Into the Sea
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THE EUROPEAN WIND INDUSTRY MAGAZINE December 2011 Volume 30/No 5 INTERVIEW CONNIECONNIE HHEDEGAARD EU Climate Commissioner Into the sea INTERVIEW MAXIME VERHAGENRHAGEN Dutch Energy Minister | contents | THE EUROPEAN WIND INDUSTRY MAGAZINE December 2011 Volume 30/No 5 letter from the editor 5 The potential off our shores wind news 7 brussels briefi ng 8 mini focus 10 The online revolution: social media and wind energy interview 14 Maxime Verhagen, Dutch Minister for Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation opinion 16 Meet Wind Directions’ new columnist climate change 18 Analysing EWEA’s new report interview 22 Connie Hedegaard, EU Climate Action Commissioner wind worker 25 Carolina Garcia Barquero, Operations Director, Vestas Juan Ruiz-Jarabo, Managing Director, Enercon country focus 28 A closer look at the Netherlands... focus 30 The industry that’s becoming a giant focus - interview 37 Henrik Stiesdal, Chief Technology Offi cer, Siemens Wind Power focus – substructures 38 Beneath the surface renewable world 43 Bringing wind power to some of Africa’s poorest technology corner 48 Blade maintenance: keeping the elements at bay EWEA’s new campaign 51 Wind Directions is published fi ve times a year. The contents do not necessarily refl ect the views and policy of EWEA. EWEA news 53 Publisher: Christian Kjaer EWEA welcomes new members 54 Editor: Sarah Azau Writers: Sarah Azau, Chris Rose, Zoë Casey the last word 58 Design & production: www.inextremis.be Neil Jeffery, CEO of Renewable World Cover photo: Stiftung OffshoreWindEnergie Additional design and photographic input: Jesus Quesada SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE WIND DIRECTIONS | December 2011 3 17% YIELD N117/2400: THE LOW-WIND SPECIALIST The latest turbine in the Nordex Effi ciency Class repre - sents a whole new dimension of engineering sophistica- tion. A 117-metre rotor and minimal noise emission make it ideal for IEC 3 sites. It provides 17 per cent more yield and 20 per cent more full-load hours than any previous products in its category. That’s why we call the N117/2400: Excellence in Effi ciency. www.nordex-online.com 91_554_Nordex_AZ_N117_210x297_PowEnerSol_GB.indd 1 30.08.2011 11:17:11 Uhr | letter from the editor | By Sarah Azau Editor The potential off our shores t is always exciting when a person shows Freeing electricity Ipotential, whether it’s in sports, the arts, One of EWEA’s own priorities at OFFSHORE 2011 research, writing or any other domain. If they is to spread the word about the statement on grids get off to a good start and their potential is and the single market we have launched with cable nurtured and developed correctly, it may bear manufacturer association Europacable and electric- impressive fruit later on. ity industry body EURELECTRIC, and other organisa- This month, offshore wind energy is in the tions. In the statement, we clearly stress the need spotlight, and the word “potential” is particu- for a joined up grid and greater freedom of move- larly apt. EWEA’s new offshore report not only ment for electricity in order to increase competition, underlines the massive resource that can be improve security of supply, help deliver climate goals tapped, but also shows that it is already hap- and integrate modern energy technologies including pening. While there are about 3 GW of offshore renewables. To fi nd out more, come to see EWEA at wind energy capacity currently installed, a Hall 9, stand 9130 if you’re at OFFSHORE 2011, or further 141 GW of projects are being planned check out www.freedomforelectricity.eu. in European waters. If all these projects come online, offshore wind energy could provide up The right climate to 14% of Europe’s electricity. However certain Another major event taking place this month is the things have to take place to ensure this hap- latest UN summit on climate change, running from pens. Chris Rose has an in-depth look at the 28 November - 9 December in Durban, South Africa. sector starting on p. 30, and on p. 38 I analyse Although the prospects for a major agreement ap- one of the chapters of the report on offshore pear to be slim to none, it is to be hoped that the wind turbine substructures. EU will continue to work towards its climate targets The fi rst people to get a copy of this new and even possibly raise the current 20% emissions EWEA report were the thousands who de- reduction goal by 2020 to a 30% target. EU Climate scended on Amsterdam on 29 November to do Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard discusses business and discover the latest trends and this and other matters on p. 22, and on p. 18 Chris technologies at EWEA’s OFFSHORE 2011 event. Rose presents the fi ndings of EWEA’s new climate There is more on our upcoming events – includ- change report. ing details of the EWEA 2012 call for abstracts, Finally, business people around the world expe- which is now open – on p. 53. rienced moments of shock and dismay in October As usual at the event, EWEA will donate a when the Blackberry server went down for days at a sum of money – representing around €1 per time. We live in an age of instant email access and, participant – to its chosen charity, Renewable more than ever, of social media tools that allow us World. This time, the money will go to a small to interact online whenever and wherever we want. wind project in Mozambique. Jason Morenikeji More and more renewable energy companies are from Renewable World’s partner organisation writing their own blogs or posting on their Facebook TCEI, describes on p.42 the difference it makes accounts. What does this mean for the business? to a rural village community to get its fi rst EWEA’s own blog editor (www.ewea.org/blog), Zoë electric light. Casey, takes a look on p. 10. ■ WIND DIRECTIONS | December 2011 5 Gamesa G9X-2.0 MW the most versatile platform in the market Ţ G97, G94, G90, G87, G80 for all sites and wind conditions Ţ New aerodynamic blade design for maximise output and minimise noise emissions GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY EVERLASTING ENERGY www.gamesacorp.com | wind news | CHILE A new rotor blade factory Country’s largest wind farm in will create hundreds of construction new jobs in Germany Vestas has started building a 100 MW wind farm in northern Chile, the Talinay Oriente (‘Talinay East’) wind farm. This project, which will be constructed with the Vestas 2 MW platform, will at its completion be the largest wind power plant in Chile. More information: www.vestas.com ECUADOR Largest smart grid project in Latin America Households across Ecuador are poised Photo: Enercon to see improvements in the reliability still untapped offshore potential and UK of their electric service thanks to a analyses the fi nancing and employment Japanese company becomes co- smart meter infrastructure by GE Energy. situation, amongst other topics. ‘Wind owner of Gunfl eet Sands offshore Some 25,000 meters will be installed in Industry in Germany’ is free to order. wind farm Ecuador by Electrica de Guayaquil (EDG). More information on the reports and to place Danish DONG Energy has entered This is the second phase of a complete an order: www.wind-energy-market.com/en/ into an agreement with the Japanese overhaul of the country’s meters, which bwe-marktuebersichten Marubeni Corporation whereby the will eventually replace nearly 200,000 Japanese company has acquired a meters. New rotor blade factory for 49.9% stake in the 172 MW Gunfl eet GE’s meter solution will enable re- Emsland Sands wind farm off the UK coast. This mote connect and disconnect of custom- Construction work has begun on is the fi rst time a Japanese company ers, the collection of usage information ENERCON’s new rotor blade factory has invested in an offshore wind power for effi ciency planning and future en- in Germany’s north-western region of project. hancements such as demand response Emsland. The completion of the factory, Marubeni will pay DONG Energy around control and pre-payment. which will cover about 24,000 square £200 million (€229 mn) for the 49.9% More information: www.ge-energy.com metres is scheduled for June 2012 when stake in Gunfl eet Sands, which pro- the plant will begin series manufacturing. duces enough power for the equivalent of GERMANY The new production site will manufacture 125,000 households. Insight into the German wind rotor blade sets for the company’s wind More information: www.dongenergy.com energy sector energy converters. German wind energy association BWE ENERCON is also setting up wind Scotland to get 450 MW offshore has recently released two major new energy converter factories in Haren and wind farm reports. ‘Wind Energy Market 2011’ Aurich in order to satisfy demand. The Renewable energy developer focuses on the German and international new rotor blade factory in Haren will cre- Mainstream Renewable Power has markets and on wind turbine technology ate several hundred new jobs by the end signed an Agreement for Lease (AFL) and service. It also includes, for the fi rst of 2012. with UK body The Crown Estate for its time, an overview of the latest legal de- More information: www.enercon.de 450MW Neart na Gaoithe project in velopments in Germany that could affect Scottish territorial waters. Located in wind energy projects, examines market 400 MW offshore wind farm in the Outer Forth Estuary, the wind farm trends such as 3 MW being the new Baltic Sea will deliver 3.7% of Scotland’s electricity onshore standard, and presents over 70 The Spanish company Iberdrola has demand when fully operational.