The SMart Wind consortium to develop 4GW of wind farms off the UK coast

The SMart Wind consortium, led by Mainstream Renewable Power and Siemens Project Ventures (SPV), a division company of Siemens Financial Services, has been awarded a contract to develop 4GW of wind farms by 2020 as part of The Crown Estate’s Round 3 offshore wind farm programme. SMart Wind will develop projects in the “Hornsea” zone,

U.K. offshore windfarms given GBP300 million boost

Thanet Offshore Wind Project. Photo: WikimediaThe European Investment Bank (EIB) (Kirchberg, Luxembourg) is considering offering GBP300 million (USD492 million) to fast-track the connection of U.K. offshore windfarms to the country’s national grid. The news comes just a month after energy regulator Ofgem revealed a shortlist of 13 companies that will be allowed to bid for

Windfarm consent could seriously damage internationally protected habitat

RSPB Scotland has expressed its concerns at a decision to grant consent to a wind farm within a designated Special Protection Area (SPA) on the island of Lewis. Officials at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Environment Committee have approved the Pentland Road Windfarm on the island – a six turbine 13 megawatt development that sits within

Inspired by textbook, African boy harnesses wind energy

Kamkwamba and his windmill. Photo: UGAMalawi teen’s windmill provides electricity to his village A science textbook written by University of Georgia education professor Mary M. Atwater inspired a 14-year-old African boy to build a windmill that provided electricity to his family and village for the first time. Eight years ago, William Kamkwamba’s native Malawi suffered

Brazil to host wind-only energy auction

The Brazilian Ministry of Energy and Mines (MME) recently issued rules of procedure for the first public auction specifically for wind power reserve energy. The auction will be on November 25. So far, 441 wind projects that amount to 13.3 gigawatts of installed capacity have submitted an application to take part in the event. Planned,

Canadian Hydro to acquire largest offshore wind operation

Photo: Philipp Hertzog Canadian Hydro Developers Inc has entered into an agreement to acquire the rights to what it calls the largest offshore wind operation in the world. The company, which has been fighting a hostile takeover bid from TransAlta for the last several weeks, said it will acquire a 4,400 MW offshore wind prospect

Great idea: wind turbines above railway tracks

Wind energy project developer Evelop, part of Eneco, and Dutch rail operator ProRail have signed a joint venture agreement to develop Railwind, a unique concept involving wind turbines above railway tracks. This concept will initially be piloted in the industrial area Sloehaven near Vlissingen. This project aims to build wind farms in and around existing

World’s biggest offshore windfarm begins operation in Denmark

Denmark is celebrating the inauguration of the world’s largest offshore windfarm, Horns Rev 230 kilometres off the western coast of the country. The windfarm will, when fully operational, boast 91 wind turbines and produce 209 megawatts (MW) of electricity, enough for an estimated 200,000 homes. The installation is the world’s largest offshore windfarm for now,

Wind power growth to create green-collar jobs

The rapidly growing US wind industry could well create new manufacturing opportunities and restore jobs lost in the recent economic downturn, says a new report by researchers at Duke University’s Center for Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness (CGGC). Global wind capacity has grown at an average rate of 30 per cent per year over the past

Offshore wind power can revolutionise Europe

Wind energy production near Groothusen, Krummhörn, GermanyThe 100 GW of offshore projects already being planned could produce 10 per cent of Europe’s electricity, says a report Oceans of Opportunity by industry lobby organisation European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). According to the report, published in Stockholm at the Offshore Wind 2009 conference, those offshore wind projects