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The way the wind blows The UK is a world leader in wind power, producing some 30% of global offshore wind energy, but an endless carousel of prime ministers and cabinet reshuffles has caused uncertainty...
Pivot to the future A Barcelona-based start-up, X1 Wind, has begun offshore construction on a self-aligning, floating wind power prototype called PivotBuoy. This platform aims to achieve significant...
Vertical takes off A new design tool from Sandia National Laboratories could help accelerate the development of vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs). Nicholas Kenny speaks with Brandon Ennis, offshore...
Barriers to success In January 2022, a cargo ship struck a turbine foundation at the under-construction Hollandse Kust Zuid wind farm off the coast of the Netherlands, following a collision with a...
Power to act As the energy crisis rumbles on, renewables are proving increasingly important as nations search for alternatives to Russian oil and gas. However, the green energy sector has also...
Electrolyse the world The combination of offshore wind and renewable hydrogen could prove crucial in fuelling the green revolution. But between transportation challenges and the pressures to...
An onshore thing The onshore wind industry faces a number of challenges, from global crises like inflation, the lingering effects of Covid-19, the war in Ukraine and the huge increase in raw...
Onshore assurance The wind power industry faces supply chain issues and rapidly rising costs due to inflation across the board, but onshore wind has been hit the hardest. Abi Millar talks to...
Turn off the lights Blinking red lights have been a night-time staple of wind farms forever. And though the flashes are important for keeping turbines safe – not least to stop low-flying aircraft...
Stalling at the green light The case for wind energy has never been stronger, argues Giles Dickson, CEO of WindEurope, the European partner for WindEnergy Hamburg 2022. However, the European wind industry needs...
The Energiewende storms ahead For over a decade, Germany’s leaders have talked enthusiastically about boosting the country’s wind sector – but between local opposition and the lure of ambitious gas schemes,...
Inspection gadgets Wind farm operators are using a combination of drones and AI to autonomously and semi-autonomously monitor wind turbines for damage or defects, offering faster, more accurate and...
As fast as the wind Floating offshore wind offers great potential over its fixed counterparts, able to harness energy from higher winds that occur far out at sea. However, current models have huge blades...
Power up With many of the prime locations for wind turbines currently occupied by older models, repowering could prove vital for the future growth of the industry. Elly Earls speaks to...
Pillar of support Wind farms are impossible to both construct and maintain without a fleet of ocean-going vessels on standby. With the offshore sector reaching maturity, a new generation of ships...
A double-edged blade As investment in wind power continues to grow, questions have arisen over the environmental impact of wind turbine construction and, as legacy platforms begin to reach the end of...
Wind affected From starting 2020 on a high, the wind industry has – inevitably – found itself scrambling to adjust to Covid-19 and all its consequences over the past 18 months. And from...
Future fuel While wind power is going from strength to strength, fossil fuels – most notably, natural gas – remain a vital component of the energy mix for the UK and much of Europe....
Storage wars For decades, the UK has been expanding its wind energy capabilities, with thousands of turbines now scattered across its fields and around its coastlines. Until recently, however,...
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