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Tag:

Wind turbines

Only 10% of Wind Farm Fires Reported

Only 10% of Wind Farm Fires Reported

written by Environmental News Network

Wind farming is one of the leading industries in the renewable energy sector. The process is simple: wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity. However, converting this kinetic energy into mechanical power has resulted in quite a few wind turbines catching fire, and according to researchers not all fires are being fully reported.

Researchers from Imperial College London, the University of Edinburgh and SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden carried out a global assessment of the world’s wind farms, which in total contain an estimated 200,000 turbines. The team found that ten times more fires are happening than are being reported. Instead of an average of 11.7 fires each year, which is what is reported publicly, the researchers estimate that more than 117 separate fires are breaking out in turbines annually.

By comparison, with other energy industries, fire accidents are much less frequent in wind turbines than other sectors such as oil and gas, which globally has thousands of fire accidents per year. However, fire accidents can have a considerable economic impact on the wind farm industry, say the team.

Wind turbines catch fire because highly flammable materials such as hydraulic oil and plastics are in close proximity to machinery and electrical wires. These can ignite a fire if they overheat or are faulty. Lots of oxygen, in the form of high winds, can quickly fan a fire inside a turbine. Once ignited, the chances of fighting the blaze are slim due to the height of the wind turbine and the remote locations that they are often in.

The researchers attribute fire ignition in wind to lightning strike, electrical malfunction, mechanical failure, and errors with maintenance.

In an effort to get a clearer picture about the true extent of fires in wind farms, the team carried out an extensive analysis of data from a wide range of sources. This included Government reports, data from anti- wind farm lobbyists and information gathered by major newspaper investigations.

The research has been published in the journal Fire Safety Science.

Read more at the Imperial College of London.



July 21, 2014 0 comment
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Texas Wind Energy Continues to Blow Us Away

Texas Wind Energy Continues to Blow Us Away

written by Marita Mirzatuny

We have a lot to celebrate this Global Wind Day (June 15). Across the nation, wind energy accounted for almost one-third of new power capacity over the past five years and the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) estimates that wind energy has the potential to double over the next few years.

Nowhere is the growth in wind energy more evident than in Texas, the nation’s top wind producing state. Texas’ wind energy generation grew by 13% in 2013 and more than 60% of all wind projects under construction in the first part of the year were in Texas.

This success has been aided by the Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit (PTC), a modest tax credit for new facilities good for ten years after the wind farm’s start date. Like those received by the oil, gas, and nuclear industries, tax incentives help ignite growth in the market. EDF has strongly advocated for this incentive over the past few years.

Unfortunately, the breaks that oil and gas have received over the last 100 years are often (conveniently) ignored by those wanting to maintain the status quo, making the PTC a point of debate among politicians.

In 2012, the PTC’s renewal came down to a last minute vote in Congress, creating uncertainty for developers waiting to determine the future of their job-creating projects. Ultimately, it was extended, but in 2013 Congress stalled again and the extension was allowed to expire in January. In the meantime, wind developers sit by cautiously waiting for clear direction. AWEA estimates that this uncertainty has led to the loss of 30,000 jobs.

People and businesses want wind power

The wind industry is a boon for Texas’ economy though, and more companies are investing in wind’s cheap energy prices and Texans are benefitting from cheaper electricity and job growth.

Google, BBVA Compass, and Microsoft already take advantage of Texas’ abundant wind power. And Mars Candy is now buying in with a 200-megawatt (MW) wind farm to power its 37 factories and 70 offices. New Generation Power Texas also signed a contract with General Electric, the largest manufacturer of wind turbines in the U.S., to supply 235 wind turbines and related services for its 400 MW Texas Wind Project.

Furthermore, AWEA found that “American consumers in the top wind energy-producing states have seen their electricity prices actually decrease by 0.37 percent over the last 5 years, while all other states have seen their electricity prices increase by 7.79 percent over that time period.” These states have seen great gains in jobs, too. Texas, again leading the nation, reported an increase of 8,000 to 9,000 direct and indirect jobs in 2013.

As we face the consequences of climate disturbance, including droughts that are ravaging states like Texas and California, it is imperative that we view (and support) renewable energy as part of the solution to a sustainable future. According to AWEA: “Operational wind energy projects and those under construction will avoid 115 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, while avoiding the consumption of over 36 billion gallons of water each year, because wind turbines use virtually no water in operation.”

That’s why EDF is working with Texas policymakers, investors, and entrepreneurs to see that Texas seizes opportunities and drives innovation in the new energy economy.



June 6, 2014 1 comment
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Offshore Wind Turbines May Weaken Hurricanes

written by Walter Wang

As one of nature’s most destructive forces, hurricanes are unstoppable storms that can cause total devastation for coastal communities. While Mother Nature is unpredictable and uncontrollable, there are researchers and scientists who think hurricanes can be weakened or even stopped. One idea: wind turbines.

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February 26, 2014 1 comment
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New Maps Pinpointing Wind Turbines Will Help Track Effects on Wildlife

written by Yale Environment 360

More than 47,000 wind turbines dot the U.S. landscape, predominantly clustered in the Midwest and Great Plains, as a new interactive tool developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) shows.

The maps — the first publicly-available, nationwide data set for wind energy generation — show the

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February 18, 2014 0 comment
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Will Wind for Prosperity Take Off and Provide Investors With a Return?

written by Walter Wang

Launched in November of 2013, Vestas’ Wind for Prosperity program was the subject of a dynamic panel at the World Future Energy Summit during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week this week.

The Wind for Prosperity program is a commercially based program that aims to deliver a hybrid energy

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January 21, 2014 1 comment
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It is Settled – The Wind Blows in Prattsburgh

written by Walter Wang

After a failed moratorium and years of litigation to void a settlement agreement, 34 wind turbines may finally be erected in the Town of Prattsburgh, New York.

Wind is one of the cleanest and most sustainable means of generating energy but some in the

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January 15, 2014 0 comment
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2012 Death Toll for Bats Reaches 600,000 Due to Wind Turbines

written by Walter Wang

Efforts to promote and develop new forms of sustainable energy have pushed wind power to the forefront. However, this type of power comes with a cost — as it often interferes with birds’ and bats’ migration, killing hundreds of thousands of these winged species.

According to a new study from the University of

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November 20, 2013 0 comment
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Comment on the Permit to Kill Eagles with Wind Turbines

written by Walter Wang

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced it is soliciting comments through November 12, 2013 on the issuance of a take permit “for recurring eagle mortalities” associated with the operation of the Shiloh IV wind turbine project in Solano County, California.

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October 17, 2013 2 comments
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Blowin’ in the Wind Upheld by Washington Supreme Court

written by Walter Wang

In a case important beyond the State of Washington, the State’s highest court expressly acknowledged the dynamic tension of balancing the competing interests of the ecology versus generating electricity, coming down on the side of electricity, all be it renewable energy from wind turbines.

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October 7, 2013 0 comment
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Wind Turbine Case Not So Civil

written by Walter Wang

The AMSC- Sinovel copyright and trade secret dispute involving wind turbine control systems has been big news (see, e.g., previous posts here, here, here and here), but legally speaking, mostly civil.

That changed recently when the U.S. Department of Justice filed an indictment in federal court in

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July 26, 2013 0 comment
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Europe’s Offshore Wind Sector is Growing, But Troubles Lie Ahead

written by Yale Environment 360

European nations installed a record number of offshore wind turbines during the first half of 2013, adding more than twice the capacity installed during the same period in 2012, according to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), an industry group.

A total of 277 new turbines in seven wind farms were

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July 15, 2013 0 comment
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Butte County, CA joins commercial PACE Program run by Figtree

written by Walter Wang

Butte County is taking the lead in a program that provides an alternative funding source for businesses or agricultural interests that want to invest in green energy or water-efficiency projects.

The totally voluntary program allows a borrower to get the funding without going through all of the

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June 3, 2013 0 comment
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Wind Power Storage

written by Walter Wang

One of the problems with wind power is that when there is no wind then there is no power. Offshore wind could provide abundant electricity — but as with solar energy, this power supply can be intermittent and unpredictable. A new approach from researchers at MIT could mitigate that problem, allowing the electricity generated by floating wind

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April 26, 2013 0 comment
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Blade Dynamics’ Spar Assemblies Go to Great Lengths

written by Walter Wang

Blade Dynamics is a UK-based company that develops advanced rotors for utility-scale wind turbines. The company focuses on modular assembly technology to enable longer blades and has developed and GL certified the world’s lightest 49-meter blade.

According to this TechnologyReview.com article, the

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February 12, 2013 0 comment
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