Wind Energy and renewable energy blog

El Hierro – The Future Self Sufficient Island

The Spanish Island of Hierro may well become energy self sufficient over the next few years. In this video Gonzalo Piernovieja, Research and Development Director at the Canarias Technology Institute talks about the renewable energy project which in a few years time could generate 80% of the Island’s electricity requirements.

UK Energy Network Companies Want to Deliver for Renewable Energy

The UK’s Energy Network Association said today that its members want to develop, build and operate the networks to deliver the low carbon, secure and reliable future the UK needs.

The ENA – a national organisation with members who own and manage pipes and wires said that networks have an essential role to play in our energy future. The organisation wants to see the UK Energy Act deliver on the renewable objectives it has set and said “we are campaigning to ensure it does by ensuring a clear licensing regime offshore and that the license process is established as soon as possible”.

UK Government and Ofgem Announce Final Offshore Grid Consultation

UK energy regulator Ofgem expects offshore wind energy to make a significant contribution to UK renewable energy targets with 8 Gigawatts (GW) already planned and potential for up to a further 25 GW.

Plans to build these huge offshore wind energy projects moved forward a small step earlier this week when The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and Ofgem announced the final consultation stage for the new regulatory framework for the grid connection regime.

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Report – A Poisoned Chalice?

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) commissioned new report “Positive Planning for Onshore Wind” was released this week with headlines congratulating or criticising the RSPB for calling on the UK government to increase their commitment to onshore wind energy. However do the headlines reflect what is contained in the RSPB report?

Local Climate Change Social Network Sites

Social network sites for like -minded people wanting to do something about climate change could really help information and fact sharing on renewable energy projects and climate change events in their local area.

The recently launched Devon CAN! site (Climate Action Network) was set up by Carl Munson to start campaigning about climate change, provide an ideas platform, and “raise morale and reinvigorate ourselves”.

Opposing Wind Farms Should be Socially Unacceptable says Ed Miliband

The new UK climate change film ‘The Age of Stupid‘ was screened in London for the first time today. Speaking at the screening, Ed Miliband urged people to support their local wind energy projects.

Miliband – Secretary of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change said “The government needs to be saying, ‘it is socially unacceptable’ to be against wind farms in your area – like not wearing your seat belt or driving past a zebra crossing”

Solar Energy on the Rise

Solar Energy is currently prominent in the global press even if it does not feature heavily in the UK’s renewable energy expectations.

In many parts of the world, the solar industry is making giant size steps alongside wind energy. Norwegian silicon ingot and wafer manufacturer Norsun recently secured US $180m for its expansion plans. Meanwhile Chinese solar company Astronergy hit an annual generation figure of 100MW from its thin PV film technology last year and has attracted deals from two Chinese private equity investors worth US $50m to expand its manufacturing base.

Improving the UK Grid for Renewable Energy

Access to the grid network is currently one of the key constraints for increased wind energy development in the UK. Our existing electricity grid network is optimised for traditional (centralised) generation. One of the key questions currently being debated is- how grid upgrades for renewable energy projects are going to be funded.

In the UK renewable energy generators pay to connect and use the grid network as part of an “invest and use” strategy currently operated by National Grid Company (NGC) and more local distribution network operators (DNO’s). This incremental strategy will not however be sufficient in the long term and there has been much debate recently as to how we can maximise the use of capacity left in the existing grid network through using technologies such as smart grid, whilst at the same time kicking off the development of new grid infrastructure.

New Infrastructure Planning Chief Denies ‘Political Leaning’

The soon to be appointed new chief of the UK infrastructure consenting body the ‘Infrastructure Planning Committee (IPC)’ told the Commons Communities and Local Government Committee this week that he is “agnostic on political parties”.

Pitt – a civil engineer, spent many years in local government and is expected to receive a near £200k salary. He claims political independence will result in no conflict of interest. Legal challenges are however anticipated to rise as a result of the introduction of the IPC – due to concerns surrounding the rights of the public to be heard when it comes to big infrastructure projects including new large wind energy projects (over 50MW), nuclear power stations and airports.

Super Grid Key Discussion Point at European Wind Energy Conference

The President of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) told delegates at the European Wind Energy Conference in Marseille yesterday “If the EU is to meet its CO2 reduction and renewables targets, improve security of supply and create real competition in the European power markets, we need to extend our power grids and change the way we operate them.”

Taxpayers to Fund Nimbys Second Wind Farm Inquiry

In the UK taxpayers hard earned cash is being spent on public inquiries often unnecessarily brought about by nimbys. Income tax which goes to the treasury is being used to fund the Planning Inspectorate who manage public inquiries for wind farms when they are refused locally and council tax funds are used to fund local planning authority’s who decide they want to pay for barristers and expert consultants to fight renewable energy projects because the vocal minority decide they do not like a project.

As an example a 10 turbine wind energy project near Bradwell on Sea on the coast of Essex, England was granted planning consent in 2007.

Wind Energy Powers Antarctic Conservation Base

Several weeks ago an adventurous team of people set off for Robert Swan’s conservation e-base in Antarctica to examine the further potential for renewable energy. The picture below is of the 2041 e-base team installing a wind turbine to power the base. The idea of the concept is to demonstrate that if you can live and work off green electricity in Antarctica, you can do so anywhere in the world.

The team have christened the new wind turbine ‘Paula’ after the UK greatest long distance runner and marathon world record holder, Paula Radcliffe.

Vestas Outlook Bright Despite Financing and Competition Changes

CEO of Vestas wind turbine manufacturing company talks to Forbes in the video below about the outlook for wind energy in the US and recent changes to the wind turbine manufacturing market.

Vestas is the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturer although its market share fell last year due to the entry of 35 new Chinese wind turbine manufacturers. In this video Vestas CEO Ditlev Engel talks about why the US is important when it comes to wind energy and its plans for increasing green collar jobs in its manufacturing plant from the current figure of 1300 to 4000.

Renewable Energy Grid Infrastructure Reality Sinks In

In the US, the Californian desert and the Mid-West plains are ideal locations for solar and wind energy plants. In the UK the Scottish highlands and Welsh mountains have the highest winds in the UK. These locations have similar characteristics – great resources for renewable energy generation, but limited grid infrastructure and not many people.

Hundreds and in some cases thousands of miles of new expensive, high voltage grid infrastructure is needed in these key locations to transport green energy to areas of high demand – the big cities. This grid infrastructure is both expensive and geographically extensive.

Are Bats Killed by Wind Turbines?

Bats are a protected species in the European Union and recently concerns have arisen about the potential for bat populations to be affected or harmed by wind turbines. Research work has been carried out in the US identifying migrating bat collision however we have different (non migrating) bat species in Britain so their conclusions cannot be applied.

Chief of New Infrastructure Planning Commission Announced

Housing Minister Margaret Beckett announced yesterday Sir Michael Pitt as the preferred candidate for the post of Chair of the new Infrastructure Planning Commission and announced it will be located in Bristol.

Pitt will be the first Chair of the IPC, which is being set up under the 2008 Planning Act to take decisions on planning applications for infrastructure proposals that are of national significance – including large wind energy projects and nuclear power stations.

The Age of Stupid

A new climate change film by Franny Armstrong will have its world premiere in London on March 15th and then be released in UK cinemas on March 20th, followed by other countries.

The Age of Stupid is an independent film featuring Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite (In The Name of the Father, Brassed Off) as a man living alone in the devasted world of 2055, looking back at “archive” footage from 2007 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?

US & UK Wind Energy Projects Popular Despite Nimbys

Nimby opposition is down, and support up for all types of power plant projects according to the latest Saint Index for the US. Wind energy is the most popular energy generator among Americans if one were to be built near them. Eighty-two percent say they would support a wind-powered generation project if one were proposed for their community.

How Does the New Conservative Local Powers Policy Affect Renewable Energy?

UK opposition leader, David Cameron recently unveiled the Conservatives new policy on returning powers to local government. In doing so however he proposes taking away much needed funding provided to local authorities through the Housing and Planning Delivery Grant – a grant that rewards councils for ensuring their district plans are up to date.

The Conservatives argue that their policy paper is about more local control over decision making and funding.

Spain’s Record Breaking Wind Energy Generation

Spain has set a record this week by powering 29-40% of its electricity needs from wind energy.

A huge 11,180 MW was generated on Thursday when high winds blew through north west Spain. When demand was lower early in the morning, wind energy supplied 40% of the country’s requirements whilst later on when demand rose, wind energy supplied 29%.