Wind Power News: General News
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Clean energy faces the same problem as fossil fuels: community protests
In late June, about 30 local commercial fishing boats surrounded a towering vessel off the coast of Brittany, seeking to block the installation of part of a $2.9 billion wind farm run by Spanish utility Iberdrola SA . The fishermen succeeded in driving the ship away, prompting a judicial investigation and legal threats from the local Iberdrola unit, Ailes Marines, against the protesters. The fishermen say they will continue to fight against the project, saying it threatens to destroy their . . . Complete story »
Hawaii offshore wind farm development in doldrums
Hawaii has long been a national leader in solar energy production, but the state is lagging in a quest to reach a renewable-energy frontier that appeared to be on the horizon several years ago. A federal agency regulating development of offshore wind farms has issued 16 ocean leases for such projects off eight coastal states since 2012. The state surrounded by the ocean, however, isn’t among them. Furthermore, a Massachusetts project with one of the leases last month received the . . . Complete story »
The climate-change fight is adding to the global inflation scare
The inflation scare that’s become a major theme in markets is getting fresh momentum from the climate-change battle and the huge economic transformation underway. As governments recognize the importance of climate action and push every corner of the economy to decarbonize, industries from glass to steel to autos are being left with little choice but to change how they make products and ultimately what they sell. The technical hurdles and investment involved mean it’s going to cost much more. Just . . . Complete story »
Top wind turbine maker plans to raise prices
One of the world’s biggest wind turbine makers Vestas Wind Systems A/S will hike its prices as the costs of steel and transportation increase amid a global commodities boom that’s contributing to a rising risk of inflation. It’s an early sign that the surge in commodities prices and disruptions in supply chains could interrupt a trend of perpetually falling costs for green energy. Benchmark prices for steel in China, the world’s top producer, have gained 25% this year, pushing up . . . Complete story »
Vestas Wind posts surprise loss as virus hits supply chain
Denmark’s Vestas Wind Systems A/S fell into the red as the coronavirus squeezed its supply chain, the first quarterly loss since 2013. The world’s biggest wind turbine manufacturer posted a 54 million-euro ($59 million) loss before special items, compared with a 95 million-euro profit analysts surveyed by Bloomberg had anticipated. The company suspended its 2020 guidance last month, but said in its earnings report on Tuesday that the level was still within its grasp. Vestas said that the loss, which . . . Complete story »
Wind power giant’s profit hit by rocks on the seabed
Building power plants in the middle of the sea was never going to be easy. The world’s largest developer of offshore wind farms Orsted A/S has found that some of its cables connecting to wind farms have been damaged by scraping against rocks on the seabed and will need to spend as much as 3 billion Danish kroner ($489 million) to fix them. It’s part of the growing pains for the offshore wind industry that’s become one of the fastest-growing . . . Complete story »
Report – lack of action on fire risk could cost wind industry millions
A lack of action to mitigate the risk of turbine fires could cost the wind industry millions of pounds, according to a new report. The study carried out by Firetrace International found that the sector is sitting on its hands over the issue, resulting in an increase in downtime and ever-costlier losses. It also means insurers are unable to accurately assess the risk of a blaze, which could result in a reduction in premiums across the industry. Entitled ‘Reducing Fire . . . Complete story »
Hamptons neighbors at war over cable from new wind farm that will ‘erode the beach and cause noise’
Wealthy Hamptons neighbors are at war over a cable from new wind farm with Estee Lauder’s chief, actress Edie Falco and a reality star leading the resistance. New York state on Thursday gave its approval to the proposed South Fork Wind farm with the Public Service Commission voting unanimously in its favor. But some of those living in Wainscott – where an underground cable is planned as part of the farm – argue the plans could ‘erode their beach and . . . Complete story »
Weak grids expose risks for the electrification of everything
Home heating systems shutting down. Hospitals facing water shortages. Oil refineries going offline. The freezing, snowy weather in Texas exposed how quickly an energy system can be brought down and how widespread the chaos can be. That raises questions about the vulnerability of power grids around the world just as more parts of our everyday lives electrify. Grid operators model the reliability of their systems to handle harsh weather, and climate change is triggering more of those events at both . . . Complete story »
RWE warns on profit as Texas freeze halts wind farms
Freezing temperatures hitting Texas have put onshore wind farms out of service and forced operator RWE to buy electricity at sky-rocketing prices, it said on Friday, warning of a knock on earnings this year. Germany’s largest power producer said the crisis would mean a low- to mid-triple-digit million euro hit to core earnings from onshore wind/solar this year. Analysts at brokerage Jefferies estimate the hit to adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) at 100 million and 500 . . . Complete story »
