Making operations and maintenance as efficient and cost effective as possible is vital if the wind industry is to reach its potential. Moreover, the need to ensure that turbines are robust and easy to maintain becomes increasingly important as the offshore sector grows and even onshore turbines are placed in more hostile environments that are … Continue reading Wind Energy: Optimising Operations
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Technological progress brings Europe-wide electricity grid closer
Recent technological advances by leading engineering companies to improve the integration of renewable energy, especially wind energy, within Europe’s power grid by 2020, will bring a pan-European electricity grid closer to reality. Last year, the Swiss-based engineering company ABB announced the development of the world’s first circuit breaker for high voltage direct current (HVDC). “This … Continue reading Technological progress brings Europe-wide electricity grid closer
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European Parliament votes yes to 2030 renewable energy target
The European Parliament called for the “successful” 2020 renewable energy target to be prolonged to 2030. “The Parliament has once again recognised what a strong renewables industry, driven by ambitious targets, can do for Europe’s economy, jobs, energy security and the climate”, commented Stephane Bourgeois, Head of Regulatory Affairs at the European Wind Energy Association … Continue reading European Parliament votes yes to 2030 renewable energy target
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Parliament gives go-ahead to energy infrastructure package guidelines
The European Parliament yesterday gave its green light to the guidelines for the EU energy infrastructure package, which sets out corridors for Europe-wide energy infrastructure, seeks to speed-up permits and identifies priority projects, including an offshore electricity grid in the North Sea.
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Proposed EU sea planning law will boost investor certainty
EU Member States will have to plan the use of their sea space and work together where they share a sea basin, according to a proposed European Commission Directive on maritime spatial planning and integrated coastal management published today in Brussels. “The European Wind Energy Association strongly supports the Commission’s proposal, which will allow the … Continue reading Proposed EU sea planning law will boost investor certainty
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Investing in wind energy makes absolute economic sense
Europe’s ageing power plants need replacing. It makes economic sense to replace a growing proportion of those conventional power plants with wind energy. This is because wind energy does the following: Creates jobs and economic growth in Europe. 238,000 people worked in EU wind energy in 2010. Reduces the cost of importing fossil fuels. … Continue reading Investing in wind energy makes absolute economic sense
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From financial crisis and austerity to the uncertainty crisis
The financial and economic crisis has provoked a wave of uncertainty across the European Union since 2010, with national Governments making damaging retroactive changes to policies and regulations for wind energy. This political uncertainty is deterring financiers and investors and has already caused job losses and negative financial result announcements. The European wind industry is … Continue reading From financial crisis and austerity to the uncertainty crisis
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Andrew Garrad new President of the European Wind Energy Association
The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has today elected Andrew Garrad as its new President. Garrad joined the wind energy industry in 1979 and was President and later Chairman of GL Garrad Hassan, the world’s largest independent renewable energy consultancy, with 1,000 employees in 27 countries devoted to renewable energy. Garrad built his first wind … Continue reading Andrew Garrad new President of the European Wind Energy Association
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EWEA launches Global Wind Day 2013 Photo Competition:
The European Wind Energy Association has launched the Global Wind Day 2013 Photo Competition. Whether you are a photography novice or aficionado, EWEA encourages all competitors of 18 and older to submit an entry supplemented with a short text explaining what wind energy means to you. It is up to you how long your text … Continue reading EWEA launches Global Wind Day 2013 Photo Competition:
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Renewables dominate headlines in Germany, UK, France
It seems that energy policy has never been such a hot topic – at least judging by the huge media attention it is now receiving. Today, and this week generally, has seen a blizzard of European media coverage of energy policy – with wildly differing perspectives, and arguably also in quality of reasoning. Today in … Continue reading Renewables dominate headlines in Germany, UK, France
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BBC’s Gethin Jones launches appeal for Renewable World
EWEA works with Renewable World, a charity that leverages funds, expertise and resources from the global renewable energy industry to tackle poverty through renewable energy in poor, remote, off-grid communities where financial or geographical barriers prevent private sector solutions being effective. Access to affordable and reliable energy services is critical in empowering poor people to … Continue reading BBC’s Gethin Jones launches appeal for Renewable World
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EU Energy Commissioner promises post-2020 policy next year » By Tom Rowe
At a special press briefing organized by The International Press Association in Brussels last night, EU Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger confirmed that he will be bringing forward proposals for post-2020 policy, before the current term of the Commission ends, which is 31 October 2014. He said that the Council would talk about binding targets in … Continue reading EU Energy Commissioner promises post-2020 policy next year » By Tom Rowe
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EWEA and GWEC launch 2013 Global Wind Day photo competition
Are you creative with your camera and have a passion for wind energy? Then you might be keen to enter EWEA’s 2013 photo competition for Global Wind Day, giving yourself the chance to win a €1,000 Amazon voucher! Following the success of last year’s hugely popular Global Wind Day photo competition, this year we are … Continue reading EWEA and GWEC launch 2013 Global Wind Day photo competition
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Our competitor is not Chinese wind turbine manufacturers, but other power generation”
The European wind energy industry can beat its main competitors – other forms of power generation – “anytime” on a level playing field. So says Christian Kjaer in his final Wind Directions interview before stepping down as CEO of EWEA on 1 April. Free trade, the removal of subsidies for fossil fuels and nuclear, and … Continue reading Our competitor is not Chinese wind turbine manufacturers, but other power generation”
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EU wind power now 7 percent, but industry challenged in 2013
The European Union wind energy sector installed 11.6 gigawatts (GW) of capacity in 2012—enough additional power for the continent to now meet 7 percent of its electricity needs–according to the 2012 annual statistics released this week by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). The megawatts added in 2012 bring the E.U.’s total wind power capacity … Continue reading EU wind power now 7 percent, but industry challenged in 2013
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EWEA’s 2013 Annual Event sounds notes of caution and optimism
With the highest-level movers and shakers of the wind energy world, and greatly influential politicians and analysts including International Energy Agency Chief Economist Fatih Birol, EWEA’s 2013 Annual Event hit the renewable energy headlines this year. It was the event at which Birol called fossil fuel subsidies “public enemy number one”, while Christian Kjaer EWEA’s … Continue reading EWEA’s 2013 Annual Event sounds notes of caution and optimism
Continue readingEuropean Wind Energy Installations Topped 11 GW Last Year
The 11.6 GW of wind energy installed in 2012 represents a 23.4% increase over the 9.4 GW installed last year, EWEA notes. Wind energy represented 26% of all new EU power capacity installed last year and is now meeting 7% of Europe’s electricity demand – up from 6.3% at the end of 2011. Renewable energy … Continue reading European Wind Energy Installations Topped 11 GW Last Year
Continue readingWind energy still hiring despite jobs crisis
Unemployment is plaguing Europe, and just this week Anni Podimata, Vice President of the European Parliament told delegates attending EWEA’s 2013 Annual Event in Vienna that youth unemployment has reached “unprecedented levels.” But despite the jobs crisis, one sector – wind power – said yesterday that it still needs to hire more than 5,000 workers … Continue reading Wind energy still hiring despite jobs crisis
Continue readingThe EU wind energy sector installed 11.6 gigawatts (GW) of capacity in 2012
The EU wind power sector installed 11.6 gigawatts (GW) of capacity in 2012, bringing the total wind power capacity to 105.6 GW, according to the 2012 annual statistics launched today by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). 2012 was a record year for offshore installations, with 1,166 MW of new capacity grid connected. Offshore wind … Continue reading The EU wind energy sector installed 11.6 gigawatts (GW) of capacity in 2012
Continue readingWhat do a tea bag and a wind turbine have in common?
Martin Fliegenshnee-Jakcht makes a habit of setting light to tea bags. It’s not a strange form of arson but a way of demonstrating thermal lift to children at the schools he visits to talk about wind energy. The tea bag, once lit, zooms up into the air – just as a turbine blade will rise … Continue reading What do a tea bag and a wind turbine have in common?
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