What a week in wind!

Clare Buxton gives her thoughts after a busy week...

Image by Wordle.net

It has been a hectic week in the Wind Energy sector this week. I am quite exhausted just from hearing about it…

Most of the news is positive, and highlights the buoyancy of this sector at present. The general atmosphere and tone of everyone I am speaking to is that there is much more still to come. This is an industry still in its infancy, where R&D has a lot more to offer in terms of minimising costs of wind energy production and maximising efficiency, the manufacturing process will be able to cut down lead times dramatically with the right processes and resources in gear (excuse the pun) and the consenting and planning process will (must) improve.

In a week which saw the United States embrace change wholeheartedly, and Obama announced his ambitious new “green” targets, the future looks positive, the future looks “green”!

Here are just a few of the headlines from this week:

Bad news for our British colleagues in BP Alternative Energy, it seems. The multinational oil company has announced they are withdrawing from Wind power in the UK, as the USA becomes a more attractive and profitable proposition for them. They are also withdrawing from the competition to set up a carbon capture and storage plant in the UK. Read more here...

E.ON completed installation of its first offshore wind turbine (Vestas V90) at Robin Rigg offshore wind farm in the Solway Firth. The first step on a long journey! Read more here...

With Shanghai Wind Power conference only just drawn to an end, China continues to move into the lime light – putting in an order with Vestas for 116 V52-850 kW turbines. Vestas was the first turbine manufacturer into China, and continues to grow its presence rapidly. When will the home-ground companies start to challenge seriously? Read more here...

Vestas (again, sorry – come on everybody else!) have announced record third-quarter revenue of 1,759 million Euro against 1,150 million Euros in the third quarter of 2007. They are now estimating annual revenue of 7.2 billion Euros! Read more here...

PowerWind GmbH has signed a contact for 36 MW in Italy. The contract will provide 40 PowerWind 56 wind energy converters to be installed at different sites in the region of Apulia, which is one of the windiest regions in Italy. The installation should be completed in 2010! Read more here...

I could go on…

If you think I’ve missed anything else, let us know. I can be contacted via email clare.buxton@ecosearchglobal.com or simply leave your comment below.