Renewables
Siemens secures government grant
Siemens has secured UK government grant money to develop a 6 Megawatt wind turbine for use on offshore wind farms.
The technology development cash is being confirmed by Secretary of State for Energy Chris Huhne today alongside grants to seven other firms for new energy technologies totalling £10 million designed to progress the offshore wind industry as it approaches development of Round 3 wind farms.
"Offshore wind will be very significant in the energy mix as we move to low carbon, sustainable energy supplies,” Huhne stated “The UK has a wealth of natural resource and coastlines for offshore wind. We are already world leaders in building offshore wind but we must do much, much more."
Siemens Windpower is due to receive £5 million which was applied for under a previous round of government grant funding to develop the next-generation 6 MW offshore turbine with an integrated foundation structure, which was confirmed today alongside the new cash to other firms.
Other recipients include JDR Cable Systems in Hartlepool, which is to receive £2 m for high voltage export and inter-array cables for power distribution from multi-Megawatt wind turbines, aimed at the UK's Round 3 wind farms.
Source: Offshore247
UK renewables are worth £993 Bn
By 2050 if the UK exploited three-quarters of the wind wave and tidal resources around the coast the renewable energy industry could be worth up to £993 Bn in terms of capital expenditure and generate annual revenue in the region of £164 Bn.
Also up to 145,000 new jobs could be created within offshore renewable industries for the UK the report by the Offshore Valuation Group said today.
And the figures for the potential value of the industry could be much bigger if the total natural energy resource were to be tapped, the report suggests.
Source: Offshore247
Mitsubishi hooks up with SSE
Scottish and Southern Energy has agreed to hook up with a Japanese industrial giant to work on lows carbon energy projects.
Mitsubishi - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd and Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe Ltd - has agreed to work with SSE on offshore wind power, smart electricity grids, along with carbon capture and storage plus low carbon vehicles and power generation projects.
Joint developments, venture and investments are foreseen with the new collaboration programme, building on a Centre of Excellence in Renewable Energy engineering at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow which was set up by SSE last year.
Firstly the two companies are to focus on offshore renewable energy and low carbon vehicles.
Source: Offshore247
Large interest in renewable energy
The Research Council of Norway has received 50 applications from companies and institutes that want to test research technology for renewable energy. Applicants for wind projects dominate the group.
The large number of applicants illustrate that there is great research activity within renewable energy. There are exciting projects that involve solar, wind and tidal power, says Hans Otto Haaland, coordinator for RENERGI, which is the council's program for research on renewable energy.
The council will now process the applications, and within June 10th it will decide which projects will receive research funds.
Source: Oilinfo
Think launches lithium ion version of City electric vehicle
Norwegian electric vehicle builder Think has finally launched production of the lithium-ion battery version of its City EV. The 22 kilowatt-hour battery pack is being supplied by Indiana-based Enerdel which owns an equity stake in Think. Enerdel is now in full volume production of the new battery pack which, should allow Think to ramp up vehicle production and expand into continental Europe and then the United States later this year.
The lithium ion version of the City EV has a range of about 100 miles and supports fast charging to 80 percent of capacity in 15 minutes. The Think City EV is currently being built under contract by Valmet Automotive in Finland. Valmet will also be assembling the Fisker Karma starting early next year. Think also plans to add U.S. production of the City EV sometime in 2011.
Source: Think
More renewable energy from Hydro
Norway's energy producer Hydro is planning to start work on the Holsbru hydro power project this fall. In addition, the company has delivered a concession application for two hydropower projects in Sogn.
Altogether, the three projects will increase Hydro's power production by about 300 GWh.
"We have many exciting plans for our hydropower plants in the coming years," says Ola Sæter, Hydro's head of Energy.
The goal is to increase hydropower production by up to 10 percent. The projects in Sogn are three steps in the right direction.
Source: Hydro
Aquamarine Power unveils Oyster 2 design
Wave energy developer Aquamarine Power today unveiled the design of its Oyster 2 wave energy converter which will be built in Scotland this summer.
The new 800kW device will measure 26 metres by 16 metres and will deliver 250 per cent more power than the original Oyster 1 which was successfully deployed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney last summer.
The new device incorporates design improvements on Oyster 1, enabling it to produce more energy, be simpler to install and easier to maintain.
Source: Aquamarine
Forewind goes for SeaZone
The Forewind consortium have selected UK consultancy SeaZone's digital marine mapping.
This will help the partners Scottish & Southern Energy, RWE npower Renewables, Statoil and Statkraft to locate a wind farm on Dogger Bank.
Forewind has purchased the HydroSpatial digital marine mapping, which will help Forwind when it assesses the maritime area. This stage of the project is planned to be completed in 2014.
The Dogger Bank zone is in the North Sea, located between 125 and 290 kilometres off the east coast of Yorkshire. It extends over approximately 8660 km2.
Source: Offshore247
UK's First Electric vehicle apprenticeship on offer
A COLLABORATION between a Tyneside college and a pioneering North East company has led to the launch of the country's first apprenticeship dedicated to electric vehicles.
The three-year course will see young people train at Smith Electric Vehicles, a leading manufacturer of electric vans and trucks, alongside studying at Gateshead College.
The scheme combines hands-on work experience at Smith's headquarters in Washington, with classroom-based theory work at the FE college.
The brand new, nationally-recognised course will see apprentices gaining the equivalent of three A-levels.
Geoff Allison, managing director of Smith Electric Vehicles, said: “If Britain is going to become a world leader in the production of electric vehicles, we have to start training the next workforce generation now.
"Smith Electric Vehicles has always invested in apprentices, but we are particularly proud to be leading the way in the development of the specialised skills our young people will need in the low-carbon economy."
Source: NEBusiness
Aberdeen named as Britain's top eco-city
Aberdeen has been named as Britain's top eco-city - as well as the 19th in the world - in a new survey. Business analysts Mercer looked at criteria including air quality and traffic congestion, with Calgary in Canada winning.
The company also ranks world cities for their quality of life, and Aberdeen came 53rd in the world.
The city was second only to London in UK terms, based on criteria such as crime and health care. London was the only UK city to have been ranked in a global top 50, reaching 39th spot. Vienna was ranked at the top of the list for the second year running.Glasgow came in behind Aberdeen at 57th.
Source: BBC
UK offshore renewables a billion boe equivalent each year
UK offshore wind, wave and tidal power could generate an amount of electricity equivalent to a billion barrels of oil per year, according to the first comprehensive valuation of the country's offshore energy resource, published today (May 19).
‘The Offshore Valuation' report by the Offshore Valuation Group, an informal collaboration of government and industry organisations, found that in order for the UK to become a net exporter of offshore renewable electricity it would need to exploit just under a third of its total offshore wind, wave and tidal resource by 2050.
In doing so it would create 145,000 new jobs, provide the Treasury with £28 billion in tax receipts and reduce carbon emissions relative to 1990 levels by 30%, according to the group, which includes the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments, The Crown Estate and eight companies across the energy sector.
The net value of Scotland's seas alone, calculated as reaching 68GW by 2050, is estimated at £14 billion in terms of electricity sales.
Source: Energy Focus
Govt outlines plan for offshore grid
Plans for a multimillion-pound offshore electricity grid, which could boost renewables and create thousands of jobs in the north and north-east, were outlined by the new UK Government last night. It is among 400 policy proposals nailed down in the coalition agreement signed by the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives.
The plans for the North Sea grid will cost between £3billion and £6billion, depending on its scope .
The system would potentially link windfarms on Shetland, tidal power schemes in the Pentland Firth, and offshore windfarms in the Moray Firth and down the east coast to electricity markets in central and southern England.
Source: Press and Journal
Green energy and low carbon in Queen's
Britain's Confederation of British Industry has today welcomed the Queen's Speech today which outlines the legislative programme of the new Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government which signals how major issues in the UK economy are to be tackled including energy policy.
Support for a low carbon economy is promised as part of the legislative programme to be rolled out by the new government with Secretary of State for Climate Change Christ Huhne promising the UK's new government will be the greenest ever.
Norwegian electric-car maker Think revs up funding
Think, the Norwegian electric carmaker, said Monday that it had raised an additional $40 million in funding to finance its expansion in Europe and the United States.
The new funding would allow the company, which expects to become profitable next year, to introduce a right-hand-drive version of the City to the British market in early 2011 and to expand its electric drive train manufacturing business.
Think has raised $87 million since August.
Source: LA Times
Come and get £60 million
Companies operating in the offshore wind industry supply chain have been invited to bid for £60 million of new funding which has been unveiled by the UK's Department of Energy and Climate Change to support manufacturing.
Source: Offshore247
Scanwind AS owner to build offshore wind manufacturing plant in UK
General Electric says its £100m investment in UK wind industry will create up to 2,000 clean energy jobs.
General Electric is planning to invest €340m in Europe's wind energy industry over the next 10 years.
The construction of thousands of huge offshore turbines is a key part of government plans to meet its commitments to cut greenhouse gases, as well as ensure the continuity of energy supply over the next decade as nuclear and coal-fired stations reach the end of their life.
The company said the project will form part of a €340m (£305m) investment in Europe's wind energy industry over 10 years. In addition to the UK manufacturing site, it plans to build development centres in Norway, Sweden and Germany.
Source: Guardian
Hundreds of jobs to be created in UK wind turbine plan
Hundreds of jobs will be created through a new £80m wind turbine factory, it has been announced.
The offshore wind turbine production facility could be built on the east coast or in the north east of England.
The move by German manufacturing giant Siemens was welcomed by energy secretary Ed Miliband.
The firm said 700 jobs could be created and said new turbines could be running by 2015, aimed at meeting future demand for renewable energy in the UK.
Siemens said it was considering a number of sites in the UK to meet future demand for renewable energy sources.
Source: BBC
Plans ready for "Supergrid"
Companies from Norway and nine EU member nations have presented plans for an offshore grid which will distribute electricity generated by Norwegian wind farms to Europe, the Financial Times reports.
The plans for this "Supergrid" call for generating large amounts of wind power generated electricity in the North Sea, according to the newspaper.
Source: Norway Post
North East welcomes latest offshore wind investment
- Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe signs MOU signalling intention to invest up to £100 million in UK wind turbine R&D project
- Up to 200 highly skilled jobs to be created by 2014
- Government announces further £18.5 million grant to fund offshore wind test site at Narec in Blyth
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband today signed a non binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe Ltd (MPSE). The company intends to invest up to £100 million in an offshore wind turbine project in the UK. This will create up to 200 highly skilled jobs.
The Government is working with MPSE, and is intending to provide grants of up to £30 million to support the project. This follows on from extensive work with MPSE and discussions that the company had with Lord Mandelson and Ed Miliband at the Global Investors conference hosted by the Prime Minister in London on Monday arranged by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI).
This project will be the first step towards the production of turbines for the next generation of offshore wind farms. By working closely with Mitsubishi, the UK is a strong contender to be a manufacturing base for Mitsubishi in the future, which could create up to 1,500 new jobs.
Source: One North East
Laminated wood to be used for offshore turbine blades
Steel and composites have been the favoured construction materials for offshore turbine blades. But this summer, for the first time, laminated wood components will be tested at full-scale at a tidal energy plant in Northern Norway.
The Harstad-based company Hydra Tidal will install a full-scale (1.5-MW) prototype of its tidal energy plant at Gimsøystraumen, a marine channel in Nordland County. The Morild floating power plant will be moored to the seabed and mostly submerged, with turbine wings spanning a diameter of 23 metres. However, its most unique feature is that its turbine blades are made of laminated pine.
Source: The Research Council of Norway
210 mill NOK to wind and research
Four projects based in Bergen will this week be awarded in total 201 million NOK (36 million USD) from the Norwegian Research Council.
45 million NOK will be earmarked for Christian Michelsen Research (CMR) in Bergen, who is working on developing a floating test turbine to measure and test single components in offshore wind turbines.
The equipment will lay the foundation for Norwegian technology development and industrial possibilities connected to export.
In addition to the wind power investment, six remotely controlled subsea vehicles will be supported by the research council. The vehicles will monitor the North Atlantic region, and give data for marine research, climate research and eco system research.
Source: Oilinfo
More money for offshore wind
More government money is being pumped into the UK offshore wind industry with the announcement of a new £4.8 million research and development grant plus the opening of a new training tower at an offshore development centre in the north-east.
At the same time the Offshore Wind Centre at Blyth in Northumberland saw the opening of a new training tower to help workers acquire the skills necessary for maintaining offshore wind installations.
"Research and development, and giving people the skills to build offshore wind farms will be vital to keeping the UK ahead of the world," the Minister said during a visit to the New and Renewable Energy Centre (NAREC) at Blyth.
Source: Offshore247
Norway Should Be A World Leader In Environment-Friendly Technology
Norsk Klimastiftelse, a newly established interest organisation comprising a various organisations, companies and research institutions, says that Norway should be a world leader in environment-friendly technology, but to get there requires better coordination between research, industry and the authorities.
Source: Dagbladet
Aker Clean Carbon in final stage of UK government CCS competition
The ScottishPower-led Carbon Capture and Storage Consortium, of which Aker Clean Carbon is a contracting partner, has been selected as one of the final bids in the UK Government's carbon capture and storage competition.
This announcement marks the start of a detailed 12-month design and development study of the ScottishPower-led CCS project.
Jan Roger Bjerkestrand, CEO of Aker Clean Carbon, said:"This contract takes Aker Clean Carbon's capture technology one step closer to delivering full-scale commercial CCS on a global stage. We are delighted to work with the world's leading energy companies to develop what could be the world's first full scale CCS plant."
Source: Maritime and Energy
'Milestone' for wave energy plans
Ten sites on the seabed off the north coast of Scotland have been leased out to power companies in an effort to generate wave and tidal energy.
In the first project of its kind in the world, areas in the Pentland Firth and around Orkney have been leased to seven companies by the Crown Estate.
The companies are to push forward plans to generate enough electricity to supply 750,000 homes by 2020.
Source: BBC
Government boost for low carbon sector
Business minister Ian Lucas yesterday announced £8.4m in funding for a new training centre for the region's low carbon vehicle industry.
The new centre on Wearside will train those already working in the sector, young people and adults, and students from age 14 upwards in manufacturing and maintenance for ultra low carbon vehicles.
It will give learners access to the latest technology and production methods which already play an important role in the region, with companies including Nissan, Smith Electric Vehicles and AVID Vehicles all looking to the low carbon future.
Source: One North East
Studies Show Huge Energy Potential
Studies carried out by a Norwegian economic group have pinpointed how much opportunity exists for further development of the North Sea's offshore renewable energy industry as UK moves towards a goal of 30 Gigawatts of installed capacity by 2020.
Bigger installation vessels, bigger turbines - more than 5 Megawatts - and bigger support structures will be required, as well as better installation procedures, and cheaper operations and maintenance techniques will be necessary as the North Sea becomes a major new market for offshore wind power.
Source: Offshore247
Greener homes grant scheme
Britain's government has set out a new plan to further reduce carbon emissions by introducing a grant scheme to help householders make their homes more energy efficient.
Under a "pay as you save" green financing scheme, up to seven million householders will offered grants towards green energy efficiency measures by 2020, with the aim of cutting carbon emissions in homes by 29% by 2020.
"The new strategy will help people make smarter use of energy in homes, making it easier to take action and reduce bills,” the Department of Energy and Climate Chance has stated. “Installing some technologies, such as solid wall insulation, could see energy bills cut by £380 a year."
Source: Offshore247
North East favoured for £100m wind power research unit
A major test site for offshore turbines is already planned for the North East
The north-east of England is being considered as the site for a £100m wind power research centre.
Mitsubishi said it was looking at a number of sites to carry out research into building the world's biggest turbine blades.
The government is supporting the development with grants of up to £30m.
Up to 200 skilled jobs would be created over the next few years, which Business Secretary Lord Mandelson believes could grow to 1,500.
More than £18m of government cash has also been earmarked for an existing offshore wind test site off the coast of Blyth.
Lord Mandelson and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said they had signed a deal with Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe Ltd (MPSE).
Mitsubishi Chief Executive Akio Fukui said the firm was looking at a number of locations where a factory will be built for the research to be carried out.
He said a prototype turbine would be built within three years and the first full-scale production will start after four years.
Lord Mandelson said: "Mitsubishi's investment and the creation of 200 highly skilled jobs is great news for our future plans in low carbon, high technology industries.
"I'm delighted that we are also supporting the wind test site in the North East, which further strengthens the region's position as a leader in the offshore wind farm sector."
Expansion for electric car scheme in north-east England
A scheme to provide charging points for electric vehicles across the north-east of England is to be expanded with a £2.9m government grant.
Regional development Agency One North East and car manufacturer Nissan pledged in December to provide at least 619 charging points by next year.
New funding from Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) will now see this increase to 1,300 points by 2013.
Points will be installed on streets and at supermarkets and commercial sites.
The funding is part of the Plugged-In Places scheme, which is also being run in London, and Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire.
Installation of the first phase of 40 charge points in Newcastle and Gateshead is due to be completed in the coming weeks.
Alan Clarke, chief executive of One North East, said: "We are delighted the government has chosen to support our bid and that we will help lead the national infrastructure programme.
"The roll-out of 1,300 electric vehicle charging points across our region now begins in earnest."
The agency is providing £3.8m of funding, with a further £1m coming from public and private sector partners.
Source: BBC
Work starts on Tyneside wind turbine plant
Construction work has begun on the UK's first offshore wind turbine manufacturing facility on Tyneside.
The Clipper Windpower Marine factory will produce 72m (236ft) blades, which will be among the world's largest when they are introduced in 2012.
More than 500 jobs will be created when the plant opens in the third quarter of 2010, said the US firm.
The factory is being built at the Renewable Energy Park in Walker, Newcastle.
It is being constructed on land owned by Shepherd Offshore, on the site of the former Neptune shipyard.
The blades will be used in the "Britannia Project", a 10MW offshore wind turbine prototype under development by Clipper.
Freddy Shepherd, director of Shepherd Offshore, said: "We are helping to place the River Tyne and the North East of England at the centre of this dynamic new industry, which is creating new employment for the region that will last for decades to come."
James Ramsbotham, chief executive of the North East Chamber of Commerce, said: "We welcome this announcement which is an illustration of the strong position the North East is in, proving that we can be a leader not only in the UK but on a global stage for the future of renewables."
Source: BBC
Sway to erect 10 MW offshore wind turbine
Enova is granting NOK137 million to Sway AS to erect a 10 MW prototype offshore wind turbine in Hordaland, Norway.
Enova, set up by the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MPE) to promote environmentally friendly restructuring of energy consumption and energy generation in Norway, says the wind turbine is to be tested onshore for two years.
The rotor diameter is 145 m and the offshore wind turbine will have a floating tower. According to Sway, the tower is a pole filled with ballast beneath the water creating low centre of gravity. It will be anchored to the seabed with a single pipe and a suction anchor.
The offshore wind turbine can tilt 5-8°, and turns around a subsea swivel with the wind.
Source: Renewable Energy Focus
Technocean and Troll windpower have agreed to join forces
The Bergen companies Technocean and Troll WindPower have agreed to join forces to provide cable laying services to the offshore wind farm sector.
Technocean and Troll WindPower have signed a cooperation agreement which strengthens their combined ability to compete in the growing market for offshore wind farm development.
Cooperation between the subsea contractor, Technocean and the international wind power expertise in Troll Wind Power, encompasses the supply and installation of electrical cables for the European market. The Companies have collective subsea and marine expertise along with innovative energy know-how to develop enhanced solutions and provide for the optimization of cable laying for the growing market sector of offshore wind farms. Technocean will provide the subsea equipment, vessel and personnel to conduct these types of projects. Between 5,000 and 10,000 fixed offshore wind turbines are currently approved for development in the North Sea over the next 5-10 years. Each of these parks will require the installation of the electrical cables to connect the wind turbines and offshore transformer stations together.
Source: Technocean
More money for marine renewables
While the UK government was backing support for a change in the UK energy market another agency has said marine energy devices are ready for full deployment with £22 million of new funding.
After the DECC supported Ofgem's statement on the need for up to £200 Bn of investment to secure Britain's future energy supplies as North Sea reserves dwindle, the UK's Carbon Trust said today that marine energy devices are ready for mass deployment and capable of creating a new offshore industry.
Six of the best marine energy devices are to supported with £22 million of new funding, the Carbon Trust has said , from a Marine Energy Providing Fund, through the Department for Energy and Climate Change.
Cash is to be given to Atlantis Resources, Aquamarine Power, Hammerfest Strom UK, Bristol-based Marine Current Turbines, to Pelamis Wave Power and Voith Hydro.
The Carbon Trust says the funding is to create greater certainty over the technical performance of each system, to trigger increased confidence in the marine energy sector.
"Generating electricity from the UK's powerful wave and tidal resource not only plays a crucial role in meeting our climate change targets but also presents a significant economic opportunity for the UK,” said Tom Delay, chief executive of the Carbon Trust. “Wave alone presents a £2 billion economic opportunity for the UK," he said, announcing the new funding.
Delay said demonstrating full scale devices at sea is "...Central to realising the full potential of marine energy and getting the first commercial projects in the water is critical to ‘de-risk' the technology and attract the necessary private sector investment. This is the start of major new industry that will generate jobs and wealth across the UK," the Carbon Trust chief said.
Lord Hunt of King's Heath, the Uk Minister of State for Energy, said: "With our excellent wave and tidal resources - the richest in Europe - and our expertise in oil and gas exploration, we are world leaders in this field."
Source: Offshore247
Hammerfest Strøm Goes To The Orkneys
Norwegian technology company Hammerfest Strøm AS has received a Kr 40m grant from the British Carbon Trust to test tidal turbines off the Orkneys. The grant has been awarded to Hammerfest Strøm UK, and will be used to build and test the HS1000 turbine, which is based on a prototype installed in Kvalsundet near Hammerfest in 2003.
Stein Atle Andersen with Hammerfest Strøm says the Carbon Trust support is much appreciated. The company aims to raise a further Kr 100m in development funding. Hammerfest Strøm UK aims to deliver tidal power units to the British and Irish energy markets. The company has entered into a cooperation with Scottish Power Renewables, which is part of Iberdrola, one of the largest companies in wind power. Hammerfest Strøm UK expects to have the Orkney's turbine operational in 2011 and will also take part in a project to develop a tidal power demonstration park in the Sound of Islay.
Source: UKTI
Major wind power contract to Statoil and Statkraft
The Crown Estate has announced that the Forewind consortium, comprising Norway's Statoil and Statkraft, as well as SSE and RWE Npower has been named as the successful bidder for the largest zone in the third licence round (Round 3) for UK offshore wind farms, Dogger Bank.
The Dogger Bank zone is located off the east coast of Yorkshire between 125 and 195 kilometres offshore. It extends over approximately 8,660 km2 with its outer limit aligned to UK continental shelf limit as defined by the UK Hydrographic Office. The water depth ranges from 18-63 metres.
As the licence holder, Forewind will now begin to carry out the extensive surveys, assessments and planning required for the consent process.
The Dogger Bank zone is large and a possible development has to be carried out stepwise with several projects.
The consortium's commitment is to secure all the necessary consents for the construction and development of Dogger Bank, up to the point of investment decisions, which is anticipated from 2014.
Forewind has agreed with The Crown Estate a target installed capacity of 9GW, though the zone has a potential for approximately 13GW, which equates to around 10 per cent of total UK electricity requirements.
The consortium combines international offshore project delivery and renewables generation experience with UK utility and wind power expertise.
Source: Norway Post
Trondheim takes centre stage in the environment-friendly energy revolution
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the R&D institute SINTEF in Trondheim, central Norway, are hosting four of eight new national Centres for Environment-friendly Energy Research (FME) and are partners in two more. The centres were established through the Research Council's FME-scheme and have secured funding from the Research Council and industry. The development of new technology and research at the centres will give Trondheim a central role in the global effort to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
The FME-scheme's overall target is to develop expertise and promote innovation through long-term research in selected areas of environment-friendly energy, transport and CO2 management in close cooperation between prominent research communities and users. Norway's national R&D strategy for the energy sector is based on the assumption that Norway has the natural resources, community of experts, and social framework to become Europe's leading energy and environment-conscious nation. Norway will achieve this by becoming a society with almost no greenhouse-gas emissions; an important supplier of environment-friendly power to Europe; and a preferred location for the world's leading energy and technology companies, especially in the fields of solar energy, offshore wind power and CO2 management.
Trondheim, as the location of NTNU and SINTEF, Scandinavia's largest research institute, will have a central role in achieving these goals. Players such as the aforementioned institutions along with, amongst others, the municipalities of Trondheim and Stjørdal, have jointly set up an inward investment agency, Access Mid-Norway, which works to attract more companies in fields such as clean technology, oil and gas to central Norway. With the establishment of the new Centres for Environment-friendly Energy Research (FME) in Trondheim, central Norway is an ideal location for companies that strive to be amongst the best when it comes to implementing and developing environment-friendly technology.
International cooperation is a critical component to meet the challenges to reduce future emissions and produce more environment-friendly energy and the centres have numerous partners outside Norway. The search for environment-friendly solutions to current challenges is well under way in Trondheim.
NTNU and SINTEF are leaders or partners in the following centres:
- Research Centre for Offshore Wind Technology.
Host organization: SINTEF Energy Research - BIGCCS Centre - International CCS Research Centre
Host organization: SINTEF Energy Research - CEDREN - Centre for Environmental Design of Renewable Energy
Host organization: SINTEF Energy Research - CenBio - Bioenergy Innovation Centre
Host organization: University of Life Sciences - UMB - ZEB - The Research Centre on Zero Emission Buildings
Host organization: NTNU - The Norwegian Research Centre for Solar Cell Technology
Host organization: IFE
Sources: The Research Council of Norway, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, SINTEF
Read more:
Elite centres for clean energy established in Trondheim
Centres for Environment-friendly Energy research (FME)
NTNU and SINTEF in new national energy research effort
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Two wind farm schemes approved
Two wind farm schemes that can supply around 45,000 homes with electricity have been approved.
The 52.5 Megawatt (MW) Baillie wind farm near Thurso will supply almost 25,000 homes and feed electricity in to the upgraded Beauly-Denny line. The £80 million scheme will create 30 jobs during construction with permanent local operation and maintenance jobs. The applicant will make an annual contribution to the West Caithness Community Fund to support local projects and five local businesses will be supported by rental income.
An extension to the Rothes wind farm near Elgin will boost capacity by an additional 45 MW, increasing the generating capacity from 50 MW to 95 MW. The extension will be capable of supplying over 20,000 homes. Around 60 construction jobs will be created, with permanent local operation and maintenance jobs. A community benefit fund will also be established.
Source: Scot. Gov.
Vattenfall is planning a major wave power farm outside the Shetland Islands
Vattenfall is presenting its plans today for the first wave power plant outside the Shetland Islands in the eastern Atlantic. The project could achieve installed capacity up to 20 MW as early as 2014, and it can be expanded to produce many times over that capacity.
Vattenfall and Pelamis Wave Power, the Edinburgh technology developer, launched a joint-venture yester-day to develop the first wave power project off the Shetland Islands.
The launch of the joint-venture, called Aegir Wave Power Ltd, was announced last night, the same day that Vattenfall's new office in Edinburgh, and the first in Scotland, was officially opened by the First Minister, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP, MSP.
An information meeting on the wave power project will be held today for local representatives and the mass media on the Shetland Islands.
"The wave power plant on the Shetland Islands is one part of Vattenfall's objective to produce pure electricity that does not burden our climate or our environment. The ocean west of Shetland has very close to ideal conditions that will enable us to extract energy from the waves effectively," says Ulf Tisell who is the manager of Vattenfall Ocean Energy Program.
Source: Energy-pedia News
Tees Valley set for hydroelectric station
Water power will be used to generate electricity in the Tees Valley, officials have announced.
A hydroelectric station is to be built at Selset Reservoir, near to Barnard Castle, County Durham, now that a power partnership has been signed by Northumbrian Water and RWE npower renewables.
It will generate up to 750 kilowatts of electricity - 4,000 megawatt hours a year - sufficient to meet the average annual needs of about 1,000 households. The power generated will be fed into the national grid.
It will add to Northumbrian Water's hydro-power plant at Kielder Water, which is also operated in partnership with RWE npower renewables.
The larger Kielder scheme generates some 20,000 megawatt hours, sufficient to meet the average annual needs of about 5,000 households.
Work on the £2.5 million Selset hydroelectric project will begin early in 2010.
It will require integration with the existing water supply operations, improvement of an access road and construction of a small building, which will house the turbine and generator.
The water level of Selset reservoir, which when full holds 15,320 million litres, will be lowered to facilitate safe working conditions during construction.
Tim James, project manager at RWE npower renewables, said: "We have a number of hydroelectric projects in Wales and Scotland and this is the first we have constructed in England. It will make a useful contribution to UK renewable energy targets."
Source: Northern Echo
North Easts gets world's largest test facility
The North East's new £15m wind turbine test facility is to be world's largest.
The New and Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC) in Blyth, Northumberland, will be the first facility capable of testing and verifying turbine blades of up to 100 metres in length for deployment offshore.
Science and innovation minister Lord Drayson said: “We need to attract major investment for wind turbines so that we can build our own wind farms and develop the manufacturing expertise that's in demand around the world.
“I'm delighted that NaREC will be a major European centre for testing the next generation of new large turbine blades.
"This new facility will create skilled jobs in a high-value sector."
Work on the site will begin shortly and the new test hall is expected to open in mid-2011.
Existing test facilities will remain open while the new hall is under construction.
It will be available for use by all developers, manufacturers and academia and charges will be levied at a commercial rate.
Norway opens world's first osmotic power plant opened
Over a decade of research has gone into the Statkraft pilot plant for osmotic power production. Opened 24 November, the facility is undergoing thorough testing - to pave the way for commercial production of osmotic power in the near future.
Utilising the process of osmosis to generate electricity has long been a distant vision. For most, it has remained a mere pipe dream, but a group of osmotic power researchers at Statkraft has persevered since 1997. Statkraft, fully owned by the Norwegian state, is Europe's largest renewable energy company.
The key to success with osmosis is in the membrane. An osmotic power plant exploits nature's tendency to seek equilibrium: with seawater on one side of a membrane and freshwater on the other, nature attempts to restore the salt balance by diluting the seawater, i.e. transporting water molecules from the freshwater to the seawater.
Source: Forskningsradet
UK-Norway "supergrid" agreement
Norway and the UK have started talks about developing a single electricity grid which could see the world's longest subsea cable installed allowing North Sea wind farms and petroleum installations to be linked up.
Electricity transmission system operators National Grid in Britain and Norway's Statnett have signed an agreement to study connecting up the Norwegian and UK power grids with a single high voltage direct current power cable with "nodes" to allow wind farms and offshore oil and gas platforms to hook into the system - reducing the need for offshore power generation on platforms.
Source: www.offshore247.com
Hywind hails Norway's green energy future
Ten kilometers off the south-west coast of Norway, Statoil's Hywind project is putting next generation technology through its paces.
The Hywind pilot is to be tested over a two-year period. It combines technology from both the wind power and oil and gas sectors, and draws on expertise gained from Statoil's long offshore experience.
Statoil is investing around NOK 400 million in the construction and further development of the pilot, and in research and development related to the wind turbine concept. The public corporation Enova SF, whose aim is to promote the transition to environmentally friendly energy use and energy production in Norway, has granted NOK 59 million in support for the project.
The wind turbine can be placed at ocean depths of between 120 and 700 metres.
Source: www.statoil.com
Clipper to develop offshore wind turbine in North East England
Clipper Windpower Plc announced that its subsidiary, Clipper Windpower Marine Limited, was awarded £4.4million under the ETF Offshore Wind Demonstration Call previously announced by the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in May.
The Grant funding will contribute towards costs associated with the development of blades for the "Britannia Project", a 10 MW offshore wind turbine prototype under development by Clipper in North East England. Scheduled for deployment in late 2011, Clipper's 10 MW wind turbine is among the world's largest under development.
Source: www.northeastengland.co.uk