New Zealand passes law to reverse oil and gas exploration ban
New Zealand announced on Monday that it will pass laws before the end of the year to reverse an offshore oil and natural gas exploration ban and to take urgent steps to eliminate regulatory hurdles for importing liquefied gas (LNG), amid energy shortages. The right-of centre government wants to attract investment into the oil and gas industry in the country. This law will end the ban on exploration that has been in place since 2018 outside of onshore Taranaki.
From the Science Lab: Clean Energy Projects that Could Impact Maritime
As part of a $175M grant for 68 novel clean energy technology projects from the U.S. Department of Energy, these four offer promise in helping the maritime industry meet its decarbonization goals.Makai Ocean Engineering – Waimanalo, HIRemotely Installed Anchorages for Floating Offshore Wind and Other Offshore Renewables Cost Reduction -$849,951The Makai Ocean Engineering (Makai) team will develop novel mooring and anchoring methods to reduce the costs of offshore renewable energy.
Floating Offshore Wind: Attention Turns Subsea for Power Transport
From being an ugly duckling, floating offshore wind is now the Cinderella of the offshore renewables world. Attention is now being paid to floating and even subsea substation concepts to help bring this power to shore. Over the past year, expectations around the growth in the floating offshore wind development have grown, significantly. Many are piling into the market, seeing that it could give them a chance to ramp up renewables capacity quickly…
Geothermal Energy: A New Life for Old Offshore Oil Wells?
Old offshore oil wells could be turned into geothermal energy producers under a plan by a new consortium. The group, The Aquarius North Sea Geothermal Consortium, is “actively” working with North Sea operators to see if old wells could be used to generate geothermal energy for existing platforms. But a future goal is greenfield geothermal exploration.Kirsten Pasturel, CEO of ZeGen Energy, says there’s huge potential with some mature oil fields producing over 100…
Robotics: Autobots Transform in the Offshore Energy Sector
Robots and robotics have slowly been entering our lives, in various shapes and forms (and fictional characters), from self-driving household vacuum cleaners to highly automated manufacturing systems. Now they’re heading for the offshore world – in just as many shapes and forms.There could be a lot to gain from robotics, but platforms and offshore wind turbine structures are also very challenging places to put them on. For oil and gas, key drivers are around safety and cost .
Japan's Jera Joins World Forum Offshore Wind
Japanese energy company JERA has decided to join World Forum Offshore Wind (“WFO”), an organization that promotes the global growth of offshore wind energy.WFO was founded in 2018 in Germany, and it promotes the industry by gathering and distributing related information and educating government officials around the world. WFO has launched a subsidiary Floating Offshore Wind Committee (“FOWC”), which plans to begin activities in June 2020.
USA Ups BOEM Offshore Wind Budget
The Trump Administration has proposed a $189m fiscal year 2021 budget for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), designating just under $27m for offshore wind.The FY 2021 budget includes approximately $26.5 million to advance offshore renewable energy development.In recognition of the role renewable energy can play in securing the Nation’s energy independence and supporting economic growth…
Jan De Nul Orders Floating Installation Vessel
Luxembourg-based Jan De Nul has ordered a second mega offshore installation vessel, Les Alizés, from the CMHI Haimen shipyard in China.Together with the Voltaire, the new floating installation crane vessel will be in a super-size class of its own, capable of building the newest generation of offshore wind farms.Les Alizés, that will be ready in 2022, is equipped with a crane having a lifting capacity of 5,000 tons and equally impressive lifting heights.
Second ASV Delivered to Bibby
The second of Damen’s Accommodation Support Vessel (ASV) 9020 has been delivered to Bibby Marine Services at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania. On her arrival in the North Sea, the Bibby WaveMaster Horizon will begin maintenance work off the coast of Germany on two EnBW and Enbridge-owned windfarms– Hohe See and Albatros – for Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and EnBW.The 90-meter ASV 9020 was developed by Damen to meet the specific needs of the offshore renewable energy industry…
New Offshore Wind Launch Academy in UK
Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, the UK's flagship technology innovation and research center for offshore wind, wave and tidal energy, has launched a new industry-backed national technology accelerator program.The program is designed to support innovative SMEs to commercialize new technologies that will enhance the UK’s offshore wind supply chain, enabling greater UK content, whilst supporting…
Offshore Wind Conference Set for SUNY Maritime
The Center of Excellence for Offshore Renewable Energy at the State University of New York Maritime College and the Maritime Industry Museum at Fort Schuyler, are hosting the Ocean Wind Energy Conference on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at the Maritime Academic Center, SUNY Maritime College.Serving as the keynote speaker is Alana Duerr, Ph.D., Director, Offshore Wind North America, DNV GL - Renewables Advisory…
SUNY Maritime College Hosts Ocean Wind Energy Conference
NYC Economic Development Corp. Signs on as Event Sponsor.The Center of Excellence for Offshore Renewable Energy at the State University of New York Maritime College and the Maritime Industry Museum at Fort Schuyler, proudly announce their partnership in hosting of the Ocean Wind Energy Conference on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 9 a.m. in the Maritime Academic Center, SUNY Maritime College. Featured presentations by industry leaders such as Keynote Speaker Dr.
Castle Wind signs MoU for 1GW California OWP
Monterey Bay Community Power (MBCP) and Floating wind power developer Castle Wind, a joint venture between Trident Winds and EnBW North America, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enter into a future, long-term power-purchase agreement for approximately 1 gigawatt of renewable energy.The MoU is said to outline the mutual interests and intent of the two parties to enter into the…
EnFAIT Tidal Project Claims Success
Enabling Future Arrays in Tidal (EnFAIT), the flagship EU tidal energy project, has reduced the cost of tidal energy by 15 per cent and grown its supply chain from four to 14 EU countries, just 18 months after its launch.EnFAIT is an academic-industry collaboration between nine European partners focused on demonstrating the economic viability of tidal power. The project is also paving the way for…
GE Teams with Catapult to "Stay Ashore!"
GE Renewable Energy and the UK's Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult have announced a $11 million four-year research partnership aimed at minimizing the time people have to spend offshore, which will enhance both safety and operating costs for offshore wind farms.According to a press release from GE Renewable Energy, the "Stay Ashore!" program is built on three pillars: Reliability by design…
Efficient Wave-Generated Power … Really!
Wave-generated power could be considered the Rodney Dangerfield of offshore renewable energy sources; it gets no respect. There have been a number of high-profile, expensive failures that have conspired to give the sector a poor reputation despite a number of engineering advances. A new entrant is SurfWEC offering a patented “surf-making” Wave Energy Converter which has been in development since 2007.
Green Marine Grows Offshore Fleet
The solutions provider of the offshore renewable industry, Green Marine has expanded its fleet by recently purchasing a Damen Twin Axe 26m long CTV named the “Green Storm”.The vessel will focus on servicing the Offshore Wind industry, providing safe transportation of personnel and cargo to offshore installations, said a press release from marine renewables industry player.The company has made this…
Offshore Wind: SeaTwirl Secures Funding
Swedish floating wind turbine player SeaTwirl has joined the Ocean Energy Scale-Up Alliance (OESA) that has been granted funding from the Interreg North Sea Region.SeaTwirl is a vertical floating wind turbine that was tested off the west coast of Sweden in 2011. It is also the name of the company that produces the turbine.OESA, which is coordinated by the Dutch Marine Energy Center, has been granted…
The 'Digital Twin' Evolution for Offshore Wind
Testing, inspection and certification services provider Bureau Veritas said it has partnered with Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult in an effort to jointly develop a Veristar AIM 3D “Digital Twin” of ORE Catapult’s 7MW Levenmouth Offshore Wind Demonstration Turbine in Fife, Scotland.So-called Digital Twins can improve the operations and maintenance of offshore wind farms by combining real…
A New York State of Mind
“A new industry is being established in New York, with the primary stimulus being a state-driven procurement process.”New York State Public Service Commission (PSC), July 12, 2018.To a great extent, this PSC comment provides direct insight into the dynamics behind New York’s pace-setting moves to establish offshore wind. First, this new energy development is deliberate – not left to chance or laissez faire markets.
