European firms exposed as Trump targets US offshore wind
U.S. President Donald Trump in his first day of office on Monday suspended new federal offshore wind leasing pending an environmental and economic review, saying wind mills are ugly, expensive and harm wildlife.Former President Joe Biden supported the offshore wind industry, setting a target for 30 gigawatts (GW) of projects by 2030, up from 42 megawatts at the end of 2023, prompting many European project developers to acquire leases and plan wind farms in the United States.Trump's executive order is not expected to stop existing U.S. offshore wind projects from being advanced.Below are some of the European companies involved in the U.S.
Document shows that ten EU countries have called for sanctions against Russian LNG and gas
A document obtained by revealed that ten European Union nations have asked the 27-nation group to ban the imports of gas from Russia. This comes as Europe is debating new sanctions against Moscow for its war in Ukraine. The EU is currently preparing its 16th set of sanctions against Russia's economic system, in advance of the third anniversary Moscow's invasion of Ukraine on a large scale. This will take place in February 2022. The 10 countries include the Czech Republic as well as Denmark, Estonia, and Finland. They want Europe to do more to target Russia's oil exports to reduce the revenue flowing to Moscow.
Wind stocks in Europe suffer after Trump labels turbines as 'garbage.'
The European wind power sector fell Wednesday, after Donald Trump, the U.S. president-elect said that he would work to make sure "no new windmills" were built under his watch. He also criticized the sector just two weeks before taking office. Trump's latest attack on the industry has investors worried about the future of the U.S. Wind Market, which is the second largest in the world after China. This could cause companies that have invested in it to sell. Shares of the two largest offshore wind farm developers in the world - Denmark's Orsted…
Sources say that Tesla's former China plant head will join renewable energy company Envision
Two sources with knowledge of the situation said that Tesla's former China Plant Manager is expected to join Chinese renewable energy company Envision. One source said that Song Gang, who announced Wednesday his departure from Tesla, will be taking on supply chain management duties for Envision. Envision and Song didn't immediately respond to separate comments. Tesla did not reply to a question about Song's departure. Envision, headquartered in Shanghai, is the largest wind turbine company in the world. It also has research centers in Denmark, the U.S. and Germany.
Sweden's North frets about financial risks as the green boom stumbles
Sweden's local governments, frightened by Northvolt's struggle for survival and its potential impact on taxpayers, have asked the central government to increase financial support for Sweden's transition towards green industry. Last month, Europe's leading electric vehicle battery manufacturer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States with $5.8 billion of debts. The EU's energy transformation is failing, and shockwaves were sent through Skelleftea, northern Sweden, where its Northvolt Ett plant is located. Sweden is leading Europe in its efforts to switch from fossil fuel based industries to nonpolluting energy.
Denmark Issues Offshore Wind Permit
The Danish Energy Agency has granted a construction permit for 240-megawatt (MW) Jammerland Bugt offshore wind farm, which is expected to start operating in 2029, developer European Energy said on Tuesday.The project is located in the Bay of Jammerland, on the western side of the island of Zealand.The offshore wind farm is expected to produce power equating the electricity consumption of around 240,000 European households per year, the developer said.The company did not provide any details on the cost of the project, where it is the sole developer.At the end of November…
Nordic countries debate energy policy after spikes in power prices
On Thursday, the hourly electricity prices in certain parts of Scandinavia reached record levels. They were tenfold higher in some cases than average, due to cold weather and lower wind power production. This prompted politicians to suggest a change in energy policy. In Denmark, the price per megawatt-hour (MWh) for an hour starting at 1600 GMT has risen to 936 Euros. South-western Norway and Southern Sweden have seen prices above 700 Euros/MWh. The German price has also risen due to the unusually low amount of wind and solar energy generation.
Winds of Change Blew Through Offshore Wind, and Denmark Missed It
Analysts said that the failure of Denmark to receive any bids for an offshore wind energy tender this week is due to a rigid auction system, a failure adapt to a changing economic reality and increased competition.It was a major blow for Denmark, the home of turbine manufacturer Vestas, and offshore developer Orsted. Both companies have been pioneers in both onshore and offshore wind power.The Danish North Sea tender, for a minimum of 3GW of capacity, did not offer any subsidies. Instead, it invited competition for payments to be made over 30 years by the state.
No Subsidies, No Bids: Denmark Largest Offshore Wind Tender Falls Flat
In the wake of Donald Trump's election as U.S. President, all eyes have been trained on the U.S. Offshore Wind market and future, with his promise to stifle the U.S. Offshore Wind market in favor of oil and gas. But a recent lackluster performance from a leading Scandinavian country suggests the slow down in offshore wind energy projects may be spreading.Denmark's latest offshore wind farm tender in the North Sea has failed to attract any bids, authorities said on Thursday, in a further setback for the industry.After a year of challenges…
Ørsted to Shed Part of its UK Wind Farm Stake - Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News reported Monday that Denmark's Ørsted had begun selling a stake in the largest wind farm planned for the United Kingdom coast. The report was based on people familiar with this matter. Reports added that the Danish utility is looking to sell around 50% of the Hornsea 3 Project, but did not specify the price at which it would like to do so.Ørsted's spokesperson confirmed that in February, the company said it had planned to sell its Hornsea III stake by 2025. In October, Brookfield purchased a minority stake in four of the company's British offshore wind farms that are currently operational for 1…
Orsted Addresses Swedish Baltic Sea Wind Concerns
Orsted CEO assures Sweden that the offshore wind industry has solutions that would address defense concerns. At issue: Sweden's rejection of a proposed 13 offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea.Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said on Monday that building wind farms in the Baltic Sea would pose defense risks, by making it harder to detect and shoot down missiles. As Europe turns to renewable sources to diversify energy supplies away from Russian oil and gas, concerns have also risen about how to secure critical maritime infrastructure.Sweden joined NATO this year in response to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Svendborg Brakes' Yaw Brake Solution Transforms Wind Turbine Maintenance
When damaged yaw brake discs were preventing numerous wind turbines from operating in optimum conditions, their operator was looking for an economical maintenance service that would ensure the turbines’ availability. Svendborg Brakes, a Regal Rexnord Brand, developed a new solution to quickly restore operations - cutting disc resurfacing activities and exchange pads to only 3 days, while requiring only a day and a half of true downtime. As the Wind Industry navigates short-term challenges and sustained growth potential, Regal Rexnord’s decades of industry experience…
The Colombian Ministry of Energy says nine companies are interested in the offshore wind project
The Colombian energy ministry announced on Tuesday that seven foreign companies and two local ones had expressed interest in a project to build offshore wind farms and expected to receive formal bids by the first half of 2025. According to the ministry, these companies include Colombian state oil company Ecopetrol, power firm Celsia and Spain's BlueFloat Energy. They also include Denmark's Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and DEME from Belgium, China's PowerChina, China Three Gorges, and Britain's Dyna Energy. The ministry stated in a press release that the first round was to determine which maritime areas could be used for installations between 1…
Grid operators claim that Britain will have enough energy this winter to meet the needs of its citizens
The UK's electricity and Gas Grid Operators expect enough supplies this winter with more power imported and domestic production available than last season and high gas storage in Europe, said they on Tuesday. National Gas and Britain's National Energy System Operator, (NESO), publish annual reports on the supply and demand for the upcoming winter to assist businesses and governments in preparing. Craig Dyke is the director of system operations for NESO. NESO's base case for the de-rated margin is 5.2 gigawatts for winter 2024/25. This is 8.8% of the peak average demand for cold spells. It is up from 4.4 GW or 7.4% of last winter.
Meet the CTO: Dr. Gunnar Stiesch, MAN Energy Solutions
As the shipowners stare down decarbonization mandates that grow increasingly strict through 2050, the engine makers are at the tip of the spear of this energy transition phenomena, working to design and build engines and components that are built to operate on a long and growing list of alternative fuels. We recently visited with Dr. Gunnar Stiesch, CTO, MAN Energy Solutions, to take a look inside the research and development process at this global power leader, for insights on ‘what’s next’ in ship propulsion.Dr. Stiesch, to begin…
Denmark's North Sea Energy Island is again delayed by high costs
A government minister announced on Wednesday that Denmark would delay construction by at least three years of the planned North Sea Energy Island to provide renewable energy to three million European homes. The delay is due to rising costs and interest rates. Energy Minister Lars Aagaard said that the projected investment exceeded 200 billion Danish crowns (29.81 billion dollars) and required about 50 billion crowns of state support. Energy Minister Lars Aagaard declined to reveal how much the costs had risen from initial projections. Denmark had announced, just over a year before, that the project was being delayed due to cost.
Vineyard Wind and GE Vernova Release Action Plan Overview of Blade Removal Operation
Vineyard Wind and GE Vernova released a plan on Friday outlining the steps that should be taken following a turbine blade collapse last month on the Vineyard Wind project offshore off the coast Massachusetts. The failure left potentially hazardous debris on the beaches of Nantucket. Vineyard Wind was the first major offshore wind farm in the United States. The plan details the steps that must be taken to retrieve the remaining blade from the turbine. The plan was developed with the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and U.S. Coast Guard in consultation, according to a joint statement.
Tyra II Production Successfully Restarted
The Tyra Redevelopment Project (Tyra II) has restarted production. At plateau, the Tyra hub will produce 5.7 million cubic meters of gas and 22,000 barrels of condensate per day.TotalEnergies operates the Tyra field on behalf of Danish Underground Consortium, a partnership between TotalEnergies (43.2%), BlueNord (36.8%) and Nordsøfonden (20%).The Tyra Redevelopment Project is, to date, the largest project carried out on Danish Continental Shelf with the fabrication and installation of eight new platform topsides. With production from Tyra…
Enerpac wins Calvados Offshore Wind Farm Deal
Enerpac won a contract by Saipem to supply the Hydraulic Levelling and Fixation System for the installation of 64 transition pieces (TP) at the offshore wind farm in France. The Enerpac system is designed to allow accurate levelling and fixation of the transition pieces on the monopile foundation, enabling maximum turbine power generation.Grouted connections are widely used in offshore wind turbine construction to transfer multiple loads from the transition piece fitted on top of the monopile foundation. The transition piece is first lowered onto the monopile and levelled.
Ørsted Breaks Ground on Carbon Capture Project
Ørsted is embarking on the construction of two carbon capture (CCS) facilities designed to capture and store carbon emissions from the woodchip-fired Asnæs Power Station in Kalundborg and the straw-fired unit at Avedøre Power Station in Greater Copenhagen, representing Denmark's first full-scale carbon capture project.It is expected that the carbon capture project, which was awarded a 20-year contract by the Danish Energy Agency in May 2023, will capture 430,000 tonnes of biogenic CO2 annually from the two combined heat and power plants starting from early 2026.
