America’s largest independent, privately held renewable energy company, along with GE Renewable Energy, recently announced a 2,000-MW wind farm that will be the largest in the U.S. and second-largest in the world, once operational. The Wind Catcher facility is under construction in the Oklahoma panhandle and will generate wind electricity from 800 state-of-the-art GE 2.5 MW turbines.

The wind facility is part of the $4.5 billion Wind Catcher Energy Connection that also includes an approximately 350-mile dedicated, extra-high voltage power line. American Electric Power (AEP) utility subsidiaries Public Service Co. of Oklahoma (PSO) and Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) are asking utility regulators in Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma to approve plans to purchase the wind farm from Invenergy upon completion of construction and to build the power line to serve PSO and SWEPCO’s more than 1.1 million customers.

“Wind Catcher shows American leadership in bringing low-cost clean energy to market at giga scale,” said Invenergy’s Founder and CEO Michael Polsky. “This project reflects Invenergy’s innovative spirit and unparalleled execution ability, and we are proud to be working with forward-looking utilities like PSO and SWEPCO whose customers and communities will benefit from this project for decades to come.”

Wind Catcher Energy Connection is expected to save SWEPCO and PSO customers more than $7 billion, net of cost, over 25 years. AEP estimates the project will support approximately 4,000 direct and 4,400 indirect jobs annually during construction and 80 permanent jobs once operational. It also will contribute about $300 million in property taxes over the life of the project.

The 2.5-MW GE turbines that will power the project are GE’s latest model, designed to enhance siting efficiency, offer industry-leading reliability, and allow for higher energy production. GE also will implement its Digital Wind Farm solutions, providing software to support wind operations including asset performance management and operations optimization.

For more information, go to www.invenergyllc.com

More than 40 percent more wind-power projects are under construction or advanced development in America than at this time last year, according to second-quarter results released July 27, 2017, by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).

Across the country, 29 wind projects, representing a combined 3,841 MW, announced that they either began construction or entered advanced development in April through June 2017, for a total of 25,819 MW of wind projects underway. That is up more than 7,500 MW from the 18,279 MW underway as of one year ago, an impressive feat because nearly 10,000 MW of additional wind projects came online over that time period and therefore were subtracted from the under-construction total.  

Findings in the new U.S. Wind Industry Second Quarter 2017 Market Report show nearly 80 percent of current wind-turbine construction and advanced development activity is found in the Midwest, Texas, and the Mountain West, as America’s rich wind resources draw even more business to heartland states. Other highlights in the second quarter include six major commercial and industrial customers buying U.S. wind power for the first time, including Apple and General Mills, and two offshore wind projects that were awarded Maryland offshore renewable energy credits (ORECs), a key step in their development.

“The path to unlocking America’s full energy potential is clear with another strong jump in the number of wind projects moving forward,” said Tom Kiernan, CEO of AWEA. “Wind energy makes our power system more reliable and resilient and protects consumers by diversifying our energy mix. The wind industry is propelling American energy production, manufacturing, and job creation into the 21^st Century.”

Kansas Passes 5,000 MW

Strong wind power development continued in rural America this quarter, where wind has become a major source of new investment and jobs in many communities.

Kansas just became the fifth state to surpass 5,000 MW of installed wind-power capacity, as the largest U.S. wind project installed this quarter added 178 MW in the state. Kansas now has enough wind power capacity to supply 1.5 million average homes, supporting nearly 6,000 jobs in the state, and making lease payments of up to $15 million a year to its farmers and ranchers.

“In my first State of the State speech in January of 2011, I said that Kansas was already known as the Wheat State and the Sunflower State, but that I wanted Kansas to also be known as the Renewables State,” said Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback. “Fast forward six years, and Kansas has made major strides to achieving that lofty goal. Today, Kansas can officially say it has joined the ‘5,000 MW Club,’ a distinction only four other states have achieved. But, we don’t intend to stop. A year ago, I announced another goal for Kansas — to be powered 50 percdent by renewable energy by January 2019 — one of the most aggressive renewable energy policies in the country. Here’s to the next 5,000 MW of wind-energy capacity in Kansas and the jobs, businesses, and private capital it brings to all parts of our great State.”

Offshore Momentum

 Momentum behind offshore wind continued this quarter following last year’s completion of the first American offshore wind project off Rhode Island. During the second quarter, the Maryland Public Service Commission awarded offshore renewable energy credits (ORECs) to two planned offshore wind energy projects that will total 368 MW.

Also in the second quarter, Massachusetts, in partnership with local electric distribution companies, issued a request for proposals for between 400 MW and 800 MW of offshore wind power.

Wind energy expanded to an entirely new industry this quarter when General Mills, the first grocery staples producer to purchase wind energy, signed a 15-year contract for 100 MW of Texas wind power capacity. Other big-name corporate brands purchasing U.S. wind energy for the first time through long-term contracts called power purchase agreements (PPA) included Apple, T-Mobile, Goldman Sachs, Akamai Technologies, and Partners Healthcare.

These companies join recent purchasers General Motors, Proctor & Gamble, and many others that are buying wind because it’s good for their bottom line, locking in clean energy at a stable price for many years into the future.

More than 14,000 MW under construction

In the second quarter, construction started on 2,495 MW of projects, while 1,346 MW entered advanced development. There are now 14,004 MW of wind projects under construction and 11,815 MW in advanced development. New wind-power capacity added to the grid totaled 237 MW, similar to the second quarter last year.

Nationally, the U.S. now has 84,405 MW of installed wind-power capacity, with more than 52,000 commercial wind turbines operating in 41 states plus Guam and Puerto Rico.

AWEA will celebrate the rapid growth of the industry and its benefits to rural America with its first-ever “American Wind Week,” August 6-12, featuring tours of wind farms and factories and other opportunities to learn more about wind power. The week’s festivities will be capped with a community fair at noon on Saturday, August 12, in the town square in Fowler, Indiana, population 2,300, whose economy has been transformed by the business from several nearby wind farms.

For more information, go to www.awea.org

Women of Wind Energy (WoWE) announced a new name and logo May 16 during a live, virtual event before hundreds of supporters across the country. Under the new name, Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE), the organization will continue to build on more than 10 years of success working to advance women across the renewable energy spectrum.

In order to fully live the organizational mission to support a robust renewable energy economy, WRISE (pronounced rise) is opening its programs and services to go beyond its wind-energy legacy.

In response to ongoing conversations with stakeholders and recent industry trends, WRISE will continue to work with the wind industry but will broaden its scope to include solar, energy storage, energy efficiency, energy management, and power marketers focused on renewables, transmission, distributed generation, and smart-grid technologies.

“It is an exciting time as the renewable-energy sector grows and women enter the workforce in increasing numbers,” said Kristen Graf, WRISE executive director.  “We look forward to working with a broader community of industry professionals to advance, connect, and empower women across various fields who are engaged in moving the world toward a renewable energy future.”

WRISE will build upon its many successes including:

• 3,000-plus network participants
• 480-plus one-on-one and peer-group mentoring participants
• 80-plus Rudd Mayer fellows and Wind at Our Backs scholars
• 35 chapters across the U.S. and Canada
• 25 awards given for Woman of the Year, Rising Star, and Champion
• 21 webinars covering renewable energy and energy storage topics
• Seven annual leadership forum events

“This is a pivotal time for the energy sector and an exciting time for our organization,” said Jennifer Martin, WRISE president and co-chairwoman of the Stoel Rives LLP energy practice. “Working with women and men from the different technologies will allow us to fully embrace our mission to achieve a strong diversified workforce and support a renewable energy economy.”

WRISE is developing a website to support the expanded scope and direction, while keeping our mission the same and continuing to be a leading organization in this confluence of technologies.

Alongside its more than 3,000 supporters, the organization has been strongly supported by corporations that align with our mission by sponsoring a myriad of programs or more foundationally as an overall contributor.

Source: WRISE

Maryland’s Public Service Commission awarded offshore wind renewable energy credits (ORECs) to the companies US Wind and Skipjack Offshore Energy, LLC to build wind projects totaling 368 MW of capacity miles off the state’s coast. Completing these projects will generate nearly 10,000 new direct and indirect jobs and $1.8 billion of in-state spending.

“This fully brings the Mid-Atlantic into the game,” said Andrew Gohn, eastern region director for the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). “Maryland’s decision to award these ORECs is a big win for American job seekers, manufacturing, and energy security.”

Conditions to the OREC approval include a requirement that these companies invest at least $76 million in Maryland steel-making and a further $39.6 million in upgraded infrastructure at the Tradepoint Atlantic shipyard.

America’s first offshore wind project came online late last year in waters off Block Island, Rhode Island. The Block Island Wind Project, a pilot project, has a total capacity of 30 MW. Growing offshore wind to scale will help attract new manufacturing and investment to states such as Maryland that have business-friendly policies.

Source: AWEA

For more information, go to www.awea.org

Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), announced that Amy L. Farrell, a proven strategist and expert in energy, environmental, and regulatory policy, has been named AWEA’s senior vice president for government and public affairs.

Farrell will oversee federal regulatory affairs, state policy, public affairs, and industry research. She will serve on AWEA's executive team and work closely with Jim Reilly, who continues as senior vice president for federal legislative affairs. Her first day at AWEA will be June 16. 

Farrell will bring years of association leadership and government experience to the organization, which represents 1,000 member companies. 

“Amy’s strategic thinking and broad experience across trade associations, a top-ranked energy corporation, and the White House will serve our members well as wind power takes its place among America’s leading energy sources,” Kiernan said. “She knows how to lead teams to advance successful policies and regulations. She has made a career of bringing diverse stakeholders together to achieve common goals. We are delighted to have her join in serving our member companies and sustaining rapid growth of American wind power.” 

Farrell will join AWEA from the American Petroleum Institute, where she sits on the executive leadership team as the group director for market development, and works across the organization and with member companies to increase natural gas demand. From 2013 through 2015, Farrell played a similar role as vice president for market development at America’s Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA), after helping that organization establish its market demand mission and advocacy strategy.

Before transitioning to the market development role, Farrell’s primary focus was advocacy on energy and environmental policies that directly affect oil and natural gas company operations. She served as vice president for regulatory affairs at ANGA and, before that, as a corporate issues adviser at ExxonMobil.

Prior to joining the private sector, Farrell held a series of senior government positions in the George W. Bush Administration. She served as special assistant to the president for economic policy in the National Economic Council in 2008, and as associate director for environment and regulation in the Council on Environmental Quality from 2006 to 2008. She held several positions at the EPA from 2004 to 2006, including deputy assistant administrator in the Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances and special assistant to administrators Stephen L. Johnson and Mike Leavitt. She began her career as a policy analyst in the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs from 2000 to 2004.

"As wind-energy positions itself as a key contributor to an all-of-the-above energy strategy, it's critical to have people who can drive understanding of the benefits of wind,” said Chris Brown, president of Vestas Americas and chairman of AWEA’s Board of Directors. “We are lucky to have someone of Amy's keen analytical approach to help us guide this transition.”  

“The wind industry is at an exciting crossroads, and I am honored to join the AWEA leadership team during this transformational time in domestic energy policy,” Farrell said. “I look forward to working with AWEA’s members to advance the greater use of wind energy and a greater recognition of the role wind plays in delivering affordable, reliable, and clean energy.” 

Farrell holds a master’s of public policy from Indiana University and a bachelor’s from Illinois Wesleyan University.

Source: AWEA

For more information, go to www.awea.org

America’s wind power workforce installed 908 utility-scale turbines in the first quarter of 2017, totaling 2,000 MW of capacity.

This is the wind industry’s strongest start in eight years, according to a new report, U.S. Wind Industry First Quarter 2017 Market Report, released May 2, 2017, by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).

“We switched on more megawatts in the first quarter than in the first three quarters of last year combined,” said Tom Kiernan, CEO of AWEA. “Each new modern wind turbine supports 44 years of full-time employment over its lifespan, so the turbines we installed in just these three months represent nearly 40,000 job years for American workers.”

The early burst of activity reflects how 500 factories in America’s wind-power supply chain and more than 100,000 wind workers are putting stable, multi-year federal policy to work. The industry is now in year three of a five-year phase-down of the Production Tax Credit, and Navigant Consulting recently forecast a strong 2017 for wind power, similar to 2015 and 2016.

New wind-turbine installations in the first quarter spanned the U.S. from Rhode Island and North Carolina to Oregon and Hawaii. Great Plains states Texas (724 MW) and Kansas (481 MW) led the pack.

Texas continues as the overall national leader for wind-power capacity, with 21,000 MW installed, enough to power more than 5 million average homes. North Carolina became the 41st state to harness wind power, bringing online the first wind farm built in the Southeast in 12 years.

Horace Pritchard, one of nearly 60 landowners associated with the North Carolina project explained what it means to him and his neighbors.

“Farms have been growing corn, soybeans, and wheat for a long time here, and the wind-farm revenue means a lot of families are protected from pricing swings, floods, or droughts going forward,” Pritchard said. “We’re just adding another locally grown crop to our fields with very little ground taken out of production, and the improved roads really help with access. So it’s a great fit here.”

Expanding wind farms continue to benefit rural America, since more than 99 percent of wind farms are built in rural communities. According to AWEA’s recently released 2016 Annual Market Report, wind now pays more than $245 million per year in land-lease payments to local landowners, many of them farmers and ranchers.

Along with rural benefits, American wind manufacturing facilities remain busy in the first quarter as projects continue to be built. With 4,466 MW in new construction and advanced development announcements recorded in the first quarter, the near-term pipeline has reached 20,977 MW of wind capacity. That’s about as much as the entire Texas wind fleet’s existing capacity.

Demand remained strong in the first quarter. There were 1,781 MW signed in long-term contracts for wind energy, the most in a first quarter since 2013. Utilities and Fortune 500 brands frequently use these long-term contracts, called Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), to purchase wind energy. Home Depot and Intuit, maker of TurboTax, both signed up for wind power this quarter, joining a host of Fortune 500 companies such as GM, Walmart, and Microsoft that are buying wind energy for its low, stable cost.

In addition to leading brands, low-cost wind power reliably supplies a growing number of cities, universities, and other organizations — including the Department of Defense. This quarter, a Texas wind farm came online to supply a PPA with the U.S. Army. Powering a military facility demonstrates that wind power is ready to reliably serve our most vital electricity needs, boosting American energy security in more ways than one.

More information of wind power’s economic benefits can be found in the U.S. Wind Industry 2016 Annual Market Report.

Source: AWEA

For more information, go to www.awea.org

(Photo: Avangrid Renewables’ Amazon Wind Farm U.S. East. Courtesy: AWEA)

Seco Tools will highlight new turning insert grades and chipbreaker inserts within its exclusive Duratomic coating product line as well as other advanced turning and milling solutions at EMO 2011. The company will occupy stand A42 in Hall 4 at the event, which takes place September 19-24 on the Exhibition Grounds in Hannover, Germany.
 
Duratomic-Coated Products
Two new Duratomic-coated turning grades are the TK1001 and TK2001. These are the latest additions to Seco’s well-established and extremely popular Duratomic family of turning and milling insert grades. Additionally, there will be a large offering of geometries and chipbreakers designed for the ISO K10-K20 range of cast materials, such as grey and ductile irons. Extremely reliable and versatile, these grades offer better wear resistance, allowing for higher cutting speeds and improved productivity.

Seco will also showcase its new M5 and FF2 chipbreaker inserts. As a result of these inserts, there are now 125 new available items spanning Seco’s Duratomic line to its recently introduced Cermet technology. The versatile M5, a positive-lock chipbreaker for general turning, is ideal formedium and rough machining applications, while the negative style FF2 chipbreaker is perfect for the fine finishing of general applications.

Seco’s exclusive Duratomic technology is a process that creates a durable coating by uniquely arranging aluminum and oxygen atoms to provide increased toughness and abrasion resistance.

Turning Solutions
In addition to its new products with Duratomic coating, Seco will spotlight its highly productive and reliable MDT 2MM insert and versatile MF2 chipbreaker. The MDT 2MM is exceptional for grooving, parting andprofiling small and micro parts. It offers a cutting edge width of just 2 mm (0.078”), and the width is available in two new insert sizes, MDT19 and MDT28, where the numerical code indicates insert length.

Designed primarily for Swiss-style machine applications, MDT19 inserts feature compact sizes and are shaped to provide insert-indexing accessibility, even when space is restricted. With a longer reach, larger toolholders and broader product range, the MDT28 size offers solutions for general machining applications. MDT28 allows for parting off bars up to 2” in diameter, and both insert sizes feature much thinner widths than the existing 3 mm and 4 mm tools in the MDT product family, resulting in tremendous material savings when parting.

MDT 2MM inserts are available in multiple geometries. The FT- geometry provides strong performance for grooving and parting, while the FTR6 and FTL6 geometries were designed to reduce burring and center pips when parting off in more demanding applications.

To maximize applicability, MDT 2MM inserts are available in CP500 and CP600 grades. CP500 offers high-speed capability and applies to general grades with high wear resistance, while CP600 provides additional toughness for more difficult applications, such as interrupted cuts.

The versatile MF2 is a finishing and semi-finishing chipbreaker for steel and stainless steel applications. Featuring positive rake angles, the MF2 offers a free cutting action that makes it ideal for boringapplications. It is also fully compatible with Seco’s Jetstream Tooling™ to ensure efficient chip removal and heat control. To maximize its full potential, the MF2 inserts are available in a wide variety of grades such as CP500, TM4000, TP1020, TP1030, TP1500, TP2500, and TP3500. In fact, the new TP1020 and TP1030 grades were engineered for superior surface finish generation.
 
Milling Solutions
Seco, well known for its wide, innovative and powerful range of cutters and inserts for milling, invites EMO show visitors to witness the company’s recently launched Minimaster Plus for demanding millingapplications in steel, aluminum and difficult-to-machine materials. Also displayed will be Seco’s MM4500 new milling grade for tough applications as well as the Jabro™ JHP 770 and JHP 780 solid carbide end mills.

The Minimaster Plus replaceable tip milling system is a highly productive, precision-focused product that makes tool-length re-measurement a thing of the past. It offers a large selection of shanks and inserts for a multitude of applications. Twenty-four versions of the shank are available, along with square shoulder and ball nose inserts that have through-tool coolant on all two and three flute designs. The inserts come in two grades for machining all types of materials and E- and M-geometries for a smooth cutting design. Insert diameters range from 0.375” to 0.625”, and corner radii are available from 0.0157” to 0.122” to match a variety of design requirements.

While optimized for cutting duplex stainless steel, Seco’s MM4500 has the necessary properties to machine a wide range of materials such as Inconel and titanium alloys. In fact, this toughinsert provides reliable wear and works great in unstable conditions where there are long overhangs, interrupted cuts or vibrations. Additionally, this grade is excellent at low to moderate temperatures and performs with or without coolant.

As two new geometries in Seco’s High Performance Machining (HPM) product family, the Jabro™ JHP 770 and JHP 780 offer a high metal removal rates with secure and chatter-free machining in roughing applications. The JHP 770 is designed for machining in titanium, while the JHP 780 performs exceptionally on heat resistant superalloys typically found in aerospace components.

Seco Tools is a leading provider of metalcutting solutions for milling, turning, holemaking and toolholding. The company prides itself on building close relationships with customers to effectively understand and address their needs. For more information on products and services from Seco Tools, please contact Lisa Seidl, Seco Tools, at (248) 528-5444, lseidl@secotools.com, or visit www.secotools.com/us.

Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de León, the California Senate’s most powerful member and legislative champion of the state’s hallmark 50 percent renewable energy standard law passed in 2015, will provide a keynote address at North America’s largest wind power trade show May 23 in Anaheim.

WINDPOWER, American wind power’s largest annual gathering, is where industry leaders from across the U.S. and around the world come together to demonstrate new technology, new approaches, and make deals to shape the coming year.

“We’re excited to have Senate Pro Tem de León join us in Anaheim,” said Tom Kiernan, CEO of AWEA. “California is an early pioneer of wind-farm development, and that’s paid off for the state with 3,000 jobs and over $12 billion in investment. Senate Pro Tem de León has demonstrated real leadership, playing a top role in raising the state’s clean renewable energy target to 50 percent by 2030.”

De León will speak at 10 a.m. Tuesday, directly preceding AWEA’s Industry Leaders Panel – the marquee General Session panel at WINDPOWER. The discussion will feature Tristan Grimbert, president and CEO of EDF Renewable Energy and incoming board chairman of AWEA; Pete McCabe, vice president of Onshore Wind for GE Renewable Energy; Karen Lane, CFO of Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Onshore Americas; and Greg Wolf, CEO of Leeward Renewable Energy. This year’s panel will cover implementation of wind energy into the 2020s, opportunities in tax reform, emerging political issues, and more.

In 2017, given the importance of California in creating new investment opportunities for renewable energy, AWEA launched its California Caucus, based in Sacramento and led by Danielle Osborn Mills.

“As the wind industry’s premier annual event returns to California, we are thrilled to feature Senator de León’s leadership, which demonstrates the importance of state actions in growing a clean energy economy,” Mills said. “Wind energy plays a key role in a clean, balanced, and affordable electricity portfolio for California.”

Wind energy is one of the best ways for California to reach its clean-energy goals, while helping to keep energy costs low for consumers. De León authored the California Renewable Portfolio Standard, which will grow renewable energy to supply 50 percent of the state’s electricity by 2030. And he is exploring legislation that would expand California’s energy leadership, requiring 100 percent of the state’s electricity from sources such as wind and solar by 2045.

Source: AWEA

For more information, go to www.awea.org

American wind power added jobs over nine times faster than the overall economy amid robust growth for another year, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), which released its 2016 U.S. Wind Industry Annual Market Report April 19 at the Minnesota State Capitol. Installing more than 8,000 MW of new wind power for a second straight year, the U.S. industry invested more than $14 billion in 2016 in new wind farms built in rural America and now supports a record-high 102,500 jobs.

“Thanks to another year of strong, steady growth, wind increasingly powers the U.S. economy, adding nearly 15,000 jobs just last year and bringing total wind-industry employment to over 102,000 jobs across all 50 states,” said Tom Kiernan, CEO of AWEA. “By building new wind farms, we are investing in rural and Rust Belt America. And last year, wind energy became America’s No. 1 source of renewable generating capacity, further advancing U.S. energy security.”

Minnesota Republican Rep. Tom Emmer addressed a letter of support for this year’s release to AWEA commenting on wind energy’s success. In the letter. 

“Wind power is a critical component of an all-of-the-above energy approach focused on reducing consumer costs, furthering advances in renewable technologies, and moving our country closer to total energy independence,” Emmer said. “I will continue to support policies that further a comprehensive approach to improve our country’s energy outlook and ensure that American wind production remains a key component of that strategy.”

With total U.S. wind capacity at 82,143 MW at the start of the year, there’s now enough wind to power 24 million typical American homes. And with utilities and major American brands like General Motors, 3M, and Target continuing to buy large amounts of wind power through long-term contracts that lock in stable, low energy prices, demand keeps expanding for clean, low-cost wind energy.

“Bigger, better technology enables new wind turbines to generate 50 percent more electricity than those built in 2009, and at 66 percent lower cost,” Kiernan said. “With stable policy in place, we’re on the path to reliably supply 10 percent of U.S. electricity by 2020.”

Continuing to expand wind energy will widely benefit the U.S. economy, according to a recent analysis. By the end of President Donald J. Trump’s four-year term, American wind power will support more than 248,000 wind-related jobs, including those in communities surrounding wind farms and factories, according to a recently released analysis by Navigant Consulting. From now through 2020, wind power will create $85 billion in economic activity, Navigant found. The results of that analysis also indicate that over its lifetime, a single modern wind turbine supports 44 years of full-time employment.

Joining AWEA for the report’s release were Ben Fowke, CEO of Xcel Energy; Chris Brown, president of Vestas Americas and AWEA board chairman; and Doug Fredrickson, vice president of Blattner Energy. Each emphasized how growing wind energy creates opportunities for workers or helps save money for American homeowners and businesses.

“As the nation’s top utility wind provider for more than a decade, we’ve demonstrated how this renewable resource can deliver both economic value and environmental benefits for our customers, and that is why we’re continuing to make significant investments in wind energy.” Fowke said.

“The facts are clear: American wind power is a massive driver of jobs and economic growth for the U.S. economy,” Brown said. “The average modern wind turbine installed here in the U.S. creates 44 years of full-time employment over its lifetime. Each project means tens of millions of dollars flow to rural areas through jobs, taxes, and lease payments to farmers and ranchers, enriching those families and communities.”

“Wind power’s steady growth and policy stability helps Blattner create thousands of new American construction jobs at our projects throughout the U.S.,” Fredrickson said. “We are proud of the positive economic impact and opportunities Blattner is able to make in communities across America.”

Productivity gained in 2016

Thanks to American ingenuity and the country’s world-class wind resources, new wind farms generate 50 percent more electricity than those built in 2009. According to the 2016 market report, 95 percent of the American wind power capacity installed last year used turbines from a manufacturer with at least one U.S. factory.

Domestic wind-related manufacturing jobs grew 17 percent to more than 25,000 U.S. factory jobs, as three new factories opened in 2016 to begin supplying the wind industry, and at least five more plants expanded their facilities.

Expanding wind farms continues to largely benefit rural America, since more than 99 percent of wind farms are built in rural communities. According to the report, wind now pays more than $245 million per year in land-lease payments to local landowners, often farmers and ranchers.

More than 74 percent of U.S. congressional districts have operational wind energy projects or active wind-related manufacturing facilities, according to the report, including 77 percent of Republican districts and 69 percent of Democratic districts.

American wind power is not only installing more capacity, it is also delivering more electricity to the grid. Wind generation grew nearly 19 percent during 2016, and as of the start of this year, it provides 5.5 percent of the nation’s electricity.

At the state level, wind generated more than 30 percent of the electricity produced in Iowa and South Dakota in 2016. Kansas, Oklahoma, and North Dakota generated more than 20 percent of their electricity from wind, while 20 states in all now produce more than 5 percent of their electricity from wind energy. The primary grid operator serving Texas (ERCOT) and the grid operator serving more than a dozen states across the middle part of the country (SPP) competed for new wind-power penetration records. Wind supplied up to 50 percent of ERCOT’s demand recently and 52 percent of SPP’s. 

Wind power across the Upper Midwest

The report’s release underscores the economic benefits across the Upper Midwest of growing wind energy. Wind now supplies 26 percent of Minnesota, Iowa, and the Dakotas’ electricity production, supporting more than 18,000 wind jobs and $28 billion in private investment in the region.

“In the Upper Midwest we’ve seen the emergence of a wind-powered economy that benefits from low cost energy, good job prospects and greater energy security,” Kiernan said. “These states’ pioneering spirit has shown America that we can achieve the Department of Energy’s ‘Wind Vision’ to reach 20 percent wind energy by 2030.”

Wind was 80 percent of all new electric generating capacity installed over the last five years across Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Adding large amounts of wind power has already kicked the regional economy into high gear, and state policies like Minnesota’s Renewable Energy Standard — celebrating its 10th anniversary — are key drivers that help states capture job growth and investment in wind power.

WINDPOWER 2017 in Anaheim

The trends highlighted in this year’s annual market report will be on full display from May 22-26 in Anaheim, California, at AWEA’s WINDPOWER Conference and Exhibition, the U.S. industry’s largest annual gathering. The event brings together industry leaders from all 50 states and around the world to demonstrate new technology and new approaches and to make deals that shape wind energy for the following year.

Source: AWEA

For more information, go to www.awea.org

Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions were flat for a third straight year in 2016 even as the global economy grew, according to the International Energy Agency, signaling a continuing decoupling of emissions and economic activity. This was the result of growing renewable power generation, switches from coal to natural gas, improvements in energy efficiency, as well as structural changes in the global economy.

Global emissions from the energy sector stood at 32.1 metric gigatons last year, the same as the previous two years, while the global economy grew 3.1 percent, according to estimates from the IEA. Carbon dioxide emissions declined in the United States and China, the world's two-largest energy users and emitters, and were stable in Europe, offsetting increases in most of the rest of the world.

The biggest drop came from the United States, where carbon dioxide emissions fell 3 percent, or 160 million metric tons, while the economy grew by 1.6 percent. The decline was driven by a surge in shale gas supplies and more attractive renewable power that displaced coal. Emissions in the United States last year were at their lowest level since 1992, a period during which the economy grew by 80 percent.

"These three years of flat emissions in a growing global economy signal an emerging trend, and that is certainly a cause for optimism, even if it is too soon to say that global emissions have definitely peaked," said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. "They are also a sign that market dynamics and technological improvements matter."

In 2016, renewables supplied more than half the global electricity demand growth, with hydro accounting for half of that share. The overall increase in the world's nuclear net capacity last year was the highest since 1993, with new reactors coming online in China, the United States, South Korea, India, Russia, and Pakistan. Coal demand fell worldwide, but the drop was particularly sharp in the United States, where demand was down 11 percent in 2016. For the first time, electricity generation from natural gas was higher than from coal last year in the United States.

With the appropriate policies, and large amounts of shale reserves, natural gas production in the United States could keep growing strongly in the years to come. This could have three main consequences: it could boost domestic manufacturing, supply more competitive gas to Asia through to LNG exports, and provide alternative gas supplies to Europe.

In China, emissions fell by 1percent last year, as coal demand declined while the economy expanded by 6.7 percent. There were several reasons for this trend: an increasing share of renewables, nuclear and natural gas in the power sector, but also a switch from coal to gas in the industrial and buildings sector that was driven in large part by government policies combatting air pollution.

Two-thirds of China's electricity demand growth, which was up 5.4 percent, was supplied by renewables — mostly hydro and wind — as well as nuclear. Five new nuclear reactors were connected to the grid in China, increasing its nuclear generation by 25 percent.

"In China, as well as in India, the growth in natural gas is significant, reflecting the impact of air-quality measures to fight pollution as well as energy diversification," Birol said. "The share of gas in the global energy mix is close to a quarter today, but in China it is 6 percent and in India just 5 percent, which shows they have a large potential to grow."

In the European Union, emissions were largely stable last year as gas demand rose about 8 percent and coal demand fell 10 percent. Renewables also played a significant, but smaller, role. The United Kingdom saw a significant coal-to-gas switching in the power sector, thanks to cheaper gas and a carbon price floor.

Market forces, technology cost reductions, and concerns about climate change and air pollution were the main forces behind this decoupling of emissions and economic growth. While the pause in emissions growth is positive news to improve air pollution, it is not enough to put the world on a path to keep global temperatures from rising above 2 degrees C. In order to take full advantage of the potential of technology improvements and market forces, consistent, transparent, and predictable policies are needed worldwide

Source: International Energy Agency

For more information, go to www.iea.org