Month: June 2016

Carousel Acquisition Marks Collaboration Deal Between Ecosse Subsea Systems and Bibby Offshore in Offshore Wind Cable Sector

Ecosse Subsea Systems (ESS) has agreed the sale of an 800-ton carousel to Bibby Offshore Limited (BOL). Carousels are used in the storage and transportation of subsea cables, umbilicals and pipes and enable the safe deployment of equipment from a vessel to the seabed. Aberdeenshire-based ESS first diversified from its core seabed preparation and trenching… Read more »

Heraeus to Showcase New Pastes for PERC and HJT Solar Cells at intersolar/PVSEC Event.

Latest families of pastes designed to meet high efficiency solar cell requirements. HANAU, GERMANY- June 13, 2016- Heraeus Photovoltaics, the worldwide leading supplier of metallization solutions to the PV industry, will be showcasing its newest metallization pastes at the intersolar/PVSEC trade show and R&D conference, which will take place June 22-24, 2016, in Munich, Germany…. Read more »

24 hours of sun

PES meets up with Martin Hackl, Head of Division, Fronius to discuss the importance of high quality grid-connected inverters, energy storage solutions and the goal of 24 hours of sun….. PES: Welcome to PES Solar magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about the background of your… Read more »

It’s all in the cube

Energy storage is the theme everyone is talking about. Lars Möllenhoff, MD 
of GILDEMEISTER energy storage GmbH, meets up with PES to talk about their 
vanadium redox flow energy storage system. PES: Welcome to PES Solar/PV magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about the background of… Read more »

High quality is the future

Dirk Tegtmeyer, Ingenieurbüro Mencke & Tegtmeyer GmbH talks to PES about their slow but sure growth following the central European market collapse and the need for high quality in the solar PV industry…. PES: Welcome back to PES Solar magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining 
a little about… Read more »

Solar uncertainty: measuring the power from the sun

Solar uncertainty poses a problem to our industry. Geographical location, weather conditions all add to the problem. Clive Lee explains the Kipp & Zonen solution… For solar energy resource assessments, site prospecting, or monitoring the generating efficiency of solar power plants it is necessary to measure the amount of solar radiation arriving at the surface… Read more »

Standards Up Costs Down

Dr. Til Assmann and Stella Göttel, tells PES about the benefits of using UPDRAFT LS lifting slings. They are strong, precise, lighter, last longer and cost in total, less than traditional lifting slings.. UPDRAFT LS lifting slings provide the strength and precision of heavy wire rope lifting slings at just a fraction of the weight,… Read more »

Holistic power plant management

HBM are leading the way with holistic structural health monitoring systems. Collecting more pertinent data leads to cost optimisation and complex life time predictions. Gilbert Schwartmann gives PES a more in depth insight… With growing economic pressure on manufacturers and operators of wind power plants, structural health monitoring systems, etc. for measuring loads on blades,… Read more »

Expansion and Optimism

John Price, Global Sales Director Renewables, Products and Services, JDR, tells PES about the increase in work in the offshore wind sector. The mood is upbeat and optimistic.. PES: Welcome to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about the background of your organisation and… Read more »

Hybrid marine technology for wind farm service vessels

If wind, wave and tidal energy installations are striving for genuine ‘green’ credentials it is logical to reduce consumption of fossil fuels wherever possible. Hybrid technology is being utilised by many transport sectors and industries around the world. The marine industry is now recognising the potential of utilising hybrid power and innovative propulsion systems. The… Read more »

Wind reflections

Steve Sawyer, Secretary General, GWEC, gives a global overview of wind power during 2015, a very positive year culminating in the Paris agreement in December. He predicts a steady growth in the industry over the next five years. Wind Power Leads All New Power GenerationMore than 150 nations gathered in New York, on Earth Day,… Read more »

Blade inspection Maintenance regime offshore

Wind turbines installed offshore call for special attention. Wear and tear is quite different at sea, as is corrosion on steel structures. Offshore windfarms are often located remotely, difficult to access after installation and commissioning. Morgan Troedsson, President, MacTeen Consulting Ltd explains to PES the maintenance challenges presented by rotor blades on offshore installations. Offshore… Read more »

Getting it Wright

Training for any industry is of paramount importance in the drive towards creating an accident free culture and maximum efficiency. It is no less the case with a relatively new industry like wind turbines. Maersk Training is currently bringing techniques and lessons learnt in the oil and gas and maritime sectors to help increase understanding… Read more »

Weather challenge

Nicolas Fournier, at the Met Office, explains to PES the crucial role that weather forecasting and analysis plays in site selection, planning, operations and safety within the offshore renewable-energy market. Over the last five years the Met Office has placed a particular focus on supporting the offshore wind industry, as a key contributor to the… Read more »

Into the future with UAVs

Chris Young, Business Development Manager, RectrixAS Ltd – UAV Solutionsgives PES his perspective on the use of UVAs or drones for close inspection and 
data gathering. UAVs are being used more and more in the wind industry. PES: Welcome to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining… Read more »

Innovation reigns supreme at Global Offshore Wind 2016

PES gets a taster of the RenewableUK’s Global Offshore Wind 2016, now in its 15th year. It is still the only dedicated offshore wind event in the UK. It takes place on June 21st and 22nd 2016, at the Manchester Central Convention Complex. Highlights of this year’s event include cost-saving innovations, export opportunities, international networking,… Read more »

Gulliver will travel

PES caught up with Jules Schelkens, Commercial Manager at Scaldis, to talk about how the company has evolved since it began in 1995. We found out about how technological advances have reduced installation and commissioning time and his thoughts on the future… PES: Welcome back to PES Wind Magazine. Thanks for talking with us Jules,… Read more »

Vessel extraordinaire

PES takes a look at the world’s largest turbine installation jack-up vessel: the GustoMSC designed Seajacks Scylla, to see what it’s capable of.. GustoMSC and Seajacks have a close working relationship – together they developed the largest wind-turbine installation jack-up vessel in the world: Seajacks Scylla. A partnership which is crucial to equity capital partners… Read more »

Managing Risk and Reducing Project Costs

In a time when energy companies are coming under increasing pressure to reduce costs, the need for reliable and innovative solutions that focus on improving efficiency and optimising ROI has never been more important. A company fully focused on this core objective is the SeaRoc Group. Formed in 2002, SeaRoc Group has almost 15 years’… Read more »

Standards up – costs down

Dr. Til Assmann and Stella Göttel, tells PES about the benefits of using UPDRAFT LS lifting slings. They are strong, precise, lighter, last longer and cost in total, less than traditional lifting slings.. UPDRAFT LS lifting slings provide the strength and precision of heavy wire rope lifting slings at just a fraction of the weight,… Read more »

Whats In A Name Change

Matthias Mroß, Managing Partner Global Renewables Shipbrokers GmbH, tells PES about the current challenges facing the shipping industry. He also explains the GRS name change and their expansion in to other business areas. PES: Welcome back to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about… Read more »

bespoke is the new standard

Growing competition and cost pressure have prompted some companies to delay modernisation projects and new purchases. This decision, while causing a short-term drop in operating costs, will lead to higher operational risks. New maintenance strategies promise high savings potential. However, for power plants and systems in the process industry there is no ‘one size fits… Read more »

Reshaping the Industry

Benchmarking exercise of predicted and actual production losses based on SCADA data (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition). Régis Decoret presents his findings to PES. The need for post construction performance assessmentIt’s nothing new: wind energy is a capital intensive business, meaning that wind farm developers need a significant capital over 
a short period of time… Read more »

New guidelines for marine UXO management

Simon Cooke, Managing Director of 6 Alpha Associates, a specialist risk company with particular expertise in the assessment and management of offshore UXO, who co-authored CIRIA’s report, speaks to PES about the extent of the UXO threat and the current risk mitigation options available to offshore developers. Over 70 years have passed since the end… Read more »

Floating LiDAR technology

Using tried and tested technology it is possible to save the cost and time of installing offshore met masts by using floating LiDAR systems Offshore wind resource assessment: floating LiDAR replacing met mastsInitial wind resource assessment is a critical first step to offshore wind development, and the single most important characteristic of a site is… Read more »

Remote sensing drives down offshore wind costs

Baker Consultants, an ecological consultancy working on various offshore projects including wind developments in the North Sea and the Baltic, has gained a deserved reputation for innovation. PES asked them to expand on the latest in remote sensing technology and how they have developed this into a new ecological surveying service that could aid the… Read more »

Towards life extension

Extending the life of wind turbines is a preoccupation of our industry today. Ángela Angulo, TWI Ltd, tells PES how the TOWERPOWER project will help wind farm owners, operators and insurers collect extremely valuable data. As EU energy policy calls for 20% of the EU’s 3,040 Terra Watt hours per year electricity demand to come… Read more »

Transport Engineering

PES talks to Alejandro Cañas, Head of Special Projects Department at Coordinadora, about growth and logistics. Transport Engineering is their new concept and philosophy in logistics, a unique offer to the offshore wind industry… PES: Welcome back to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little… Read more »

Meet the Innovation

PES discovers the background to GeoSea, part of the DEME group, from Christopher Iwens, General Manager of DEME’s German Subsidiaries. It was also an opportunity to hear about the recently completed work on the offshore windfarm Nordsee One … DEME has a rich history that dates back to 1852. The company has evolved from a… Read more »

Independence: the key to cutting costs

Deutsche Windtechnik Offshore und Consulting GmbH explains to PES how it is possible for them to offer an excellent maintenance service whilst keeping the costs down. They do this by providing a variety of individual service packages through synergies and flexibility…. Maintenance work on offshore wind farms can be a real cost factor for operators…. Read more »

Testing, validation, an opportunity for offshore wind power

Jan Wenske and Maik Wefer of Fraunhofer IWES, show PES how testing should be regarded as a method to accelerate time to market of new designs and stand out by offering approved overall system reliability – instead of restricting the view to the one-time expenses. An opportunity to improve turbines and technology and enhance the… Read more »

Proactive O&M needed in the wind Industry

Minute inspection of turbines, particularly the blades and rigorous data collection using the GEV Habitat means it’s possible to work through all weather. This contributes to proactive O&M and therefore to cost reduction in our industry. We were at a conference for off-shore wind in Boston recently (the US is a core and expanding market… Read more »

A bright future

Guy Auger, CEO of Greensolver, talks to PES about asset management of plants, construction supervision and technical due diligence. He introduces us to the Greensolver index, their benchmarking tool and GreenBoost®. 
Guy is optimistic about the future. PES: Welcome to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining… Read more »

What’s in a name change?

Matthias Mroß, Managing Partner Global Renewables Shipbrokers GmbH, tells PES about the current challenges facing the shipping industry. He also explains the GRS name change and their expansion in to other business areas. PES: Welcome back to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about… Read more »