Japan’s increased focus on smart grid deployment, as part of its plans to boost energy efficiency and power generation from renewable sources, will drive the country to become one of Asia-Pacific’s top markets in smart grid development, says research and consulting firm GlobalData. The company’s latest report states that Japan was among the first countries…
Spares in Motion voted ‘Best Industry Newcomer’ at the Wind O&M Summit
The US wind O&M community recently gathered in Dallas for the Wind O&M Summit USA, and this year marked the event’s first wind energy excellence awards. In the category ‘Best Industry Newcomer,’ Spares in Motion was voted as the winner. The audience recognized the added value the e-trading platform Spares in Motion is bringing to…
On Earth Day: Ex-Im Bank names Siemens renewable exporter of the year
In honor of Earth Day, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) announced that it will present its Deal of the Year and Renewable Exporter of the Year awards to Siemens Energy Inc. at the Bank’s Annual Conference in Washington on Thursday, April 23rd. Thanks to Ex-Im Bank financing, Siemens was able to…
Damage control: Effects of near-lightning strikes on turbine blades
Allen Hall / President / Pinnacle Lightning Protection, LLC / www.pinnaclelightning.com Greg Shine / President / Shine Wire Products, Inc. / www.shinewire.com Lightning strikes the United States about 25 million times a year, according to the National Weather Service. That’s an impressive figure, and one reason why wind turbine owners and operators breathe a sigh…
Trends in filters and lubricants
By one estimate, 80% of all breakdowns in lubricated machines are related to pollutants in the oil. Even in small amounts, contaminants can increase operating costs associated with maintenance, downtime, or equipment replacements. Enough particles measuring only 1-μm in size (invisible to the human eye) can knock out a 20-ton gearbox. The solution: rigorous particle…
New mobile app makes paper forms a thing of the past
Snappii, a leader in mobile apps for business and the creator of codeless app development platform, announced the first of its kind solution in the industry for organizations that want to utilize Mobile Forms and reduce or replace reliance on paper forms. Snappii’s solution removes all the barriers for organizations to replace paper forms with…
Antaira expands industrial PoE networking infrastructure family
Antaira Technologies is a global developer and supplier of industrial device networking and communication solutions for harsh environmental applications. They’ve recently expanded their industrial Power over Ethernet (PoE) networking infrastructure family with the LMP-0601G-SFP and LMP-0601G-SFP-24 series. Antaira Technologies’ LMP-0601G-SFP and LMP-0601G-SFP-24 series are a cost-effective, 6-port industrial PoE+ managed Ethernet switch that supports a…
Hempel launches new primer to improve two-coat system for wind towers
International coatings supplier Hempel has launched a new combined primer and mid-coat designed specifically for wind towers. The new coating, HEMPADUR 4774D, will be used in Hempel’s well-known two-coat anti-corrosive system for wind turbine towers to address previous UV stability issues. Hempel’s two-coat wind tower protection system dries up to 30% faster than equivalent three-coat…
Industry and academia invited to submit presentations for FPIRC 2015
The National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) and the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP) invite industry and academic researchers to submit an extended abstract of their work for consideration as a presentation at the 2015 Fluid Power Innovation & Research Conference (FPIRC 2015), which will be held October 14-16, 2015, at the Radisson…
Effort to develop offshore wind in Lake Erie becomes multi-state partnership
The County Council of Erie County, Pennsylvania voted unanimously yesterday to join the Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo), the non-profit organization based in Northeast Ohio leading the effort to develop the offshore wind industry in Lake Erie. Erie County becomes the first county outside of Ohio to join the public-private partnership. Membership allows Erie…
Enerpac Academy promotes safety with in-house training of high-pressure hydraulic tools
Enerpac has developed an in-house training program, Enerpac Academy, to offer Enerpac product operators and maintenance staff the opportunity to be trained in the use and maintenance of high-pressure hydraulic tools. With a focus on how these tools work and how they should be maintained, Enerpac Academy enables operators to learn how to use the…
AWEA’s statement on the Department of Energy’s Quadrennial Energy Review
Editor’s note: The Department of Energy released its Quadrennial Energy Review (QER), which explores options for modernizing the nation’s energy grid in a secure and cost-competitive manner. It also identifies vulnerabilities in the system and proposes policy recommendations and investments to replace and expand infrastructure where appropriate. Links to the review’s summary and full report…
WAGO offers enhanced Modbus connectivity and PLC functions in one package
WAGO’s Modbus-based PLCs (programmable logic controllers) offer complete controller functionality and serial Modbus connectivity in one compact module. The 750-815/300 and 750-816/300 Series Modbus PLCs use the latest version of WAGO-I/O-PRO software for programming control applications, which are ideal for industrial applications, including wind farms. Benefits include: • Decentralized control to optimize support of higher…
UL provides all-in-one service for global wind energy
UL provides services aimed at helping cut through the complexity of bringing wind-powered equipment to the market, and offers a one-stop, all-in-one service for the global wind energy industry. UL will be exhibiting at WINDPOWER 2015 in Orlando, Florida May 18th-21st (Booth 2904). The services provided for wind turbine and component manufacturers includes: Certification of…
Sumitomo invests in battery energy storage project to help balance Northeastern U.S. grid
Sumitomo Corporation, together with Sumitomo Corporation of Americas (collectively “Sumitomo Corporation Group”), announced their investment in an innovative battery power storage system that will provide a reliable and stable supply-demand balancing service for the frequency regulation market operated by PJM, the largest regional transmission organization of wholesale electricity in the U.S. Sumitomo acquired an interest…
Suzlon’s 60-hz S111 turbine generates its first kilowatt-hour in the U.S.
Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation (SWECO) commissioned its first S111 on U.S. soil, producing its first kilowatt-hour (kWh) at its test site near Channing, Texas. SWECO will test various aspects of the new S111 over the coming months, welcoming interested customers to come visit the progress. “It was a collaborative effort of many experienced local and…
Samsung and Pattern Development sign PPA for North Kent Wind project in Ontario
The North Kent Wind project will bring substantial economic benefits to the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. Samsung Renewable Energy (Samsung) and Pattern Energy Group (Pattern Development) have announced that North Kent Wind, a 100-megawatt (MW) wind power project located in the Regional Municipality of Chatham-Kent, has entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the…
World-first and new standard achieved in floating offshore LiDAR
AXYS Technologies (AXYS) has achieved a world-first that is likely to become the new standard in floating LiDAR devices by deploying a dual ZephIR 300 arrangement on the leading WindSentinel buoy. The WindSentinel ‘floating laboratory’ delivers a customized full suite of meteorological and metocean data, in addition to the wind speed and direction data used…
New Altech product replaces traditional battery-based back-up systems
Altech Corp has released a new product that will change the future of DC back-up power. Altech’s Ultra Capacitor Modules DC/UPS can be used in place of a battery system to ensure back-up power. They are DIN-Rail mountable, virtually maintenance free, and carry none of the hazards of a battery. Voltages include 12-V and 24-V…
NREL and partners review key issues and lessons learned from U.S. wind integration studies
As a complement to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) recently released Wind Vision report, a new paper summarizes the lessons learned from actual power systems operational practice, along with some of the most relevant and comprehensive wind integration studies conducted during the past several years. In the years since the DOE’s “20% Wind Energy by…