15 Honda transmission plant powered in part by wind 17 EWEA event focuses on long-term strategy, education, & networking DIRECTION Policy • Advocacy • Business • Finance • Legal • Environment • International Industry at Large Another holiday rush for the industry...only different A late-year push is nothing new to As previously mentioned, the the wind energy industry—in fact, industry has had to deal with companies are used to it. Through such late extensions before. But the years, the federal Production things were different this time. Tax Credit (PTC), wind’s primary Wind energy had grown into a policy driver, has typically been $25 billion industry, and the tur- extended in one- and two-year bine supply chain infrastructure increments, and the extension had planted roots here, creating often hasn’t come until the 11th an overall industry workforce of hour or even after a December 31 around 80,000. So as a result of expiration has passed. the huge policy question mark, That sort of history has meant the entire supply chain and plenty of long days for construc- development pipeline virtually tion crews around the time of the grinded to a halt, and so it took winter solstice, and the flipping months for the now-sizable By Carl Levesque of switches on newly christened industry to ramp back up again American Wind Energy Association projects even on New Year’s Eve. in 2013. A one-year extension re- Historically, of course, to qualify quiring that projects be complet- Vestas finishes strong for the PTC, projects had to be ed by the end of 2013, therefore, Vestas kicked off the holiday week online by the deadline. would have had little impact on of Dec. 23 with the announcement In a sense, the final stretch of an entire industry that needed to that it received a 150-MW order 2013—we’ll call it wind’s holiday start up again from a stationary from First Wind for multiple U.S. season—was no different. Project position. projects. That’s a solid order, but activity was hot, and announce- If you want to get a glimpse of it gets better: The company could ments were plentiful. Yet, while what’s happening in the indus- ultimately supply First Wind the industry turned a little frenetic try, look no further than the with up to 568 MW of additional at the end of the year, the nature turbine manufacturers, which in turbines for multiple projects, the of the activity was quite different a sense represent the heart of the turbine manufacturer said. As from the usual holiday rush. Rath- business. Sure enough, original part of the master supply agree- er than reports streaming in about equipment manufacturers (OEMs) ment, Vestas will supply 75 V110- new projects going online, this were announcing turbine orders 2.0 MW turbines to the 150 MW year’s holiday news was filled with at year’s end that will keep them Route 66 project near Amarillo, construction starts, turbine orders, and developers busy not only in Texas. Deliveries are expected to and power purchase agreements. 2014 but into 2015 as well. That’s occur for Route 66 in early 2015 The reason: the all-important the power of the start-construc- with commissioning in mid-2015. tweak to the most recent PTC tion language in the latest PTC The next day, on Dec. 24, Vestas extension, which required that extension. announced an order that it said projects start construction, rather Following are just a few news made 2013 its second-best year than be completed, by the end of items highlighting the activity ever for the region. The compa- 2013. The new start-construc- as most industries were quieting ny received a 110-MW order for tion language was crucial for the down and having holiday par- 55 V100-2.0 MW wind turbines industry during 2013 and beyond ties. The items are by no means for a new project in the U.S. That because the latest extension did comprehensive both in terms order put Vestas over the 1,700- not come until Jan. 1 of last year. of the manufacturers that made MW threshold for the year in the As a result, the industry operated announcements or orders placed, North American market (includ- for months during 2012 with the but they provide a sense of the ing Canada)—second only to the uncertainty of a scheduled Dec. 31 activity that took place at year- 1,883 MW in sales the company expiration. end. recorded in 2010. 8 FEBRUARY | 2014 DIRECTION Gamesa secures turbine biggest splash of the year. The deal blade manufacturing facility in Fort order with EDPR had already been announced, but Madison, Iowa. Leading the Dec. 16 Vestas wasn’t the only OEM to add nevertheless on Dec. 16 Siemens celebration were Iowa Gov. Terry some late-year orders to its 2013 confirmed that the 1,050-MW Branstad, Mark Albenze, CEO of books. On Dec. 26, Gamesa said it wind turbine order it recently re- wind power Americas for Siemens has signed a framework agreement ceived from MidAmerican Energy Energy Inc., and AWEA CEO Tom with EDP Renovaveis (EDPR) for the Company is the largest land-based Kiernan. supply of up to 450 MW for EDPR wind turbine order in the world. As with the other orders men- U.S. projects that could go into 2016. The news was announced at a tioned above, the order will keep Under terms of the agreement, the commemoration event at Siemens’ Siemens busy for some time. OEM will supply up to 225 of Gamesa G114-2.0 MW wind turbines. The agreement represents the largest (202) 383-2500 AmericanWindEnergyAssociation contract for Gamesa’s G114-2.0 MW www.awea.org @AWEA turbines to date. [email protected] www.aweablog.org Siemens celebrates record american-wind-energy-association Perhaps Siemens Energy made the Other North American Turbine Orders International Orders Tri Global Energy selects Acciona receives 102 MW Vestas signs two orders for Alstom for Texas project order for Nova Scotia Powerica projects in India On December 30, Alstom project Vestas has secured two orders in India from Power, Inc. and Tri Global En- Acciona has signed a contract Powerica Ltd., totalling 51.8 MW. Both orders ergy, LLC entered into a tur- to supply 34 turbines for a 102 include delivery, installation, and commis- bine supply agreement under MW wind farm in Nova Sco- sioning of 25 V100-2.0 MW and one V100-1.8 which Alstom will supply four tia. It will carry out the con- MW turbines. The orders will supply wind ECO110 and 25 ECO122 wind struction, internal electrical turbines for Powerica’s Jangi and Charbara turbines and provide 10 years infrastructures and assembly projects, both of which are located in Gujarat. of service and maintenance and will also undertake the Commissioning is expected in July for 21.8 for the 80 MW Fiber Winds operation and maintenance of MW and in March 2015 for 30 MW. Energy project near Loren- the facility. zo and Ralls, Texas. This The South Canoe wind Vestas receives 36 MW order agreement, achieved prior to farm—which will be the larg- from juwi Wind for german proj- December 31, 2013 secures a est in the province—has been ects “safe harbor” position on the developed by three local com- Vestas will supply German wind developer Production Tax Credit (PTC) panies: Oxford Frozen Foods, juwi Wind with 12 turbines totaling 36 MW for Fiber Winds Energy. Minas Basin Pulp and Power, for three different projects in Germany. The Following a financial and the utility company contract comprises supply, installation and closing, construction of the Nova Scotia Power, to which commissioning of the turbines, along with project is expected to begin the power generated will a SCADA solution and 15-year full-scope the middle of this year, with be sold. It will incorporate service agreement. commercial operations sched- AW3000/116 turbines of Ac- Vestas and juwi signed a framework uled to commence in 2015. ciona Windpower technology, agreement for 52 turbines in 2012 and today’s Tri Global Energy recently ac- each with a capacity of 3 MW, order thus continues the positive cooperation quired 100 percent ownership hub height of 92m, and a rotor between the two partners. of Fiber Winds Energy and in- diameter of 116 metres. The 12 turbines will be deployed at three tends to be the plant operator, The facility will supply different projects in Germany in Göllheim, providing local employment electricity equivalent to the Niederhausen an der Appel and Alsenz this and services, expanding upon consumption of 32,000 homes summer. the original Tri Global Energy and will help the province of business model as a commu- Nova Scotia, on the eastern Uruguayan project chooses Vestas nity developer for local land- seaboard of Canada, to reach for 39 MW extension owners and investors. its renewable energy targets. Vengano S.A. has signed an agreement 10 FEBRUARY | 2014 for the extension of the Carape wind power plant in Uruguay using 13 Vestas V112-3.0 MW wind turbines. HEADLINES The wind turbines are scheduled to be delivered in the third quarter of this year, with commissioning set for the first quarter of 2015. POLICY & In September 2013, Fingano S.A. signed a contract for the first 50 MW order for the Carape wind power ADVOCACY plant; and now Vengano S.A., owned by the same shareholders as Fingano S.A., has signed the contract American announces board and executive for the extension of Carape wind power plant.