• New Tower Design Enables Higher Annual Energy Production and Less Impact from Turbulence;
• Hub Heights in Excess of 130 Meters Now Available;
• Taller Towers Increase Potential Wind Site Options.
The new towers enable higher annual energy production (AEP) and increase the number of potential wind sites. The towers initially will be offered for GE’s 2.5-MW series including the new 2.75-103 wind turbine. The taller towers are available with hub heights in excess of 130 meters.
“We continuously strive to increase value for our customers. The taller tower, which will also be available for our new 2.75-103, is the next step in our evolutionary product portfolio,” said Stephan Ritter, general manager of GE Renewable Energy Europe. “With taller towers, more sites become attractive wind farm locations. The increased height also offers more customer value through higher winds and a reduction in the impact of turbulence resulting in higher annual energy production.”
The taller tower will have a robust hybrid pre-cast concrete and tubular steel design. This construction offers an optimal balance between customer value and advanced technology while reducing logistical challenges. The new tower is an especially good fit for densely forested areas and hillside locations that are prone to high turbulence intensity.
Initial key markets for the new, taller GE wind turbine towers will be Germany, Scandinavia, Poland, Romania and Canada.
For wind turbine sales visit www.orionairsales.com
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Centrica Begins Construction on $1.2 Billion Wind Farm in U.K.'s Northeast
Centrica Plc (CNA), the U.K.’s biggest energy supplier, started building a 725 million-pound ($1.2 billion) sea-based wind farm near Skegness in the northeast.
The 270-megawatt Lincs wind farm should begin producing power by the end of next year, Julian Mears, a spokesman from West Sussex-based Centrica, said today by e-mail.
Siemens AG (SIE) is providing 75 turbines of 3.6 megawatts each for the project with all of the electricity produced to be sent to the National Grid, Mears said.
The facility is being funded through a joint venture between Centrica, which owns half the project, and Dong Energy A/S and Siemens Project Ventures GmbH, which own the remainder, said Mears.
To contact the reporter responsible for this story: Louise Downing in London at Ldowning4@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reed Landberg in London at landberg@bloomberg.net
The 270-megawatt Lincs wind farm should begin producing power by the end of next year, Julian Mears, a spokesman from West Sussex-based Centrica, said today by e-mail.
Siemens AG (SIE) is providing 75 turbines of 3.6 megawatts each for the project with all of the electricity produced to be sent to the National Grid, Mears said.
The facility is being funded through a joint venture between Centrica, which owns half the project, and Dong Energy A/S and Siemens Project Ventures GmbH, which own the remainder, said Mears.
To contact the reporter responsible for this story: Louise Downing in London at Ldowning4@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reed Landberg in London at landberg@bloomberg.net
Banks Group investing £20m into wind farms
NORTH East mining and renewable company the Banks Group is to invest more than £20m in two new wind farm developments as it increases its profile in the green sector.
Banks Renewables, part of the Banks Group, secured the largest investment in the renewables market the Co-operative Bank has made to date for the two Yorkshire schemes.
And Banks is now looking at the same project finance model to fund a number of similar projects as it continues its drive to establish itself as a major player in the UK onshore renewables market.
The Durham-based company, which has an annual turnover of £60m, employs around 360 people and operates in the renewable energy, mining and property markets, expects the two schemes to start in the autumn.
Neil Brown, group commercial director at the Banks Group, says: “Securing the largest investment that the Co-operative Bank has ever made in the renewables industry not only represents a validation of the strength of the UK market, but also of the business model that Banks Renewables is following in this area.
“We are committed to becoming one of the UK’s leading owner/operators of onshore wind farms, and the investment model that we have used to secure this funding could provide the template for a portfolio of future sites that we are currently progressing across the north of England and Scotland.”
The three-turbine Hazlehead wind farm is situated on formerly derelict brownfield land to the west of Barnsley, while the Marr scheme comprises four turbines and is located five miles to the west of Doncaster.
When fully operational, the schemes will produce up to 14.4mw of renewable energy between them, enough to meet the annual power requirements of up to 9,000 homes.
Banks Renewables, part of the Banks Group, secured the largest investment in the renewables market the Co-operative Bank has made to date for the two Yorkshire schemes.
And Banks is now looking at the same project finance model to fund a number of similar projects as it continues its drive to establish itself as a major player in the UK onshore renewables market.
The Durham-based company, which has an annual turnover of £60m, employs around 360 people and operates in the renewable energy, mining and property markets, expects the two schemes to start in the autumn.
Neil Brown, group commercial director at the Banks Group, says: “Securing the largest investment that the Co-operative Bank has ever made in the renewables industry not only represents a validation of the strength of the UK market, but also of the business model that Banks Renewables is following in this area.
“We are committed to becoming one of the UK’s leading owner/operators of onshore wind farms, and the investment model that we have used to secure this funding could provide the template for a portfolio of future sites that we are currently progressing across the north of England and Scotland.”
The three-turbine Hazlehead wind farm is situated on formerly derelict brownfield land to the west of Barnsley, while the Marr scheme comprises four turbines and is located five miles to the west of Doncaster.
When fully operational, the schemes will produce up to 14.4mw of renewable energy between them, enough to meet the annual power requirements of up to 9,000 homes.
Monday, 4 April 2011
Geothermal Heat Pumps - A Technology That We Should Seriously Consider For Our Homes
Geothermal Heat Pumps - A Technology That We Should Seriously Consider For Our Homes
In yesterday's post I focused on one of my pet technologies - geothermal energy. However, despite the long term sustainability of this technology, the initial capital cost to tap into warm water sources of direct geothermal energy can often be too expensive with too few suitable sites to make a big impact. Now, consider geothermal heat pumps, a technology that we can use at our homes without the need for a "hot springs" nearby. The basics.
If we dig down about 10 feet, we will find temperatures in the soils typically ranging from 50 - 54 degrees F - and very stable through all seasons. Heat can be extracted from about any source no matter how cold, even in Minnesota and Michigan. A ground source heat pump uses the shallow ground or ground water as a source of heat, thus taking advantage of its seasonally mild temperatures. For example, let's say that it's 40 degrees F outside. To heat our home, we need to raise the temperature to say 70 degrees to be comfortable. And we typically rely on either electricity or natural gas to make up this difference - heating from 40 up to 70. However, if we have an in ground source of energy that is already at 54 degrees with a heat exchanger, then we need only rely on electricity or natural gas to get us from 55 to 70 - a considerable savings in energy expended to heat our home.
Similarly, in the summer, if the outdoor ambient temperature is, say, 80 degrees F but we want our home to be air conditioned and maintain in home temperatures in the 70 to 75 degree range, then we can draw on the lower temperatures in the ground, with a heat exchanger, to do much of the work of reducing in home temperatures. And this is what geothermal heat pumps do - reduce both our home heating and air conditioning expense. Following is a graphic of "closed loop" geothermal heat pump systems typically used in the Pacific Northwest:
Note both the supply and return lines. Geothermal pipe is installed in the gound in a closed loop system. In the winter when heating is needed, a carrier fluid (typically a water/antifreeze mix) is circulated through pipes located in the ground. As the fluid circulates underground, it absorbs heat from the ground and on its return the now warmer fluid passes through the heat pump - requiring less natural gas or electricity use by the heat pump to raise temperatures to the desired level. Spent fluid is recycled back into the ground to be heated up again. The same is true in the summer, except in reverse to provide cooling.
The above graphic shows two alternative closed loop systems - (1) a shallow system spread out across reasonable large spaces and (2) a deep system designed to minimize the land footprint area required, but requiring much deeper depths. Both work very well depending on your homesite footprint area available.
I have learned a lot about the realities of geothermal from a contractor in Seattle who specializes in "green building" - David Delfiner aka Lisa's Parson's husband. For those not aware, Lisa is executive director of the Middle Green River Coalition and she has contributed enormously to the open space areas we now have available to us in the Green River Gorge and watershed. David reports very satisfied customers, because it's so simple. Makes sense to me.
Looking at the economics, I'm not sure that we can make this pencil for us at this time. We have more than enough land to make it work but the total installed cost of about $14,000 seems hard to get a reasonble payback on. According to one supplier, we would save about $950 per year from our investment. The only problem for us is that this includes savings in air conditioning costs during the summer - and we just don't air condition today. As it turns out, we have another geothermal resource called a basement. If it gets too hot upstairs, just go sleep in the basement and all is well.
I will say this. If we were building a new home - there is no question that geothermal heat pumps would be part of our design.
In yesterday's post I focused on one of my pet technologies - geothermal energy. However, despite the long term sustainability of this technology, the initial capital cost to tap into warm water sources of direct geothermal energy can often be too expensive with too few suitable sites to make a big impact. Now, consider geothermal heat pumps, a technology that we can use at our homes without the need for a "hot springs" nearby. The basics.
If we dig down about 10 feet, we will find temperatures in the soils typically ranging from 50 - 54 degrees F - and very stable through all seasons. Heat can be extracted from about any source no matter how cold, even in Minnesota and Michigan. A ground source heat pump uses the shallow ground or ground water as a source of heat, thus taking advantage of its seasonally mild temperatures. For example, let's say that it's 40 degrees F outside. To heat our home, we need to raise the temperature to say 70 degrees to be comfortable. And we typically rely on either electricity or natural gas to make up this difference - heating from 40 up to 70. However, if we have an in ground source of energy that is already at 54 degrees with a heat exchanger, then we need only rely on electricity or natural gas to get us from 55 to 70 - a considerable savings in energy expended to heat our home.
Similarly, in the summer, if the outdoor ambient temperature is, say, 80 degrees F but we want our home to be air conditioned and maintain in home temperatures in the 70 to 75 degree range, then we can draw on the lower temperatures in the ground, with a heat exchanger, to do much of the work of reducing in home temperatures. And this is what geothermal heat pumps do - reduce both our home heating and air conditioning expense. Following is a graphic of "closed loop" geothermal heat pump systems typically used in the Pacific Northwest:
Note both the supply and return lines. Geothermal pipe is installed in the gound in a closed loop system. In the winter when heating is needed, a carrier fluid (typically a water/antifreeze mix) is circulated through pipes located in the ground. As the fluid circulates underground, it absorbs heat from the ground and on its return the now warmer fluid passes through the heat pump - requiring less natural gas or electricity use by the heat pump to raise temperatures to the desired level. Spent fluid is recycled back into the ground to be heated up again. The same is true in the summer, except in reverse to provide cooling.
The above graphic shows two alternative closed loop systems - (1) a shallow system spread out across reasonable large spaces and (2) a deep system designed to minimize the land footprint area required, but requiring much deeper depths. Both work very well depending on your homesite footprint area available.
I have learned a lot about the realities of geothermal from a contractor in Seattle who specializes in "green building" - David Delfiner aka Lisa's Parson's husband. For those not aware, Lisa is executive director of the Middle Green River Coalition and she has contributed enormously to the open space areas we now have available to us in the Green River Gorge and watershed. David reports very satisfied customers, because it's so simple. Makes sense to me.
Looking at the economics, I'm not sure that we can make this pencil for us at this time. We have more than enough land to make it work but the total installed cost of about $14,000 seems hard to get a reasonble payback on. According to one supplier, we would save about $950 per year from our investment. The only problem for us is that this includes savings in air conditioning costs during the summer - and we just don't air condition today. As it turns out, we have another geothermal resource called a basement. If it gets too hot upstairs, just go sleep in the basement and all is well.
I will say this. If we were building a new home - there is no question that geothermal heat pumps would be part of our design.
RWE's first 48 wind turbine offshore vessel for wind energy
The ship will take the transport of 48 wind turbines of the six-megawatt class. Full completion of the “Nordsee Ost” wind farm is planned for 2013. The wind power plant of 295 MW will supply 295,000 homes in Germany.
The first of two offshore installation vessels owned by RWE was officially launched after only seven months of construction. The works are thus already a month ahead of the original time schedule. The final large-scale components, the main crane and the jack-up legs, will be installed over the next few weeks. First tests, the so-called sea trials, are scheduled for July and August. On completion in autumn, the installation vessel will be the first of its kind worldwide than can transport up to four offshore wind turbines of the multi-megawatt class at the same time and erect them in water depths of more than 40 metres.
RWE Innogy had already placed the order for construction of two identical offshore installation ships with the Korean shipyard at the end of last year. The contract value for each of these socalled “Jack-up Platforms” is around EUR 100 million. Completion of the first platform is planned for autumn of 2011. From then on, the installation ship will be operated from its home port of Bremerhaven in the construction of the “Nordsee Ost” wind farm and begin placing the first foundations in the German Bight. The installation ship will set sail with two jacket foundations every week. Later it will take over the transport and installation of a total of 48 wind turbines of the six-megawatt class. Full completion of the “Nordsee Ost” wind farm is planned for 2013. From then on, the wind power plant with installed power of 295 megawatts will supply the equivalent of 295,000 homes in Germany with electricity every year.
Besides the “Nordsee Ost” wind farm, RWE Innogy is developing the offshore wind farm “Innogy Nordsee 1” in German territorial waters. At around 960 megawatts (MW) of installed power, this will be the biggest offshore wind farm planned off the German coast. It will be built in an area of 150 square kilometres some 40 kilometres to the north of the North Sea island of Juist.
Off the north coast of Wales, RWE Innogy is already operating the offshore wind farms North Hoyle (60 MW) and Rhyl Flats (90 MW). The decision was recently taken to build a third wind power plant off the coat of Wales, Gwynt y Môr (576 MW). The second, identical, installation ship will be used to build that farm. In addition, the company presently has a 50 percent stake in the construction of the 504 MW wind farm Greater Gabbard off the southeast coast of England. Alone or with partners, RWE Innogy is presently developing further major projects in the UK, such as Triton Knoll (1,200 MW), Atlantic Array (1,500 MW), Galloper (500 MW) and Dogger Bank (around 9,000 MW). In Belgium, the company is also involved in the Thornton Bank wind farm, which in its first stage (30 MW) is already in commercial operation, and is also developing the offshore wind power project Tromp Binnen (300 MW) in the Netherlands.
Friday, 1 April 2011
The Windy Boy 3000W is the perfect solution for the smallest wind energy systems with low generator voltage
The Windy Boy 3000W is the perfect solution for the smallest wind energy systems with low generator voltage: turbines with a nominal voltage of 24 or 48 V can be connected without an additional voltage converter.
The programmable polynomial curve gives you full flexibility for choosing the turbine, while its
weatherproof enclosure and the wide temperature range allow for installation at nearly any location. As an inverter for wind energy systems, the Windy Boy is optimally adjusted to fast and frequent load changes. Its minimum internal consumption during a calm also increases the yield, which you can monitor at any time using the display and different communication interfaces.
The inverters can be located as close to the wind turbine as desired (even on the tower, IP65 protection), eliminating long DC wire runs. Connection to the mains is via the house consumer unit. Inverters automatically shut down in the event of: High/Low grid AC voltage; High/Low grid frequency; Grid failure; or Inverter malfunction. An additional wind turbine controller is required. It is most important that the DC input voltage to the Windy Boy never rises above the maximum permitted even if the Windy Boy shuts down eg. During a power cut.
Operating state monitoring and data acquisition are carried out within the Windy Boy inverter. Wind turbine voltage; mains voltage & frequency; input current & power; operating hours and generated kWh energy are measured. Inverters include displays to show essential information or all values can be accessed centrally via a PC or a Sunny Boy Control unit using a choice of communication methods
Versions of Sunny Boy inverters designed to be used with wind turbines. "Turbine mode" allows the inverter to follow the wind turbine power curve. Units can be linked in parallel allowing operation with a wide variety of wind turbines and to give maximum efficiency.
Key Product:
Max DC Input Power: 3200W
Max DC Voltage: 600V - Max Input Current: 12A
Max AC Power: 3000W
Dimensions: 434 x 295 x 214mm
Weight: 32kg
Fully tested and compliant with UK G83 grid connection regulations.
The programmable polynomial curve gives you full flexibility for choosing the turbine, while its
weatherproof enclosure and the wide temperature range allow for installation at nearly any location. As an inverter for wind energy systems, the Windy Boy is optimally adjusted to fast and frequent load changes. Its minimum internal consumption during a calm also increases the yield, which you can monitor at any time using the display and different communication interfaces.
The inverters can be located as close to the wind turbine as desired (even on the tower, IP65 protection), eliminating long DC wire runs. Connection to the mains is via the house consumer unit. Inverters automatically shut down in the event of: High/Low grid AC voltage; High/Low grid frequency; Grid failure; or Inverter malfunction. An additional wind turbine controller is required. It is most important that the DC input voltage to the Windy Boy never rises above the maximum permitted even if the Windy Boy shuts down eg. During a power cut.
Operating state monitoring and data acquisition are carried out within the Windy Boy inverter. Wind turbine voltage; mains voltage & frequency; input current & power; operating hours and generated kWh energy are measured. Inverters include displays to show essential information or all values can be accessed centrally via a PC or a Sunny Boy Control unit using a choice of communication methods
Versions of Sunny Boy inverters designed to be used with wind turbines. "Turbine mode" allows the inverter to follow the wind turbine power curve. Units can be linked in parallel allowing operation with a wide variety of wind turbines and to give maximum efficiency.
Key Product:
Max DC Input Power: 3200W
Max DC Voltage: 600V - Max Input Current: 12A
Max AC Power: 3000W
Dimensions: 434 x 295 x 214mm
Weight: 32kg
Fully tested and compliant with UK G83 grid connection regulations.
Pramac WT1KW Vertical Axis Wind Turbine 240V
See the full Spec at www.orionairsales.com
Pramac WT1KW Vertical Axis Wind Turbine 240V
As seen at EcoBuild 2011
A completey innovative design that utilizes perminant magnet technology. The unit is of light weight and reduced size for superior performance. The wind generator has been designed in compliance with IEC 61400-2, class IV and produces 240V.
The values indicated below refer to the following conditions:
Temperature: -20/+50°C
Humidity: <95%
Air density: 1.225 kg/m3
Solar radiation: 1000 W/m2
key product Features:
Rotor
Darrieus rotor type
3-blades
Power output at wind speed 10 m/s
410W
Power output at wind speed 14 m/s
1000W
Cut-in wind speed
3 m/s
Cut-off wind speed
15 m/s
Diameter x height
1,45 m x 1,45 m
Sweep area
2,10 m2
Rotor weight (alternator included)
65 Kg
Braking system
passive
Max revolution speed
415 rpm
Acoustic pression LpA from 4 mt
52 dB(A)
Acoustic power LWA
72 dB(A)
Alternator
Type
Permanent magnets
Phase number
3
Poles number
32
Nominal power
1 kW @ 14 m/s
Nominal voltage
240 Vac @ 14 m/s
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