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Siemens Gamesa reports big Q1 loss and cuts guidance
Turbine manufacturer reports continuing supply chain challenges and market volatility in preliminary results
Latest news
Spanish companies developing new floating wind platform
Sener and Amper plan to use experience from the Kincardine wind farm to create a new floating platform
MingYang wins 1GW offshore wind order in China
Chinese turbine manufacturer secures contract for two large wind farms in deep waters off south-east China
MidAmerican plans 2GW-plus wind farm in the US
US utility unveils plans for its Wind Prime project, which would feature 2,042MW of wind and 50MW of solar capacity
Argentina seeks domestic wind turbine manufacturing boost
New private-public initiative launched to attract investment in manufacturing components for renewable energy sources
New York’s first offshore wind farm gets the green light
BOEM’s final approval enables Ørsted and Eversource to begin construction of 12-turbine wind farm off the US’s east coast
Vestas crowned world’s most sustainable firm
Danish wind turbine manufacturer recognised in global ranking for its recycling and emissions reduction goals
US agency rules on GE-SGRE intellectual property dispute
US government agency rejects most of GE’s intellectual property infringement claims against Siemens Gamesa
Colombia to open new wind farm amid indigenous protests
President to cut ribbon at country’s first new wind farm in a decade as army is called in to protect projects under construction
US to tackle transmission barriers to net zero ambitions
Department of Energy plans to build long-distance transmission lines to better connect the US’s renewables fleet
New York contracts offshore wind from BP and Equinor
Developers firm up agreements to sell power from 2.5GW of offshore wind farms off the east coast of the US
Turbines of the Year
Windpower Monthly Turbines of the Year 2021
The wind industry continues to raise the bar with new innovations and evolutionary developments, as our selection shows
Turbines of the Year 2021: Innovations
The wind industry’s supply chain continues to innovate in response to growing turbine sizes and cost pressures, both onshore and offshore
Turbines of the Year 2021: Floating systems to watch
While floating wind is still a small offshore segment, it is seeing a lot of innovative design work. We look at some systems to watch
Turbines of the Year 2021: Drivetrains
Focus on lowering costs as turbine sizes increase, with the winning solution ready for future 20MW-plus powertrains
Turbines of the Year 2021: Offshore wind turbines
Extensive track record pays dividends for major offshore player, but as sector expands beyond Europe, competition is getting fiercer
Turbines of the Year 2021: Onshore turbines up to 4.6MW
End of Chinese onshore subsidies creates new 3.5-4MW-plus “large-rotor” segment with focus on cutting levelised cost of energy
Turbines of the Year 2021: Onshore turbines 4.7MW-plus
Low wind pioneer takes top spot with new model, but Chinese OEMs with super-size rotors are making headway
Turbines of the Year 2021: Wind turbine rotor blades
Blades are still getting longer, but as the R&D focus on recyclability gathers pace, the winning concept has the edge
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Long reads
Why repowering is key to wind power industry’s growth
With many of the best wind sites occupied by some of the oldest projects, repowering has huge potential in mature markets
'We need new auction model after Thor lottery'
Wind Denmark criticises lottery system used to decide Thor offshore wind tender and discusses alternative auction models
Wind power supply chains ‘need built-in flexibility’
Renewable energy supply chains have been tested more than fossil fuel ones in the Covid-19 pandemic, according to industry experts
US grid planning 'needs to get beyond parochial interests'
Experts bemoan lack of planning between regions and long lead times for US transmission rollout, but disagree on solutions
How realistic is Biden's net zero by 2035 target for the US?
Even if "build back better" bill is passed, transmission remains a major hurdle for energy transition, analysts say
How the wind industry can reach 100% recyclable blades
Wind power firms need to work together and with other sectors to make turbine blades recyclable, according to industry experts
'Do we want a green transition or not?', wind industry asks
Community engagement and faster permitting can help speed up wind power development in Europe, Electric City panellists believe
WindEurope's Electric City opens with call for action
Renewables installations need to pick up pace or "net zero will take until 2104", opening session in Copenhagen is told
Energy transition brings new wind power buyers to the fore
As the drive for electrification gathers pace, the market for corporate renewable power purchase agreements is booming
Superclass offshore turbines pose installation challenges
Offshore wind turbines are reaching dizzying new heights and capacities. Will the rest of the industry be able to keep up?
Technology
Siemens Gamesa launches 11MW serial production
Manufacturer begins serial production of 11MW offshore wind turbine, which has a 5.1GW global order book
EDF Renewables plans 1GW floating Celtic Sea project
Partnership with Irish developer DP Energy focuses on regeneration opportunities for coastal communities
Downwind self-aligning floater aims to reduce weight
Spain-based X1 Wind completes foundations for 225kW PivotBuoy floating wind prototype off Gran Canaria
Falck and BlueFloat plan 675MW floating wind off Italy
The developers’ joint venture Minervia Energia now has a 3GW-plus pipeline of Italian floating offshore wind
Spain approves 3GW offshore wind roadmap
Spain plans to spend €200 million on floating offshore wind research, prototypes and pilots by the end of 2023
Siemens Gamesa produces first power from 14MW turbine
European manufacturer’s SG 14-222 DD is one of the world's two operational 14MW offshore wind turbines
Danish engineers launch 'largest' nacelle test bench
Denmark’s Lorc will be used to simulate harsh offshore conditions to test and validate 16-18MW turbines
Siemens Gamesa eyes using pipes to ship green hydrogen
Turbine manufacturer teams with thermoplastic composite pipe manufacturer on green hydrogen solution
Tower factory deal for Scotland's Port of Nigg
Global Energy Group and Haizea Wind Group will build £110-120m facility in Scotland to produce 135 towers a year
TetraSpar demonstrator starts test phase off Norwegian coast
Commissioning of the world’s first fully industrialised floating offshore foundation paves way for commercial-scale floating wind
Business and finance
Iberdrola eyes 3.5GW offshore wind in Philippines
Spanish energy giant signs option agreement to co-develop five wind farms using fixed-bottom foundations
Ørsted buys a stake in large-scale e-methanol project
New onshore wind will power 70MW of electrolyser capacity to produce hydrogen for FlagshipOne e-methanol project
Luxcara buys into Borssele III & IV offshore wind farm
Asset manager buys into Dutch offshore wind farm through acquisition of Van Oord’s stake in Blauwwind consortium
Blackstone to invest $3bn in US renewables giant
Blackstone’s investment will help to accelerate Invenergy’s development of wind and other renewable technologies
RWE and Northland plan 1.3GW off German coast
Joint venture partners outline plans to develop three wind farms in the German North Sea that could be online by 2028
Ørsted's long-serving finance boss to leave the company
Company begins search for new CFO as Marianne Wiinholt announces she will leave Ørsted by mid-2022
MingYang sets sights on UK offshore wind
Chinese turbine maker eyes latest move into European offshore wind through agreement with UK government
Vestas CEO warns some OEMs at risk amid cost pressures
Vestas CEO Henrik Andersen warns cost pressures and heavy investment demands “cannot go on”
Eni and CIP set sights on Polish offshore wind
Developers plan to bid for seabed leases and enter contract for difference auctions in middle of the decade
Vestas calls for 'vigilance' after hackers publish stolen data
Danish firm warns staff and business partners to "stay vigilant" after cyber criminals publish personal data on dark web
Market and policy
Mexico launches debate over controversial energy reform
Lawmakers to discuss proposals that would limit private companies' involvement in Mexico's power industry
Wind energy ‘falling behind' rising demand — IEA
Energy demand and power emissions at "unprecedented” levels call for higher investment in renewables
California targets port investments for offshore wind
Governor proposes spending $45 million in next fiscal year as California looks to begin offshore wind build-out
Germany plans to boost renewable tender volumes
New climate minister aims to boost wind tender volumes, helped by better permitting and land use rules
Asia Pacific green power costs edge closer to fossil fuels
Inflationary spikes for gas especially lead to increased competitiveness for wind and solar in 2021, analysts note
EU endorses technology-specific renewables auctions
New EU state aid guidelines confirm current practices on auctions and enable further support for pilot projects
US offshore wind steps up a gear with support for 3.2GW
Four projects win support as Massachusetts and Maryland commit to boosting burgeoning sector on the country's east coast
Industry steps up efforts to reuse and recycle blades
As net-zero targets move closer, what is the wind industry doing to tackle turbines' hardest-to-recycle component?
What is missing from 'build back better' bill?
Vice president Kamala Harris touts legislation at US power event, but experts lament lack of carbon pricing
Italian government removes roadblocks for 350MW of wind
Government approves six projects in southern Italy as it aims to accelerate renewable energy expansion
Project development
Nordex’s wind turbine orders up by a third in 2021
German turbine manufacturer sees orders for its Delta4000 series dominate its order book in 2021 – as it did in 2020
CIP backs $3 billion Chilean hydrogen project
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners join AustriaEnergy and Oekowind for project powered by 1.7GW onshore wind
Neoen starts work on wind-solar-storage hybrid
Developer starts construction of first 412MW wind farm in its Goyder Energy Zone hub in South Australia
Floating takes biggest share in Scottish offshore lease auction
Consortia led by BP, Shell, Vattenfall, Northland Power and Falck Renewables among those successful in ScotWind tender
Nordex receives orders for 245MW in South America
Nordex Group has signed contracts to supply 43 turbines from its N163/5.X platform to projects in Brazil and Chile
SSE to enter race for Dutch offshore wind tender
Dutch government plans two 700MW sites to be developed in the North Sea following tenders later this year
Ørsted commits to wind farm to power Amazon
Danish developer to power retail giant in Northern Ireland after making final investment decision on new project
US to launch New York Bight offshore wind lease auction
Six leases off the coast of New York and New Jersey capable of supporting up to 7GW to be auctioned in February
Canadian developer to rebuild wind farm after turbine failure
TransAlta to replace foundations at Kent Hills 1 and 2 projects at cost of up to US$80m following turbine collapse
Fred Olsen plans Scottish wind-battery hybrid project
Developer plans to couple 102MW wind farm with programme to reduce fuel poverty in the Scottish Highlands
Partner content
All ears for turbine blades 24/7
How a continuous monitoring solution from Ping is helping turbine owners and providers of predictive analytics minimise blade O&M costs
Ping
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.