UK Energy Minister Reverses View on Onshore Wind Farms

Colin P
Greg Barker, the UK Coalition Energy & Climate Change Minister has declared that the rush to develop on-shore wind farms is “over” and has damaged the renewable energy agenda, the Energy and Climate Change Minister said. Yesterday he declared in a Newspaper article that future wind farms in the UK would be offshore. In an interview… Read the rest

World’s Largest Wind Turbine About to be Tested in Scotland

Colin P
It’s an interesting and exciting time in Scotland for the wind business: The world’s largest and most powerful installed wind turbine will be ready for testing in Fife, Scotland before the end of October 2013. The 196 metre tall turbine will be handed over to Korean firm Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) by the principal contractor, Graham… Read the rest

Abengoa to Build New Wind Farm in Uruguay

Sarah Dinola
The Spanish energy company Abengoa announced in the last few days that it had a contract to build a 70 megawatt wind farm worth an estimated $165 million in Uruguay. The wind farm will be built in Palomas, Uruguay and the energy it produces will meet the demands of 100,000npeople and prevent the emissions of more… Read the rest

The Voices of Wind Farm Hosts Down Under

Colin P
When it comes to opinions and debate about wind power, we usually get the pro-lobby arguing against the frackers, the NIMBYs and the Fossil Fuel lobby. But one set of voices is often absent in the mix. The voices of those who have experience of hosting wind turbines on their lands and properties. One would have… Read the rest

Renewable Energy Systems (RES) Acquire Wind Farm Sites in the UK

Colin P
RES took over the Bransford Bridge wind farm near Rugby in the English Midlands earlier this year. They have now also purchased Brown’s Holt wind farm near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, and Woolfox wind farm in Rutland. The previous owners, SSE,  had previously proposed to site 17 turbines at Brown’s Holt and up to 22 turbines at Woolfox,… Read the rest

European Wind Turbine Manufacturers Turn Corner

Sarah Dinola
After three years of losses, shutdowns and lay-offs, European wind turbine manufacturing giants such as Denmark’s Vestas Wind Systems, Germany’s Nordex, and Gamesa  appear set for declaring pre-tax profits. This has led to much anticipation and investors are now driving up their share prices. Bloomberg New Energy Finance says that shares in these corporations have risen… Read the rest

Wind Power Cost-Competitive with Fossil Fuels in United States

Colin P
Some very interesting statistical data had just been released. It is contained within the US Department of Energy’s study on US Wind power. 1.  During 2012 about 13 gigawatts of new capacity was installed. For comparison purposes this is more than twice the UK’s total wind power. It provided about 43% of the net additions to… Read the rest

Prairie Chickens Safer Near Wind Farms

Colin P
The effect of wind turbines on wildlife can cause anxiety to those with green credentials. However the greater prairie chicken, a wild inhabitant of the United States,  is largely unaffected by the wind turbines they share areas of the Great Plains of Kansas with. There’s no ruffling of coats or spitting of feathers necessary, because this… Read the rest

IKEA add New Wind Farm to their Renewable Portfolio

Sarah Dinola
The closest you’ll get to wind power as you walk around any Ikea store is a free-standing floor fan. But the successful Scandinavian furniture producer and retailer has been an investor in wind power for some years and is now to buy an Irish wind farm.   The Carrickeeny wind farm in County Leitrim, north-west Ireland,… Read the rest

Britain’s Booming Wind Farm Construction

Sarah Dinola
It was confirmed last week that construction of one of Britain’s biggest onshore windfarms will begin next year, 2014, and should be completed in 2 years. The Swedish firm Vattenfall says its wind farm at Pen y Cymoedd will have a 25-year life span and contribute £45m to the local economy. It will be built between… Read the rest