What's Next Low cost wind turbines for the developing world

As we know it

In the present era, the renewable energy realm has a share of about 19 percent in worldwide electricity generation. Now, for the uninitiated, this may seem to be a paltry figure, but if we go by statistical expansion, the ongoing phase is certainly propitious for sustainable output. As a matter of fact, total power capacity from renewable sources momentously exceeded the world capacity of nuclear power for the first time in 2011. In this regard, the major progression was actually witnessed in the case of wind power, with a whopping increment from 6.1 GW in 1996 to more than 200 GW by 2011.

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The WindFlip Barge Concept Installs Offshore Wind Turbines Inexpensively and With Ease

The WindFlip barge concept was designed to simplify the installation of offshore wind turbines and in the process has managed to be a solution that also cuts cost. Installing offshore wind turbines can be an expensive task — the process requires skilled technicians to assemble turbines at sea, and to anchor them at great depths. Alternatively, the WindFlip barge allows turbines to be assembled completely on shore, towed to their location, and then simply tipped into place — thus minimizing the need for expensive work at sea. Check out a video of the WindFlip in action after the jump.

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UK green energy projects fall by wayside in dash for gas

The construction of new renewable energy generation capacity has fallen dramatically, as the big six energy suppliers pursue a “dash for gas” policy that could put the UK’s climate change targets out of reach and leave households with higher bills.

The number of new wind turbines built this year is down by half on last year. To date, 540MW worth of new turbines, on land and offshore, have been built this year – 200 onshore and 50 offshore turbines. Across the UK last year, 1,192MW of wind capacity was added.

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5 Wind Energy Trends to Watch for in 2012

As indicated in the previous post by the American Wind Energy Association (Top 10 Wind Energy Stories of 2011), below the picture are 5 wind energy trends the association recommends we watch out for. I’ll just add that I think there will be more and more media attention on the cost-saving benefits of wind energy, but that I think the clean-energy-hating-misinformation campaign will increase its attacks on wind energy. We’ll see — let’s hope for the first and pray the second is avoided or is rightly squashed by everyone not involved in that super-minority campaign. Lastly, from me, I imagine that we will see a more massive global increase in wind energy than ever before, with Asian and South American countries, especially, increasing their installed wind energy capacity.

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Five US States Now Get 20 Of Their Electricity From Wind Power

With the calendar year winding down, very nearly everyone, this site included, are putting out their year-in-review content—and the American Wind Energy Association is no different. It’s pretty easy to get down on US renewable energy policy if you’re just paying attention to the nonsense coming out of legislators bought and paid for by the polluting class, but there were some truly great milestones in US wind power in 2011.

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ECC to Build 1.5-Megawatt Wind Turbines For Air Force Center

The Energy Competence Centre (ECC) has recently finished the development of its second wind turbine project at the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR).

The project consists of the installation of two 1.5-megawatt GE wind turbines which will provide clean electricity to the Air Force Center for Engineering. MMR’s main goal is to obtain all of its energy from renewables.

“This highly visible project was delivered safely, with high quality and ahead of schedule through the collective efforts of the entire AFCEE/ECC team. Each time I cross the Sagamore Bridge and see the turbines spinning, I am reminded of ECC’s contribution in bringing alternative energy to Cape Cod,” said Brian LaMont, program manager for ECC.

 

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Trans Wind Energy Generation

The myriad benefits of the efficient use of wind energy for power generation have been talked about for long. The idea is being implemented in various projects around the world but a mainstream use of the technology, something that allows for the increase in efficiency and presents it as a viable alternative to fossil fuels, is missing. Trans Wind Energy Generation concept by Richard Harrington offers a solution that promises to be beneficial on several counts. This concept addresses problems relating to efficient and pollution free power generation, better use of renewable resources and commuting without having to navigate traffic snarls.

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Patrick Marold Visualizes the Wind With Thousands of Turbine-Powered LEDs

Although we can’t normally see the wind, we can feel its presence – however Colorado-based visual artist Patrick Marold has figured out a way to translate the wind’s movement into light. Using LEDs, polycarbonate tubes, and mini wind turbines, Marold has been documenting the shape of the wind through his Windmill Project. His installations involve hundreds of mini wind generators planted in breezy landscapes – as the wind blows across them, the LEDs light up based on the strength of the wind and where it blows. His project draws attention to the use of clean renewable energy and our interaction with the landscape and natural forces.
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One of the biggest hurdles for integrating renewable energy from solar or wind sources comes from the question of storage – how can power be stored for times when the wind doesn’t blow or the skies are overcast?

Researchers at Stanford University are addressing this headlong and have reported the development of a new high-power electrode that is cheap, durable and efficient. If development continues as hoped, this discovery might potentially foster the manufacture of batteries large enough to provide for economical renewable energy storage on the grid.

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