Total, ParisTech and Ecole Polytechnique have introduced a new international degree for post graduate studies called Renewable Energy Science & Technology Master II. The educational program is sponsored by EDF, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Saint-Gobain and Schneider Electric.
RWE Innogy has named the first, of two offshore wind turbine installation ships, Friedrich Ernestine. The new ship, the first of its class in the world, is going to be able to transport and install up to four large wind turbines at a time.
Electrawinds (Belgium) announced the company has opened offices in the Romanian city of Constanta (on the Black Sea coast). The new offices will serve as a base for development, construction and management of existing and future wind, solar and biomass developments in this East European country.
Japan Parliament's upper house has passed the renewable energy scheme which has been pushed as a factor for ramping up investments in the country's clean energy sector. Following the March earthquake and the serious consequences on the country's economic sector and environment, Japan needs to turn more attention to clean energy sources, as an alternative to nuclear energy as the primary source of electricity.
SN Power is going to acquire a major stake in the Brazilian renewable energy company Desenvix, which is a power generation arm of ENGEVIX, for an estimated USD 440 million. The company has a portfolio of 162 MW of renewable energy capacity in operation in Brazil, with another 176 MW under construction. Additionally, Desenvix also has a large project portfolio slated for development totalling about 1600 MW of capacity.
Funds advised by Bridgepoint have entered into an agreement to acquire Auxiliar de Construcción y Servicios (ACS) wind energy assets, valued at EUR 596.5 million. These assets include eleven wind farms (in operation).
Siemens has decided to separate its renewables business into two separate divisions, one dealing with wind energy and the other with solar and hydropower sectors – Siemens Wind Power and Siemens Solar & Hydro. The company explains the move is a consequence of the markets being at different levels of development. Solar & Hydro will move towards research and development in solar power, creating an opportunity for Siemens to further increase its competitiveness in the global solar energy market. Wind Power will concentrate on the wind energy market, where Siemens' presence is very strong, in order for the company to continue to grow further on the previously achieved success in this sector.
Siemens and Prysmian (Italy, cable manufacturer) as a consortium are going to build the HelWin2 power link connection which will connect North Sea offshore wind farms in the German waters, to the power grid in Germany, which will bring up to 690 MW of clean electrical power to German consumers. The project is to connect the future Amrumbank West offshore wind farm to the mainland grid, as well as other projects in the future. The wind farm is to be located about 55 km from the mainland, and about 35 km north of Helgoland, and then about 37 km west of the North Frisian island of Amrum. Once completed, the wind farm is to have between 300 and 400 MW of capacity.
ABB has been awarded a USD 1 billion contract from the Dutch-German grid operator TenneT, for the supply of a power link which is to connect North Sea offshore wind farms to the mainland power grid. The transmission system, rated at about 900 MW, is to have no more than 1% electrical loss per converter station. The link will transport power for more than 1.5 million average households, connected to TenneT's power distribution network.
South African Department of Energy (DoE) has announced the opening of the bidding process for renewable energy development. The official request calls for the proposals for the financing, construction, operation and maintenance of any offshore wind, solar thermal, solar PV, biomass, biogas, landfill gas or small hydro technology project. This basically opens the "flood gate" for massive development of renewable energy capacity in this still underdeveloped renewable energy market, but one with great potential in this energy industry sector.
