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Wind power jobs rose in 2020 despite pandemic, says Irena
Employment has risen by more than half since 2012, but wind power lags behind other renewables for employing women, report finds
Latest news
Chile’s new grid access rules “not enough” to help wind
Renewable energy industry claims LNG-fuelled power plants will continue to abuse inflexibility rules to secure priority dispatch
Spain awards 2.2GW of onshore wind in latest auction
Small players remain dominant in Spanish renewables tender as prices rise from record low seen in previous round
Political support spurs wind power growth in South Africa
Procurement programme gives developers long-term visibility and has made the country the MEA region's top market
Ørsted completes foundations installation at Hornsea Two
When it comes online next year, Ørsted’s 1,386MW offshore wind farm in UK waters will become the world’s largest
Merger to create major new renewables player in Brazil
Brazil’s Votorantim and Canadian pension fund CPP Investments will build on existing partnership to expand portfolio
Finland shows the world how to get onshore wind right
A smooth transition from feed-in tariffs, fast permitting and a supportive grid operator have helped wind thrive in the Nordic country
Ørsted sells 50% stake in German offshore wind farm
Developer signs €1.2 billion agreement with clean energy investor Glennmont Partners ahead of final investment decision
Belgian government expands offshore wind zone
Ministers' plans could see North Sea development zone extended to up to 3.5GW and connected via energy island
World’s largest floating offshore wind farm operational
The 50MW development off the Scottish coast comprises the largest turbines ever to be installed on floating platforms
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Long reads
Big oil plots a new path as tide turns on fossil fuels
As the climate crisis makes itself felt and the energy mix changes, oil and gas majors are looking to wind for a long-term future
Siemens Gamesa ‘makes first fully recyclable wind blades’
Wind turbine manufacturer makes ‘quantum leap’ towards production of more sustainable rotor blades
Enercon set to test E-nacelle prototype for E-160 EP5 E3
The ‘plug and play’ E-nacelle marks a major milestone in Enercon’s technology transition. Eize de Vries sees the prototype taking shape
Winergy bets on full powertrain solutions for wind
German gearbox supplier extends range from components to integrated systems. Eize de Vries finds out more
MingYang targets floating and supersized offshore wind
OEM prepares to install 11MW offshore prototype and China’s first floating turbine as it pushes volume models before support ends
How Wobben made Enercon a direct-drive wind pioneer
From innovative turbines to transport, Enercon founder Aloys Wobben was a gifted inventor. Eize de Vries looks at his legacy
Interview with WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson
Dickson on how wind can help the EU deliver its climate targets, what is standing in the way and making turbines 100% recyclable
Are vertical-axis wind turbines really the future?
New research suggests VAWTs could surpass current offshore giants. Eize de Vries talks to an aerodynamics expert who disagrees
New players lead wind additions in Spain
The first of our three part focus on southern European markets looks at Spain where a new generation of developers is taking over
Siemens Gamesa adds electrolysers to wind turbines
SGRE and Siemens Energy are testing how to produce hydrogen directly from wind turbines, with plans for large-scale offshore trials
Technology
Shanghai Electric unveils 11MW offshore wind turbine
Chinese manufacturer announces new offshore wind turbine with 11MW power rating and 102-metre blades
Vestas to install V236-15.0MW prototype in Denmark
Manufacturer selects test site for its 15MW turbine, where the V236-15.0MW is due to produce first power next year
TotalEnergies and Simply Blue Group team up for US floating
Irish developer and rebranded oil major believe majority of US offshore wind resources are found in deeper waters
Vestas targets fully recyclable blades by 2030
Danish manufacturer accelerates plans for zero-waste blades in push for fully recyclable turbines by 2040
BlueFloat and Falck eye floating wind off England
Partners believe the Celtic Sea off south-west England and Wales offers great potential for floating offshore wind
Aker Offshore Wind unveils underwater substation plans
Developer claims underwater substations could be cheaper and more reliable than those above sea level
GE and US car giant to develop rare earth metals supply chain
Turbine manufacturer teams up with US car giant to secure supplies of critical minerals such as rare earth metals and copper
GE boosts Haliade-X offshore wind prototype to 14MW
US technology giant becomes first manufacturer to operate a wind turbine at 14MW with latest upgrade
Falck and BlueFloat plan floating offshore wind in Italy
Partners to start authorisation process for 1.2GW Kailia Energia wind farm and preliminary analysis for a second site in Apulia
NREL calls for 'bendy blades' to boost deployment
Researchers say “controlled flexing” would enable rail transport of 100-metre single-piece turbine blades to more places
Business and finance
Ørsted plans JV for Polish offshore wind
Danish developer and Polish fossil-fuel company Ze Pak eye upcoming seabed lease auction and CfD tenders
Aker, DeepOcean and Solstad form offshore services alliance
Nordic trio pool resources to jointly offer product supply, fabrication and engineering services for offshore renewables
Nordex turbine orders rise by nearly 50% in Q3
German turbine manufacturer Nordex saw new orders rise sharply in the third quarter of 2021 compared with Q3 2020
Vattenfall commits to immediate blade landfill ban
Swedish developer commits to recycling all blades by 2030 with interim 2025 target of recycling half of turbine blades
CWP and Mercuria join forces for 2GW European pipeline
The partners will focus on developing renewable energy projects in Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania and Ukraine
Iberdrola’s offshore wind leader to leave company
During Jonathan Cole’s tenure at Iberdrola, the Spanish energy giant has developed a global pipeline of offshore wind projects
Japanese oil major Eneos acquires renewables firm JRE
Eneos becomes Japan’s first oil wholesaler to agree a deal to acquire a large renewable energy company
New developer plans 1GW Irish offshore wind by 2030
Inis Offshore Wind believes its five-project pipeline could support more than 4GW of offshore wind capacity
US investor to acquire majority stake in Apex Clean Energy
Capital investment will aid Apex Clean Energy’s expansion into energy storage and green fuels, according to its CEO
Oil player Repsol ramps up 2030 renewables target
Repsol aims for 20GW renewables capacity by 2030, with onshore wind expected to account for about a third of the total
Market and policy
Belgium builds on early entry into offshore wind sector
An established supply chain and stakeholder engagement have helped the country to punch above its weight in offshore wind
New era brings wind power developers to Australia
The country has a 35GW pipeline and a healthy PPA market, but low power prices and grid issues could put investors off and slow progress
What can we learn from fast-growing wind power markets?
‘Legislate, facilitate, collaborate’ looks like a recipe for success judging from the selection of countries Windpower Monthly examined
Industry calls for global push to scale up wind power
More than 90 companies sign up to GWEC’s manifesto ahead of COP26 in Glasgow calling for faster wind energy deployment
Germany eyes ‘decarbonised industrial revolution’
Three-party government coalition talks focus on pushing massive renewables growth and bringing coal power phase-out forward
US outlines plans for new offshore wind leases by 2025
US government agency BOEM kicks off process to sell seven new leases off the east coast, California and Gulf of Mexico
EU urges renewables expansion as energy prices rise
European Commission to issue member states with guidance on accelerating permitting processes for renewable energy in 2022
Statkraft’s Fosen wind farm violates herders’ rights
Construction of two large wind farms in northern Norway violated reindeer herders’ cultural heritage rights, Supreme Court rules
Mexican energy reform could 'shut down wind's advance'
Proposed shake-up of Mexican power system would negate renewables’ advantages of being cheap and clean, according to energy groups
Four wind farms cancelled in Argentina under new rules
Developers cancel wind farms with 150MW combined capacity to free up demand and transmission for more viable projects
Project development
Multi-billion pound funding confirmed for UK offshore hub
Parent company Iberdrola commits £6 billion to ScottishPower’s 3.1GW three-project cluster off England's east coast
OX2 plans 1.7GW offshore wind farm in Sweden
Developer has filed permit applications for project in the Kattegat that could provide 6-7TWh of wind power annually
Vestas preferred supplier for 2.1GW US offshore wind
Equinor and BP pre-select Danish manufacturer's V236-15.0MW for Empire Wind 1 and 2 projects off New York state
Engie kicks off work on Peru’s largest wind farm
French developer’s 260MW Punta Lomitas will increase Peru’s total wind capacity to more than 700MW once online in 2023
Germany awards 1.5GW onshore wind in latest tender
Germany's latest auction was the first time this year that developers have bid for more onshore wind capacity than was on offer
TotalEnergies and Macquarie plan green H2 in ScotWind bid
Offshore wind-to-hydrogen option could provide ‘critical alternative route to market’ for large Scottish projects
Renewables meet full demand of Brazilian energy tender
Wind takes about a fifth of capacity awarded in tender, with Statkraft, PEC Energia and Casa dos Ventos all successful
GE confirms Haliade-X order for Vineyard Wind 1
Developers upgrade GE’s preferred supplier status to firm order, having reached financial close on the offshore wind farm
Chile seeks developer for key power line
Iberdrola among companies hoping to build transmission line to connect Chilean renewables to consumption hubs
Denmark looks for new wind sites after halting tender
Government identifies potential alternative locations for offshore wind as planned tender is paused over installation concerns
Partner content
How the latest simulation technology can reduce costs and improve productivity
Sign up to this Windpower Monthly webinar to hear Hexagon and DNV discuss how a new strategic partnership is aiming to improve wind turbine development and certification – and how the latest technologies can help to reduce LOCE
Hexagon
Vestas focuses on unlocking new multibrand service opportunities
Windpower Monthly talks to Head of Multibrand Service at Vestas, David Brett, about the company's multibrand service business, both in terms of its global footprint and the range of platforms within its portfolio
Vestas
How smart SCADA tools are making serious cost savings
The more sophisticated the renewable energy asset, the more sophisticated system you need to support it. Get it right and you can save significant time, resource and money.
Ingeteam
How to assess all landscapes reliably – whatever the terrain
Measuring a flat, open desert for its generating potential is straight forward. Throw in a mountain, some lakes and a forest – it gets a whole more complicated. But it's not impossible…