Author: Arnes Biogradlija

European drivers burn 100 times more palm oil in their tanks than is in the 40 billion Oreo cookies consumed worldwide every year. That’s according to new data that shows the amount of forest-ravaging palm oil used to make EU ‘bio’-diesel increased 7% last year, reaching an all-time high of 4.5 million tonnes. In contrast, the use of palm oil to make everyday products such as bread, ice cream, hazelnut spread, chocolate, margarine, shampoo and detergent dropped to an all-time low of 2.8 million tonnes. This is because of the European biofuels policy enacted in 2009, which mandates oil corporations…

A research study commissioned by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP) into the opportunities the offshore wind sector presents for economic growth and employment in the North East, has found that there is potential for significant growth in the number of jobs in both the direct and indirect supply chains servicing the sector and that GVA in the sector could grow between 150% and 190%. The study, undertaken by Cambridge Economics and Element Energy, sought to provide a better understanding of how the North East LEP and other regional stakeholders can support the local supply chain and…

Maersk Training has reached an agreement with Babcock Marine Training, part of the Babcock International Group, to develop a custom-built wind energy training facility in Paisley. The facility that will launch Maersk Training into Scotland’s Central Belt is the seventh facility that the company has opened across the UK, enabling the delivery of certified courses for the renewables industry through its market leading GWO (Global Wind Organization). The modular training unit, designed using recycled and highly adapted freight containers, provides quick delivery and a solution to take customer training capabilities away from the need for delegated travel to provide a…

Origis Energy has completed the GA Solar 3 – Tanglewood Solar, a 57.5 MWac solar project located in Mitchell County, Georgia. Origis Energy has developed the solar site as one of the Georgia Power Renewable Energy Development Initiative (REDI) facilities serving customers of the utilities involved in the Commercial and Industrial REDI (C&I REDI) program. Global Atlantic financial group is the owner, and Origis Energy is the solar facility operator / manager, selling the facility ‘s energy and renewable attributes to Georgia Power through the REDI program. “Origis is once again pleased to work with the Georgia Power team to…

Siemens Gamesa has decided to shut down its Aoiz factory, which is not competitive in the market environment to produce blades for large turbine models. The Navarre plant manufactures the SG 3.4-132 for projects primarily located in Spain. Its higher costs and geographic location, more than 200 kilometers from the nearest port, render it uncompetitive for world markets. The company will start a collective dismissal procedure for a maximum of 239 employees. In compliance with relevant laws and regulations, talks with local employees council are expected to begin in the coming days. Once negotiations are concluded, information on the final…

Germany’s federal government and the states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria will fund battery cell production for use in cars and industry by company VARTA with 300 million euros. Energy minister Peter Altmaier said that new battery cells should have a better CO2 footprint and use raw materials more sustainably. Germany and the EU want to strengthen domestic battery technology innovation and production to ensure the success and competitiveness of the automobile industry and other related technologies. The Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi) is funding two major projects for battery cell innovation. They are implemented as so-called “Important Projects…

JinkoSolar won the 6th All Quality Matters Award for PV Module Energy Yield Simulation (Mono Group) at the Solar Congress 2020 organized by TÜV Rheinland. TÜV Rheinland’s All Quality Matters Award is the most competitive and highly respected industry award for PV modules, inverters, energy storage systems, and components. This award is widely recognized for its objective and credible evaluation process and authoritative neutral selection mechanism. The evaluation of energy yield simulation is based on performance testing of samples randomly selected from mass production under global conditions defined by PV module performance testing and energy rating standards – IEC 61853-1,…

LOC Group has won a contract to provide support to the Phase 1 development of the Dong Hai 1 wind power plant with the capacity of 50MW. The contract is awarded by EPC contractor BAC Phuong Joint Stock Company, based on Hanoi, Vietnam. LOC will provide Marine Warranty Services (MWS) to support the development of the plant. The scope of the services will be for loadout, transportation and installation of 13 units of Vestas V150-4.0 series wind turbine generators, the inter-turbine MV cables and link bridge sections. The Dong Hai 1 Wind Power Plant Phase 1 will enable power to…

Vestas has received an order for a project which includes the supply and installation of 50 V150-4.2 MW turbines in Australia. The order also includes a ten-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement. Turbine commissioning is expected to begin in the third to fourth quarter of 2021. The project and customer names are undisclosed.

Ørsted has completed a 230MW wind farm in Wayne County Nebraska. The Plum Creek onshore wind project is made up of 82 wind turbines and represents the first operational project for Ørsted in Nebraska. Ørsted has entered into agreements with a variety of companies, including Vail Resorts, J.M. Smucker and Avery Dennison, to purchase the produced power. Plum Creek will not only help these organizations reach their renewable energy goals with safe , reliable and low-cost electricity, but the project will also generate more than $3 million annually in local economic benefits in the Wayne County region. “Thanks to our…