Kategorie: Industry News

News about the renewables scene

Aug 06

PRESS RELEASE EcofinConcept markets a further 749 kWp solar park to a private investor

EcofinConcept markets a further 749 kWp solar park to a private investor
EcofinConcept GmbH, the specialist for renewable energy projects, has marketed another solar park to an investor from northern Germany.

Jul 19

5 ways the Commission can strengthen wind projects

The Innovation Fund will support investments in renewable energy, energy storage, carbon capture storage and use, and decarbonisation of energy intensive industries

Jul 12

Put solar on all new and renovated buildings in the EU to help fight climate change!

all new and renovated buildings in the EU should have solar installed – on residential, commercial and industrial buildings. T

Jul 05

PRESS RELEASE EcofinConcept successfully accompanies solar park transactions to a Family Office

EcofinConcept GmbH, Hückelhoven, a company specializing in renewable energies, has successfully assisted a family office based in southern Germany on the acquisition of a solar park portfolio.

Jun 07

WindEurope calls on EU countries to make National Energy & Climate Plans their investment brochure for wind energy

European countries’ National Energy & Climate Plans are meant to be their energy transition roadmap to 2030. But the draft versions of the Plans need significant improvements if the EU is to deliver on its 2030 renewable energy targe

Jun 06

EU election results: the Parliament has a mandate to deliver on a net-zero carbon economy by 2050

Voters increasingly see that Climate and Energy challenges are best tackled at EU level. In many countries the parties that have been clearest on the need for climate ambition did well.

Apr 18

Amazon Announces Three New Renewable Energy Projects

Amazon is adding three new renewable energy projects as part of its long-term goal to power all Amazon Web Services (AWS) global infrastructure with renewable energy.

Apr 11

Spain’s solar market is reignited

ntersolar Summit Spain will be an ideal platform to explore the country’s vast solar potential, including corporate sourcing and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), one of the hottest trends where Spain is set for a huge take off in the coming years,

Apr 11

What needs to change to solve the grid integration challenge?

In terms of grid integration, Europe’s agreed renewables target of 32% by 2030 raises significant challenges. Delivering a clean economy for all Europeans means being bold in ambition but also being efficient in new practises.

Apr 11

King Felipe VI of Spain: wind energy is transforming Spain and Europe

The King identified wind energy as a key part of the solution: “All of you here today represent part of the best response we can offer in the face of these existential challenges.

Mrz 07

Solar optimism sweeps Europe

SolarPower Summit opens in Brussels announcing another year of growth for the global solar sector in 2018 to 104 GW; and huge solar optimism in EU

Feb 18

Corporate wind energy PPAs are booming

Companies around Europe have now signed nearly 5 GW of power purchase agreements (PPAs) with wind farms. This is almost equivalent to Denmark’s total wind energy capacity.

Feb 13

Belgian energy and climate plan proposes renewables target of 18.3% by 2030

On 5 February WindEurope attended a workshop in the Federal Parliament of Belgium on the draft of the Belgian National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP).

Jan 28

Our 3 commitments to you in 2019

It’s crucial that we all appreciate all the advantages of wind energy, in particular this year as we’ll elect a new European Parliament. For this reason, we’ll continue to demonstrate the local benefits of wind energy.

Jan 10

A Christmas present for the European Solar sector

Following intense negotiations over the past 6 months, the European Parliament and Council adopted on 19th of December the last but certainly not least legislative piece of the Clean Energy Package: the Electricity Market Design Regulation and Directive. Under the strong leadership of the Austrian presidency, European Member states did not only achieve a timely agreement – right before the Christmas break – but an ambitious one, which will pave the way for a new Solar boom in Europe.

Jan 10

Mercedes-Benz deal to buy wind power is first PPA in Germany

The PPA will help keep the six wind farms running when they come off the Feed-in-Tariff in 2021

Dez 13

New Study: 100% Renewable Energy across Europe is More Cost Effective than the Current Energy System and Leads to Zero Emissions Before 2050

As climate discussions are underway among global leaders at COP24, the annual United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference, a new report released Tuesday showcases the feasibility of a European energy transition to 100% renewable sources. The new scientific study shows that the transition to 100% renewable energy will be economically competitive with today’s conventional fossil fuel and nuclear energy system, and lead greenhouse gas emissions to zero before 2050. The study’s financial case for an energy transition becomes even stronger when taking into account significant projected job growth and the indirect economic benefits for health, security, and the environment, that were not factored into the study.

Dez 10

Onshore wind performs well in Danish multi-technology auction

Onshore wind secured 165 MW in this week’s multi-technology auction in Denmark. The auction was open to solar PV, onshore wind and so-called open door offshore wind. It was oversubscribed with 17 projects amounting to 540 MW competing for a budget of €34 million.
From the 6 winners, the 3 cheapest bidders were onshore wind projects. The other 3 were solar PV projects totaling 104 MW.  Overall, the average premium awarded in this auction was equivalent to 0.31 Euro cents per KWh.

This premium runs for 20 years and comes on top of the wholesale power price.

Dez 07

Wind energy ready to step up to Europe’s decarbonisation challenge

The European Commission today called for the bloc to aim for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in its new decarbonisation strategy.

The EU’s newly-agreed renewable energy and energy efficiency targets put the bloc on track to cut emissions in 2050 by 60% compared to 1990. But that will still not be enough to meet the Paris target of keeping temperature rises to well below 2 degrees.

The Commission has therefore set out different scenarios covering various levels of renewables expansion, transport electrification and measures in other sectors.  These would take Europe to different levels of greenhouse gas emission reductions.  To reach full carbon-neutrality, the Commission is exploring options including increased bioenergy and promoting a circular economy.

Nov 19

Research and innovation needed to provide substitutes for rare materials used in turbines

On 14 November WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson spoke at the European Innovation Partnership’s annual conference on “Raw Materials for clean energy-intensive industries of the future.”
European energy-intensive industries are important to the European economy, but now face challenges in making the transition to a low-carbon and circular economy by 2050. The wind industry is already in a good position to contribute to the transition to a decarbonised energy system, Dickson said. He highlighted that a wind farm produces 33 times more energy than it consumes during its lifecycle. The lifecycle of a turbine emits 99% less CO2 than an average power plant using fossil fuels.

Nov 16

European Parliament gives final green light to new EU 32% renewable energy target

The European Parliament today gave its final approval for a binding EU-wide renewable energy target of 32% for 2030. The Parliament cast its final vote of adoption on the Renewable Energy Directive and Governance Regulation, two key parts of Europe’s Clean Energy Package that sets the EU legal framework for renewables up to 2030. Today was the Parliament’s final vote on a political deal that was reached back in June. Ministers from the 28 Member States will now give the rubber stamp. Then the Directive and the Regulation will become law.

Nov 06

Germany reaches political agreement on additional onshore wind volumes

This week the German government reached a political agreement on an additional 4 GW of onshore wind by 2021.
The agreement will see Germany auction an additional onshore wind capacity of 1 GW (in 2019), 1.4 GW (in 2020) and 1.6 GW (in 2021) over and above the 2.8 GW pa which is already planned for each of those years. This additional 4 GW will help Germany to reach its 2030 target of 65% renewables in electricity (up from 36% today). The coalition originally planned an additional 4 GW of onshore wind auctions by 2020. This schedule has now slipped one year in a political compromise.

Okt 26

Research and innovation vital to sustain wind energy cost reductions and keep industry in Europe

As the EU negotiates the details of its next flagship research and innovation programme – Horizon Europe – channelling resources to the right places will be critical to decarbonise and continue growing Europe’s economy. The Technology and Innovation Platform ETIPWind has released a series of recommendations on where the EU should focus in Research and Innovation funding in wind energy.
The €94bn Horizon Europe research and innovation programme will identify key challenges and priorities for research and innovation funding from 2021-2027. It is critical that a significant portion is allocated to climate action in general and to the ‘Climate, Energy & Mobility’ challenge in particular.

Okt 26

Permitting issues leave latest German onshore wind auction under-subscribed

Challenges in the permitting procedure mean the latest German onshore wind auction has come in under-subscribed. The prices – average €62.6/MWh – were also up on the €57/MWh in the last auction in May.
The German Federal Network Agency, BNetzA, announced the results of the latest German onshore wind auction today. Only 363 MW of capacity won a contract, compared to the 670 MW that was on offer. Over 900 MW of projects were pre-approved for the auction and had a permit. But only a third of these actually bid. The problem was many of them face legal challenges to their permit and wanted to avoid being exposed to penalties for non-delivery.

Okt 03

World’s biggest wind energy event kicks off in Hamburg

The world’s biggest wind energy event, the Global Wind Summit (25-28 September), begins today in Hamburg. Under the theme “Breaking new ground” the event will show wind energy is starting to evolve rapidly in terms of costs, technology and where it’s being deployed – and how it’s beginning to look beyond the electricity sector at how it can help decarbonise the rest of the energy system.

Sep 11

Do you have what it takes to win the Wind Challenge?

The Wind Challenge is an online game that takes you to Greenland, where you’ll find yourself on a virtual wind farm combining a mix of turbine types, all using different components and data sets. 

Sep 03

3RD INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WIND SYMPOSIUM: EXPERTS FROM 20 COUNTRIES WILL GATHER

3rd International Community Wind Symposium 2018 and Community Power Forum
Community Power – Future through Innovation
On the occasion of the IRENA Innovation Week at the beginning of September 2018 in Bonn, WWEA and LEE NRW in cooperation with EnergieAgentur.NRW and Genossenschaftsverband – Verband der Regionen are hosting the 3rd International Community Wind Symposium along with a Community Power Forum for all citizen-owned renewable energies.

Aug 31

Vindmølleindustrien: Det venter i efteråret

En velfortjent sommerferie er for langt de flestes vedkommende overstået, og forude venter de sidste fire måneder af 2018. En tid, der vil byde på en række beslutninger og begivenheder med stor betydning for den danske vindmølleindustri. 

Energiaftale 2018
Tager man de danske energipolitiske briller på og iagttager den tid af 2018, der er gået, så er det ikke til at komme uden om energiaftalen, der blev indgået få dage inden det meste af Danmark drog på sommerferie. Aftalen er bred, langsigtet og indeholder mange af de ønsker, som politikere og branchen har efterlyst i en lang periode forud for aftalen. 

Aug 27

German onshore auction clears at €61.6/MWh

Winning prices in Germany’s third onshore wind auction this year rose to an average of €61.6/MWh. This is up from the previous auction in May, where the average price came in at €57.3/MWh.
This latest auction had only marginally more bids than the volumes on offer. The German Federal Network Agency, BNetzA, reported 91 bids for 709 MW combined capacity entered in competition for the 670 MW that was on offer.

Aug 12

Alison Finch appointed Vice President on SolarPower Europe’s Board of Directors

Solarpowereurope

Alison Finch, Chief Marketing Officer of Huawei Solar Europe, has been appointed to the prestigious post of Vice President on SolarPower Europe’s Board of Directors, Europe’s leading solar association. Alison Finch has been a non-executive Board member since March 2017 and became Vice President in July after securing most votes in a poll of SolarPower Europe members during the recent AGM.

The Chief Executive of SolarPower Europe, Dr James Watson said “We are delighted that Alison and Huawei are taking up such a strong presence and leading role in our association. I greatly appreciate the support and input of Alison in our contribution to a strong and dynamic market for solar power in Europe. Huawei has been a leading member in our association over the past few years and this appointment recognises their valued input.”

Aug 01

New ground-breaking PPA deals signed in Scandinavia

Norwegian aluminium company Norsk Hydro has signed a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Green Investment Group. With a duration of 29 years, this is the world’s longest wind power purchase agreement.
The Green Investment Group (GIG) has put forward €270 million to develop the 235 MW project in the Swedish town of Överturingen. It will own 100% of the project equity. The wind farm will consist of 56 Siemens Gamesa turbines, each with a capacity of 4.2 MW

Jul 31

Europe adds 4.5 GW of wind energy in first half of 2018

Europe added 4.5 GW of wind energy capacity in the first half of 2018, according to figures released today by WindEurope. The figure is down on the same period last year (6.1 GW) though is in line with expectations. There was 3.3 GW of onshore wind, driven by Germany (1.6 GW), France (605 MW) and …

Weiterlesen

Jul 25

Standstill in energy policy must come to an end

German government´s 65 percent target can only be achieved with more offshore wind energy – Current projects up to 2020 are progressing according to plan
Five new offshore wind farms with a capacity of 1,944 MW are under construction in the first half of the year 2018
Rapid implementation of additional tenders with at least 1.5 GW offshore wind capacity is required
Expansion of volume to at least 20 GW by 2030 urgently needed to achieve government goals
Advancing grid expansion, better use of existing grid and accelerating sector coupling and electrification

Jul 24

Competitive prices in first Greek onshore wind auction

The Greek Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) has awarded seven wind projects with a total capacity of 171 MW in the country’s first onshore wind auction.
The price range of the winning bids was €68–€72/MWh. The weighted average price came in at €69.53/MWh. The auction was over-subscribed, with 14 wind projects with a total capacity of 308 MW bidding in.

Jul 18

InnoEnergy’s ‘Hack the Wind’ to return to WindEurope Conference

€20,000 hackathon returns to spark innovation and create new start-ups to solve industry challenges
InnoEnergy, Europe’s sustainable energy engine supported by the EIT, and WindEurope, the voice of the European wind industry, today announce that they are partnering to host a joint hackathon for a second consecutive year. Hack the Wind aims to help shape the future of wind energy by facilitating the development of innovative new technologies.

Jul 03

New Danish Energy Agreement: good deal and clear visibility for wind industry

Last Friday the Danish government and parliament reached an agreement on a new long-term energy policy that will run to 2030.

The Energy Agreement will get Denmark to 55% of renewable energy by 2030. This means all of its electricity and heating needs will be generated by renewables.

The deal includes new commitments for the build-out of offshore wind. Three new offshore wind farms with a capacity of at least 2.4 GW will be built in the next decade. The first of those offshore wind farms will be tendered in 2019-2020 and commissioned between 2024 and 2027.

Jun 21

Solar grows by 30% in 2017 with demand set to rise over next 5 years

Global Market Outlook 2018-2022: Solar Market Growth Continues

SolarPower Europe today launched the ‚Global Market Outlook for
Solar Power 2018-2022.‘ The report confirms that 2017 was another outstanding year for
the solar sector and that growth will continue for the coming five years. The world installed
99.1 GW in 2017 and is anticipated to exceed the 100 GW level in 2018. SolarPower Europe
estimates that solar is on course to add another 621.7 GW by 2022.

Jun 19

The local impact of wind energy in the spotlight on Global Wind Day

From niche technology, wind energy is now a global success story. The wind industry provides 260,000 quality high-skilled jobs in Europe. On a global scale, that figure is now 1.15 million.

Today is Global Wind Day, an opportunity for citizens around the world to learn more about and show their support for wind power.  It’s also an opportunity for companies to showcase their technologies and contributions to local economic development and job creation at a more grass roots level.

The wind supply chain is benefitting regions across the globe, including economically less-advantaged ones. Citizens are benefitting from shared ownership of wind farms. Wind farms are also contributing to local economic activity through the taxes they pay to local governments – covering up to 25% of municipal revenues.

Jun 15

Leading corporate buyers & clean energy suppliers join forces to unlock huge untapped renewable energy sourcing opportunities in Europe

Google, Microsoft, IKEA Group, BT, Danone, Amazon, Enel Green Power, Engie, RES, Novartis, Iberdrola and Facebook, Inc. have become Steering Group members of the RE-Source Platform, which pools resources and coordinates activities to promote a better framework for corporate renewable energy. The companies were announced today at the official launch of the Platform during the EU Sustainable Energy Week. These major corporate energy users and supply side companies were highlighting the growing demand for clean energy and the need for clear and enabling policy frameworks.

“As the world’s largest corporate buyer of renewable energy, we are excited to support the RE-Source platform to accelerate the growth of renewables in Europe.”– Marc Oman, Senior Lead, Energy and Infrastructure, Google.

Jun 13

WindEurope CEO welcomes momentum on renewables target, calls for ambitious delivery measures

Europe’s energy ministers met yesterday in Luxembourg to find common ground on the Renewable Energy Directive, a key part of the Clean Energy Package. It’s clear now that there is political momentum behind more European ambition for renewable energy.

Spain, Lithuania, Sweden, Italy and Portugal all put their weight behind a 35% renewable energy target for 2030. Others also called for a more ambitious target than the European Council’s official position of 27% shifting the dynamics in the discussion ahead of a crucial trialogue with the European Parliament tomorrow.

Jun 11

A lot to still play for as Clean Energy Package reaches crunch time

As negotiations on the EU’s Clean Energy Package reach crunch time, a lot is still up in the air for wind energy. With a critical Energy Council meeting on June 11 and a final meeting on June 13, where a deal is due to be struck on the Renewable Energy Directive, a key part of the Package, there has been headway on some points but others are still to play for.

Most notable is the 2030 renewable energy target. The European Council has moved on from its original target of 27%. The Council has now tabled two options: 30-31% or 32-33%, each with conditions attached. The Parliament meanwhile has made a counter-offer of 34, one percentage point lower than its official position of 35%. The difference between 27% and 35% is 132,000 jobs and €92bn of investments in wind energy alone.

Mai 26

Politisk enighed om at fastholde Danmark som grøn vindernation

På Vindmølleindustrien, Synergi og CONCITO’s konference, Danmark som grøn vindernation, var formålet at diskutere, hvordan Danmark også om 10 år vil blive anset som en førernation på det grønne område. Nøglen til denne globale anerkendelse, der vil have afgørende betydning for dansk erhvervsliv og den grønne omstilling, ligger helt og holdent hos de politiske partier, der forhandler den kommende energiaftale. Et ansvar, de indbudte politikere var ganske opmærksomme på.

Med forhandlingerne om energiaftalen igangsat var aktualiteten af konferencen da også noget nær på det højeste, da Jens Joel (S), Mette Abildgaard (K), Ida Auken (R) og Thomas Danielsen (V) tog plads foran de 120 fremmødte i Fællessalen på Christiansborg. At de fire politikere umiddelbart efter debatten gik direkte over til energi-, forsynings- og klimaministeren gjorde bestemt ikke konferencens tema mindre aktuelt.

Mai 24

Local impact of wind energy at heart of new industry push for renewables ambition

WindEurope today launched a new “Local Impact, Global Leadership” toolkit that maps out the local economic benefits of wind energy.

With the future of renewables in Europe at stake in Clean Energy Package negotiations, now is a critical time to show policy-makers the local economic benefits of wind energy to make the case for more renewables ambition.

On a macro level, wind energy contributes €36bn to EU GDP, supports 263,000 jobs and generates €8bn of exports. But until now, the local micro-economic benefits were less well-known. Where are the jobs? Where are the turbine factories? Where’s the rest of the supply chain? How do communities and local councils benefit from having wind farms?

Mai 18

Launch event announced for RE-Source Platform: bringing together renewable energy buyers and sellers:

The launch event for the RE-Source Platform will take place in Brussels on Wednesday 6 June, as part of Sustainable Energy Week. Up to 400 participants will gather in the European Commission’s Charlemagne building, including representatives from European institutions and industry, with electricity sellers and buyers in attendance. Together, they will formally launch the RE-Source Platform, where clean energy buyers and suppliers can pool resources and pave the way forward for corporate renewable energy sourcing in Europe.

Mai 03

Global Wind Day 2018: celebrating the local impact of wind energy around the world

We are living in a time of rapid transition: the world is moving from the era of fossil fuel-based energy towards an increasingly decarbonised energy supply. The renewables-based electrification of three sectors – transport, heating and cooling, and industrial processes – is set to revolutionise the world’s energy mix. Europe – the historical hub of wind energy – is exporting its wind energy know-how and technology, with new markets emerging across Africa, Asia and Latin America and a solid pipeline of wind projects lined up in previously quiet regions.

Mai 02

Industry maturity and competition for green assets bring €51bn of wind energy investments in 2017

Europe invested a total of €51.2bn in wind energy in 2017.  The development of new farms accounted for €22.3bn of this. This is according to WindEurope’s ‘Financing and Investment Trends’ report released today. The rest of the investment went on the refinancing of existing wind farms, the acquisition of projects and of companies involved in wind and on public market fundraising. The total investment figure was 9% up on 2016.

The €22bn invested in new wind farms was down on the €28bn invested in 2016.  But it covered more capacity – 11.5 GW compared to 10.3 GW – reflecting the falling costs of wind energy.

WindEurope Chief Policy Officer Pierre Tardieu: “With €51.2bn, wind energy accounted for half of all power sector investments in 2017. It’s delivering more capacity for less money. This is largely due to increased competition in auctions and technology advances that are driving cost reductions in the supply chain.”

Apr 10

Global Renewable Generation Continues its Strong Growth, New IRENA Capacity Data Shows

By the end of 2017, global renewable generation capacity increased by 167 GW and reached 2,179 GW worldwide. This represents a yearly growth of around 8.3%, the average for seven straight years in a row, according to new data released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Renewable Capacity Statistics 2018 is the most comprehensive, up-to-date and accessible figures on renewable energy capacity statistics. It contains nearly 15,000 data points from more than 200 countries and territories.

Mrz 29

Can European funds help support cross-border cooperation on renewables?

WindEurope called for a European approach to the deployment of renewable energy deployment at a workshop organised by the European Commission on Thursday. The workshop explored how the EU’s financial framework for 2019-2023 can be aligned with the new post-2020 renewable energy laws, the so-called Clean Energy Package.

The Package – currently under negotiation and due to be wrapped up by the end of 2018 – sets out different options for cross-border cooperation. These include opening up national support schemes or setting up a European financing platform, whereby countries pitch in to a common fund for renewables projects in case the bloc fails to reach its 2030 target.

Feb 23

2017 blev godt år for udbygningen med landvindmøller

Der blev sidste år opstillet præcis 100 nye landvindmøller i Danmark med en samlet kapacitet på 342 MW. Dermed skriver 2017 sig ind i historiebøgerne som det fjerde bedste år nogensinde. Det vækker glæde i Vindmølleindustrien.

Ikke siden 2013 har de danske vindmølleproducenter og -projektudviklere haft så travlt som i 2017. Udbygningen på 342 MW bringer den samlede kapacitet fra landvindmøller op på 4.211 MW. Det viser nye tal fra Energistyrelsen.

Feb 21

EU funding for electricity infrastructure will help wind energy reach consumers

The European Commission has announced the winners of its latest Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding round. It set aside €873 million to invest in key European energy infrastructure projects. Of the 17 energy projects selected for funding, eight are in electricity. With €680 million, it’s the first CEF round in which electricity received more funding than gas.