Martin Armson / Vice President / Hansford Sensors The wind industry is booming. Recent estimates put its global capacity at over 340,000 wind turbines with a generation capacity of more than 430 GW, a figure that may quadruple by 2030. But it’s also a highly demanding sector. While wind turbines perform under punishing conditions, operators…
EVI-Pro Lite software assists with electric vehicle infrastructure planning
NREL has created a new tool called EVI-Pro Lite to assist communities anticipating growth in plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). The tool identifies existing public electric vehicle charging infrastructure by state or city/urban area and estimates the quantity and type of infrastructure necessary to support increased regional adoption of electric vehicles. EVI-Pro Lite is a simplified version of…
Stationary Battery Storage Market could hit $35 billion by 2030, says Global Market Insights
With grid-connected battery storage systems getting into the mainstream power supply, stationary battery storage market is forecast to witness an upswing in the coming years. Energy storage has served as an interface between intermittent renewable power and the benefits of 24/7 reliable, clean resilient energy supply. Utilities around the world are intrigued by the storage…
How to transmit more electrical power over existing lines
Jake Gentle / Senior Power Engineer / Idaho National Laboratory Believe it or not, sunny skies and calm summer days can negatively impact the ability of the electric grid to transfer power. The naturally occurring heat surrounding transmission lines limits its capacity. A windy or cold day, however, has a cooling effect that allows transmitting…
How to recognize fretting corrosion and what to do about it
Scott Eatherton / CEO / Wind Driven LLC Question: What is the quickest way to find the weak points in a mechanical design? Answer: Install it in a wind turbine. It’s not a joke. Load spectrums in wind turbines are unique. The wide variations in wind speeds produce wide ranges of shaft torque, nacelle motion, and…
Finally, an inexpensive vibration sensor that signals blade problems
A CLEVERLY SIMPLE VIBRATION SENSOR made of a loop of thin fiber-optic cable and a fixed wavelength laser promises to take cost out of turbine-blade maintenance by letting owners spot problems as they occur. The device, already with two patents, won $150,000 for further development in New York’s PowerBridge competition. “This will let us form the…
No time to look for a special filter or need a turbine manual? Online market may have you covered
FINDING SPARE PARTS for aging or discontinued wind turbines is often difficult and time-consuming. This is especially true in Europe where wind farms are more fragmented and smaller than in the U.S. What’s more, in Europe, there are about 25 different OEMs with many models and types that need service. Take Vestas for example. The wind…
Dulas installed a 100-m tall met mast for Force 9 Energy
The installation in Western Scotland is firm’s tallest ever, as developers plan ahead for a resurgence in Scottish wind Dulas, a renewable energy consultancy, has completed the installation of its tallest ever meteorological (met) mast in Western Scotland. The 100m guyed lattice mast, installed on behalf of UK wind farm developer Force 9 Energy, will provide…
Improving remote sensing measurements in complex terrain
One of the most important challenges in developing onshore wind energy involves measuring the wind in areas of complex terrain. Now, says the developer Visalia of its remote wind sensor the Triton Wind Profiler, there is a simple way for users to reduce the impact of complex wind flow on remote sensing data. The service,…
Microgrid Market to reach $19 Billion by 2024
According to a research report by the market research and strategy consulting firm, Global Market Insights, Inc, the Microgrid Market will exceed $19 billion by 2024. In an era where distributed energy sources are continually promulgated in power networks, microgrid market stands to gain remarkable prominence, given the systems’ exceptional credibility of ensuring reliable operation…
17 sites added as GWO training continues worldwide growth in Q1, 2018
Global Wind Organisation Certified training providers are expanding their operations and investing in new sites around the world. New data from the GWO WINDA Database, shows that 17 new training sites opened their doors between January 1 and March 31, 2018, with sites in the Americas a particular feature during the first quarter. The GWO global…
Looking back, moving forward
In 2008, at the start of the great recession, your humble narrator was presented with a great opportunity: helping to start a new magazine. You might wonder how many magazines your average editor gets to launch in a career. If they are extremely lucky, one. It happened to me. The magazine begun here at WTWH…
Scotland again: Two turbines soon on one floating platform
The Dounreay Trì project is a commercial demonstration that will be installed off the North coast of Scotland within a site about 9 km off Dounreay, Caithness. Hexicon has developed a semi-submersible foundation for offshore wind power that is intended to support any turbine. The Dounreay design hosts two 5-MW wind turbines. The platform pivots on…
PG&E Customers Eligible to Save $3,000 on a New Nissan LEAF Electric Vehicle
Editor’s note: While the article does not explain why PG&E favors the Leaf over other equally capable EVs, the idea is worth pursuing by other utilities as a great way to encourage power purchases. After a decade of efficiency efforts by other industries, the utility industry has struggled with about 1% annual growth. The EV…
ABB launches the world’s first digitally integrated power transformer
The ABB Ability Power Transformer, unveiled at the 2018 Hanover Fair, in Germany, will be the world’s first integrated solution for digitally enabled power transformers, fundamentally changing the transformer paradigm. All power transformers leaving ABB factories will soon come enabled with digital capabilities, enabling remote monitoring and data analytics of its vital parameters in real…
GEV Wind Power to showcase cost saving innovations at AWEA WINDPOWER 2018
Texas-based, wind turbine blade maintenance specialists, GEV Wind Power is to showcase its unique Blade247 Preventative Maintenance Package and other industry-leading innovations at the Chicago AWEA Wind Power Expo in Booth 1647. GEV Wind Power’s Blade247 (www.blade247.com) provides a tiered preventative maintenance package to suit the risk appetite and cost profile of its clients. Blade247…
AVM to disrupt commercial electric vehicle market at ACT Expo 2018 debut
AVM says it’s the first all-electric shuttle to charge fully in less than ten minutes.
Vibro lifting tool drives 6.5-m diameter monopile down 24m
CAPE Holland recently achieved a milestone with its Vibro Lifting Tool (VLT) on the Maasvlakte 2 in Rotterdam.
Baker McKenzie sees a new rise in corporate PPAs
There has been significant growth in corporate PPAs in the U.S. over the past few years, with offtake agreements signed with corporates in 2017 approximately equal to all other offtakers, including utilities.
Wind turbine composite materials market forecasted more than $12 billion by 2023, says Acumen Research and Consulting
The wind turbine composite materials market is segmented based on type, application, manufacturing process and geography.