Wind Power News

Gamesa to strengthen its presence in Mexico

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:35:00 GMT

Gamesa Corporación Tecnológica has signed a deal with Turbo Power Baja Energy for five Gamesa G87-2.0 MW wind turbines, amounting to the installation of a power output of 10 MW.

Offshore wind initiative moves forward in New York

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:35:00 GMT

A newly formed collaborative between the private sector and a host of New York State and New York City agencies have issued a Request for Information (RFI) for a wind farm.

Dong Energy signs deal with Seajacks

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:34:00 GMT

Dong Energy has chosen to work with Seajacks International Ltd. for installation of wind turbines on Walney 1 and Walney 2 windfarms, which are to be located in the Irish Sea.

The global race is clearly on: Carbon Trust

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:34:00 GMT

The Carbon Trust has indicated that the UK can profit from leading the world in the clean tech revolution.

Five exploratory leases issued for offshore wind in the U. S.

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:20:00 GMT

The U.S. government has issued five exploratory leases for renewable wind energy production on the Outer Continental Shelf.

UK offshore winds can provide an extra 25GW

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:19:00 GMT

Energy Minister Lord Hunt has announced that an extra 25GW of offshore wind energy could be accommodated around the UK’s shores, in addition to the 8GW already built or planned.

NREL and RES Americas sign agreement

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:17:00 GMT

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and wind energy developer Renewable Energy Systems Americas, Inc.

Norway focuses on offshore wind power

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:16:00 GMT

Norway has proposed a new law to develop sea-based wind power as part of a plan to diversify from offshore oil and gas in favour of renewable energy.

Is Your Workplace Green?

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 07:06:00 GMT

Although many of us have chosen to be more environmentally proactive in our personal lives, when it comes to the office things may differ. As a person who is dedicated to the environment, does this impact the workplace you choose?

In today’s economy there’s not much of a choice when it comes to jobs so it’s hard to be picky. Instead, look around your office and see what changes can be made. Many offices are unintentionally wasteful and although many recycle, that’s not really enough.

But who spearheads the quest for a greener office. Is it you or someone else? Does it have to be the boss?

Don’t sit around and wait for someone else to take charge, try to brainstorm ideas to improve your workplace. However you may have to pass your ideas by a boss or two to get them implemented. And try to get a few colleagues on board with you. If you are just trying to get everyone to go green yourself, you might be fighting a losing battle. Having a committee of sorts will definitely encourage more people to go green!

A few ideas:

Consider purchasing ‘green’ office supplies including those that have been recycled
Take a look at the paper you use (and waste) and see if it can’t be trimmed down a bit
Purchase fair trade, organic coffee for your break room
Use energy efficient bulbs

These are just a few ways that you can make your workplace greener. Having a green office is good for everyone!

And check out Greening your Office for more tips!

Airtricity makes progress with its Butendiek offshore wind farm

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:42:00 GMT

Airtricity has signed an agreement with Port of Rømø to develop a service and maintenance centre for the proposed Butendiek offshore wind farm in the German North Sea.

SCE signs contracts for wind power

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:41:00 GMT

Edison International electric utility Southern California Edison (SCE) has signed agreements for up to 960 MW of renewable power.

Kite-like Turbines Could Capture Wind Above New York

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:02:00 GMT

Now we know that oil reserves are not going to last forever we are searching for alternative energy resources keenly. We are reading about new ways to tap energy from renewable resources. Sometimes these alternative energy resources seem quite odd and impractical. But we never know how they will shape up in future or [...]
Posted in: Future Energy, Wind Power

power-line mounted turbines?

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:28:00 GMT

Check out this winner of the 2008 red dot design awards by Nils Uellendahl, it's a concept for a helical turbine that mounts directly onto over-head power lines. It's quite interesting in two ways:

it generates electricity directly into the line using induction
It's actually horizontally mounted, however is actually a traditional vertical-axis turbine

I'm sure there are some large issues with the electrical connection and grid stability (to say the least!), and with the additional loading of the power lines, however it's a great concept.

24 October 2009 - an international day of climate action

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:54:00 GMT

In preparation for the December '09 Copenhagen round of international discussions on climage change, 350.org is busy preparing local actions around the world on the 24th of October to reiterate the goal of a return to 350ppm of CO2 - a worthy aim for any climate change negotations indeed!

The Copenhagen round will be keenly watched by the renewable-energy industry, as it could well provide a huge boost to meet any meaningful CO2-reduction target. It's fair to say that the wind industry will be set to receive the lion's share of any boost, as it's commercially the most ready technology we have available at the moment. A 2010 boost would be welcome news to an industry that is starting to feel the effects of the GFC through hard-to-find financing.

Customer Support Forum

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:15:00 GMT

Forum area to discuss - Customer Support

Leveling the Skystream Monopole Tower Forum

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 02:14:00 GMT

Forum area to discuss - Leveling the Skystream Monopole Tower

Grid connect Skystreams Forum

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 02:05:00 GMT

Forum area to discuss - Grid connect Skystreams

Battery Charging with Skystreams Forum

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 02:01:00 GMT

Forum area to discuss - Battery Charging with Skystreams

Skyview/Zigbee Remotes Forum

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:58:00 GMT

Forum area to discuss - Skyview/Zigbee Remotes

FORUM POSTS

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:52:00 GMT

I had a request from Scott Ditter to put specific subject posts up on the site to make it easier for people to discuss specific parts of the skystream. Sounds like a great idea, so here you go Scott. Hope this helps out.

If anyone else has a subject they would like loaded as a forum to be discussed, just email me a request at info@keepturning.com and I'll post it on the site. To see all the current forums, just click the FORUM link under category archives on the left side.

Josh

Small, Low Speed Wind Turbine

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:03:00 GMT

Most of us want to reduce our carbon footprints but currently most of the alternative energy products are simply unavailable for urban population that lives in metros. But gradually the scenario of alternative energy is changing and manufacturers have started thinking from common person’s point of view. Recently EarthTronics, which is based in Muskegon, [...]
Posted in: Future Energy, Wind Power, Wind Turbines

Skystream Relocation & Solar

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:52:00 GMT

Here is an email and a pdf from Jeff a skystream owner who recently relocated his turbine to a better location and added solar to his setup.

Jeff: wrote

All,

I recently moved my turbine to a better location on my property and went from a hub height of 39' to 53'. The turbine had too much turbulence from a small woods to my south. After the move I have seen a very noticeable difference with production, especially from the south. So heed to the recommendations of siting, it is very critical if you expect your turbine to perform. I originally installed it on a class-3 utility pole to keep my cost low because the steel poles were too expensive. Recently I came across a company that is selling Skysteam poles at a third of the cost of the Valmont ones SWWP uses. The pole I purchased is 50', one-piece pole with hinge tabs, bolts and delivery to my residence for $3500. Company I purchased it through is National Pole and Structure out of MI, owner is John. Note, it takes 6-8 weeks and you must have a way to unload it.

On a side note, I also installed a 1170 watt solar array with 6-Sanyo Hip195BA19 panels and a Fronius IG2000 inverter. I intend to make it solar tracking but for the mean time it is fixed. The array had a max output of 1273w (~10% above the rating). It has been in operation since 5/13, and as of 5/22 it has produced 82kWhr, my turbine has only produced 77 kWhr from 5/1 to 5/22, but it really hasn't been that windy. I am in NE Indiana and my small solar array has out performed my turbine, so if you haven't taken the plunge with wind you may want to take another look at solar. Prices of solar has actually dropped and turbines have gone up. All you need is a clear shot of the southern sky. In-case you are wondering, even on a cloudy day the array still put out 2 kWh. I have $7300 in my array setup and I did the work myself.

I will have Josh post pictures of my setup.

Jeff

Click here to download the pdf of the relocation of Jeff's skystream.

Using Existing Infrastructure for Wind Turbines

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:08:00 GMT

The Metropolis Magazine has been holding Next Generation Design Competition since 2003. They want to provide a platform for young designers to promote the spirit of activism, social involvement, and entrepreneurship. They offer prize money of $ 10,000. But the real attraction is the publicity given to the projects of winners and runners-up. This [...]
Posted in: Inventions, Wind Power, Wind Turbines

Big rotors king for 2010+

Sun, 24 May 2009 17:51:00 GMT

A few years back, it was quite common to see various turbine manufacturers releasing their latest Class IA turbine, followed rather quickly with a class II and III rotor. This was typically just a longer blade with minimal nacelle changes. The Vestas 2WM, Siemens 2.3 MW, and GE 1.5 MW platforms are good examples of this.

This was understandable at the time, as there were numerous easily exploitable IA sites around, with demand in the market for suitable class IA turbines. However now in 2009, as we are rapidly shooting past 100 GW of installed capacity around the world, the number of high-wind sites that are also close to the grid and easily developable are becoming quite rare (although there is no shortage of high-wind sites in the world) - a quick chat with any developer will tell you that! The dominant sites for 2010+ are looking to be for class II and class III.

Preempting this, we are seeing the latest generation of turbines being released with this in mind. No longer are turbine manufacturers jumping straight in with their smaller-rotor IA machines. The first release looks to be the II/IIIA specific turbine, with the IA coming later as an after thought (if at all). Have a look at the new Repower 3.xM, Vestas V112-3MW, and GE 2.5XL. Adding to this the last iteration of existing nacelles with new class III rotors: Siemens 2.3-101, Vestas V100-1.8, and the Nordex N100-2.5 ; big rotors are set to be king for 2010+.

Picture of the SWT-2.3-92 I took in the US. Progression from Class IA (82m rotor) to class IIA (92m rotor) to class IIIA (101m rotor) in around 5 years.

Greener Cars?

Sat, 23 May 2009 12:38:00 GMT

President Obama talked in a recent speech about making cars more fuel efficient and more green. What’s in this plan? First up is tougher rules on greenhouse gas emissions. Auto makers have until 2016 and a national average for greenhouse gas emissions will be set.
But does this really help?

Actually it does. Pollution from cars kills 30,000 people a year in the U.S. As well, more than half of those living in the United States live in areas that fail to meet air standards at least several days of the year. But what about here in Canada? It’s not as bad as that, is it? Looking at stats from 2005 show that from 1995 to 2005 ground level ozone ( a key component in smog) grew 12%. And we know that number is rising.

So think about that the next time you are buying a car. Look at fuel efficiency and determine if your car is as green as you think it is. Check out carconsumption.com where you can enter the make, model and more of your American car and determine exactly how much fuel you are consuming.

Other tips to make your car greener include:

Reduce your air conditioning
Check your tire pressure regularly
Get fuel injectors cleaned

Learn more about greening your ride at treehugger.

And happy driving!

Harnessing High Winds With Giant Kites

Tue, 19 May 2009 21:34:00 GMT

People are trying various sources to produce alternative energy. We have often witnessed children flying kites. But very few of us have given a thought to generate energy from kites. Scientists from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands produced energy from the wind by flying a 10-sq metre kite that is attached to [...]
Posted in: Future Energy, Inventions, Wind Power

WindCube Generates Electricity in Moderate Wind

Mon, 18 May 2009 21:39:00 GMT

Wind power is the fastest growing industry in the alternative energy sector. Wind turbines generate clean and green power for us but they have certain precondition. One of it is the power unit has to be set up in strong wind area. But Green Energy Technologies has developed a brand new wind power generator [...]
Posted in: Inventions, Wind Power, Wind Turbines

Hydroponics - The Easy Way

Sat, 16 May 2009 08:12:00 GMT

An Aerogarden in action

I definitely do not have a green thumb. My plants die quickly (or sometimes painfully slowly) and there’s no instinct within me to cultivate them properly. However the idea of growing my own vegetables appealed to me. Last year, I had a tomato plant that I managed to wrangle a few tomatoes out of but now I wanted more.

For Christmas I received an Aerogarden and wow, what a great way to go organic and move your way to getting off the grid. If you don’t have cultivation skills then it doesn’t really matter. All you do is fill it with water and leave it. It grows on its own.

Of course, you can grow herbs and vegetables on your own, but this is a great jumping off point for people who are not sure if they can do it.

By why grow your own food?

Growing your own food is less expensive and reaps greater rewards. You get fresh food at your fingertips that tastes better and has no pesticides.

So what exactly is Hydroponics?

Simply put, it’s a manner of growing plants without the use of soil. It instead uses nutrients to maintain its growth.

What’s great about hydroponics (and not just the Aerogarden) is that it allows food to grow in places where there is no soil, such as balconies of apartments or city blocks. As we build more buildings and preserve less space for the growing of food, hydroponics will come in handy. Hydroponic farming also uses less water. And while plants are desperate for CO2, hydroponics can increase CO2 levels in their greenhouse to enrich growth.

Are Hydroponics the way of the future? In actual fact, it’s prominent right now. Eurofresh Farms in Arizona is the largest hydroponic farm. They sold 125 million pounds of tomatoes in 2005.

Hydroponics is definitely a method that everyone can get on board with. Has anyone had success with their own hydroponic growing? Share below in the comments!

To learn more, check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics

Minneapolis International Airport Installs Wind Generators

Fri, 15 May 2009 03:04:00 GMT

These days many companies are exhibiting awareness about clean and green energy and trying to use that technology for reducing costs too. Recently Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has set up ten wind-powered electricity generators. They are using the energy to power an electric utility vehicle. We are acquainted with the fact that airports are [...]
Posted in: Transportation, Wind Power, Wind Turbines

Solar Power Tower in Operation

Thu, 14 May 2009 11:13:00 GMT

This is a very cool way to get power from the sun. I think one day mirrors may be the most efficient means of collecting solar energy on a cheap and massive scale.

MADRID, April 27 (Reuters) - Spanish engineering company Abengoa has begun operating a 20 megawatt solar power plant that is the world's biggest, using a tower to turn the sun's rays into electricity and can supply 10,000 homes, it said on Monday. The PS20 plant in the southern province of Seville uses 1,255 mirrors to focus solar radiation at the top of a tower 165 metres high, in order to boil water to drive a turbine and generate electricity.

Of course, you can make your own solar heat collection unit at home to cook food, in a solar oven. The boiled water in a solar tower is just another way to use solar heating and generate electricity from the sun's free and renewable energy. Photovoltaic cells (solar panels) are not required in this method.

–
Hat tip to TGB.