Joshua Smalley

Ask most people about the U.S. offshore wind industry and they think of the recently-launched Block Island project and eastern ports in New York City, Norfolk, and Charleston. But those aren’t the only U.S. projects making progress. For instance, there is a wind project in Lake Erie, and ports along the Great Lakes are participating…

Bigfoot Crane Company recently introduced its new crane wind meters for North America. The company’s Windy Smartphone Anemometers uses wind speed and direction sensors to wirelessly transmit real-time wind and temperature data to smartphones or tablets. A free app is available that provides instant data of current, average, and maximum wind speed, direction, and temperature. History graphs may also be viewed. The…

Enerpac recently announced the release of its new Bolting Tools catalog in print and for download. The catalog features solutions for the bolting work-flow,as well as Enerpac’s bolting line for joint assembly, controlled tightening, and joint separation. Designed in an easy-to-use format, the Bolting Tools catalog introduces several bolting application challenges and solutions with a…

A report resulting from the G9 Offshore Wind Health and Safety Association (G9)’s first Safe by Design workshop is now available. The report explores a number of key topics associated with the transfer of personnel from a Crew Transfer Vessel to a transition piece (including design of the transfer connector, new designs in access systems,…

Global expenditure for wind turbines Operations and Maintenance (O&M) is expected to rise from $9.25 billion in 2014 to an estimated $17 billion by 2020, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData. The increasing number of installations and aging turbines are the primary cause for the predicted price hike. A wind farm’s O&M is an…

HUVRData, a drone-based data analytics company, has officially launched, and recently announced $2 million-funding from angel investment organizations including Central Texas Angel Network (CTAN), Houston Angel Network (HAN) and the Texas HALO Fund. In the past 1.5 years, HUVR has built out its technology, secured the full FAA approval for its commercial drone applications, and established its…

DNV GL is supporting energy solutions and transport company Alstom through the process of achieving Prototype Certification of its tidal turbine Oceade 18 – 1.4 MW. Alstom has been selected to supply four Oceade 18 – 1.4 MW tidal turbines to one of the world’s first tidal stream arrays in the Raz Blanchard, France. DNV GL…

The U.S. government’s recently-announced Clean Power Plan (CPP) will have a negative impact on the country’s coal industry, with the potential loss of up to 60 Gigawatts (GW) of coal power capacity by 2020, according to an analyst with research and consulting firm GlobalData. Pavan Vyakaranam, GlobalData’s Associate Project Manager covering Power, says that of…

NextGen Climate recently released a new television ad as part of its campaign calling on candidates and elected officials to lay their out plans to transition our nation to a clean energy economy. The new ad was made by a creative team led by acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky, and is the second collaboration between NextGen Climate…

Switchgear controls high power electric power circuits. Its work encompasses switching and protecting individual wind turbines on a wind farm against abnormal conditions. Gas-insulated medium-voltage switchgear is most common in the wind industry. “Switchgear isolates strings of turbines in the collection system so that they may meet local inspection requirements and allow isolating a segment…

Pattern Energy Group recently announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2015. Highlights (Comparisons made between fiscal Q2 2015 and fiscal Q2 2014 results, unless otherwise noted) Cash available for distribution (CAFD) of $28.0 million, up 74% Adjusted EBITDA of $66.8 million, up 14% Proportional GWh sold of 1,202 GWh, up 56% Revenue of $84.7 million, up…

How can hydrogen help Japan transition to renewable energy? Students working for DNV GL this summer made the case for the floating installation ‘Jidai’ that produces hydrogen from seawater and wind energy. Following the 2011 disaster at a nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan reduced its reliance on nuclear energy and now depends heavily on expensive…

Major wind-power siting issues haven’t changed a lot over the last few years. Fundamental issues are interwoven with economic, political, environmental, and social complexities. Technological advancements have occurred, but wind power is still more expensive and less reliable than fossil fuel alternatives, according to Jay Maki, a Business Development lead at Land Solutions in Canada.…

This article was originally posted by Alice Orrell, Energy Analyst at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, on the U.S. Department of Energy web site. 10. Distributed wind power is used at or near where it is generated, as opposed to wind power from wholesale generation, where power is sent to consumers via transmission lines and substations. Employed by…

Wind energy pricing is at an all-time low, according to a new report released by the U.S. Department of Energy and prepared by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). The prices offered by wind projects to utility purchasers averaged under 2.5¢/kWh for projects negotiating contracts in 2014, spurring demand for wind energy. “Wind energy prices–particularly…

According to Senator Carper, harnessing the Unites States’ offshore wind is a win-win-win: reliable, homegrown power, cleaner air, and American jobs. For the U.S. to harness offshore wind and reap the economic benefits of this new industry, the U.S. need to provide a nurturing environment to get the industry off the ground. We can help catalyze offshore wind…

A wind turbine needs yaw brakes to hold the rotor facing into the wind. If the turbine is not facing directly into the wind, it is not producing at full capacity. When wind direction changes, a turbine’s controls instruct its yaw motors to reposition the nacelle. “In theory, this could be handled by one large…

This article was written by Darren Fishell for BDN Maine. Plans to build New England’s largest wind farm in southern Aroostook County were submitted to state regulators last month, according to developer EDP Renewables. Kellen Ingalls, a project manager with EDP, said the company hopes to have the project reviewed and approved by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection…

Smart Blade recently completed a report that shows its methodology used to determine the final result of a 2.5% increase in AEP from the VG Solution specifically installed on Suzlon S88 turbines. Key lessons: Actual AEP increase from VG installation AEP calculation methodology Power vs Power approach Computation of relative yield differences Over the past 3…

Retail investors may be keying in on overseas solar and wind projects as a way to profit despite the slowdown in the world’s energy economy.  After hitting about 178 GW of solar PV power capacity by the end of 2014, global solar PV capacity is expected to hit 200 GW soon.  Alternative Energy Companies with…