Mortenson has announced the start of construction at the Rio Bravo Wind Project located in Starr County, Texas. Rio Bravo is Mortenson’s 34th wind project in the Lone Star State. Longroad Energy selected Mortenson based on its portfolio of wind projects in Texas, exceptional performance on past projects, and the integration with Mortenson’s Engineering Services…
Enerpac’s new trolley system speeds up offshore wind transition loading
Heavy lift equipment specialist, Enerpac, has supplied GeoSea Geotechnical & Offshore Solutions with an integrated trolley system for loading transition pieces onto a jack-up vessel for the foundation installation of the HoheSee and Albatros wind farms, offshore Germany. The Enerpac trolley system is mounted on two 90-m steel tracks running across the deck of the…
New consortium working to cut offshore wind costs & construction noise
One important way marine mammals navigate, forage, and communicate is through sounds. Unexpected or atypical sounds — such as underwater noise from offshore construction activity — is a concern for many wind developers and environmentalists. In our June 2018 issue, the article A quieter way to construct offshore turbine foundations discussed a method for pile…
DOE Wind Market Reports shows strong industry growth and lower costs
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released three wind energy market reports demonstrating that as wind installations continue across the country and offshore wind projects move beyond the planning process, technology costs, and wind energy prices continue to fall. The reports cover three market sectors: land-based utility scale, distributed, and offshore wind. Highlights from this…
Three ideas for safer, more efficient bolting jobs
By Craig Walker Contributor If you’ve ever pinched your finger when bolting items together, you know the feeling’s unpleasant. I had a painful pinch reattaching the rear wheel of my son’s bicycle after repairing the flat. I can only imagine injury from pinching a finger when bolting the tower of a wind turbine together. Lucky…
The right crane in just a few clicks away with Crane Advisor
Konecranes has updated its efficient search engine, the Crane Advisor. The browser-based tool lets users find the ideal crane system for their project in four simple steps. It intuitively inquires about requirements such as industry, maximum capacity, span width, and class of use. Crane Advisor was first launched in English in September 2017, and already…
New Jersey moves forward on state’s Offshore Wind Strategic Plan
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJ BPU) has selected Ramboll to coordinate and facilitate the development of the State’s Offshore Wind (OSW) Strategic Plan as called for under Governor Murphy’s Executive Order No. 8, which set the most ambitious goal in the U.S. of 3,500 MW of offshore wind capacity by 2030. The…
More than 714,000 people work in clean energy across the Midwest
More than 714,000 Midwesterners now work in clean energy industries across the Midwest according to a new analysis of energy jobs data from Clean Energy Trust (CET) and the national, nonpartisan business group E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs). The region’s clean energy economy now employs more than all the waiters and waitresses, computer programmers, lawyers and web developers in…
New Mexico one step closer to largest wind farm in the Western Hemisphere
Wind is expected to create hundreds of jobs for New Mexicans during construction of the 221-MW Grady Wind project, in Curry County. Wind developer, Pattern Development recently joined supporters and project investors to recognize the economic benefits of the state’s growing wind industry. Grady Wind is expected to deliver many financial benefits, including land lease…
Tri Global Energy’s wind project construction hits record high
The most recent industry report from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) shows Dallas-based Tri Global Energy heading up 17% of total U.S. wind-farm construction activity with a project development total of 3,621 MW. This represents a record for the nine-year-old company, which has become a leading U.S. originator and developer of utility-scale wind energy.…
Record wind-farm construction is underway in the U.S.
A record amount of wind capacity is now under construction at wind farms across America, according to second quarter results released by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). Strong demand for low-cost wind power from utilities and other buyers, including major corporations like AT&T and Walmart this quarter, continues to drive the industry’s growth. Wind…
MidAmerican wind repowering targets 28% output hike & longer returns
Editor’s note: This article comes from New Energy Update, and is authored by Neil Ford. To read the full version, click here. U.S. wind repowering is booming as operators take advantage of technology advances and tax credit windows to increase asset returns. Falling costs and growing wholesale market exposure have pressured margins for suppliers and operators. In 2017, MidAmerican…
Mortenson to build two wind farms for Iowa’s Wind XI Project
Mortenson announced it has been selected by MidAmerican Energy Company to build two wind farms in Iowa as part of the company’s Wind XI Project, a broader plan to install 2,000 MW of wind energy in the state by 2019. The new Arbor Hill and Ivester wind farms will be Mortenson’s 16th and 17th wind…
Ground habitat for blade work lets repairs progress despite bad weather
For a faster turnaround on blade repair one company suggests bringing them down to the ground and putting them in the company’s enclosure or habitat under controlled environmental conditions. The method eliminates the stand-by periods that often accompany bad weather and up-tower repairs. “Three blades on one turbine can be refurbished and returned to service…
Is that bolt tight to the right…load? Ultrasonic sensor tells
By Paul Dvorak, Editor Windpower Engineering & Development A recently introduced handheld device has the ability to monitor and display the elongation, stress, and load on a wind-turbine fastener. Developer Hydratight says its BoltScope Ultra is for applications that call for accurate bolt loads, such as those in the wind, nuclear, other power-generation industries. It…
Offshore wind industry heading out to deeper water
By Eoghan Quinn, Global Wind Lead WorleyParsons Group In 2017, the offshore wind industry hit milestones and made headlines. That breakthrough year saw the sector become more commercially viable and realize its global potential. Wind Europe said that in 2016, the sector added 25% wind capacity. That was on average, the capacity of 500 more turbines…
A quieter way to construct offshore turbine foundations
By Karl Ove Ingebrigtsen, Director of Low Carbon Power Generation Lloyd’s Register Underwater noise is a big concern when installing offshore wind farms. For example, pile driving to secure offshore foundations transmits loud booms through the water and for many miles. The full impact of construction noise on marine life is yet unknown, but potentially…
What’s new in offshore wind
The U.S. offshore wind industry has certainly taken its time forming, and perhaps for good reason. Slow and steady may win the race, but in this case it is less about winning and more about wisdom. As Saint Augustine observed: “Patience is the companion of wisdom.” Offshore wind development is a costly venture, but one…
Natural Power delivers on UK’s first subsidy-free wind farm
Acting on behalf of developer Energiekontor, a renewable energy and infrastructure consultancy, Natural Power has been appointed as Owner’s Engineer for the construction phase of Withernwick Wind Farm Extension, located in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Cheetham Hill Construction Ltd. has started the balance of plant construction work on site this month, and the project is…
Mammoet first to acquire safety certification for European Crane Operators License
Mammoet is the first organization in Europe to acquire certification for a European Crane Operators License (ECOL) after the Mammoet Academy was recently audited and certified by Lloyd’s register. ECOL was initiated by the European Association of Abnormal Road Transport and Mobile Cranes (ESTA) to establish a European standard of certification for crane operators. Mammoet…