interview portugal’s rising wind energy star...renewables up to 2013 e.on plans to invest €2.6...

June 2011

Volume 30/No 3

CARLOS DAS DORES ZORRINHOPortuguese Secretary of State for Energy

CCAARRLLOOSS D

INTERVIEW

Portugal’s rising wind energy star

3WIND DIRECTIONS | June 2011

| contents |

Wind Directions is published fi ve times a year.

The contents do not necessarily refl ect the views and policy of EWEA.

Publisher: Christian Kjaer

Editor: Sarah Azau

Writers: Sarah Azau, Chris Rose, Zoë Casey

Design & production: www.inextremis.be

Cover photo: Enercon

Additional design and photographic input: Jesus Quesada, Jason Bickley

letter from the editor 5

Scaling technological heights

wind news 6

EU roadmap 10

Wanted: higher EU emissions reduction targets

brussels briefi ng 15

control centre visit 18

Getting the detailed view

interview 22

Dermot Grimson, UK Crown Estate

country focus 25

A closer look at Norway...

wind worker 26

Dirk Buschmann, E.ON

Fermín Dueñas, Acciona

fi rst person 28

Claus Madsen, ABB

focus 30

Portugal - the quiet wind energy star

interview 38

Carlos das Dores Zorrinho, Secretary of State for

Energy, Portugal

technology special 42

Radar and wind turbines – learning to live together

EWEA 2011 report 46

EWEA 2011 moves onwards and upwards

EWEA news 50

EWEA welcomes new members 55

the last word 58

Bruce Douglas, EWEA’s former COO

T H E E U R O P E A N W I N D I N D U S T R Y M A G A Z I N E

June 2011

Volume 30/No 3

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| letter from the editor |

Technology is evolving at a breathless pace. A few

decades ago, to know what your wind farm ten

kilometres away was doing, you had to get in a car

or a train and travel there, or call someone onsite.

These days, it’s all done at the fl ick of a virtual

switch, from ‘control centres’ that monitor every as-

pect of a wind farm 24 hours a day. These centres

not only allow a problem to be identifi ed and fi xed

as soon as possible once it arises, they enable data

to be gathered showing where turbine and wind farm

designs can be improved so that the whole sector

can evolve. I visited one such centre in Spain and

you can read about it on p. 18.

One country with a genuine vision for electrical

and renewable energy technology is Portugal.

Something of an unsung hero of the renewables

world, Portugal is second only to Denmark in

terms of the percentage of its electricity it gets

from wind. But not only does the country have a

strong wind energy track record and innovative

industry, it has ambitious plans for a smart grid

and electric vehicles, which are being rolled out

in the historic university town of Évora. While the

political situation could change with the elections

on 5 June, it looks likely that whoever wins will

continue to support the country’s vision. Read

more in the Focus on p. 30 and the interview

with the Portuguese Secretary of State for Energy

on p. 38.

Technological progress is nearly always to be

welcomed – whether it be more effi cient wind

turbines, cars that run on renewable electricity or

being able to check your emails on your phone –

but sometimes it is necessary to fi nd solutions

to allow vital technologies to operate in harmony.

On p. 42, Crispin Aubrey examines the at times

complex relationship between radar - used to ensure

aeroplanes follow safe paths - and wind turbines.

Mapping the futureTechnology was also at the centre of a European

Commission Roadmap published in March. The

Roadmap recommended that the power sector

reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 93-99%

by 2050 to keep the EU in line with its own targets

and avoid climate catastrophe. On p. 10, Chris

Rose analyses the Roadmap and argues that the

key fi rst step to 2050 is a higher goal for 2020, of

30% emission reductions in Europe.

Memory lane Looking back rather than forward, on p. 48 Chris

Rose also presents a summary of the EWEA 2011

Annual Event - with plenty of photos – that took

place this March in Brussels, both for those who

were there and for those who missed it.

Looking back even further – at his ten years

at the helm of EWEA - is the author of this

issue’s ‘Last Word’, Bruce Douglas, who was

Chief Operating Offi cer up to March this year.

When Douglas joined the association’s staff,

it represented growth of 50%. This year, there

are 54 of us engaged in lobbying, researching,

communicating, writing and organising as part

of the voice of the European wind industry. Read

more on p. 58.

Join in worldwideFinally, this magazine goes to print just a couple

of weeks before this year’s Global Wind Day

takes place on Wednesday 15 June. See what’s

going on in your neck of the woods – from games

and concerts to competitions and seminars

- by going onto the interactive event map on

www.globalwindday.org, follow the news on Twitter

(use #globalwindday) and have a look for the

dedicated Global Wind Day page on Facebook. ■

Scaling technological heights

By Sarah AzauEditor

6 WIND DIRECTIONS | June 2011

| wind news |

CANADA

104 MW more for CanadaVestas has received an order for 58

turbines – with a combined capacity of

104 MW - for a wind energy project in

Canada.

The contract includes delivery and

commissioning along with a 10-year

service and maintenance agreement.

Delivery is scheduled for mid-2012

and commissioning expected in au-

tumn 2012.The blades and nacelles

will be provided from Vestas’ factory in

Colorado.

So far, Vestas has supplied 1,683

MW of installed wind capacity to Canada.

More information: www.vestas.com

CHINA

Spanish and Chinese companies work togetherChinese power company Longyuan is

to work with Gamesa to develop wind

projects of up to 900 MW in international

markets outside of China. The agree-

ment - the fi rst to be signed by Chinese

and Spanish companies in the wind

energy industry - calls for the partners to

research suitable sites for the joint de-

velopment of wind farms in international

markets, primarily the United States and

European and Latin American countries.

Gamesa and Longyuan will research

wind projects, both those Gamesa has

already identifi ed and included in its wind

farm project portfolio, and new ventures

in strategic countries. Gamesa cur-

rently has a wind farm portfolio of over

22,600 MW at varying stages of develop-

ment in Europe, the Americas and Asia.

More information: www.gamesa.es

DENMARK

Pension savers become owners of Denmark’s largest offshore wind farmA forthcoming offshore wind farm in

Denmark now has 840,000 pension

savers as new co-owners, since pension

funds PensionDanmark and PKA acquired

half of the offshore wind farm from

DONG Energy recently. PensionDanmark

bought 30% and PKA bought 20%.

Anholt offshore wind farm will consist

of 111 wind turbines which will make it

Denmark’s largest. On its completion in

2013, the farm will be generating green

power equivalent to the annual electricity

consumption of 400,000 Danish house-

holds, or 4% of Denmark’s total electric-

ity consumption.

More information: www.dongenergy.com

EUROPE

Next generation Ventos CFD model to be developed RES, Natural Power and the Faculty of

Engineering at the University of Porto

(FEUP), Portugal have joined up for a

research and development joint ven-

ture focused on developing the next

generation VENTOS computational fl uid

dynamics (CFD) model for wind energy

applications.

VENTOS is a series of tools that are

used in combination with onsite wind

measurements to predict wind conditions

that at the location of each turbine of a

proposed wind farm. This allows turbines

to be sited in areas of complex terrain

and forestry at locations appropriate to

their design and helps to provide accurate

predictions of their long term energy yield.

The R&D programme will focus on key

areas of immediate interest to the wind

energy industry including non-neutral

atmospheric fl ows, turbine wakes and

forestry.

More information: www.res-group.com

GERMANY

€2.6 billion to be invested in renewables up to 2013E.ON plans to invest €2.6 billion in

renewables from 2011 to 2013, the

company has annouced. Currently its

biggest project in Europe is the London

Array offshore wind farm – being

built with partners DONG Energy and

Masdar - which will have 1,000 MW of

capacity, making it the world’s largest

wind farm when fully completed.

Recently, E.ON installed the fi rst of

94 turbines in a wind farm in Illinois,

US. When completed, the farm at

Settlers Trail will have 150 MW of

capacity, and be able to supply the

equivalent of 45,000 households with

clean electricity.

More information: www.eon.com

MONGOLIA

Turbines for the wind-swept plains of IMARVestas has received an order for

25 turbines, of a total 50 MW, for

the north eastern part of the Inner

Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR),

China.

The climate in the north eastern

part of IMAR where Hulunbeier is

located is extremely harsh and hostile,

and wind turbines can only be installed

from May to September.

The contract includes delivery,

installation and commissioning of the

wind turbines, as well as a service and

maintenance agreement. The turbines

are scheduled to be delivered in the

second quarter of 2011.

Investing in a Danish pension fund could get you shares in an offshore wind farm

Photo

: EW

EA


| wind news |

More information: www.vestas.com

POLAND

New wind farm planned for north-west PolandGE Energy is to supply three 2.5 MW

turbines to the new Żeńsko wind farm

in north-west Poland. The project is lo-

cated in the city of Krzęcin in Choszczno

County, West-Pomerania Province. The

project is owned by KSM Energia.

According to the Poland Wind Energy

Association, the country has a total

installed wind capacity of more than

1,100 MW.

More information: www.gepower.com

UK

5 MW turbine installed in UK watersA 153 metre high turbine of 5 MW capac-

ity has been installed at the Ormonde

offshore wind farm off the coast of

Cumbria in the UK. The REpower turbine

was installed by REpower with Vattenfall.

When complete, the wind farm will

have 150 MW from 30 wind turbines,

and should supply the equivalent of

100,000 homes with its 500 GWh of

clean electricity.

The wind farm should be completed

by the second half of this year.

More information: www.vattenfall.com

New offshore foundation could reduce CAPEXThe SMart Wind consortium, led by

Mainstream Renewable Power and

Siemens Project Ventures, has signed

its fi rst contract to install a met mast

at the 4,000 MW Hornsea zone off the

east coast of the UK. The mast, which

is due to be installed in August, will use

the new “twisted jacket” foundation,

designed by Keystone Engineering. A

press release from the consortium says

the design, which was funded with the

Carbon Trust and DONG Energy, could

“signifi cantly reduce foundation

CAPEX costs.”

More information: www.mainstreamrp.com

Scottish wind farms to expand Two Iberdrola wind farms in Scotland are

to expand to become the largest in the

country, with the Whitelee farm moving to

539 MW and the Black Law farm going

up to 193 MW. Once online, they will be

able to supply “double the population”

of nearby Glasgow, according to an

Iberdrola press release – the equivalent

of 440,000 homes.

The Whitelee wind farm, which came

on stream in 2009, is located south of

Glasgow and currently has installed ca-

pacity of 322 MW. It houses Scotland’s

fi rst renewable energy learning centre.

The expanded facility is due to reach the

new operational capacity in 2012.

The Black Law wind farm is located in

Forth, Lanarkshire, 40 kilometres from

Glasgow, and has been operational since

2005 with installed capacity of 124 MW.

it will increase by 69 MW to 193 MW, with

construction slated to commence in 2012

and is expected to be completed in 2014.

More information: www.iberdrola.es

WORLD

Wind energy generation cost reached all time low in 2010For the fi rst time, the cost of wind tur-

bines on the main international mar-

kets fell below €1 million per MW last

year - the lowest wind generation cost

ever recorded. That is according to the

most recent edition of the Wind Turbine

Price Index published by Bloomberg New

Energy Finance.

In a number of areas with excellent

wind conditions (in the US, Sweden,

Mexico and Brazil), wind-generated en-

ergy costs (including capital and main-

tenance costs and excluding the effect

of incentives) amounts to around $68

per MWh (€50), compared to $67 per

MWh for coal plants and $56 MWh for

gas plants.

Bloomberg NEF examined more than

150 sale contracts of onshore turbines,

for a total of nearly 7,000 MW in 28

countries around the world, focusing on

Europe and the Americas. It found that

in the fi rst half of the year the average

price of wind turbines for the buyer was

980,000 €/MW, recording a 7% de-

crease over the previous year and a 19%

drop compared with 2007-2008.

More information: www.bnef.com ■

Poland has a total installed wind capacity of more than 1,100 MW

Photo

: G

WEC

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LIGHTER, SIMPLER, MORE PRODUCTIVE


The quality of life in Europe four decades from

now depends largely on how politicians react

to a 15 page Communication that the European

Commission published earlier this year on the

pressing need to move to a low carbon economy.

Called “A Roadmap for moving to a com-

petitive low carbon economy in 2050,” the

Communication sets the scene for starting to

deal with as massive a transformation of soci-

ety as the one caused by the all encompassing

Industrial Revolution more than 150 years ago.

The Roadmap states that a 93-99% cut in CO2

emissions in the power sector by 2050 is essen-

tial to achieve the lowest end of the EU’s green-

house gas emissions reduction pledge. The EU

has committed to an 80-95% emissions cut (com-

pared with 1990 levels) by 2050. Only this level

of reduction will give – according to scientists - a

50% chance of avoiding the 2°C world tempera-

ture rise that would bring climate disaster.

A range of reactionsAs intimidating as that goal might be, changing

the way we create and use energy is imminently

achievable — and Connie Hedegaard, European

Commissioner for Climate Action, agrees.

“We need to start the transition towards a

competitive low carbon economy now,” Hedegaard

said after the Communication was published in

March. “The longer we wait, the higher the cost

will be. As oil prices keep rising, Europe is paying

more every year for its energy bill and becoming

more vulnerable to price shocks. So starting the

transition now will pay off.”

Hedegaard added that society does not need

to wait for future technological breakthroughs.

“The low carbon economy can be built by further

developing proven technologies that exist already

today.”

EWEA agreed that the Roadmap’s proposal for

a 93-99% cut in CO2 emissions in the power sec-

tor by 2050 was essential, but said the road to a

low carbon economy in 2050 must start with an

immediate increase in the EU’s emissions reduc-

tion target for 2020.

“Moving now to 30% domestic emissions

reductions by 2020 (instead of today’s 20% target),

together with targets for 2030 is necessary to

achieve the long-term goals set out in the 2050

roadmap,” according to an EWEA press release.

EWEA also criticised the term “low carbon

technology” used in the Roadmap.

“The Commission has now defi ned what the

2050 power sector can emit, but has failed to de-

fi ne what a low carbon energy technology actually

is” said Christian Kjaer, EWEA’s Chief Executive.

| EU roadmap |

Wanted: higher EU emissions reduction targets Chris Rose examines the European Commission’s pathway to a “low carbon” society in 2050 and

argues that the fi rst steps must be a 30% emissions cut by 2020 and a 2030 renewable energy target.

Photo: Comstock


This was a point emphasised in more dramatic

language by Claude Turmes, Green MEP and rap-

porteur on the 2009 Renewable Energy Directive.

Speaking at the EWEA 2011 Annual Event in

March, he warned that low carbon targets were

“nonsense targets,” and added later that “low

carbon is a disaster” because it was far vaguer in

scope than the term “renewable energy” and al-

lowed other power sources, such as nuclear, to be

included in the target. “We have to stop this low

carbon technology gang,” he said.

All about targetsRelying on an extensive modelling analysis with

several possible scenarios, the Communication

found that “if the EU delivers on its current

policies, including its commitment to reach 20%

renewables, and achieve 20% energy effi ciency

by 2020, this would enable the EU to outperform

the current 20% emission reduction target and

achieve a 25% domestic reduction by 2020.”

Following the 25% domestic reduction by

2020, the “cost-effective pathway” by 2030 and

2040 would be domestic emission reductions

of 40% and 60% below 1990 levels, said the

Communication.

“Wind energy alone can contribute signifi cantly

to even a 30% reduction target”, points out Rémi

Gruet, EWEA’s Senior Regulatory Affairs Advisor.

“In 2010, it avoided reductions equivalent to 28%

of the EU’s reductions target under the Kyoto

Protocol. By 2020, based on EWEA’s targets for

installed wind energy capacity, it should avoid

domestically as much as 31% of the EU’s current

20% target - or 20% of a potential 30% target.”

What is more, the current targets being

discussed include a certain amount of ‘offsets’

– that is, projects outside the EU, but paid for by

EU countries (as it is often cheaper to fund such

projects in less industrialised nations) whose

avoided CO2 emissions can be counted as part of

the EU’s own reduction.

EWEA, on the other hand, believes the 30%

target it is calling for should be a ‘domestic’ one.

That means that only projects within the EU count

towards it – and the invested money stays within

the EU. If such a goal - a 30% domestic reduc-

tions target - is put in place, wind energy alone

would avoid emissions equivalent to about a third

of it – 31%.

“The EU needs to realise that science de-

mands more ambitious emissions cuts to prevent

the worst climate change, and that wind energy

alone can do a great deal towards it”, says Gruet.

Trading emissionsThe Communication also said the existing EU

Emissions Trading System (ETS) will be critical in

driving a wide range of low carbon technologies

into the market, so that the power sector itself

can adapt its investment and operational strate-

gies to changing energy prices and technology.

EWEA believes that the ETS has done very

little to drive investments in renewables so far. In

what is known as ‘Phase 2’ of the ETS – which

runs from 2008 to 2012 – the fi nancial crisis

brought industrial production down, meaning

heavy industry emitted less than it was entitled to

do, which in turn meant that it had spare emis-

sions allowances (EUAs). It hung on to these and

sold them cheaply to the power sector, which will

now be able to use them in Phase 3 of the ETS

from 2013 and continue emitting. So rather than

invest in renewable technology, the power sector

chose to buy cheap allowances, pass the cost

onto the customer – and keep polluting.

“The most effi cient way to make the ETS more

effi cient is to raise the emissions reduction target

to 30% by 2020,” says Gruet.

Show me the moneyNoting there is a cost attached to developing a

low carbon economy, the Communication said the

increase in necessary public and private invest-

ment is likely to amount to about €270 billion

annually over the next 40 years.

“This represents an additional investment of

around 1.5% of EU GDP per annum on top of the

overall current investment representing 19% of

GDP in 2009,” the Communication said, adding

it would take us back to the investment levels

before the current economic crisis.

Having said that, the document noted the tran-

sition to a low carbon economy will bring about a

number of other essential benefi ts beyond reduc-

tions in greenhouse gas emissions.

| EU roadmap |

In just fi ve years, the number of jobs in renewable energy more than doubled

Photo

: Accio

na - J

.Cam

pos

“We have to

stop this

low-carbon

technology

gang.”


One of those key benefi ts coming from improved

energy effi ciencies and the switch to locally

produced low-carbon energy sources over the next

four decades will be a reduction in the EU’s aver-

age fuel costs by between €175 billion and €320

billion per year.

“In 2050, the EU’s total primary energy con-

sumption could be about 30% below 2005 levels.

More domestic energy resources would be used,

in particular renewables. Imports of oil and gas

would decline by half compared to today, reducing

the negative impacts of potential oil and gas price

shocks signifi cantly.”

The document said investing early in the

low carbon economy would stimulate a gradual

structural change in the economy and can create

in net terms new jobs both in the short and the

medium term. As an example, it said in just fi ve

years, the renewable energy industry increased

its work force from 230,000 to 550,000.

Also benefi ts from grid investments, “do not

always accrue to the grid operator, but to society at

large (with co-benefi ts for consumers, producers,

and society at large: a more reliable network, energy

security and reduced emissions)”, it pointed out.

Not ambitious enoughEWEA urged the European Commission to follow

up the Roadmap with specifi c proposals for EU

energy policy post 2020.

“The main pillars of the EU’s energy and cli-

mate policies — the emissions reduction, renew-

able energy and energy effi ciency targets of 20%

— all run out in 2020,” warned Kjaer. “Post 2020

policies need to be put in place without delay.”

The low carbon Roadmap was criticised by

Friends of the Earth (FOE).

In a press release, the environmental

group said the low carbon plan to 2050 will

not cut EU greenhouse gas emissions fast

enough to prevent dangerous climate change

and could lead to a three-degree rise in global

temperature.

FOE said deeper emissions cuts must be

made earlier — 40% by 2020 — if the EU is to

deliver on its pledge to cut emissions to avoid

dangerous climate change.

“If these plans go ahead European govern-

ments are effectively abandoning any realistic

hope of keeping global temperatures rises below

two degrees, locking us into catastrophic climate

change,” said Mike Childs, FOE’s Head of Climate

Change.

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB)

welcomed the low carbon Roadmap but warned

that attention could not slip from ambitious action

in the short term.

EEB said having a long-term vision for the fu-

ture should not be an excuse to avoid short-term,

ambitious targets.

In a press release, the EEB said the proposal

that existing efforts will already bring cuts of 25%

by 2020 suggests that going further is all the

more possible.

“The path to 95% cuts by 2050 starts now.

This gives the green light to 30% reductions with

measures to reduce energy use and strength-

ening the emissions trading scheme,” said

Catherine Pearce, EEB Senior Policy Offi cer for

Energy Policy.

“The right decisions made now will help save

money in reduced fuel costs and avoid being

stuck with dirty technologies.”

Providing stabilityA week after the Roadmap was published, peo-

ple attending the EWEA 2011 Annual Event in

Brussels heard that the EU must adopt a binding

renewable energy target for 2030 to secure long-

term investment in renewable energy.

On the opening day of the four-day event,

Arthouros Zervos, EWEA President, warned “the

wind industry expects to invest some €400 billion

in Europe between now and 2030. To do so it

needs stable and certain EU energy policy.”

Zervos said the sector is facing a policy

vacuum after 2020. “We must ensure that the

renewable energy targets established in 2001

and 2009 are replicated for the period after 2020

with ambitious 2030 targets. We must ensure

that that the success story of renewable energy in

Europe survives beyond 2020.”

On the third day of EWEA 2011, Commissioner

Hedegaard told a press conference: “When we

talk about the electricity sector, not the total

energy consumption, but electricity, then I think

by 2050 we’ll have 100% renewables in Europe. I

think that is perfectly doable.”EWEA’s President addresses the EWEA 2011 opening session audience

| EU Roadmap |Photo

: EW

EA

“The path to

95% cuts by

2050 starts

now.”

| low carbon |


In a report — “EU Energy Policy to 2050” —

launched at the EWEA 2011 Annual Event, the

association argues that the renewable energy

targets set so far have enabled Europe to become

world leader in renewable energy technolo-

gies, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Therefore, the report argues, this successful

policy should be repeated for the period after

2020, together with the support of an Emissions

Performance Standard (EPS), and a tighter ETS.

Europe today gets approximately 20% of its

electricity from renewable energy sources, includ-

ing 5.3% from wind energy, the report noted,

adding that the Renewable Energy Directive’s 27

National Renewable Energy Action Plans indicate

34% of the EU’s total electricity consumption will

come from renewable energy sources by 2020

including 14% from wind power.

“The EU has provided the power sector with a

very clear trajectory over the next 10 years,” the

EWEA report noted. “What is yet to be done is for

the EU to provide the power sector with an equally

clear trajectory to 2050.”

The European power sector has to have

achieved zero carbon by 2050 if overall GHGs are

to be reduced by 80-95% by mid-century as Heads

of State have promised, the report said.

While 2050 may seem a long time from now, it

added, it is only one investment cycle away in the

power sector.

“Decision makers must act today and provide

the markets with clear signals on technology

choice. Due to the long lifetime of fossil fuel

power plants (35-45 years for coal and 30-35

years for gas), the commitment by Heads of State

means that no new carbon-emitting power plant

should be built after 2015.”

The report added that an EU regulatory frame-

work for the post-2020 period is immediately

required. “In order to provide the power sec-

tor with the necessary investment stability and

predictability, the EU will ideally need to decide

during the course of the present Commission and

Parliament – that is, by the end of 2014 – on a

new regulatory framework for the power sector.”

Proposing such a framework, the EWEA report

said an ambitious, binding 2030 target for renew-

able energy “would give the power sector a vital

stepping stone, taking it from an expected 34%

renewable electricity in 2020 to 100% renewables

by 2050.”

The EWEA report also said the most effective

way of ensuring a carbon-free power sector by

2050 would be to ban carbon emissions from

new power plants installed after 2015, introduc-

ing a technology-neutral EPS of zero grams of

CO2/kWh for new power plants. The EPS would let

the market decide the most cost effi cient way of

delivering carbon-free primary energy.

The report also noted that any post-2020

legislative framework should include a tighter

emission reduction target for the ETS to reach

95% domestic greenhouse gas reductions by

2050, preceded by a target of 30% domestic GHG

reductions by 2020, and further domestic targets

for 2030, 2040 and 2050.

“It is clear that the most effective way of

ensuring that the EU is able to continue reducing

its greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2020 is

to continue an existing, stable, predictable and

successful EU policy by establishing a binding and

ambitious renewable energy target for 2030,” the

report said. “This policy should be complemented

with other technology-neutral policies — an ambi-

tious EPS and ETS.”

In a development related to the

Communication on a low carbon future, Energy

Commissioner Günther Oettinger was reported

as saying in March that a hike in the EU’s current

binding target of a 20% increase in the share of

renewables in Europe’s energy porfolio “would ap-

pear to be urgent.”

“We will have a debate and a proposal from

the Commission side for a long-term target for

2030 and 2040 and 2050 and there will be a

higher target for renewable energy,” Oettinger was

quoted as saying on news website Euractiv. ■

Carbon-emitting power plants must be phased out to reach zero carbon by 2050

| EU Roadmap |

“The EU must

provide the

power sector

with a

clear trajectory

to 2050.”

Photo

: G

ett

y im

age


| brussels briefi ng |

Work on network codes must be improved

The European Commission has the

right priorities for network code

development, but work needs to include

additional topics such as load-frequency

control and ancillary services, stated

EWEA recently.

EWEA was responding to a public con-

sultation from the European Commission

on the development of network codes for

2012 and beyond.

Overall, EWEA agrees with the priori-

ties, namely the continuation of the work

started in 2011 on capacity allocation

and congestion management, grid con-

nection, system operation and balancing

rules and the new priorities mentioned in

the consultation.

However, EWEA stresses the urgency

of beginning work on the planned network

code on load-frequency control and re-

serves this year as some national TSOs,

in which this subject is already extremely

urgent, could set out their own, differ-

ing, regional rules without waiting for the

European transmission system operators

(ENTSO-E) to set harmonised rules.

“Such a situation would not only make

power generation unnecessarily expensive

by increasing the necessity for maintaining

locally adapted products and maintaining

staff for interpretation of network codes,

but it would also cause additional costs for

network operators”, warned Paul Wilczek,

EWEA’s Regulatory Affairs Advisor.

EWEA also said that in terms of

the priorities for post-2013, it remains

unclear in ENTSO-E’s list which network

code would cover binding rules on provi-

sion, procurement, trading and govern-

ance on ancillary services. This is a

substantial shortcoming in view of the

large part of the electricity demand that

will be covered by variable renewable

sources in the next decades – mainly

wind and solar PV.

In a response to another consulta-

tion that covered network codes, EWEA

commented on the opinion given by the

Agency for the Cooperation of Energy

Regulators on the transmission system

operators’ (ENTSO-E) draft statutes, list

of members and draft rules of procedure.

EWEA raises several concerns on

the rules of procedure. One is that the

given timeline of 12 months is extremely

short for drafting a robust pan-European

network code.

“A suffi cient timeframe is essential to

allow for the necessary in-depth techni-

cal discussions that take proper account

of all specifi cities of the entire power

generation, in particular in view of the up-

coming large-scale integration of variable

renewable electricity generation such as

wind energy”, points out Wilczek.

ACER should include the option of

a voluntary consultation process with

ENTSO-E and all concerned stakeholders

before the start of the offi cial 12 month

period and also an optional prolongation

of six months on top of the 12 months

if considered necessary, recommends

EWEA.

Other issues touched on by EWEA

include the need to maintain the network

codes more often than the stated every

fi ve years to take account of technical

and regulatory progress in all aspects of

the power system.

Recent consultations have touched on many

areas relating to power grids

Photo

: S

tift

ung O

ffshore

Win

dEnerg

ie

Joint renewables projects could help

countries meet their targets

A market for ‘cooperation mechanisms’ is required

EWEA has written to EU Energy

Commissioner Günther Oettinger

urging the European Commission to

develop a market for joint renewable

energy projects between EU Member

States.

EWEA states that both Italy and

Luxembourg intend to use the ‘coop-

eration mechanisms’ - which include

joint projects - set out in the 2009

Renewable Energy Directive to meet

their national renewables targets by

2020.

A market for such mechanisms

could “provide the EU with experience

in improving the coordination of national

support mechanisms which could prove

invaluable when designing the post-

2020 EU legislative framework for

renewable energy”, says EWEA’s letter.

It would also help the 20% renewable

energy target be met.

The market should be developed by

the Commission in cooperation with the

15 national governments planning to

exceed their renewables target, Italy and

Luxembourg, and the wind energy indus-

try, says EWEA.

Photo

: G

am

esa


| brussels briefi ng |

European Commission fails to put its money where its mouth is

The recently published draft 2012 EU

budget puts other sectors before

energy.

Referring to the EU’s 2020 strategy

goals, the European Commission in the

presentation of the budget pinpoints

energy as a key policy area, but energy

would only get 0.5% of the overall EU

budget - €695.1 million of €147 billion.

Perhaps most notably, the

Commission stresses the importance

of strategic energy technology plan

(SET-Plan) sectors – which include wind

energy – but then fails to put any money

into the SET-Plan budget line.

“It is extremely disappointing to see

the European Commission repeat exactly

what it said last year on the value of the

SET-Plan, and then once again leave the

dedicated budget line empty”, said Vilma

Radvilaite, EWEA’s Regulator Affairs Advisor.

“Although the Commission does men-

tion in the draft budget that the €115

million for research related to energy is

“intended” to go towards the SET-Plan

technologies, as long as it doesn’t put

that money in the SET-Plan budget line,

its words have no legal value.”

And while the research programme

FP7 is set to get 17.6% more money

committed to it, within FP7 energy pay-

ments will only go up by 1.5%.

On the other hand, the Commission

proposes to dramatically increase – by

€750 million - the budget of the nuclear

‘ITER’ project. Recently, the European

Commission also proposed to redeploy

€100 million in 2012 and €360 million

in 2013 from FP7 to fi nance new needs

for the ITER project.

“It is essential that the European

Parliament blocks the European

Commission’s proposal to allot more

FP7 funding to ITER, as any risk to the

already proportionally tiny FP7 energy

budget would have a real impact”, said

Radvilaite.

On a more positive note, the competi-

tiveness and innovation programme for

Intelligent Energy Europe – IEE, which

supports projects the wind industry

is involved in, such as OffshoreGrid

(www.offshoregrid.eu) and SEANERGY

(www.seanergy2020.eu) - would double

according to the draft budget - taking it

to €79.2 million.

The European Commission is currently

preparing its budget outline for the 2014

– 2020 period which is expected to be

published this summer. EWEA is lobbying

to ensure that the SET-Plan’s European

Wind Initiative – with a total budget of €6

billion over ten years – is funded. ■

Ten EU countries could apply for free EUAs for power fi rms

Eight eastern European Member

States, plus Cyprus and Malta, will

be allowed to apply to the European

Commission to give free EU Emissions

Trading System (ETS) allowances to

power companies up to 2019. They

will choose whether to do this based

on benchmark effi ciency fi gures or on

verifi ed emissions from previous years,

the European Commission said in a

Communication published recently.

Most power fi rms will have to buy ETS

allowances (EUAs) in the third phase of

the scheme (2013-2020). But Bulgaria,

Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary,

Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and

Romania will be able to give up to 70% of

EUAs for free in 2013 (for power plants

invested in before the end of 2008),

gradually decreasing to 0% in 2020.

EWEA’s Regulatory Affairs Advisor

Rémi Gruet points out that the risk with

free allowances is always that polluters

pass 100% of the CO2 cost to the cus-

tomers and get windfall profi ts, but adds:

“It is good that in its Communication,

the European Commission offi cially

recognises that free allocations lead to

windfall profi ts, and the fact that the free

allocations start at 70% of 2005 levels

and go to zero by 2020 ensures those

windfall profi ts will be limited.”

Overall, this is equivalent to giving

free allocations to 5% of the EU’s elec-

tricity production, says Gruet, were all

eligible countries to apply for the opt-out.

EWEA also welcomes the fact that

the Communication foresees the use

of these potential windfall profi ts to

fi nance investments in electricity mod-

ernisation and diversifi cation, and that

they can be combined with funding from

the New Entrants Reserve (the 300

million allowances set aside for renewa-

bles and carbon capture and storage

projects).

“For the system to work effectively,

the European Commission needs to

follow the principles spelt out in the

guidance documents closely, and take

a fi rm stand against Member State

that might be tempted to let its power

industries benefi t from windfall profi ts”,

says Gruet.

Malta is one of the eight EU

countries that will be able

to apply for free EUAs

Photo

: C

reata

s

ELECTRIC PITCH SYSTEMS PITCH CONTROL COMPONENTS SLIP RING SOLUTIONS BLADE SENSING SYSTEMS SUPPORT SERVICES


For all their sleekness and modernity, some-

thing about today’s wind turbines will always

recall the design of the grain mills, symbols of a

mostly distant agricultural past, which inspired

them. However onlookers might be surprised to

learn than every part of each of those deceptively

simple-looking machines is in fact being rigorously

monitored, 24 hours a day, thanks to some of the

most cutting-edge technology around.

I was able to see this for myself in February

this year when I went to Spain to visit Iberdrola’s

Renewable Energies Operations Centre (or

‘CORE’, as it is known) with the company’s

Vicente Trullench Arenas.

“The aim of the CORE is to monitor the

turbines’ performance, centralise information

to solve any problems as quickly as possible to

reduce operations and maintenance (O&M) costs,

and provide forecasts on power output to the

grid operator”, Trullench explains in the train on

the way to the UNESCO World Heritage town of

Toledo, near Madrid, where CORE is situated.

In practise, that means the centre’s computers

receive electronic information in real time from

the wind farms on performance, power output and

various other subjects.

Thirty members of staff work at the centre,

with groups of three people, who monitor the

incoming data, working in shifts around the

clock. A shift supervisor – a trained engineer - is

also always present, in order to control the grid

and coordinate with other control centres and

with Spain’s transmission system operator, Red

Eléctrica. The staff at CORE – who are mostly

young and live locally - monitor 6,000 turbines,

with a combined capacity of about 6,150 MW.

Another 350 MW of hydro, solar thermal and bio-

mass are also followed from the CORE.

Smooth runningCORE’s director, Gustavo Moreno, explains that

each of the 6,000 turbines sends 300 different

“signals” to the centre every few seconds. That

means the three members of staff on duty have a

total of 1,800,000 signals to keep their eyes on

– from the temperature of all the different turbine

components to the performance of the electric

substation.

On the wall of the centre, a giant plasma

screen maps all the wind farms in a particular

area, lit up red or green to indicate whether they

are running or not. Each also has a thermometer-

like icon next to it to indicate at a glance the cur-

rent capacity factor – that is, what percentage of

the potential electricity is being produced.

Moreno clicks on one of the wind farms,

showing me how you can zoom into it and see

all the turbines. You can then click again and get

a cross-section of a particular turbine, with all

the information such as the angle of the blade,

Getting the detailed view By Sarah Azau

“On the wall, a

plasma screen

maps all the

wind farms, lit

red or green

to indicate

whether they

are running.”

| control centre visit |

Photo

: Ib

erd

rola


the number of revolutions per minute. Each of

the 300 elements that are monitored per turbine

has its own alarm which is lit up red if there is a

problem.

“Depending on the type of problem, we can

either re-start the turbine directly from here, or

we can send O&M people out to the wind farm”,

explains Moreno.

Altogether, he estimates that around 300

turbines face a problem every day, out of the

6,000, but there are some days with no problems

at all. Around 40% of those issues can be solved

directly from the CORE, making considerable

savings. The CORE also monitors the substations

connecting the wind farms to the power grid and

checks they are running smoothly.

When technicians do have to go to the wind

farm, CORE follows what work is going on where,

so all the other turbines in the farm can remain

operational. They have cameras at all the wind

farms so they can be sure the technicians get

to the farm without an issue, and follow the

progress of the maintenance team. When I was

there, parts of northern Spain were still covered

in snow; had the team needed to get through,

the cameras would have allowed them to know

beforehand which roads were clear.

Looking forwardThe planning of the operations and maintenance

work is helped by the detailed wind forecasts

CORE provides. It sends such forecasts to Red

Eléctrica 48 hours in advance, and then consoli-

dates the information with hourly updates.

“We have meteorological towers that con-

vert the amount of wind forecast into predicted

electricity. That way we can sell the electricity to

Red Eléctrica, who knows how much power wind

energy will provide over the next two days and can

plan accordingly”, says Moreno.

As part of the 2009 Renewable Energy

Directive, EU countries must grant ‘priority dis-

patch’ to renewables. That means that, when pow-

er from renewable sources is available, it must

be used. The transmission system operators can

only ask for renewables to be curtailed – that is,

stopped or turned down - if there is a safety risk.

Perhaps most impressive for me was to see

the bar showing what percentage of Spain’s elec-

tricity was being covered by wind energy in real

time. When I was there it was about 31%; this

can get up to 40% or more some nights in winter.

The huge amount of information gathered by

the CORE is put to good use. There is a centre

in Madrid devoted to predictive maintenance,

where CORE data is studied to be able to identify

problems before they arise. Iberdrola is also able

to make recommendations to the manufacturers

whose turbines they survey if they notice a com-

monly recurring fault or trend.

Joining the networkThe CORE is one of about 20 control centres in

Spain, run by various companies. The centres

provide their input, updated every 12 seconds,

to Red Eléctrica’s central Control Centre for

Renewable Energies (CECRE). This allows renew-

able energy to be integrated into the grid under

secure conditions by controlling output and an-

ticipating any sudden losses in power generation.

Based on the overall information received on the

active and reactive power, voltage and connectiv-

ity of Spain’s wind farms and other renewable

energy plants at the CECRE, Red Eléctrica passes

data to the producers of power from conventional

sources, which have to modify the power they sup-

ply to the grid.

This maximises the renewable energy in the

Spanish system, and is one of the reasons

Spain is at the forefront in Europe in terms

of renewables. ■

“Around 40%

of turbine

problems can

be solved

directly from

the control

centre.”

| control centre visit |

Gustavo Moreno (second

from right) with his

team at work in the CORE

CORE is situated in Toledo, near Madrid

Photo: Stockphoto

Photo: Iberdrola


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GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY EVERLASTING ENERGY


What is the current situation for offshore wind in

the UK?

The current position is we’ve had Rounds 1 and

2 and Round 3 and Scottish Territorial Waters.

Rounds 1 and 2 are progressing

very slowly and because of this, in

Round 3 we are being much more

proactive, we are investing in ex-

cess of [€114] million in what we

call enabling actions to accelerate

the development of Round 3.

What are your thoughts about the future for off-

shore wind in the UK?

I think the fi rst thing to say is it is what the UK

needs — a strong energy mix. Gas has played a

big role in that in the past and will continue to do

so for quite a while. And we see offshore wind in

particular, but also wave and tidal, as having an

important part to play in the energy mix as we

move forward, from 2020 onwards. So we don’t

see the wind energy source as exclusive, but we

do see it as an important part of the energy mix.

The ambition is to have about one-third of the

UK’s electricity provided from offshore wind by 2020,

so we’re looking for those projects to be either oper-

ating or under construction by 2020. We are looking

at 47.7 gigawatts by 2020, up from 2 GW today.

Is that a realistic goal?

If we meet that target the target was set too low.

That’s the way we have to look at it. It’s a very

diffi cult target but our domestic production of

gas is going down quite considerably. There is a

nuclear programme but there’s all sorts of barri-

ers delivering a nuclear programme. Therefore the

UK government and the [offshore

wind] industry has to go as far as

we can to meet those targets.

What are the barriers and can

they be overcome?

We encourage the setting up of

something called the offshore wind development

forum. This is made up of senior executives from

offshore companies, chaired by the UK energy

minister and there’s a co-chair from the industry.

One of the jobs of that group is to overcome the

barriers.

The fi rst one is the grid; it’s a huge challenge.

I think we are in a better state than we were six

months ago. I think it is deliverable but it’s tough

though. We’ve commissioned a number of studies

into how best the grid issue might be addressed.

We’re reasonably confi dent it’ll be okay.

The supply chain is another barrier; we have

organised a series of supply chain events around

the UK. The UK supply chain in offshore energy is

very strong in the oil and gas industry, particularly

in the northeast of Scotland and the northeast

of England. So the supply chain is there but will

need orders in order to allow it to invest, but those

orders are not coming through yet. When they do,

we feel the supply chain is ready to move fairly fast

“If we meet our offshore wind target, the target was set too low”Dermot Grimson is responsible for external relations at the

UK’s Crown Estate which manages the country’s seabed

and is in charge of the leasing rounds for offshore wind

farms. He spoke to Chris Rose.

“Wind is an

important part

of the energy

mix.”

“There are all

sorts of barriers

delivering a nuclear

programme.”

| interview |

Photo

: EW

EA/B

ickle

y


— it’s well aware of the opportunity that is there.

However the big barrier is fi nance, probably the

toughest. Just now the UK government is under-

taking a review of the energy markets and will

be coming out with some ideas of how it’s going

to support the delivery of low-carbon affordable

energy, but that has undoubtedly caused some

uncertainty and I’d say over the past six months

there’s been a slowdown in activity.

And when might those results come out?

We’re expecting them in early summer. I think it’s

getting down to the details so that investors un-

derstand what supports there are, the longevity of

that support. There’ve been a lot of signals from

government that current commitments will be

honoured so the risks shouldn’t be too great. The

markets need to be convinced

there’s a good solid chance of a

decent return.

When you’re talking about the

grid do you mean the supergrid or

the existing grid?

I’m talking about fi xing the exist-

ing grid. The existing grid needs

fi xing anyway, irrespective of off-

shore wind and requires a lot of

investment. I think the supergrid

is different. The supergrid is in a

sense provides the opportunity to take offshore

wind to a much higher level. We’re [currently]

talking more than 40 gigawatts; if we’re talking

supergrid it could be an awful lot more than that.

The supergrid could help other European coun-

tries meet their CO2 targets and some of their

energy targets. And it will bring down the costs of

offshore wind. So the supergrid creates an oppor-

tunity but the grid needs fi xing now just to deliver

what’s on the table.

Are there any special administrative procedures

for offshore wind in the UK?

The previous government set up an infrastructure

planning commission and its job was to deliver

government policy through the planning and

consenting process, particularly for large projects

and to do it quickly. It was aimed at things like the

Heathrow third runway, nuclear power stations and

offshore wind. The new government came in and

decided to scrap the infrastructure planning com-

mission, make it part of government, but they did

promise it would operate a streamlined process

as well. It remains to be seen whether that can

be delivered.

Does the UK offshore wind sector have a problem

of public acceptance?

No, in the general public there are concerns from

time to time about visual amenity when it comes

close to shore but not that many. I think the big-

gest issue is other sea users — shipping, fi shing,

oil and gas — and that’s one of the reasons why

in Round 3 we defi ned very large zones to enable

some fl exibility to take into account other uses or

environmental constraints. I think the zonal ap-

proach is a way to overcome those concerns and

we’ve had very good discussions with the oil and

gas, shipping and fi shing industries.

The UK is now the world leader in offshore capac-

ity. Why is it so successful?

We are an island with a very large wind resource.

Our gas reserves are becom-

ing depleted fairly rapidly and

we have in the UK a very strong

expertise in sub-sea technology

so we know that business and our

companies know that business.

Are there any problems with gen-

erating radar interference?

There have been problems and

there continue to be. We’ve actu-

ally invested in radar technology

to overcome the problem. We

think the answer to the radar issue is there. It’s

the type of thing we are keen to invest in; any-

thing that can remove the source of a problem or

accelerate a solution. [for more on radar issues,

see p. 42]

What other issues need to be addressed?

I think it’s the longer term industrial strategy.

We have an energy strategy that’s reasonably

clear up to 2015, less clear up to 2020 and

extremely opaque beyond that. We need a 10-

year rolling programme to take us to 2020. By

2014, we need to understand what will happen

by 2025, and so on. So a clear line of sight is

we want to get rather than just picking numbers

for 2050. ■

“The existing

grid needs

fi xing anyway,

irrespective of

offshore wind.”

“We have an energy

strategy that’s

reasonably clear up

to 2015, less clear

up to 2020 and

extremely opaque

beyond that.”

“The markets

need to be

convinced

there’s a good

chance of a

decent return.”

| interview |

The Crown Estate belongs to the Queen of England but is managed by an

independent UK commercial organisation. It manages assets on behalf

of the Treasury including over half of the foreshore and all the country’s

seabed out to 12 nautical mile limit beyond which you enter international

waters.

What is the Crown Estate?


| country focus |

With 83,000 kilometres of rugged

coastline characterised by huge

fjords and hundreds of islands, and wind

resources considered to be among the

best in Europe, Norway is a promising

player in the wind energy market.

While some 98% of the country’s

electricity is already renewable - produced

from hydroelectric power plants – Norway

has made its mark in the wind energy

sector at the very cutting edge of offshore

wind power technology. In June 2009, the

Siemens 2.3 megawatt ‘Hywind’ turbine

– the world’s fi rst grid-connected fl oat-

ing offshore turbine – was put up off the

Norwegian coast. Two years on and the

turbine is “performing much better than

expected,” said Øistein Schmidt Galaaen,

Director of Norwea, the Norwegian wind,

wave and tidal association. “Our pride, the

Hywind turbine, has exceeded expectations

by producing reliably and well throughout

2010, including the astonishing equivalent

of 4,800 full load hours [or a capacity fac-

tor of almost 55%] in March,” he said.

Over recent years wind installations

in Norway have fl uctuated. During 2010,

18.4 MW were installed, bringing the total

to 435.6 MW. However, in 2009 only the

2.3 MW fl oating turbine was installed.

2008 was a bigger year for wind power

with 100 MW installed. By 2025 some

21 terrawatt hours of wind energy are

“technically feasible” with the existing

electricity grid and planned extensions,

explained Galaaen.

While most wind farms are planned for

the windy coastline, recent reports show

that Norway has huge potential for inland

wind power developments. “This is where

we expect the second wave of project de-

velopment,” Galaaen outlined. Meanwhile,

A closer look at

Norway...

In 2011, Wind Directions will

take a look at a selection of wind

energy markets across Europe

and beyond.

Norway – the wind energy facts

electricity by 2020. That, in addition to

the Certifi cate System, stands to boost

Norway’s wind power capacity by enhanc-

ing investor confi dence.

Norway is already a net exporter of

energy, but it still depends on imported

energy from Europe for signifi cant periods

throughout the year. If wind power was

expanded, it could start meeting domes-

tic demand with wind, while exporting

hydro-powered electricity to Europe. “We

sense a keen interest to utilise Norwegian

hydropower reserves to balance European

wind power via the planned North Sea

grid, but there is simply no way we can

provide those services without having

more wind power for domestic consump-

tion,” Galaaen said.

With an expansion in Norway’s renewa-

ble energy the country could export green

electricity to EU Member States, helping

Europe to meet its 2020 energy targets.

Interconnecting electricity cables are

already planned by Statnett – Norway’s

Transmission System Operator - with

the UK, Germany and the Netherlands.

Privately-funded cables are also under

consideration.

Norway is currently negotiating with the

European Commission on implementing

the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive, which

would result in Norway having an ambitious

renewable energy target for 2020. ■

By Zoë Casey

INSTALLED WIND ENERGY CAPACITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435.6 MW

BIGGEST ENERGY SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hydroelectric

WORLD’S FIRST . . . . grid-connected fl oating turbine launched in Norway in 2009

the government is also considering where

to locate large scale offshore wind farms.

Some zones have been identifi ed but no

signifi cant developments are expected

before 2020.

Norway is set to join the Swedish

Certifi cate System (a market based

support system to assist the expansion

of electricity production from renewable

energy in Sweden) on 1 January 2012,

which is likely to lead to a number of new

wind energy projects. Galaaen described

this move as a “major breakthrough for

anyone involved in the Norwegian wind

market.” Some 26.4 TWh of new renewa-

ble energy production in both Norway and

Sweden is expected in the 2012-2O20

period, of which at least 50% could be

produced by wind power, he said.

Although outside of the European

Union, Norway is bound to the EU’s

Renewable Energy Directive meaning that

the country will need to meet specifi c

targets for renewable energy. While these

are not yet set, it is certain that Norway

needs to produce 25 TWh of renewable

Photo

: iS

tockphoto


| wind worker |

Wind workerMeeting some of the over 200,000 people who make the European wind industry tick.

Dirk Buschmann, offshore manager at Alpha Ventus wind farm, E.ON

Alpha Ventus is Germany’s fi rst offshore wind

farm, situated in the North Sea 45 km north

of the island of Borkum, and 75 km off the main-

land. It consists of twelve turbines of 5 MW each.

What does your job involve?

My job involves monitoring and maintenance of

Alpha Ventus. This includes the monitoring and

maintenance of the twelve offshore wind turbines

as well as the offshore substation. It also means

a lot of time spent on the boat transfer to our

offshore farm with our maintenance boat “Wind

Force I” or alternatively, in case of bad weather,

transfer by helicopter to get

there.

A further part, the

“paper part” of my job,

is to work out the op-

erations time schedule for

our service technicians

and to check the health

certifi cates. Moreover I’m

responsible for creating

the passengers list for

all offshore trips. This list

has to be handed out to

the federal police and the

customs authorities, which

is very important since

we leave German territory

every time we go offshore.

How long have you been in

the wind energy industry?

I have been working in

the wind industry since

1995 starting with a job as a service technician

at “Tacke Windservice” which is now part of

“GE wind”. Afterwards I worked for NEG Micon

and Vestas. In 2008 I applied for a job in the

Operations & Maintenance department of RWE

Innogy Germany. Since 2010 I’ve been working as

a Technical Asset Manager offshore within E.ON

Climate & Renewables, the E.ON daughter that

handles E.ON’s global

renewables business.

What does a typical day involve?

A typical day offshore starts early in the morning

with a 2.5 hour boat transfer from our basis port

Norddeich to Alpha Ventus which is situated 75

kilometres from the mainland. Once we reach the

turbines, our working day starts: we do mainte-

nance on the turbines for approx seven to eight

hours. As for the typical maintenance work on the

offshore wind turbines it doesn’t differ very much

from the work onshore, only that it’s happening

on turbines that stand in the midst of the ocean

with no mainland in sight! In the late afternoon

our catamaran “Wind Force I” takes us back to

the harbour.

Do you work in teams?

Yes, at least three people have to work in a team

on a wind turbine. This is an important health and

safety rule to grant the safety of all workers in

this challenging offshore environment. In case a

colleague suffers an injury or gets into a danger-

ous situation there must be at least two further

team workers who can rescue him.

How much time do you spend on-site?

One day offshore means eight to nine work-

ing hours and around fi ve to six hours of boat

transfer to Alpha Ventus and back. Going by

helicopter is a much faster, but quite expensive

alternative we only recur to if weather condi-

tions don’t allow access to the offshore wind

farm by boat.

What is your favourite part of the job?

One of my favourite parts of the job is the mo-

ment immediately after the inspection and main-

tenance of a wind turbine. It’s the moment when

the system restarts and you can read “failure-

free system” on the display and the turbine

starts running.

Do you have a least favourite part of the job?

Sometimes the boat transfer is really hard due to

the high waves and the long time it takes. But as

for myself I’m very lucky, I’ve never fallen seasick

unlike some of my offshore colleagues.

“A typical day

offshore starts

early with a

2.5 hour boat

transfer.”

Photo

: E.O

N


| wind worker |

Fermín Dueñas, control centre front offi ce manager, Acciona Energy

Acciona Energy’s control centre monitors more

than 9,000 MW of renewable energy facilities

– nearly 8,200 of them in wind power– located

in 14 countries. Fermín Dueñas manages the

centre’s front offi ce.

What does your job involve?

My objective is to ensure that the control centre

fulfi ls its mission, works effi ciently, and that the

installations it controls are managed and oper-

ated correctly.

How long have you been in the wind energy

industry and why did you start working in it?

I started in the industry at the end of 2000, so

I have been in the sector for just over 10 years.

When I joined the company it was making a

strong commitment to the development of wind

power, mainly in the region where I lived. It was

an innovative sector in technological terms so I

considered it an attractive option for my career

development.

Did you always have this role in the wind industry?

I have always worked in activities related to the

control centre. It is an area that I enjoy, and so far

it has allowed me to acquire very good knowl-

edge and an overall vision of the process of wind

energy exploitation.

I started work in the control centre as an

operational technician, and have since been

gradually promoted to my current post of Front

Offi ce Manager.

What does a typical day involve?

I usually begin by checking the state of all the

installations and their main operating parameters

or indicators, and then share this information

with my colleagues in the control centre and the

management.

I also coordinate the main programmed actions

or operations and cover the management needs

of the control centre, deal with any problems that

arise and lay down criteria or strategies to be fol-

lowed depending situations at any given time.

Do you work in teams, what is the structure?

Teamwork is essential to what we do. Our opera-

tional team controls, operates and supervises the

safety/security of the company’s operations in

real time 24/7 for 365 days a year. We depend to

a great extent on the rapport and communication

in the technical team in the centre, so teamwork

is an element that we attach great importance to.

It is a very enriching experience being part of

such a wide-ranging and heterogeneous team.

What is your favourite part of the job?

The satisfaction of working in an important area

for the company and actively contributing to help-

ing the business go well.

Perhaps the most interesting area for me is

maximising the integration of wind energy into the

electric power system. This area has undergone

great development in recent years. Furthermore,

control centres are a key factor in the process,

and perhaps involve the strongest research and

development element.

Do you have a least favourite part of the job?

The work is ongoing, so it is diffi cult to obtain the

same satisfaction as successfully completing

a project that you have programmed and man-

aged personally. Although it does not occur very

often, the worst thing is when we have an incident

or problem that we cannot solve as fast as we

would like. ■

“Teamwork is

essential to

what we do.”

Photo

: Accio

na/J.

Cam

pos


“If you can involve the citizens in decision-making you get better local acceptance”Claus Madsen, Country Manager for Denmark at ABB,

spoke with Sarah Azau about the his time in the industry,

standardising offshore wind farms and why the Danish still

love wind energy. These are excerpts of that interview.

| fi rst person |

“I’ve been working in the wind business for ten

years now. I came from the automotive indus-

try and it can be interesting to compare the way

it developed with the development of wind energy

industry.

“Just after 2000, Danish manufacturers were fol-

lowing a variety of strategies, but whatever they tried

always worked as it was such a booming market

– that was the heyday for wind energy – there was

almost a competition to see who could bring out the

next turbine faster. It was paradise for the technical

geeks!

“Now, the industry has now matured and become

more global – wind energy is now seen as main-

stream, and it is a globalised business.

“What I now see is that people view wind parks

as power plants. We can start looking at legislation

on power plants and ask, can it apply to wind?

“We can also try and learn from other mature

businesses and apply the lessons to the wind

industry. Certainly what you really see now is that

quality and reliability are hugely important for the

wind energy industry. There is a series of processes

to ensure quality control.

“ABB is concerned with the electrical side of

the wind energy industry and we adapt to what is

needed as the industry develops. We can supply

the whole range of what is needed for offshore wind

energy, for example – converter stations, cables,

connections and so on.

“The vision of a European ‘supergrid’ is interest-

ing. I believe it can happen – but to what extent? We

will be limited by fi nancing not by technology. And we

need the politicians to agree on it.

“The project at Kriegers Flak – offshore wind

farms linking Denmark and Germany - would have lot

of things a supergrid needs. For example, the ability

to generate offshore wind power, send it to the right

market, send electricity to the different countries.

“In terms of wind energy markets – it’s boom-

ing in Asia, mostly in China. The US is also a

big market.

“There are other markets on their way, but none

the size of China with political will and the fi nancial

power to massively develop wind energy. But there

are smaller markets that are now moving in South

America, eastern Europe. There is also lots of dis-

cussion on offshore wind.

“In my personal opinion, offshore wind energy

is signifi cant because public opinion becomes a

different story. When you put up a wind farm 105

km from shore in German waters you can’t object on

grounds of property value.

“But the challenge offshore is the cost. To

overcome that maybe it would make sense to

have a pan-European discussion on standardising

offshore wind farms. At the moment, offshore wind

farms are very unique to a specifi c developer. If a

European regime could be put in place saying we

build offshore farms of ‘X’ size, at ‘X’ km from the

shore, that would reduce cost. For example, at the

moment each offshore wind farm requires a unique

build platform, but this is expensive.

“That said, onshore wind is certainly not dead

– there are opportunities for repowering for exam-

ple. Here in Denmark, some cities would like more

turbines, in some they don’t. It works on a very local

level. If you can involve the local citizens in decision-

making you get better local acceptance.

“There is some opposition to wind energy in

Denmark but in general there is very strong public

support – the government and industry are good

in explaining the benefi ts of wind energy such as

less CO2, also that it is good business for Denmark.

The politicians and stakeholders have an ongoing

dialogue with the Danish citizens.” ■

“It was paradise

for the technical

geeks!”

Photo

: A

BB

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| focus |

Portugal has been in the news rather a lot

recently. And not necessarily for the happiest

reasons, after it followed Greece and Ireland in

requesting a bailout from the EU. But less pub-

licised is the fact that this small country on the

western edge of Europe is a major wind energy

success story, with far-sighted legislation and a

home-grown industry which has remained largely

buoyant in the recent choppy fi nancial waters.

While Spain and Denmark are more frequently

cited for their strong support for wind energy,

the Portuguese are (just) ahead of the Spanish

– although still way behind the Danes - in terms

of the amount of their electricity that comes from

wind, at 14.8%. At the end of 2010, there were

3,898 MW of wind energy capacity installed in

Portugal – all onshore, and mostly in the moun-

tainous, sparsely populated north-east. What is

The quiet wind energy starBereft of any real conventional fuel sources, overly dependent on imports, Portugal turned to its

winds and rivers. Today, it gets more of its electricity from wind energy than any country except

Denmark. Sarah Azau went to Lisbon and Porto to fi nd out how this came about, which obstacles

remain, and what will happen next.

more, Portugal combines its wind energy with

hydro power – and some biomass - to reach

a level of 45% of electricity from renewable

sources today.

Despite the current political uncertainty, with

general elections about to take place, Portugal

has stated its aim to have 6,900 MW of wind en-

ergy capacity by 2020, providing 23% of electric-

ity. Altogether, renewables should provide 55% of

electricity by then.

Why and how has this small country – which

for most foreigners is associated more readily

with beach holidays than turbines – become the

quiet wind energy star of Europe?

Working for independenceWhile having North Sea oil or coal deposits on

their doorstep may have temporarily blinded some

“Portugal gets

45% of its

electricity from

renewables.”


| focus |

countries to the potential of renewables, Portugal

has very little in the way of conventional energy

resources. In fact, imports of coal, oil and gas

once made up around half of its trade defi cit.

From around 2000, the country decided to focus

more on indigenous, renewable sources of energy

to reduce that defi cit, and this decision was con-

solidated in 2005 by the government of former

prime minister José Sócrates.

Ana Estanquiero is a researcher specialising in

wind energy integration for the Portuguese govern-

ment’s Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia.

“Portugal had a tradition of renewable en-

ergy, as it had been using hydro power from the

1970s”, she says. “Wind energy started to be

developed a bit later – by 2000 all the major po-

litical parties supported the development of wind

energy, and the fi rst renewable energy directive in

2001 set a goal of 3,750 MW by 2010. Some

small and medium sized businesses recognised

that there was business potential and by 2003-4

the sector was taking off.”

In 2004, the Portuguese transmission system

operator included wind energy deployment in its

grid development plans – for Estanquiero, this

was a crucial step - and in 2005, Portugal raised

its wind energy target to 5,100 MW by 2013 to

help meet its Kyoto emissions reduction goal.

In 2005, the government launched a major

call for tenders for grid connection for wind en-

ergy projects. The areas selected for wind power

development were carefully chosen, with a good

wind resource and grid connection capacity. The

call also included contracts between wind farm

and hydro plant owners in order to ensure the

possibility of electricity storage.

The company with the biggest share of

installed renewables in Portugal today is its

former state-run utility, Energia Do Portugal

(EDP), which has a renewables wing, EDP

Renováveis (EDPR). Gabriel Nebreda Molinero,

Head of Business Development for onshore

wind energy at EDPR, believes this call for

tenders in 2005 was one of the main drivers

of wind energy growth.

“The calls were for 900 MW – later put up to

1,200 MW - and 600 MW of wind energy capac-

ity”, he explains.

At the same time, the existing support scheme

– a Feed-in Tariff (FIT), meaning the owner of

renewable energy plant is paid a set amount for

the electricity produced - was modifi ed: wind energy

projects were to get 7.4€cents per kilowatt hour

(kWh) of power produced for a duration of 15

years.

“The FIT is clearly part of the success story of

Portugal”, believes Nebreda. “It gives predictabil-

ity to the investors and meant installations have

increased at a stable rate”.

1988: First wind farm built on Madeira Island

1996: First wind farm built on mainland Portugal

2001: The government’s E4 programme (for “energy effi ciency and en-

dogenous energies”) sets a target of 3,750 MW for wind by 2010

2005: Public call for tenders for 1,200 MW and 600 MW of grid

connections for wind farms

2011: Portugal reaches 4,000 MW of installed wind energy capacity

A brief overview of wind energy development in Portugal

“Getting

permits to

build wind

farms is one

of the bigger

obstacles for

the sector.”

Photo: Enercon


| focus |

To ensure local support for wind energy, the mu-

nicipality hosting the wind farm was to get 2% of

the power producer’s monthly remuneration.

For Estanquiero, Portugal’s successful devel-

opment of wind energy is largely thanks to this

vision for renewables – consolidated in the FIT

and call for tenders – on the part of the transmis-

sion system operator (TSO) and the government’s

directorate of energy.

“Portugal also had some very active wind

power plant developers who sometimes had to

fi ght to get permits, and who didn’t give up”,

she adds.

Barring the routeWhile many developers’ persistence in waiting

to get permits has paid off, the issue of getting

permits to build wind farms is still cited as one of

the bigger obstacles for the sector in Portugal.

“The licensing procedure, particularly in terms

of the environmental conditions, has always

been diffi cult”, explains Miguel de Vasconcelos

Ferreira, executive board member at Portuguese

renewable energy consultants MEGAJOULE,

around 50% of whose work is in the country. “Of

course we need to have an environmental policy,

but sometimes it’s applied quite restrictively and

inconsistently – and sometimes there are even

confl icts between municipalities who want wind

energy projects and the national environment

agency saying no.”

However, the general consensus is that this

has got a little better over time as environmen-

talists and wind energy developers have learned

to work together, and most positively of all, there

is very little of the local resistance seen in other

EU countries from a Portuguese people which is

largely supportive of renewable energy.

“There is not much NIMBYism here”, agrees

Nebreda. “Wind farms are typically located in

less developed, more isolated areas and they

are a means of income for those renting out

their land to the developers.”

Estanquiero agrees that “everyone in the

interior of the country either has a piece of land

on which there’s a wind farm or has a cousin or a

friend who does. And this is usually on land where

nothing grew – it was unprofi table, so now the

wind energy brings extra income”.

In fact, the developers say, the only real lo-

cal opposition has come from “tourists”– often

British, German or Dutch – who own second

homes, usually in the Algarve region in the

south-west of the country.

Ferreira does point out, though, that the

recent fi nancial diffi culties have led to a 3%

increase in the price of electricity. He says

there has been muttering in some areas due to

the media peddling the idea that this is due to

renewables, “when in fact the oil and gas prices

have increased far more.”

The other major barrier to further wind energy

development, he says, is the allocation of grid

capacity.

“You cannot say ‘I want to build a wind farm

in Portugal’ and just apply for a grid connection.

You have to wait for the next call for tenders

from the government. But at the moment we

don’t know when that will be.”

GridlockThe power grid is a limiting factor for many

countries, but is a particularly pressing problem

in Portugal given its position on the periphery of

Europe. The ‘Iberian Pensinsula’ – that is, Spain

and Portugal – is notoriously poorly linked to the

“Imports of

coal, oil and

gas once made

up around half

of Portugal’s

trade defi cit.”

Environmental permitting issues still dog some wind farm projects

Photo

: L

uis

Marinho

WIND DIRECTIONS | June 2011WINWINWINWWWWWIWIWWINWINWINWIIININIWIINWINWINWINWINWINWINWINWIWINWIWINWIWINWINWINWWWWWINWINWWWINWINNWWWWWWWIWINWWWWINWINWINWINWINWWINWININWINWININNWININNNNW NNNNNINNW NNNNNNNW NNNWINNNNINDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD DIDIDDIDIDIDDIDIDIDIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDIDIDDIDDDIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDIDD RECRECRECRECRECRECRECRECRECRECRECRECRECRECECRECRECCECRECRECRECRECRRRECRECRERECECRECRECRECRECECECRRECECRECRECCCER TTTIOTIOTIOTIOTITIOTTTIOIOTIOTIOTIOTIOTIOTIOTITITIOIOTIOOTIOTIOTIOOOOOTITIOOOOOOTIOOOOOTIOTIOT OTIOOOOTIOTIOOOTITITIOOOTIOIOTIOTIOOTIOTTIOTIOOOOOOTIOTTIIOOOOOTIOTTITIOOOOOOTIOIOIOOOOOOOIOOOOOOOTIOIOOOOOOOOIONSNSNSNSNS NS NS NS NSNS SNSNSNSSNS NSNSNNSSSNS SSSSNSNS NS NNS NS NS NNSNS NSNSSNSNSNSNSSSS NS NSNS S SSSNNSNNN |||||||| |||||| ||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||| ||||||||||| JJJJJJJuJJuJunJunJunJunJuuunJunuJuuuunJuJuJuJuJuJJuuJuJunJununuJunJJJuJuJuJJunJuununuJunJJJJuuJJJJuuuJuJunJJJJunJunuuuuuJunJJuJuJunJuJunuJuuuunJuJJJJuJuuuuJunuJJJJJJuJuuJuuJunununJunnJJJJJuuuuuJunJJJuuuJJJJJunuuJuJunJJJuJJJuunJJJunuunJJJunJJJuuJuJ e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 22e 2e 2e 2e 22e 2e 22e 2e 2e 22e 2e 2e 2ee e 22e 2222e 2e 2222ee 2e 222e 2e 2e 22ee 2222e 2e 2eee 22201101101101101101101101011011011011011011011011011010110110110111100110111100111110011011110111111101001101101101110011101110111111011101000111111111101111011011111111

| focus |

On 23 March Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Sócrates resigned after

parliament rejected an austerity budget. In early April, it was also an-

nounced that the country had followed Greece and Ireland in asking the

European Union for fi nancial assistance.

The elections in Portugal will be held on 5 June. However, both the

two major political parties – the Socialists currently in power and the

centre-right Social-Democrats, are considered supportive of wind energy.

Portuguese politics

Photo

: L

uis

Marinho

rest of mainland Europe, with not even a quarter

of the estimated 4 GW of interconnection capac-

ity needed currently in place between France

and Spain. This means that nearly all the power

produced in Portugal stays in Portugal, whereas

in theory a good connection with, for example,

nearby Morocco would allow Portugal and Spain

to export wind power when they don’t need it,

and to import solar or wind power from North

Africa when they need more.

Ferreira points out that at the moment, the

only way to incorporate the 6,900 MW of wind en-

ergy planned by the government for 2020 into the

Portuguese national grid would be to accept some

level of stoppage of the wind turbines in periods

when winds are strong (so wind power production

is generally higher), but consumption is low –

which can happen for example at night.

“We have to create infrastructural conditions

to build more wind”, says Estanquiero. “In the

meantime, we shouldn’t give many more grid per-

mits to wind projects because we don’t have the

infrastructure in place”.

Another way of using some of the extra wind

power at night could be to pump water uphill into

storage dams, but for now Portugal uses ‘run of

the river’ hydro, whose fl ow is pulled by the natu-

ral gravity in the water’s current rather needing to

be pumped uphill.

For the time being, however, the power grid is

likely to put a limit on Portugal’s ambitions for

wind energy growth.

Looking smartOne solution Portugal is already working on – and

another area in which the country is ahead of the

game – is the development of a ‘smart grid’ sys-

tem. While the European Commission has stated

its aim to develop standards for smart grids in

place by 2012, Portugal’s ‘Inovgrid’ project is a

real demonstration of a working smart grid in the

historical university town of Évora.

A ‘smart grid’ delivers electricity from suppliers

to consumers using two-way digital communica-

tions to control appliances at consumers’ homes.

This can be coupled with ‘smart meters’, which

allow the customer to see exactly how power they

are consuming, and at what price, at any one

time. The Commission has estimated that smart

grids could reduce annual household energy con-

sumption by 10%, which would save consumers

around €60 per year on average.

António Messias, member of the board of di-

rectors at Inovgrid ACE, is involved in Inovgrid for

EDP, alongside other partners such as Siemens

and SSE.

He takes me to Évora – whose old town, inside

the 14th century city walls, is made up of winding,

cobbled lanes and houses painted white, yellow

and green. However, despite the medieval appear-

ance, and the almost palpable sense of timeless-

ness, the town boasts one of the most cutting-

edge power systems in the world.

“We shouldn’t

give many more

grid permits to

wind projects

because we

don’t have the

infrastructure.”

33

Wind farms are mostly found in poorer, rural

areas of Portugal


| focus |

Indeed, Messias explains that the idea of combin-

ing the new with the old was part of the reason

Évora was chosen for the project.

“That and the fact that the mix of customers

refl ects the national average means Évora is a

strong ‘brand’”, he says, adding with a smile that

the UK’s Prince Charles came to visit the project

the previous week.

The Inovgrid project is the

fi rst time a smart grid has been

combined with the possibility

for micro-generation – meaning

someone who has photovoltaic

panels or their own small wind

turbine can sell the power they

produce back to the grid – and a

network of electric vehicles. For

Évora is also a test centre for Portugal’s ambi-

tious plans for electric cars.

Keeping an eye on powerIn an information centre run by EDP in the centre

of Évora, visitors and locals can fi nd out about

Inovgrid and ask any questions they might have.

Each consumer is provided with a black ‘energy

box’ responsible for metering, remote operation

and control of the power supply to the customer.

This connects with a ‘Distribution Transformer

Control’ and then to the central power system,

which manages all the information.

The customer can see their tariff rate and

consumption for free on the energy box or by

logging onto EDP’s website. If they wish, they

can also buy one of the several monitors on sale

from various different companies to have a more

userfriendly interface and one which also allows

them to turn off electrical appliances from afar.

In Évora, there are 54,000 inhabitants, which

translates, Messias explains, as 31,000 power

customers. Based on feedback, it is estimated

that customers in Évora have made overall savings

of 9-12% on power bills – which corresponds to the

European Commission’s fi gure – but there will only

be verifi ed fi gures later this year.

In the meantime, the stories speak for

themselves. At the Cafétaria Vinil on the central

square, where an electric display on the wall

shows power consumption in real time, the

waitress tells us she saw how

much she was paying to keep

the coffee cups heated on the

top of the espresso machine,

and turned off that switch.

She also no longer leaves the

dishwasher on stand-by as she

was surprised to see how much

power it used. We switch off and

on the café’s television set and

watch the fi gures on the display go down and

up again. By pressing the right buttons on the

Like Iberdrola in Spain (see p .18), EDP has a

control centre – in Porto - from which it moni-

tors its turbines – in this case, 5,020 of them

around the world. These represent 37 models

from 11 different manufacturers, all of which

are monitored 24 hours a day, with information

– such as wind speed and power output - sent

to the control centre at fi ve second intervals.

EDP staff at the centre exchange infor-

mation with transmission and distribution

A sense of control

system operators in different countries, and

the Portuguese TSO, ‘REN’, can send curtail-

ment orders if the wind power available exceeds

demand.

EDP are also using the data to prepare

‘reports’ on various different subjects,

such as the ‘top ten faults’ for a particular

area or model of turbine. Based on this

they can make recommendations to the

manufacturer.

“Customers have

made savings of

9-12% on their

power bills.”

These medieval buildings in

Évora are endowed with cutting

edge power systems

Photo

: L

uis

Marinho


| focus |

display, you can also look at past data – we see

that two days ago – on Sunday, when the café

was shut - overall consumption was, logically,

next to nothing.

Similarly, Messias tells me that the town’s

museum was looking at its power use and saw a

peak at 6am it couldn’t explain.

“Then they realised the security guard was

switching everything on at once, causing a surge,

and they asked him to switch one thing on at a

time instead.”

Driving aroundMessias takes me to see one of the nine charg-

ing points for electric vehicles already installed

in Évora. Placed next to the meters in a car park

right by the central square, the charging point is a

small white column with a keypad and a screen.

“You have a card, like a credit card, and you

swipe it in front of the sensor and put in the PIN.

This opens the socket compartment so you can

plug in the car”, he says.

The current technology takes a short amount of

time – potentially around 30 minutes - to charge

the car, depending on the battery, and a fully

charged battery should run for around 120 km.

The EDP staff in Évora have an electric car and

motorbike and use them to drive around the town

during the day, only re-charging at night.

“We aim to have 20 charging points installed

in Evora in the next 12 months, and 1,350 points

by the end of this year in Portugal”, says Messias.

The national government wants 160,000 electric

vehicles to be operational in the country by 2020.

For the Inovgrid project, 2011 is a crucial

year: the energy regulator is to decide on the

investments for 2012 to 2014, and Messias

estimates that rolling out smart grids in the whole

of Portugal would cost between €600 and €1,000

million. Unfortunately, Portugal is not in a healthy

fi nancial situation at the moment. It remains to

be seen whether the next government is able to

invest now in view of the future savings smart

grids would bring.

A sea of possibilitiesIf Portugal has plenty of onshore wind energy

installed, it has yet to put up any turbines offshore.

The major reason for this is the geographical par-

ticularity of the Atlantic Ocean which, unlike Europe’s

northern waters – home to more turbines every

year – becomes very deep extremely quickly. This

makes it diffi cult to put up today’s standard offshore

wind turbines, whose foundations rest on, or in, the

seabed. What is more, conditions on the ocean are

more of a challenge: Estanquiero points out that on

average, wave height on the Atlantic is twice that of

the North Sea.

However, through a project called ‘Windfl oat’,

EDP and other partners – including Vestas – hope

to fi nd a solution to the problem by building a new

type of fl oating platform. Unlike the Hywind and

other fl oating concepts, ‘Windfl oat’ is based on

designs from the oil industry. It is a triangle, with

the wind turbine fi tted onto one of the corners.

The whole platform is ‘semisubmersible’ – that is,

put partially under water, with more water inside

the platform as a ‘ballast’ to weigh it down and

provide stability.

“We have been working on the ‘Windfl oat’

since 2009”, says João Gonçalo Maciel, Head

of Technology Development at EDP Inovaçao.

“In August of this year, we plan to have fi nished

building the fi rst full-scale prototype WindFloat.

The unit will then be towed out to the test site

4km offshore from Aguçadoura, in the north of

Portugal.” The project partners will then carry out

tests on the system for no less than 12 months.

Gonçalo believes the ‘Windfl oat’ platform could

be commercially available between 2015 and

2020 and will be suitable for water depths greater

than 50 metres – ideally suited, then, to the

60-80 metres of water depth in which it would be

placed off Portugal’s coast.

Portugal’s renewable energy action plan

foresees the fi rst 500 MW of offshore wind

power coming online between 2019 and 2020. If

Windfl oat is successful and on the market in the

next few years, this could happen even faster.

The ‘Windfl oat’ design is taken from the oil industry

Dia

gra

m:

ED

P


| focus |

Looking forwardWith some modesty, or perhaps because of

recent headlines, all the Portuguese people I

spoke to voiced independently the opinion that

wind energy is “one of the few things we do

well”. Leaving aside other economic sectors, it

is true that the country has been quietly getting

on with creating progressive and forward-thinking

conditions for renewables, and weaning itself off

fuel imports, while also taking steps forward in

terms of smart grids and electric vehicles.

What is needed now is for the grid, particu-

larly interconnections, to be developed in order

to allow more wind energy onto the system so

that when production exceeds demand at home,

it can be taken elsewhere. The immediate future

should become clearer in the next few months

with proposals on electricity infrastructure

development – which will include the France-

Spain interconnections - due from the European

Commission.

With a new government about to be formed

in the general elections that, at the time of

writing, are rapidly approaching, some elements

of Portugal’s relationship with wind energy may

change. However it looks certain that the rela-

tionship will continue to be a positive one, with

growth set to continue to the predicted 6,900

MW by 2020 and, with the development of off-

shore, even more beyond. ■

The

government

wants 160,000

operational

electric cars by

2020.”

The ‘Windfl oat’ platform is currently

being built – onshore - in a shipyard in

the port of Sétubal, about 50 km from

Lisbon. Once fi nished, it will be towed

out to its testing position in the ocean –

a journey of about fi ve days.

As part of my visit to Portugal for

Wind Directions, I am taken out to

Sétubal to visit the project with EDP’s

Joao Gonçalo, Luis Castro and Gabriel

Nebreda. On the drive out, they explain

that the demonstration project has an

overall budget of €19 million, some

of it from the EU and some from the

Portuguese government.

Gonçalo explains the way the plat-

form is designed.

“It is made up of three columns

forming a triangular structure, and one

of the columns supports the turbine”,

he says. “Each column has a plate

of steel, known as a ‘heave plate’ on

the bottom providing further damping.

The whole structure is about two-thirds

underwater, kept down with permanent

water ballasts contained within the three

columns.”

In the test phase, the turbine used

will be a Vestas v80 - a 2 MW offshore

machine. However, Gonçalo stresses

that in future, Windfl oats will support

bigger, higher output turbines to reach

maximum cost-effi ciency.

“This will not impact the size of the

platform too much, because the mass

of the turbine is not the key factor in

determining the size of the platform”, he

says. “The wave regime is much more

important. So if you had a 7 MW turbine

rather than 2 MW, it would require only

about a 20% increase in the size of the

platform.”

All the technical details recede into

the background for me upon arrival at

the shipyard, blown away by the sheer

size of what’s being built. The build-

ing, which is smells of hot metal and

gunpowder, is fi lled with massive reddish

steel circles. Workers are kneeling over

sections of steel, blasting them with

heat to weld various pieces together.

Sparks leap up, bathing their masked

faces in a slightly eerie blueish light.

Alexia Aubault from Principle Power,

which designed the platform, takes

us around the shipyard. She explains

that each 22 metre high column will be

made up of eight of the steel circles or

‘modules’, which have a diameter of

eight metres. Incredibly, the metal is

just 3 cm thick. This will be the ‘outer

shell’ of the column, and there will be

an inner shell with a four metre diam-

eter. The water making up the ‘active

ballast’ will go between the two shells –

the term ‘active’ means the water can

move from column to column to keep

the structure stable. Each fi nal column

will weigh 200 tonnes and the fi nished

platform with the turbine and the water

used in the ballast will weigh 1,200

tonnes.

The metal plates we can see being

welded together will form the hexagonal

‘heave plates’ and be attached to the

base of the columns.

Once each module or plate is ready,

it undergoes an inspection and tests in-

cluding x-rays to check for any fl aws. The

heave plates are reinforced with longer

and smaller pieces of steel, known as

‘girders’ and ‘stiffeners’.

The assembly of the platform will be

carried out in the dock, in water about

four metres deep. It will then be moved

a short way to a slightly deeper section

of the dock (seven metres of water) to

add the tower and turbine, before the

gates to the dock are opened and it is

towed by a special vessel to its test

site.

During the 12 or more months of

testing, the engineers will also be look-

ing to fi nd the least cost solution – that

is, the optimum combination between

the performance of the turbine and the

complexity or size of the platform.

Altogether, around 100 people are

employed at the shipyard to work on the

project.

‘Windfl oat’ – a close-up

Workers welding ‘modules’ – eight of them will

make up one of the three columns on the platform

Photo

: ED

P

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Why did renewable energy take off in Portugal?

It is clear that Portugal has a big dependence

on fossil fuel imports and also plentiful domes-

tic resources in terms of

wind, water and sun, so the

government in 2005, led by

Prime Minister José Socrates,

took the strategic decision to

make a bet on development

of Portugal as a benchmark in

renewables. It was important

for the country fi rst to reduce

its commercial balance debt

and secondly to improve

energy independence and to

improve investment and crea-

tion of jobs in the country.

We are changing and transforming Portugal

through renewable energy.

Have you come across any particular barriers to

wind energy development?

There have been a few barriers in the past. In the

beginning, the energy industry and other stake-

holders resisted change but this is very interest-

ing because now, the main businesses in tradi-

tional energy sources, such as EDP, have become

part of the consortiums that developed renewa-

bles. For instance EDP is now fourth in the world

for renewable energy. Martifer is also an example

of a successful middle-size global entreprise. So

we won this battle.

The second barrier was local acceptance and

commitment. We also won this battle by involving

the people in renewable energy decisions and

paying taxes to the municipalities which hosted

renewable energy plants. Then Portugal had some

problems of asymmetry of development in the cit-

ies and regions further from the sea – and these

regions are great for installing dams or wind

power generators or even solar.

The third and most diffi cult issue is not a battle

but what I’d call a permanent dialogue with the

more conservative environmentalists. Sometimes

there have been frustrations. But I think trust has

now developed between the two sides and all the

environmentalists now see renewables are a good

choice for energy, that they are good for the climate

and biodiversity.

When we want to make a mas-

sive investment in renewables we

need fi rst to convince the bank

managers then those environmen-

talists that are conservative and

mistrust wind energy.

How do you expect to achieve your

2020 targets?

The global targets are now easy to

achieve – we put in our NREAP a

target of 31% energy from renewa-

bles and 60% of electricity from

renewables by 2020. In 2010,

renewables provided 25% of all energy and 53%

of electricity.

“Our targets are easy to achieve”

José Carlos das Dores Zorrinho is Secretary of State for Energy and Innovation in the current

Portuguese government. At this year’s EWEA Annual Event in Brussels, he spoke to Sarah Azau

about overcoming the barriers to wind energy development, Portugal’s offshore potential and the

government’s vision for electric vehicles.

“We won the local

acceptance battle by

involving the people in

renewables decisions

and paying taxes to

the municipalities

involved.”

| interview |

Photo: EWEA/Bickley

WIND DIRECTIONS | June 2011WWWWWWWWWWIWIIIINININWINWINNNNNNNWINNNWWWWIIIINWININWIWINWINNNINWINNNWWWIWWINWININNNNNWWINININNWINWINWINWINWINWINIININNNNNWINWWWIWWWIWIWINWINWINWINNNNWWWWIWWWIWWINWWWWWWWWWIWWIWWWWIWWIWIWWWIWIWWIWWWWIWWININNWIWWIWWIWWIWINWIWWWWWIIIINWWWIIINNWWWWINNWWWWWWWWIIWIINWIWWWWWINNWW NWWWINWWWINNWWWWIIIIINNWWWWIIINNNDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDIDIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDIIIDDDDDDDDDDDDDIIDIDIDDDDDDDDDDDDDIDIDDDDDDDDDDDDIIDDDDDDIDDDDDDIDDDDDDIDDDDDDIDDIDDDDDDDDDDIIDDDDDDDDDDIDDDIIDIDDDDDDDDDIIDIDDDDDDDDDIDIDDDDDDIDIDDDDDDDIDDIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDIRRRRRRRERRRECRECRECREECECEREERECEECRECRERERECRECCCCCCCECRECRECRECCRECRECRECRRRRRRRECECECECECRECECREREECCCCCECCCRECRRRECEECEECCCRECRECRECECRRRRRECRECECCCCCRECRECECECECECRRRRERECCCCECECECECECRRRRRRRECRECECCCCCCCRRREECCCCCCECRRRRECECECEEECCCCECRRECECCCCCRECRECRRECRECRERECREECCCRECECECCCEEECCCECCCRRERECEEEECCECREREREEEEEECECCCCRRRRREEREREREEECECCCCCCCCRERRRRRRRRREEREERECCECCRRRRRRRRREEECCCCRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEECCECECRRRRECCCCCCCCCECRECCCRRREEEECCCCCCCCRECCCRECCECTIOTIOTIOTIOTIOTIOTTITIOTIOTITTIIIOOOOOOOOOOOOOTITIOTITTTTTITIIIIOOOOTIOOOOOTTIOTIOTIOTTTTTTTIIOOOOOTIOOTIOOOOOOOTIOTIOTTIOTTTTTTTTTIIIOOOOOOOOOTIOTIOTIOTIOTIOTTIOTTIIIOOOOOOOOOOTIOTIOTIOTIOTTTTTTIOTIOOTIOTTTIOTIOOTIOIOTIOTIOOTIOTIOTITTTTIOTIOTIOTIOIOIOOOTIOTITITTTTTITITITIOIOTIOOOTIOTTTTTTTTITIOOOOOOOIOOTIOOTITTTTTTTIOOOOTTITTTTTTTITITIOOTIOOOTTTTTTTIOTIOOTIOTIOOOOIOTTTIOTIOIIOTIOTIOOOOTIOTIOTTTTTT OOOOTTTTTIOTTTIIOTIOIOIOTTTTTTIOTIOT OOTTTTIOOOOTIOTTT OOOOOOTIOIIIOOOOOONNNNNNSNNNSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSNNSNNNNNSNNNSNSNSSSSSSSSSNSNSNNSNNNSNNNNNNNSNSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSNSNNSNSNSNSNSNSSSSSSSSSSSSSSNNSNNSNSNSNSNSSSSSSSSSSNSNSNNSNNNSNSNNSSSSNSSSSNSNNNNNNNNSNNSSSNNNNNNNNSSNSNSSSSSSSSNSNNNNNSSSSSSSSNNNNNNNNSNSNSNSSNSNSSSSSSSSNNNNNSSSSSSSSNSSSNSSSNNNNSNSSSSSSSNNNNSSSSSNNSNS NS NSSNNSNNNNSSNSSSNNNNNNS NNNSSSNSSNSSS NNS NSNNSNSSSNSNNNNNNNNNNNSNSNSNS NSNSSNSNNSNS NSNNSNS NSSS ||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| JunJunJunJJJJJJuJJuJuuJuJuunJunnnJunnJunJununJunJunJunJunJJuJJJuJuJuJuununununununJuJunJJJJJunJunJJuJuJuununnnnJunnJunJunJununJunJJJJunJJJJuJuJuuunnnnnJununJunJJJJJJJuuJuunnnunJunJJJJJJuuuuuJuuuunnnJunJJJJJJunJununuuuuuuuuJuuunununnnunnJunJJunJunJuuuuuJunununnnnJJJJJuuuuunnnnnJuuuununnnnunJJJuuuunnnnJJJJJuuununnnnnnnnnJuJuuuuunnnnnnnJJJJJJuuuuunnunnnnnnnnJJJJJJuunnnnnnnnnJJJuunnnnJJuuunnnJunJJJJJJuunJJJJJuunnJJJJJ ne 2e 2ee 2e 2eeee 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 22e 2e 22e 22e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2eee 2e 22e 2 2e 2ee 2eee 2e 22e 22ee 2e 22e 22e 2e 2ee 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 22e 22222ee e 2e 22222e 22ee 22ee 2222ee 22000000000101010110110110111011111111000101101111011110010111111111000001011100001110000011111111111111111110000001111110000111110000111110011110 111111111111111011110 1

In wind energy, we have more than 2,000 MW that

are licensed and will be developed quickly if there

are no fi nancial constraints – we need to pass

this fi nancial bad moment but after I think things

will move quickly.

We are also trying to develop new technol-

ogy – we have a consortium in Portugal with EDP,

Vestas and some skilled local businesses to have

a fi rst real prototype of a fl oating wind turbine. If

this technology works it will be very important for

wind energy – the Atlantic Ocean is very deep and

also windy. If we can make the most of the windy

Atlantic Ocean without the old costs of putting

the turbines in a very turbulent sea we could have

even more cheap energy.

In recent years in Portugal we had production of

wind energy at 70€/MWh. This is very competitive

with other forms of energy – only hydro is less ex-

pensive. It competes with gas and other fossil fuels.

Are the fl oating turbines your vision for offshore

wind in Portugal?

Yes, but at the moment it’s not possible to say

how many megawatts we can install - we need to

have numbers about the technol-

ogy, whether it is effective and

the relationship between cost

and production. The fi rst 20 MW

have licenses and we are mak-

ing the demonstration project. I

hope to pass from 20 MW to a

far bigger amount – 2,000 MW

for instance - but I need to have

more fi gures fi rst.

Portugal has a fairly unique combination of wind

and hydro. Do you think this is something worth

copying in other countries?

Wind and hydro is a very good combination as

the main problem of wind energy is storage –

for example during night when production is

higher but consumption is lower. The wind and

hydro combination means

there is a real availability of

energy - at any time we can

use water to produce more

energy. The other part of this

model which I think will be

the winning model in Europe

is the combination of wind,

hydro and electric vehicles.

This combination will make

the price of energy go down dramatically and

Europe could develop new industry of electric

cars where Europe could lead in the world. For

us electric vehicles are very important – they

are part of our dream. ■

José Carlos das Dores Zorrinho has a PhD in IT Management and

is Professor of the Department of Business Administration at the

University of Évora, Portugal.

Since 1990, he has been a member of the National Council of

Portugal’s Socialist Party, and for most of that time also a deputy of the

National Parliament.

He was Vice-President of the Socialist Party Parliamentary Group at

the national Parliament in 1999 to 2000, and Joint-Secretary of State

of the Minister for Home Offi ce from 2000 to 2010.

He has been Portugal’s coordinator of the Lisbon Strategy since

2005 and national coordinator of the government’s Technological Plan

since 2009.

In 2009 he was made Secretary of State for Energy and Innovation

of the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Development. If the

Socialists lose the elections on 5 June, it is not yet clear who will

replace him.

“If we can make the

most of the windy

Atlantic Ocean, we

could have even more

cheap energy.”“Wind energy

in Portugal is

competitive

with gas and

other fossil

fuels.”

| interview |

Trust has now developed between

environmentalists and wind energy

developers

39

Photo

: Luis

Marinho

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| technology special |

Radar and wind turbines – learning to live together

A range of stakeholders - from landscape groups to bird

organisations - have raised objections to proposals for

erecting wind turbines, both on land and out at sea. Some

of the more diffi cult to resolve, however, have come from

the authorities, both military and civilian, which use radar to

detect aircraft movements. Now it looks as though solutions

are being found which will enable both of these vital

activities – renewable energy generation and safe fl ying - to

operate in harmony.

Confl icts between wind energy and radar have

been in the news lately. The basic problem

is that rotating wind turbines have been found

to confuse existing radar systems, resulting in

the possibility of air traffi c control being compro-

mised. The issue has become a major headache

for wind farm developers in the UK in particular

- a crowded island with a busy network of both

civilian fl ight paths and air force fl ying zones. At

one stage Renewable UK, the trade association

that represents the wind industry, estimated

that around 40 large wind farm projects, with a

combined installed capacity of almost 6 GW, were

being delayed because of objections from the

aviation sector.

Wind turbines are visible to aviation radar

because their main moving parts - the blades –

are picked up by the system as it sweeps across

the sky. This can produce a variety of problems,

the biggest of which is that the moving tips of the

blades can appear, to the person monitoring the

radar, just like an aeroplane. Air traffi c controllers,

whether civilian or military, say they are therefore

faced with the confusing dilemma of having to dif-

ferentiate between aircraft and wind turbines.

“They can’t ignore it just because they know

there’s a wind farm in that area,” says consultant

Jon Arden, who advises the UK wind industry on

radar issues. “The result is that the controllers

have decided to put in avoidance measures round

all wind farms. This involves keeping other aircraft

at least fi ve miles (eight kilometres) away from

what they see as a potential hazard. As the num-

ber of farms grows, this makes their job increas-

ingly diffi cult. It’s a real problem, especially if the

wind farm is quite close to an airport.”

By Crispin Aubrey

Photo: EWEA/Ahmadi



The good news is that, over the last few years, all

the stakeholders involved have started to work

closely together to fi nd solutions. This includes

the Civil Aviation Authority, which regulates radar

services round civilian airports, the National Air

Traffi c Service (NATS), which monitors all civilian

fl ights over the UK’s airspace, and the Ministry of

Defence, which controls radar for military aircraft.

As well as the wind industry itself, the govern-

ment’s Energy and Climate Change Department

and the Crown Estate - responsible for offshore

wind farm siting - are also involved.

“When I came into this fi ve or six years ago

there was a lot of suspicion,” says Arden, “a

feeling on the part of the aviation community that

this was a problem brought about entirely by the

wind developers. Now there’s a lot of dialogue

and a lot of work going into sensible solutions.”

One approach has been to look for an improved

radar system that will distinguish wind farms from

other signals, the other has been to alter the

turbines themselves.

As far as the NATS network is concerned, the

proposed solution is an adap-

tation to the Raytheon radar

system already being used at

the organisation’s 17 sites.

Algorithms have been developed

which enable the system to

discriminate between turbines

and aircraft, thus allowing it

to operate without confusion

over the presence of wind farms. Research and

development work should be completed by this

July, hopefully followed by implementation. The

UK£3.2 million (€3.65 million) cost is being

jointly funded by the government and an Aviation

Investment Fund Company set up by the wind

industry. “We’re optimistic it can provide a solu-

tion,” says Arden, who spent last year working

with the UK government’s Energy and Climate

Change Department on radar issues.

Surveying the seaFor military aircraft, one of the most conten-

tious locations has been the sea area off the

UK’s east coast known as the Greater Wash.

Five large offshore wind farms are planned there

under the Crown Estate’s allocation process -

Sheringham Shoal, Race Bank, Dudgeon, Triton

Knoll and Docking Shoal - with a combined

capacity of more than 5.5 GW. The Ministry

of Defence objected to all of them originally

on the basis that they would interfere with its

Trimingham radar station, which surveys the

airspace out at sea.

The solution here has been to commission a new

radar system known as TPS-77 from US defence

company Lockheed Martin. During trials at the

Horns Rev offshore wind farm in Denmark this

was found to have the capability to clearly dif-

ferentiate air traffi c from wind turbine blades. It is

expected to be installed before the end of 2011,

hopefully enabling all of the above fi ve projects

to proceed unhindered, and with the cost shared

between the government and the wind industry.

The Ministry of Defence has now withdrawn its

objections.

Finding a response to the air traffi c control

problems around civilian airports in the UK has

proved the most diffi cult. A number of new tech-

nologies have been assessed, one of the most

promising so far being the “holographic infi ll”

system. This is a small radar device which would

actually be installed in the middle of a wind farm,

with the capability to view exactly what is going on

and identify any nearby aircraft movement. In turn,

this data would be available to air traffi c control-

lers at a nearby airport in the form of a “radar

patch” covering just the area of

the wind farm.

So far, however, although

the system has been given the

green light for further investiga-

tion by the Aviation Advisory

Panel (which brings together all

the relevant stakeholders), and

a prototype tested next to a

turbine at Swaffham in Norfolk, UK, this is still an

R&D project in need of funding.

A stealthy approachThe other approach being looked at is to make

adaptations to the wind turbines themselves. Here

the most radical idea is to create what have been

described as “stealth” blades. This means adding

radar-absorbing material at the preparation stage

of the composite structures that make up a blade

so that, when in operation, they become invisible to

radar systems. Vestas says it is looking at the idea

and may make an announcement later this year.

“I think we will solve this problem with a range

of different approaches,” says Jon Arden. “There’s

unlikely to be one magic bullet that does it all.

The positive thing is that, after circling round the

problem for many years, the industry has now got

to the stage where it has a thorough understand-

ing of the potential solutions.”

Reaching a solution to the radar problem

has proved slow and frustrating for the UK wind

industry. In other European countries situations

vary signifi cantly. In France, Belgium and Sweden,

“‘Stealth’

blades would

be invisible to

radar systems.”

“UK air traffi c

controllers have put

in 8km no-fl y zones

around wind farms.”



radar issues are reported to be delaying a sig-

nifi cant amount of wind farm authorisations. In

Denmark, on the other hand, which has Europe’s

largest penetration of wind energy – producing

enough power for about 25% of the country’s de-

mand – it has never become an issue, according

to the Danish Wind Industry Association. Other

countries with a substantial wind penetration,

such as Portugal and Spain, have not experienced

problems either.

Different countries, similar issuesIn Germany, which has the biggest installed

capacity of any European Union member state,

the civil aviation authorities have not raised any

major objections. The military, however, whose

concern is inevitably overlaid with the issue of

national security, have made life diffi cult for wind

farm promoters, particularly in the areas of the

country close to the North Sea where the density

of turbines is greatest. Up to 1,200 MW of new

capacity has been held up by their objections.

“The main problem is with the standards

laid down by the military,” says Carlo Reeker of

the BWE, the German Wind Energy Association.

“These say that within a 35

kilometre radius of their radar

systems they are likely to have

problems with the presence of

wind turbines. They say they

can’t see aeroplanes when

they are behind the turbines.

The trouble is that they don’t

really look any further into

the issue than that. It’s just a

blanket rule.”

To try to resolve the confl ict, BWE started

discussions with the German military organisa-

tion, the Bundeswehr, three years ago. Both

sides established their own working groups. It

is now hoped that a solution will result from the

Bundeswehr’s decision to introduce a new radar

system – something it needed to do anyway to re-

place 30 year-old equipment – which will hopefully

enable them to clearly distinguish turbines from

other hazards.

The new system, known as ASR-S, is to be

installed by EADS Defence & Security across all

22 military radar stations in Germany at a cost of

€250 million. It will be able to monitor both the

approach to the military airfi elds and a large ra-

dius of airspace around them, including coordina-

tion with civil air traffi c.

The main difference from the existing radar

network is that it involves both a primary and a

secondary level. The primary system scans the

skyline for all fl ying or moving objects, including

aeroplanes, while the secondary radar system

uses the signal from a transponder inside the

aircraft itself to track its exact position.

EADS has been carrying out a study to de-

termine whether the new system will defi nitely

provide a solution for the wind industry. “We

hope that this means that there won’t be so

many problems in the future,” says Reeker. BWE

has also been lobbying for the new system to be

introduced fi rst along the North Sea coast, where

the biggest hold-ups have occurred for new wind

farms.

One at a timeThe other important outcome from the ongo-

ing discussions between the BWE and the

Bundeswehr is that the military authorities have

agreed to look closely at each application for a

new wind farm, rather than just issuing a blanket

objection. This should make it easier for new

projects to progress. Carlo Reeker believes that

establishing this direct contact between experts

from both sides has paid dividends, avoiding an

acrimonious public debate.

Some wind farm developers, frustrated at

obstructions to their plans, have nonetheless

decided to challenge the military authorities.

Last year, the developer of

a proposed wind farm in the

German state of North Rhine

Westphalia, Töns Nagel-Held,

took the Bundeswehr’s objection

to court. After initially objecting

to all three turbines proposed by

Nagel-Held, the military retained

their opposition to one of them,

saying that the height of its

tower should be reduced from

108 to 85 metres. Nagel-Held argued that this

wasn’t either feasible or justifi ed.

The Hanover court eventually came down on

the side of Nagel-Held, saying that it wasn’t good

enough for the military to just say there might be

a problem. They had to produce clear evidence.

The developer pointed out that 582 other turbines

were operating in the area covered by the radar

station without any apparent problem.

The expert witness called by Nagel-Held at this

court hearing was Gerhard Greving, an independ-

ent engineer and established technical expert

on radar. Greving is sceptical about the technical

strength of some of the civil and military authori-

ties’ objections to wind farms, especially when,

as in this case, the proposed turbine was 33

kilometres away from the radar location.

“I showed that the effects you could expect

would be minor,” he says, “for instance that

shadowing (reduced radar coverage behind a wind

turbine) was insignifi cant and that ghosting (radar

signals defl ected by a turbine blade, creating an

inaccurately positioned object) simply would not

“Up to 1,200 MW of

capacity in Germany

has been held up by

objections from the

military.”



happen. These effects are anyway negligible com-

pared to the refl ections caused by the radar beams

hitting the ground, which you will have anyway.

“My general argument is that the authorities have

to prove that the presence of wind turbines really

does harm their radar. The German court said you

had to show the effects and then we will make a

judgement, whilst the current approach of the mili-

tary authorities is to say: ‘When we say it harms,

then it harms; no discussion’.”

As evidence that different organisations can

come to different conclusions about the threat

posed by wind turbines to radar, Greving cites

the example of Vienna (Austria) and Bratislava

(Slovakia) airports, which are only about 50

kilometres apart and therefore monitor some of

the same airspace. There are many wind farms

on the Austrian side of the border within relatively

close distance to Bratislava. But despite the fact

that virtually identical radar systems are installed

at both airports, only the Slovakians object to the

turbines, he says.

Greving believes that a combination of pri-

mary and secondary radar, as now being intro-

duced by the Bundeswehr, may offer a solution to

any continuing disputes. Primary radar transmits

pulses which hit a target and are then refl ected

back, he explains. From the travel time of the

pulses and position of the radar antennae you

can then judge the distance of the aircraft or

other fl ying object. But traditional primary radar

is basically 2-D and its value is limited because

it can’t tell you exactly where an aircraft is - for

example its height above ground - only that

it is in view.

The primary radar therefore provides a basic

monitoring verifi cation as the basis for the sec-

ondary radar to generate more specifi c informa-

tion. Secondary radar transmits an interrogation

sequence to which the transponder on board

an aircraft responds and gives its height and

exact location. The most modern radar systems

combine this information with the primary input

to provide what is described as a “reinforced”

result. A combination of primary and secondary

radar, working in tandem, should therefore offer

the best mitigation measure against any issues

from wind turbines.

At Hong Kong airport, for example, where Greving

has worked as a consultant for Chinese wind

farms proposed nearby, there is a well developed

secondary radar system. It is also compulsory for

aeroplanes using the airport to have a transponder

on board. This should solve most of the problems

there, he says, an argument which was accepted

at the offi cial hearing into the wind farm proposal.

“Just because there are some extreme exceptions

when this combination doesn’t work,” he adds, “that

doesn’t justify ignoring it as a solution.”

Carlo Reeker of the BWE agrees. “I think the

problem is that the military see us as the new-

comers,” he says. “They say they have a task to

defend the country and that’s the most important

thing. But we also have a task, which is an envi-

ronmental one. It’s not a solution for them to just

say we can’t put up wind turbines.” ■

Traditional primary radar cannot give the height or exact location of an aircraft Photo

: iS

tockphoto


While conference speakers and attendees at

EWEA 2011 acknowledged the challenging

crises that had the potential of changing global

politics, they also noted that the growing accept-

ance of wind power acts as a stabilising force

at the pivotal intersection of energy supply, the

economy and the environment.

Indeed, the more than 9,000 participants who

attended the event between 14 and 17 March —

making it one of the biggest yet in the world of

European wind power — accepted without hesita-

tion that the technology would experience a great

and rapidly-expanding future. They also made the

most of the business opportunities on offer.

“Altogether we’re happy,” Christian Meyer from

Enercon said on the fi nal day while being inter-

viewed in the exhibition hall, which was adjacent

to Brussels’ famous Atomium and boasted a

massive 13,000m2 of fl oor space.

Concurring, Iwona Gieldowska from Acciona

said: “It’s been a great event, very well organised

and we’ve made lots of interesting contacts.

EWEA events are some of the best.”

For those who follow the political aspects of en-

ergy supply as it relates to wind power, the highlight

of the conference occurred during a press confer-

ence with EU Climate Action Commissioner Connie

Hedegaard when she spoke optimistically about the

contribution renewables can make to Europe’s future.

“When we talk about the electricity sector, not

the total energy consumption, but electricity, then

I think by 2050 we’ll have 100% renewables in

Europe,” said Hedegaard. “I think that is perfectly

doable.”

Targeting the futureEWEA held a press conference on the opening day

that noted the EU must adopt a binding renew-

able energy target for 2030 to secure long-term

investment in renewable energy.

EWEA President Arthouros Zervos noted

“the wind industry expects to invest some

€400 billion in Europe between now and 2030.

To do so it needs stable and certain EU energy

policy.”

EWEA also launched a new report. Entitled

“EU Energy Policy to 2050”, it argues that

the renewable energy targets set so far have

enabled Europe to become the world leader

in renewable energy technologies, and reduce

greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, this

successful policy should be repeated for the

period after 2020, together with the support

of an Emissions Performance Standard, and a

tighter Emissions Trading System.

“We are facing a policy vacuum after 2020,”

said Zervos. “We must ensure that the renewable

energy targets established in 2001 and 2009 are

replicated for the period after 2020 with ambi-

tious 2030 targets. We must ensure that that

the success story of renewable energy in Europe

survives beyond 2020.”

Against a sobering backdrop of the earthquake-tsunami-nuclear accident in Japan and continuing

civil unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, the many benefi ts of wind power were enthusiasti-

cally celebrated during the EWEA 2011 Annual Event in Brussels in March.

EWEA 2011 moves onwards and upwards

EWEA 2011 opens with

an acrobatic display

By Chris Rose

Photos: EWEA

| EWEA 2011 |


EWEA’s second press release discussed a new

report from the EU-funded UpWind project which

found that 20 Megawatt (MW) wind turbines are

feasible.

The UpWind project explored the design limits

of upscaling wind turbines to 20 MW and found

that they would have rotor diameters of around

200 metres, compared to some 120 metres on

today’s 5 MW turbines.

The press release noted that such turbines

could be a solution for expanding Europe’s

offshore wind energy capacity, providing several

times more electricity at lower costs than today’s

turbines. However, the report says 20 MW tur-

bines require a new, tailored design to make them

work. The press release stresses that for this

the EU and Member States must fund their share

of the €6 billion research programme on wind

energy, the European Wind Initiative.

EWEA’s last press release said the EU must

put extra legislation in place in the lifetime of the

current European Commission if it is to meet its

commitment to cut domestic carbon emissions by

80-95% by 2050.

The release said that even though the

European Commission had just released its

‘Roadmap to a low carbon society’ which outlined

the need for a “fully decarbonised power sector”

by 2050, the need for action is much more im-

mediate than EU leaders realise.

Noting that the power sector must be at zero

carbon by 2050, EWEA CEO Christian Kjaer said

immediate action is required.

“Because fossil fuel power plants run for 30 to

45 years, investment decisions taken today will

determine our energy mix and carbon emissions

in 2050”, Kjaer said. “This means that to achieve

a carbon-free power sector by 2050, in theory

no new carbon-emitting power plants ought to be

built after 2015.”

The release noted that the new EWEA re-

port calls for a binding Emissions Performance

Standard to limit carbon emissions on new power

plants from 2015 and reducing Europe’s domestic

2020 emissions by 30% instead of the current

20% target.

The report also called for a 2030 renewable

energy target, and domestic emissions reduction

targets for 2030, 2040 and 2050, taking the

power sector to zero carbon by 2050.

Eyes on the prizeEWEA also gave the wind energy sector’s most

prestigious award, the Poul la Cour prize, to

Henrik Stiesdal, Chief Technology Offi cer at

Siemens Wind Power and one of the pioneers

of modern wind energy technology, at the con-

ference’s opening session. The award

was handed over by Danish Climate and

Energy Minister Lykke Friis.

“I am extremely pleased to be award-

ing the Poul la Cour prize to Henrik, whose

commitment to and vision for the wind

energy industry have been absolute ever

since he built his fi rst turbine out of scrap

metal in the 1970s”, said Kjaer.

“From there, he became one of the

founding fathers of the largest manu-

facturer of wind turbines in the world —

Vestas — and today continues to guide

wind energy technology in his role at

Siemens Wind Power.”

Danish Minister Friis presents the

Poul La Cour prize to Siemens’

Henrik Stiesdal

Green MEP Claude

Turmes describes the

urgent need to reduce

carbon missions at the

opening sessionCommissioner Hedegaard (centre) believes 100%

renewables in Europe by 2050 is “perfectly doable”

| EWEA 2011 |


Speaking outFeatured at the conference and exhibition were

about 200 top speakers, live debates, high-quality

sessions covering a variety of topics, 300 special-

ist presentations, numerous workshops and over

400 exhibitors.

The event saw CEOs and EU policy makers

mingling with wind power engineers, technicians,

manufacturers, bankers, economists, developers,

environmentalists and journalists.

Up front and centre were discussions about

Europe being at a crossroads in terms of energy

supply, the economy and the environment. As such,

EWEA 2011 showcased how the onshore and

offshore wind power sector is playing an increasingly

signifi cant role in addressing these major problems.

The conference got off to a rapid start with

Lykke Friis, Denmark’s Minister for Climate and

Energy, telling people attending the opening

session that Europeans must understand that

continuing to depend on expensive oil for energy

is a losing proposition.

“Let there be no doubt, the new energy reality

is here,” Friis said. “We simply must end our oil

addiction.”

Friis added political leaders must act with-

out delay to capitalise on wind power and other

renewables.

Herman Van Rompuy, European Council

President, acknowledged in a video message “an

important step will be to consider what happens

after the current successful policies run out in

2020.”

Jerzy Buzek, President of the European

Parliament, told EWEA 2011 in another video

message that Europe must create a single market

in electricity “as soon as possible.”

The 30% ambitionPolitics continued to play a big role as it became

known that environment ministers from seven

European nations urged Member States to

endorse a 30% reduction of greenhouse gases

by 2020 instead of the cur-

rent target of 20%.

Friis and six other

EU environment minis-

ters meeting for the EU

Environment Council

released a letter asking

for tougher climate targets

to ensure emissions are

reduced by 80% by 2050.

“Now is the right time

to discuss the most

cost-effective route to

achieving our 2050 goals,

maximising growth, jobs and prosperity throughout

Europe,” Friis and the other ministers wrote.

The seven ministers noted that the European

Commission’s recent Roadmap shows that the

current 20% target is not a cost-effective route to

its 2050 goal, and that tools and policies, espe-

cially in regard to energy effi ciency, are already in

place to cut emissions by 25%.

“The case to move to a 30% target by 2020

is now stronger as a result,” noted the letter,

which was also signed by ministers from Germany,

Spain, Britain, Portugal, Sweden and Greece.

“At a time when the price of oil is soaring,

putting in place an ambitious plan for Europe’s

low-carbon future has wider benefi ts than tackling

climate change. It will increase the continent’s

resilience against oil price spikes and reduce

its dependence on imported energy. And it will

help Europe compete with emerging economies

in the fast-growing markets for green goods and

services.”

After 2020Participants at another session heard that the

wind energy industry could “decay” without a

regulatory framework for renewables after 2020.

“The industry will not collapse but it will decay

from an innovation perspective without a new

regulatory framework,” warned Vice-President for

Renewables of GE Energy, Victor Abate at a CEO

vision panel on ‘After 2020’.

Other panelists agreed that predictability and

stability were necessary to ensure investments

in the European wind energy sector. The 2020

renewable energy target has encouraged huge

growth in the industry in Europe, they said.

“Increasingly regions are saying ‘we’re going to

win tomorrow’s game by developing technology at

home and selling it to the world,’” said Kjaer. He

also pointed out that: “Wind energy received just

1% of total OECD total energy research funds for

many years. Now it can produce electricity at 5 to

8 cents per KWh, just like coal or gas. It must be

the best return on investment ever made.”

However, without a renewed policy – such as

binding renewable energy targets for 2030 –

growth could move away from Europe, panelists

agreed.

Essential for growthThose attending another session heard that

transparency, administrative procedures of a

known length and a low risk of changes to the

legal framework are amongst the most crucial ele-

ments for emerging wind energy markets.

Presenting fi ndings from a study by Germany’s

Sustainable Business Institute (SBI), Christian

Friebe said it was elements like these, which

“don’t appear on cash fl ow statements”, that

are as important as the fi nancing side for wind

power developers in emerging markets, defi ned

Panelists including GE’s Victor Abate

(right) stress the need for post-2020

legislation for renewables

| EWEA 2011 |


as everything other than Europe, North America,

India and China.

Other important elements for developers

include a feed-in tariff support system and

guaranteed grid access, Friebe said. However,

the one-stop shop approach for administrative

procedures often seen as desirable in mature

markets was considered a risk, as having one

body look after all the processes can bring a lack

of transparency in countries with little or no wind

energy experience.

“What we learn is that policy-makers in these

places can increase the attractiveness of their

country at little cost – by increasing transparency,

setting a clear duration for the approval process,

and guaranteeing no unforeseen policy changes”,

concluded Friebe.

Called ‘Social and Environmental Acceptance’,

another session discussed how wind farms can

provide environmental, economic and societal

benefi ts — even though they often face criticism

in the planning stages.

Micheal O’Briain from DG Environment,

European Commission, said planning is vital if the

EU is to achieve both its climate change objec-

tives and biodiversity challenges.

David Jones, editor of Platts Renewable Energy

Report, told the participants that a fi ve-year

review of decisions made by the UK Advertising

Standards Authority shows that the anti-wind farm

lobby is much more likely to be cited for false

advertising than the pro-wind farm lobby.

Jones said the authority upheld 55 of the

63 challenges to anti-wind farm advertising. In

comparison, he said, less than one-third of com-

plaints against pro-wind farm ads were upheld.

“The anti-wind farm lobby has consistently shot

itself in the foot,” he said, adding many of the

false claims suggest wind farms negatively affect

human health and drive down the property value

of homes near wind farms.

High societyAs usual, the venues for various social events

were impressive, especially the conference din-

ner, held at the ‘Tour et Taxis’ former warehouse

facility.

While chatting and dining, people could be

seen exchanging business cards and making

plans to attend EWEA OFFSHORE 2011 from 29

November to 1 December in Amsterdam as well

as the EWEA 2012 Annual Event in Copenhagen

next 16-19 April. ■

More on EWEA OFFSHORE 2011: www.ewea.org/offshore2011

More on the EWEA 2012 Annual Event: www.ewea.org/annual2012

As part of the event, EWEA donated €9,000 – the equiva-

lent of €1 per attendee - to its chosen charity, Renewable

World.

Renewable World, formerly known as the Koru Foundation,

was set up in 2007 to act as the link between the European

renewable energy sector and energy-poor communities who

are most vulnerable to climate change.

Renewable World works with local partners to install com-

munity-based renewable energy projects in poor countries

which enable people to pump clean water, power homes,

schools and health centres and run small businesses in a

sustainable way.

The money EWEA is donating will go towards a wind-

powered irrigation water pumping system for the Mipande

Farmers’ Association in Mozambique, East Africa.

A locally-produced small-scale wind turbine will be

installed primarily to pump water to drip irrigate the crops

of the Farmers’ Association, resulting in higher yield and

out-of-season

harvests, therefore

resulting in a bet-

ter price and higher

income.

The charity says

a local partner

will be engaged to

develop and facili-

tate supply chain

routes to local

markets.

“It is anticipated that the wind turbine will additionally

generate enough energy for households to charge batter-

ies for lighting and for a mobile phone charging unit to be

operational,” it said. “Both of these should also be income-

generating opportunities.”

More on Renewable World: www.renewable-world.org

EWEA donation helps install small-scale wind turbine in Africa

Villagers such as these in Nicaragua have

benefi tted from wind turbines set up by

Renewable World

| EWEA 2011 |

Conference dinner

attendees listen to the

welcome from EWEA

CEO Christian Kjaer

Photo: BlueEnergy


Gearing up for Global Wind Day

The wind energy industry worldwide is

getting ready for the 2011 Global Wind

Day on 15 June. Information about

hundreds of events has been sent to

EWEA from member associations in a

wide range of countries, and the interac-

tive map showing them is available on

www.globalwindday.org.

In addition to the Global Wind Day

website, there is a Facebook group you

can join by going to www.facebook.com

and searching for ‘Global Wind Day’.

We are also using Twitter -

http://twitter.com - to communicate

about Global Wind Day and to do this ef-

fectively, we have created a Global Wind

Day profi le and invite you to follow us

and retweet our messages. If you intend

to Tweet about Global Wind Day, please

use the hash tag: #globalwindday. Also

as part of the viral “buzz creation”, EWEA

has developed an e-card that will be sent

out to contacts.

In Brussels, various activities will be

taking place around the 15 June. A key

event will be EWEA’s fourth free-to-attend

public debate, this time on EU energy

policy after 2020. The details are:

Date: Wednesday 15 June 2011 - Global

Wind Day

Time: 16.00-17.30 followed by a

drinks reception

Venue: Press Club Brussels Europe,

Rue Froissart 95, 1040 Brussels

Confi rmed speakers include:

Claude Turmes, MEP, Niels Ladefoged,

EWEA OFFSHORE 2011 - exhibition doubles in size

Member of Cabinet of Climate Action

Commissioner Hedegaard, Folker

Franz, Industrial Affairs Director,

BUSINESSEUROPE and Josche Muth,

Deputy Secretary General, EREC.

“The event is a great opportunity to

discuss the policies that need to be put

in place after the EU’s 2020 targets no

longer apply with a wide audience of

opinion-formers in and around the EU

institutions”, said EWEA’s Campaigns

Offi cer Elke Zander.

Register to attend free of charge on

www.ewea.org/events

For more information please contact Elke Zander at

[email protected]

More on Global Wind Day: www.globalwindday.org

The world’s largest offshore wind energy

conference and exhibition is taking place

from 29 November – 1 December 2011

in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The 2011 event will build on the

previous edition held in Stockholm,

Sweden in 2009 which attracted over

4,850 participants. In addition to the

conference, EWEA OFFSHORE 2011

will house an 8,000m2 exhibition zone,

double the size of the previous event

in Stockholm. Over 200 exhibitors have

already confi rmed – which means 85%

of the space is sold - coming from many

of the new sectors springing up around

the growing industry.

EWEA OFFSHORE 2011 is set to draw

7,000 participants looking to learn about

the latest developments in the offshore

industry, identify new business opportuni-

ties and meet key players from Europe,

Asia and North America.

In under a year from now, the EWEA

2012 Annual Event – Europe’s premier

wind energy event - will take place in

Copenhagen, coinciding with the Danish EU

Presidency. Held at the Bella Center from

16-19 April, the event and its exhibition are

| EWEA news | A full size turbine blade is

lifted onto Brussels’ Rond-

Point Schuman for Global

Wind Day 2010

Photo

s:

EW

EA

Offshore wind energy is an industry

of huge potential continuously at-

tracting greater and greater interest,

not just from the wind energy sector

but also from the marine, shipping,

construction, fi nance and logistics

sectors.

Sponsorship opportunities are also on

offer to help move your company ahead

of the competition.

Event website: www.ewea.org/offshore2011

Less than a year to go until EWEA 2012unquestionably the ‘meeting place’ for wind

energy professionals.

As with this year’s event, attendees

can expect to advance their wind energy

knowledge, gain valuable insights and

access unrivalled business opportunities.

Over 10,000 people are likely to attend the

12,000m2 exhibition, housing 400 or more

stands, with most of them already sold.

The recent 2011 edition of Europe’s

premier wind energy event attracted over

9,000 participants and 445 exhibitors.

Event website: www.ewea.org/annual2012

Need to TIE business

decisions with facts?

WIND ENERGY PROFESSIONALS ATTENDED THE EWEA 2011 ANNUAL EVENT

exhibiting companies came from Europe, Asia and the Americas

of exhibitors intend to or have already reserved a stand at EWEA 2012

of exhibitors made new business contacts of good value

of exhibition visitors were of senior management level

of conference delegates will ‘defi nitely’ or ‘likely’ attend EWEA 2012

of conference delegates stated that EWEA 2011 provided ‘good’ or ‘very good’ networking opportunities

of exhibitors were overall satisfi ed with their presence & visibility at EWEA 2011

81% of exhibition visitors had fi nal authority or infl uential power on purchasing decision making

of exhibitors agree that the EWEA 2011 value for money is equal or higher to that of other events

exhibitors achieved or exceeded their business objectives for their participation at EWEA 2011

Sources: EWEA 2011 Annual event participants registration data and post-event online survey fi ndings.

Experience the power of the wind energy industry

Monday 16 - Thursday 19 April 2012 - Bella Center, Copenhagen, Denmark

www.ewea.org/annual2012


Save the date for Europe’s premier wind energy event

Over 12,000m2 of exhibition space

More than 10,000 wind energy professionals expected from over 70 countries

400 exhibitors from the world’s leading companies

EWEA Annual event combines a comprehensive conference

and a fi rst class exhibition with unrivalled networking oppor-

tunities, all under one roof.

The 2012 edition will be the meeting place to experience

the power of Europe’s largest wind energy community, where

high-level professionals come together to network with the

leading policy and business decision-makers of the industry.

SUPPORTED BY: ORGANISED BY:

jobs.ewea.org

Choose from the widest range of wind energy jobs

Create a job alertGet your ideal jobs sent straight to your inbox

Create a searchable CVLet recruiters find you, make your CV searchable

Upload your CVStore your CV online for a quicker, easier application

Looking to recruit?Call +44 (0)20 8267 4711 or email [email protected]


EWEA welcomes new members

IMS Ingenieurgesellschaft GmbH (Germany)

www.ims-ing.de

ING Bank NV (The Netherlands)

www.ing.com

KCI (The Netherlands)

www.kci.nl

Kockums AB (Sweden)

www.kockums.se

Kuwait Industries Holding K.S.C. (Kuwait)

www.kuwaitindustries.com

Kymenlaakso University of Applied Scinces (Finland)

www.kyamk.fi

Lockheed Martin Coherent Technologies (USA)

Developed and produced by Lockheed Martin,

WindTracer® is a long range Doppler lidar that provides

real-time wind data over an area of 100,000+ acres.

The resulting wind maps have greater accuracy than

models anchored by single-point measurements

and consequently reduce uncertainties, decrease

integration costs and improve grid management.

www.lockheedmartin.com

Momac GmbH & Co.KG (Germany)

www.momac-group.de

Nabtesco (Germany)

www.nabtesco.com

Nomura International (UK)

www.nomura.com

Opus Marine GmbH (Germany)

www.opusmarine.com

PT TECH (USA)

www.pttech.com

Rabobank International (The Netherlands)

www.rabobank.com

Reliacore AB (Sweden)

www.reliacore.eu

Vulkan

VULKAN Group operates in the fi eld of Power

Transmission Technology for over 120 years with

worldwide presence and headquarters in Germany. We

supply Yaw Brakes and Rotor Brakes with braking force

up to 434 kN, hydraulic Power Units with pressure

up to 400 bar, Couplings to turbines up to 5MW,

Composite Shafts made of materials such as GFRP or

CFRP, Resilient Mounts to noise and vibration isolation,

and online Monitoring and Diagnostics System for

turbines.

www.vulkandrivetech.com

Windfair.net (Germany)

www.windfair.net

Events

EWEA OFFSHORE 2011 29 November – 1 December 2011

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

www.ewea.org/offshore2011

E-mail: [email protected]

Tel: + 32 2 213 18 00

EWEA 2012 Annual Event (formerly known as EWEC) 16-19 April 2012

Copenhagen, Denmark

www.ewea.org/annual2012

E-mail: [email protected]

Tel : + 32 2 213 18 00

Aquiloz AS (Norway)

www.aquiloz.com

Automasjon &Data AS (Norway)

A+D is a leading supplier of Environmental Monitoring

Systems (EMS) for the offshore oil and gas industry

with more than 30 years of experience from oil rigs,

FPSOs, drillships, oil terminals and other offshore and

onshore installations.

A+D can supply turn-key complete Met mast

instrumentation including sensors, data acquisition

systems, communication systems, Power supply

systems, Nav aids, SCADA systems and more.

This includes design, documentation, installation,

commissioning and later operation and maintenance

support.

www.automasjon.no

BZEE Consult GmbH (Germany)

www.bzee.de

Commerzbank AG (UK)

www.commerzbank.com

Deutsche WindGuard Offshore GmbH (Germany)

www.windguard.de

Doosan Power Systems (UK)

www.doosanpowersystems.com

EarthStream (UK)

www.earthstreamglobal.com

Edward Francis Ltd. (UK)

www.edward-francis.co.uk

EMU Ltd. (UK)

www.emulimited.com

Eneco Wind B.V (The Netherlands)

www.eneco.nl

Ensto Finland Oy (Finland)

www.ensto.com

Envision (China)

www.envisioncn.com

Equatorial International PTE LTD (Singapore)

www.swiber.com

Eurocopter (France)

www.eurocopter.com

Flow (The Netherlands)

www.fl ow-windpark.nl

Force Technology (Denmark)

www.forcetechnology.com

Green Power Development Holding Company BV (The

Netherlands)

GSG Towers (Poland)

www.stocznia.gda.pl

Write to WD - [email protected]

Dear Sarah,

I want to say thank you very much for

EWEA and WD.

I am working of assistant teacher in

National Aviation University in Ukraine.

At the end if 2010 I became project

manager of the wind plant “Gravicappa”

(www.gravicappa.com.ua).

Start to such a success, I believe:

1) My innovation experimental wind

power plant for low wind speeds, that

widespread in Ukraine

2) Own willpower, persistence and desire

3) Information from three foreign

journals: Wind Directions, Ademe&Vous,

Altitude

This was not easy because after the

Chernobyl catastrophe I completely

amputated one leg.

I wish EWEA and WD good health

and strength to implement your plans. I

believe that your work has preserved the

beauty of our planet.

Kostyantyn Sydorenko, Kiev region, Ukraine ■

Your letters

60 %*

Wind Directions readers’ survey – results available in June 2010 issue

think it’s so good they’ve told their colleagues

*

Wind Directions

is Europe’s leading wind energy

magazine This is the medium that leading players

trust

80% work in the wind energy

industry

From over 60 countries

Over 30,000 readers

Book your advert now:

Read the magazine

for free:

www.ewea.org

Have you been told yet?

Coming up in September 2011’s Wind Directions:

A question of social acceptance

Can you read the future?

You can nowAs the voice of the wind industry, EWEA is in the perfect position to provide

readers with reliable, relevant information on the developments and challenges

encountered by the sector. If you are looking for reference publications for the

wind energy sector, EWEA can offer you, free of charge, its collection of titles:

available both in hard copy and digital versions.

Order here: www.ewea.org/order


Refl ecting on my 10 years at EWEA, I fi nd it dif-

fi cult to remember the single most important

revelation I experienced.

Seeing the full-time staff at EWEA grow from

three in 2001 when I joined the organisation —

which has become one of the most credible and

well respected industry associations in Brussels

— to nearly 60 people today is indeed satisfying.

Moving from a project manager position to

marketing director to Chief Operating Offi cer

was a thrilling ride, as was helping to launch the

Global Wind Energy Council.

Watching EWEA’s annual turnover jump from

€700,000 a decade ago to approximately €12

million now has been a humbling experience.

Observing the 70 members the organisation

had 10 years ago expand to the almost 700 today

supporting EWEA is equally gratifying as is the

fact that the largest annual event a decade ago

garnered 1,000 people compared to the 9,000

who just attended the EWEA 2011 Annual Event.

Witnessing the total wind power installed ca-

pacity in Europe soar from 12,000 MW in 2001 to

over 85,000 today is, excuse the pun, electrifying.

Realising the thousands of friends and col-

leagues I met during the last 10 years were, like

me, on a somewhat unchartered quest to pro-

mote the many benefi ts wind power can provide

has been exceptionally rewarding.

I can truthfully say, though, that as someone

who did a Masters degree in Renewable Energy

15 years ago and then worked in energy consul-

tancy and communications before joining EWEA,

I never imagined back then just how explosively

successful Europe’s wind power sector would

become.

Some friends used to ask me why anyone

would want to start their career in wind energy

when there were other more fi nancially rewarding

opportunities available.

My answer then is the same as it is today: Firstly,

it has huge potential to make positive economic,

social and environmental change. Secondly, it is a

fascinating and diverse sector involving science,

engineering, policy, geopolitics, environment/

climate, economics and fi nance. And fi nally, if you

do have to work, you might as well do something

positive.

Those same friends are now calling me up to

see if they can get work or contacts in the sector!

From then to now, of course, the sector has

grown exponentially. A proven generating technolo-

gy, the wind industry has become widely respected

for creating high tech jobs, providing increasing

amounts of clean, emissions-free electricity and

mitigating climate change caused by burning fossil

fuels.

Today, wind energy fi nds itself at the epicenter

of the most pressing challenges of the 21st cen-

tury. Simply put, wind power is a force for good.

One of my proudest memories in the sector

occurred on 9 December 2008 when the European

Union agreed to new legislation for renewables.

The Renewable Energy Directive mandated by

law that 20% of Europe’s energy supply must come

from wind power and other renewables by 2020.

That new long-term political support for wind

power was an immensely gratifying validation of all

the goals we had been working towards.

From EWEA staff to member companies to wind

power component manufacturers to scientists,

technicians and policy makers, it has been a great

privilege to work with you all this past decade.

We have become something of an extended

family committed to playing a central role in a

much-needed green energy revolution — a move-

ment capable of replacing the old-style business-

as-usual politics based on fear and greed with a

secure, attainable and healthier future. You could

call it a breath of fresh air. ■

| the last word |

Leaving EWEA but not forgetting the world of wind power

Bruce Douglas former Chief Operating

Offi cer of EWEA

Bruce Douglas is

now working for 3E

as Sales

and Marketing

Director and he

is responsible

for growing and

diversifying their

global consultancy

and software

product business.

Global Wind Day15 June 2011

Get involved!Follow and support Global Wind Day on www.globalwindday.org,

Global Wind Day Facebook and Twitter and the EWEA blog.

Photo

: (c) RES

Gro

up/H

ele

n H

all

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