German industry giant Siemens has secured a wind turbine delivery order from Apex Clean Energy for the Grant Wind project in Oklahoma, US.

Located in Grant County, the renewable project will feature 66 Siemens SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines.
Each of the turbines to be installed at the facility will have a power rating of 2.3MW, and feature 53m blades, Siemens has said.

Once operational, the firm will be able to meet the energy requirements of around 50,000 average US households.
The firm will also offer remote monitoring and diagnostic services for the turbines in order to boost their performance throughout their operational life, as well as for the project.

Under the terms of the contract, Siemens will also supply a main step up transformer for the project and offer long term service and maintenance for the turbines.

Turbine installation for the facility has been scheduled to start in October this year, while commissioning of the power plant is expected in the spring of 2016.

The order follows another contract awarded to the German company earlier in the year to deliver turbines, service and financing for Apex Clean Energy’s Kay wind project in Kay County, Oklahoma.

Siemens wind power and renewables division onshore CEO Thomas Richterich said: “With this second order in one year, Apex Clean Energy continues our successful collaboration.

“We are proud to meet the customers demand with our full spectrum of resources, including equipment, service and financing.”
Once operational, the 299MW Kay wind project is expected to meet the electricity demands of 100,000 average US homes annually.

Danish power equipment manufacturer Vestas has won two orders for the delivery of wind turbines, with one in the US for 75 turbines, and other in Finland for 27.

The firm will be delivering 75 of its 2MW turbines under a firm and unconditional order for a US company, whose name has not been disclosed.

Under the scope of the contract, Vestas will be responsible for the supply and commissioning of the wind turbines.
The firm has also signed a five-year customised active output management service agreement for the US project.
Vestas is expected to deliver the ordered equipment in the third quarter of 2016, and for the turbines to be operational by the end of the year.

This order raises the firm’s total announced order intake this year to 5,899MW.
The firm has also won a 93MW order from Finland-based TuuliWatti, to deliver 27 V126-3.45MW turbines for the Simo III project in the province of Lapland.

Besides delivery, Vestas will be responsible for installation of the turbines, and ten years active output management at the facility, which is claimed to be the largest wind power generation plant in Finland.

The Danish giant is likely to start delivery of the turbines in 2016, with commissioning scheduled for 2016 and 2017.

V126-3.45MW turbines model from Vestas have been specially designed for low-wind sites. More than 500MW worth of the turbine variant has been ordered in Finland alone, the company has said.

Vestas Northern Europe president Klaus Steen Mortensen said: “With this project, we build on our strong collaboration with TuuliWatti Oy from previous record projects, like the 73MW Kalajoki wind farm, which was Finland’s very first large-scale wind power plant at the time of order.”

European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete, attended the first ever G20 Energy Ministerial meeting in Istanbul, Turkey on 2 October. It took place back to back with the G20 Conference on Energy Access in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Group of 20 (G20) Energy Ministerial meeting centred on access to sustainable energy for all, energy efficiency, investments in energy and renewable energy. Ministers adopted a ‘toolkit’ of options for a long-term and sustainable approach for a faster roll-out of renewable energy.

“The EU has built global leadership in renewable energy. Today, renewables generate around 23.5% of the EU’s power, and this is expected to rise to 50% by 2030. Yet, we should all aim higher and do all we can to encourage a boost in investments in renewables. Oil prices are low while the cost of renewables is falling dramatically so now is the moment to invest in renewables as a major tool in the fight against climate change,” Arias Cañete said.

G20 countries – which include 20 of the world’s major economies – account for 80% of current renewable electricity capacity in the world, and hold 75% of the total global potential for renewables, making them key players in mitigating climate change. Ministers at the meeting said they strongly support the work of the United Nations on climate change, and said they will work together to contribute to a successful outcome of the UN climate summit in Paris later this year.

Ministers also discussed the implementation of the energy efficiency action plan which was agreed at the G20 summit in November 2014. Under the action plan, G20 countries share knowledge on energy efficiency in a number of areas including vehicles, products and buildings. “The benefits of international collaboration in energy efficiency are immense. By sharing our experiences we can speed-up progress towards greater energy efficiency. The EU has an energy efficiency target of at least 27% by 2030 – a target which will be reviewed in 2020 with a 30% target in mind. Today, our policies will only reduce energy consumption by 21% in 2030, we are therefore taking action to bridge this gap,” Arias Cañete said.

Integrated energy giant Dong Energy has teamed up with other Danish companies Novozymes, Novo Nordisk and Bigadan to investigate the possibility of creating biogas from biomass.

The firms intend to proceed with biogas production processes if a one-year pre-investigation supports the preliminary analyses.

Pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk and biotechnology firm Novozymes have factories in Kalundborg on Denmark’s Zealand island.

These enzymes and insulin production centres generate biomass as a by-product, which is either used as field fertiliser or by Novo Nordisk to create biogas at installations around the island.

Bigadan and Dong Energy have been chosen as partners for the study, with the aims of exploring the potential of using the biomass from the facilities for biogas production.

“This doesn’t just make sense for the environment, but also financially for our production.”
Novozymes EMA operations director Gerrit Liebgen and Novo Nordisk senior vice-president Michael Hallgren said: “It’s an exciting project which will look at whether it’s a good idea to use our production here in Kalundborg as a source of biomass for large-scale biogas production.

“It would mean that the biomass will both be used as a fertiliser, and for green energy. This doesn’t just make sense for the environment, but also financially for our production.”

Detailed analyses of the potential biogas generation are being carried out.

The firms intend to set-up a new production facility for the project, which will require relevant authority approvals.

Once approved, Bigadan and Dong Energy will develop and own the biogas plant, currently planned to sit near the Asnæs power station.

Apart from the Kalundborg facilities, Novo Nordisk and Novozymes will also deliver biomass for the proposed plant from their facility at Fuglebakken, Copenhagen.

France-based Alstom and German utility RheinEnergi have synchronised the 453MW Niehl 3 power plant in Cologne with the German electricity grid.

The facility, which generates both heat and power from natural gas, is based on Alstom’s KA26 combined-cycle plant design, which brings operational flexibility as well as high-efficiency and district heating capabilities.
The combined-cycle heat and power plant (CHP) plant has been designed to secure the base load power in the country, and is a part of its energy transformation framework.

With 453MW of power capacity and 265MW of thermal heating output, the facility can meet the electricity needs of up to one million households and provide around 30,000 households with district heating.
Commercial operation of the power plant, claimed to have around 85% fuel efficiency, is expected to start early next year.

“When the wind does not blow and the sun does not shine, the plant’s high operational flexibility ensures…the security of electricity supply.”

RheinEnergie board chairman Dr Dieter Steinkamp said: “With our new power plant, we are investing in the creation of a future-proof infrastructure, which will secure the heat supply of thousands of households locally and completely emission-free.

“Furthermore, Niehl 3 makes a significant contribution to the energy transition. When the wind does not blow and the sun does not shine, the plant’s high operational flexibility ensures we can contribute to the security of electricity supply.”

Alstom Germany president Alf Henryk Wulf said: “Alstom’s KA26 combined-cycle power plant is a highly environmentally friendly power solution that provides RheinEnergie with unrivalled flexibility.
“With short start-up times and fast load changing capabilities, the plant is perfectly equipped to balance out fluctuations in the electricity grid, which arise from the volatile feed-in of renewable energy.”
Alstom and RheinEnergie signed the agreement to develop the facility in December 2012.

Wave energy developer Marine Power Systems is the first company to benefit from new Welsh government innovation funding of almost £225 000.

The money is part of a £115 million package announced last week to boost innovation in Wales, and create new products and jobs.

Marine Power Systems, which is based in Swansea, was formed to develop the WaveSub, a device that captures the energy potential of ocean waves.

The funding will go to develop the WaveSub technology and produce a prototype.

The prototype will be tested in Milford Haven and the results will inform the development of a full-scale version of the device.

Economy Minister Edwina Hart said: “I’m pleased to announce Marine Power Systems as one of the first beneficiaries of our new innovation funding.

This support has allowed them to create a prototype, which is critical to mitigating risks and allowing the further development of the product, which ultimately allows the company to move on to commercial sales.
“Wave energy has a huge potential as a source of renewable energy and I’m encouraged that one of our first projects is supporting advancement in this field.”

Marine Power Systems managing director Gareth Stockman said: “The Welsh Government has played an integral role in supporting the development of Marine Power Systems’ WaveSub device and we are very grateful to be one of the first companies identified to receive this innovation funding.”

Electricity markets are changing. Across Europe they will have to adapt to deliver increasing amounts of electricity from renewable sources, new interconnections across Europe and beyond are needed, and they must ensure a secure, affordable and sustainable electricity supply for all of Europe’s electricity consumers.

Electricity markets of the future is the hot topic of a high-level conference taking place in Florence next week. On Thursday 8 October, decision-makers, businesses and associations alike will tackle questions including how energy markets can become even more flexible, and how they can be properly integrated across Europe.

Meanwhile, the European Commission is seeking your views on electricity market design. In a public consultation which remains open until 8 October, you can give your feedback.

Ségolène Royal, the French Minister for Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy, has confirmed her participation in OEE2015 in Dublin.

Minister Royal joins four other European ministers and an EU Commissioner already confirmed for the high level session at the conference. In a keynote speech on Tuesday 20 October, she will outline what the French government is doing to support renewables and share her vision for ocean energy development in France.

Minister Royal has recently taken the lead on supporting renewable energy in France via the ‘green growth’ energy transition law, which sets ambitious goals on the national level and aims to promote new renewable technologies whilst reducing nuclear production. She will also play a pivotal role in the forthcoming global climate negotiations, COP 21, taking place in Paris in November.

With a strong tradition of maritime engineering and world-class resource both on the mainland and overseas, France has emerged as a global leader in ocean energy in recent years. French industrialists such as Alstom and DCNS are at the forefront of technology development, while EDF and Engie are the driving force behind ground-breaking projects in West Normandy. France also benefits from a strong network of research institutes who are active in the field. The French government has been strongly supportive of this progress, through ADEME’s ‘Investment in the Future’ programme.

ScottishPower Renewables has started construction of the 239MW Kilgallioch wind farm in South Ayrshire, Scotland.

Estimated to require an investment of around £300m, the wind farm is expected to meet the energy requirements of around 130,000 households annually.

Construction is underway for development of 55km of tracks at the site, while 14km of existing forest track will be upgraded to connect the turbines at the farm.

Kilgallioch wind farm will be equipped with 96 Gamesa-manufactured turbines, and is expected to be fully operational within the initial half of 2017.

“Tens of millions of pounds will go towards supporting community projects in the vicinity of the wind farm.”

ScottishPower Renewables construction director Stuart Mason said: “Kilgallioch is a major renewable energy development and a significant construction project.

“As well as making an important contribution to Scotland’s carbon reduction targets, tens of millions of pounds will go towards supporting community projects in the vicinity of the wind farm.

“This will be ScottishPower Renewables’ second largest windfarm, and the third largest overall in the UK.

The firm currently maintains more than 1.5GW of installed onshore wind capacity in the UK, and aims to raise this to 2GW.

Kilgallioch project is located between the boundaries of South Ayrshire, and Dumfries and Galloway Council, covering an area of 32km².

Gamesa expects to start turbine deliveries in February 2016, with first power production scheduled from November 2016.

Spanish company Abengoa has signed a €614m deal to sell 450MW of concentrating solar power (CSP) assets to its renewable yieldco vehicle company Abengoa Yield.

Board of directors of both the firms have approved the acquisition which represents the third asset package deal between Abengoa and Abengoa Yield.

However, closing of the deal is subject to customary approvals.

Abengoa will be entitled to a 51% capital increase that Abengoa Yield has priced to finance this acquisition.

The assets comprise of the Helios 1 and 2 solar complex, totalling 100MW of generation capacity and Solnova 1, 3 and 4 solar firms having a combined generation capacity of 150MW.

Another 70% stake has also been acquired in Helioenergy 1 & 2 solar complex (100 MW), in which Abengoa Yield already owns a 30 % stake.

The Helios, Solnova and Helioenergy complexes are in Spain.

The fourth asset includes a 51% share for the 100MW Kaxu solar plant, which is located in the Kalahari desert in South Africa.

Provision for a call option agreement to purchase up to $100m in concessional assets at a 12% yield will be included in the transaction. The deal in this regard was signed between the two firms in December 2014.

Abengoa Yield expects the new acquisition to generate incremental run rate cash, which will be available for yearly distribution of around $63m before debt service associated with acquisition financing.

Abengoa Yield had formed an exclusive partnership with Abengoa according to which the former gets right of first offer on any proposed sale, transfer or other disposition in the latter’s contracted renewable energy, conventional power, electric transmission or water assets.

The firms mainly deal with renewable assets in the US, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia and the European Union.

Spain-based Abengoa is a developer for sustainable and innovative technology solutions for the energy and environment sectors.

As well as promoting power generation from renewable resources, the firm is also involved in converting biomass to biofuels and producing potable water from sea water.

Power-Technology