Category: Regions


Fortum planning onshore wind farm in Finland

June 8th, 2010 | Posted in Wind

Fortum announced plans to develop an onshore wind farm in Kalajoki, Finland. The company has signed lease agreements for 450 hectares of land, with plans to expand this area if possible. Preliminary studies have shown the chosen area has potential for harnessing wind energy, and allows the construction of a wind farm from the technical and environmental aspects.

Wind measurements and data collection in this area will begin during this year. At the same time, Fortum will be working with the town of Kalajoki on drafting the component master plan, required for the project. An environmental impact assessment study will also need to be conducted. If the wind farm gets built, it will most likely be connected to the power grid through a power substation in Kalajoki. If everything happens according to plans, the Kalajoki wind farm could become operational as early as 2013. There was no mention of the amount of capacity that will be installed at the future wind farm site.

[source: Fortum]


Review begins for 5 proposals for Great Lakes Offshore Wind Project

June 8th, 2010 | Posted in Wind

The New York Power Authority (NYPA) has officially begun a review process for five proposals for the development of offshore wind farms on Lake Erie and Ontario, near the coast of New York. The wind farms are part of the Great Lakes Offshore Wind Project (GLOW), and could result in hundreds of megawatts of clean electricity if the state's assessment of the proposed projects has a positive outcome.

The review process will happen over phases, involving a multi-disciplinary approach. GLOW is regarded as a 1-2 punch project, since it will bring clean energy to the power grid, and much needed jobs and investments in the local economy. Once the initial phase of the review process is complete, the public will be included in further phases of the process. New York State has set a goal to achieve 15% renewables by 2015, and the GLOW project would be a significant contributor to this effort, if adopted and completed. According to NYPA's plans, GLOW will reach construction phase in 2013, and begin exporting power to the grid in 2015/2016.

[source: NYPA]

Vestas announces V112-3.0 MW unit for Chinese offshore wind market

June 7th, 2010 | Posted in Wind

Vestas is keen on playing a major role in the development of the Chinese offshore wind energy market. The company has introduced a new product aimed at the offshore wind sector in China. The V112-3.0 MW unit is optimized for sea conditions in China, and delivers optimal power output at wind speeds of up to 9.5 m/s.

Having abundant offshore experience, mostly in the European offshore wind energy market, Vestas is extending its reach with proven technology and reliable wind turbines to the Asian market. The Chinese offshore wind market is expected to grow significantly over the next years, as the country turns towards offshore wind as a viable solution for energy supply from renewable energy sources.

[source: Vestas]

Hydra Tidal close to finalizing the Morild prototype project

June 7th, 2010 | Posted in Hydro

Hydra Tidal announced it is nearing the completion date for the company's Morild prototype project, which should demonstrate the Morild marine energy conversion technology for the first time in real-life conditions. The device relies on harnessing the motion energy of sea currents, using rotors mounted with wooden blades, a particularly interesting detail. The blades are on their way to the company's HQs in Harstad, Norway.

Morild uses four twin-blade turbines, suspended in the ocean current using a ballasted bouyant frame. The turbines power two synchronous generators, and allow variable rotation conditions, while keeping the generator rotations constant. Additionally, the turbines allow a 180 degree pitch for maximum yield in all current directions.

Hydra Tidal has assembled all the parts that can be put together in the company's construction hall. The next and final phase is the installation of the wooden turbine blades, which will be done outside. After this, the company will prepare for the anchoring of the assembled device in the Gimsøysund tidal current at Lofoten Islands. Prior to anchoring, the plant will tested by towing with a towing vessel, which should send the turbines spinning.

[source: Hydra Tidal]

Statkraft completes Cakit hydropower plant – its first in Turkey

June 7th, 2010 | Posted in Hydro

Statkraft announced the completion of the Cakit hydropower plant in Turkey, the company's first such project in the country. The power plant is ready to delivery the first kWh's of energy to the power grid. Statkraft acquired this and other projects belonging to Yesil Enerji, when it acquired the company about a year ago.

Cakit hydropower plant has 20 MW of installed capacity, and will generate clean electricity for about 32,000 average Turkish homes.

Statkraft is currently involved in three other hydropower projects in Turkey, totalling in about 550 MW of capacity. The total investments for these projects amount to about EUR 600 million. The next hydropower project lined up is the 102 MW Kargi project, in the Black Sea region.

Turkey is a growing renewable energy market. The country's clean energy portfolio includes solar, wind and hydro energy. About 20% of Turkey's power generation capacity comes from hydropower at the moment.

[source: Statkraft]

Honduras planning 800 MW of RE for 2016

June 7th, 2010 | Posted in General

Honduras has recently awarded contracts for renewable energy development, which will bring about 800 MW of clean energy to the nation's energy portfolio. The planned capacity is to be developed and installed by 2016. Investors have promised some USD 2.1 billion in RE project investments over the next six years.

In total, 52 renewable energy projects are to be built totalling in 800 MW of capacity – 250 MW of which is already reserved for purchase by ENEE. It is estimated that some 50,000 jobs will be created as a result of new developments over the next six years.

[source: Central America Data]

Vestas announces two new R&D projects – both aimed at improving wind farm performance

June 7th, 2010 | Posted in Wind

Vestas announced two R&D projects having to do with the wind energy industry. The first involves the development of cost-effective offshore wind turbine foundations, while the other is the Intelligent Energy Management System, which will introduce power storage into wind energy facilities. Vestas claims both projects will eventually result in the reduction of cost of wind energy for consumers.

One of the greatest challenges in the offshore wind industry is the construction of foundations for big wind turbines. Vestas is going to try and develop new ways to build foundations that will make them more cost-effective, even at 70 meter depths. Foundations and turbines are usually regarded as two separate items in a wind energy project, but the new research is going to try to change that and drive the total cost down. According to the company, the winner of the increasingly tougher wind energy market, is going to be the company that can delivery clean energy derived from wind in the most cost-effective manner.

The second project is going to introduce intelligent power storage capabilities to offshore wind farms. The Intelligent Energy Management System for a Virtual Power Plant (IEMSVPP) will allow wind farm operators to overcome the most difficult issues faced by the wind energy industry – eliminating intermittent power supply from wind farms. The new system will embed energy storage into a wind farm facility, allowing for energy storage and output regulation, without a direct impact on power generation. Vestas hopes this will allow for even more wind generated electricity to be introduced into power grids.

Both R&D projects will run for the next 3-5 years.

[source: Vestas]

Scatec Solar & Sanhe Group team up to build 2.5 GW in China

June 7th, 2010 | Posted in Solar

SanSca — a JV between the Norwegian Scatec Solar and Chinese Sanhe Group — signed what they call a historic agreement with Datang Renewable Energy Corporation to build a Green Energy Farm in Taonan, in the province of Jilin, consisting of 100 MW of Wind Power and 5 MW solar PV Power (the latter as a part of China's National Golden Sun Program). The agreement was signed at a ceremony at the EXPO 2010 in Shanghai with the Governor of Jilin and the Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry present.

Further to the Jilin-project, the two companies signed an agreement covering the realization of 2500 MW of PV plants in the provinces of Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Ningxia and Sichuan in the period 2011-2016.

Under the agreement Sanhe Group and Scatec Solar will jointly develop the PV projects, while Scatec Solar will be the EPCI partner to design and build the PV plants. The purpose of the first 5 MW PV power generation plant in the Green Energy Farm (expected to be put in production this year) is to demonstrate cost-efficiency, high performance and optimal land use, and to serve as a benchmark for China's plan to build more than 25 GW solar power before 2020.

Also as part of the deal, SanSca entered into an agreement with Norwegian Eltek Valere where Eltek will be the preferred supplier of inverters to these and other PV projects realized by SanSca.

[source: Scatec Solar]

Evergreen Solar panels powering 8 MW solar power plant in Neustrelitz, Germany

June 7th, 2010 | Posted in Solar
8 MW solar installation in Neustrelitz, Germany

8 MW solar installation in Neustrelitz, Germany

Evergreen Solar is all proud to announce that an 8 MW power plant in Neustrelitz, Germany used more than 7 MW of panels manufactured by the company. It is Evergreen Solar's largest installation in company history.

The project, which was designed and installed by IBC SOLAR Invest in cooperation with the city of Neustrelitz, uses approximately 34,000 IBC Polysol String Ribbon 200, 205 VG solar panels made by Evergreen Solar. It will provide enough electricity to power more than 2,600 homes in the area and will save more than 4,480 metric tons of CO2 annually.

The installation is located on a former Soviet military training base, and prior to the installation, IBC SOLAR undertook a munitions recovery service to ensure that 250,000 square meters od land is completely safe and free of any hidden mines.

[source: Evergreen Solar]

BlueChip Energy commences development of 10 MW Rinehart Solar Farm in Florida

June 7th, 2010 | Posted in Solar

BlueChip Energy announced it has started stage one of the Rinehart Solar Farm, a 10 MW utility-scale solar PV facility in Central Florida.

The project, located in Lake Mary, will have an annual generation of approximately 15,000,000 kWh, which is equivalent to the annual energy use of roughly 1,100 area homes. It will cover a portion of the 380,000 square foot rooftop space and surrounding acreage of BlueChip Energy's Lake Mary facility.

The solar farm is being built in stages, starting with a roof top plant totaling 120 kW. It will feature 520 monocrystalline 230 Watt panels and two state-of-the-art 60 kW Fronius inverters. The first stage is expected to be completed by July, 2010. Stage two is a roof top plant consisting of 500 kW. Subsequent stages will consist of a third, 1.4 MW rooftop system and 8 MW of ground-based systems.

The company has a power purchase agreement (PPA) to supply Progress Energy Florida with renewable solar power from the Rinehart Solar Farm.

[source: BlueChip Energy]

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