Wind Power News
The latest wind power news headlines from our wind energy and industry news sources.
Worlds largest Victorian glasshouse receives a glorious restoration
Sep 20, 2018: After five years of restoration work, the iconic Temperate House recently reopened to the public, bringing with it an astounding 10,000 plants—many of which are rare and threatened. Designed by Decimus Burston and completed in 1899, the Temperate House is the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse and iconic landmark of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. To restore the building back to its full glory, Donald Insall Associates was called upon to sensitively renovate the greenhouse and insert modern...
Xcel completes 600MW Colorado project
Sep 20, 2018: UNITED STATES: Xcel Energy has completed construction of its two-phase 600MW Rush Creek project in Colorado.
Harvest your own produce at this solar-powered wellness retreat
Sep 20, 2018: The Inn at Moonlight Beach puts a fresh spin on wellness retreats. The inn, located near San Diego, California, was built with the WELL Building Standards in mind, a practice that uses the nearby environment to improve the well-being of its guests. Here’s a look at how the inn, built by architect Shangwen Kennedy, is a perfect destination for your next wellness vacation. Biodynamic Gardens The gardens do more than just grace the perimeter of the inn, lending a lush backdrop to view the ocean....
Physicists train robotic gliders to soar like birds
Sep 20, 2018: Scientists know that upward currents of warm air assist birds in flight. To understand how birds find and navigate these thermal plumes, researchers used reinforcement learning to train gliders to autonomously navigate atmospheric thermals. The research highlights the role of vertical wind accelerations and roll-wise torques as viable biological cues for soaring birds. The findings also provide a navigational strategy that directly applies to the development of UAVs.
K2 Management enters floating offshore wind
Sep 20, 2018: PORTUGAL: K2 Management has acquired Cruz Atcheson, a Lisbon-based engineering consultancy that specialises in floating offshore wind, wave and tidal power.
DNV GL opens global analytics centre in India
Sep 20, 2018: INDIA: Advisory and certification body DNV GL has opened a global operations and analytics centre for renewable assets in Bengaluru in the southern state of Karnataka.
MHI Vestas trademarks V174
Sep 20, 2018: DENMARK/JAPAN: MHI Vestas has had trademarks approved for the words 'V174-9.0MW' and 'V174-9.1MW' in the European Union.
MHI Vestas prepares for Isle of Wight expansion
Sep 20, 2018: UK: Vestas is relocating its testing related activities on the Isle of Wight to make room for potential future expansion being considered by its offshore wind joint venture (JV) with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Ørsted divests 50% of Hornsea 1 offshore wind farm
Sep 20, 2018: Ørsted has signed an agreement to sell 50% of the 1,218-MW offshore wind farm Hornsea 1 to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). Hornsea 1 is under construction and will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm when commissioned in 2020. As part of the agreement, Ørsted will construct the wind farm under a full-scope EPC contract.… The post Ørsted divests 50% of Hornsea 1 offshore wind farm appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.
LEED-targeted condos bring Scandinavian design to a Quebec forest
Sep 19, 2018: Montreal-based real estate developer KnightsBridge has recently unveiled Arborescence, an eco-friendly condominium project on Quebec’s Bromont Mountain that will likely be the latest addition to their line of LEED-certified properties. Quebec design practice ABCP Architecture designed the residential development, which will comprise approximately 260 units all for four-season use. The gabled structures are inspired heavily by Scandinavian design both inside and out and will embrace the outdoors...
Sustainable desert home has a small water footprint in Nevada
Sep 19, 2018: Las Vegas-based Hoogland Architecture designed the Arroyo House, a forever home for a couple with a penchant for the outdoors and sustainable design. Located in the tiny town of Blue Diamond just outside Las Vegas in the Mojave Desert, the Arroyo House enjoys panoramic views of the landscape with nary a neighbor in sight. The 3,875-square-foot dwelling takes advantage of the views with full-height glazing that’s protected from the sun by large overhangs, while the water conservation and recycling...
Frank Gehry tops Facebook HQ expansion with a 3.6-acre rooftop park
Sep 19, 2018: Facebook recently unveiled a peek inside MPK 21, their newest campus building designed by Frank Gehry that was built in less than 18 months. Created as an extension to their headquarters in Menlo Park, California, this striking addition blurs the distinction between the indoors and outdoors with its massive walls of glass, expansive 3.6-acre rooftop garden, and sheltered courtyard—named The Town Square—planted with 40-foot-tall redwood trees. In addition to its abundance of plant life, the building...
IdentiFlight system to protect birds installed at Southern California wind farm
Sep 19, 2018: IdentiFlight International announced that two IdentiFlight units have been installed at Avangrid Renewables’ Manzana Wind Power Project in Southern California for data collection and testing. Manzana is one of seven California wind farms in Avangrid Renewables’ U.S. fleet of more than 60 renewable energy projects. The IdentiFlight system is designed to detect protected avian species and protect them from… The post IdentiFlight system to protect birds installed at Southern California wind farm appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.
Consumers Energy announces new commitment to its Green Generation program
Sep 19, 2018: A religious order that represents 600 Dominican sisters is making a commitment to the planet by joining a Consumers Energy program that encourages the development of clean energy. Consumers Energy announced that the Adrian Dominican Sisters are taking part in its Green Generation program. They will be one of the largest participants in the program, which… The post Consumers Energy announces new commitment to its Green Generation program appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.
Coop launches fragrance that smells of old milk to combat food waste
Sep 19, 2018: Food waste is a major issue all across the world but one Swedish-based company is doing something about it. A Swedish chain named Coop officially launched an old milk fragrance to urge citizens to use their sense of taste and smell before throwing away outdated food. A study by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency shows that 30 percent of food waste in Sweden is still edible. To combat wasting this amount of food, Coop, a popular grocery chain in the country, developed a spray that smells...
Fight food waste with these 11 ways to use leftover greens before they spoil
Sep 19, 2018: Salads are one of the healthiest foods out there. While they are chalked full of nutrients, salads usually do not make good leftovers. Luckily, there are other uses for these tasty foods that won’t make you feel like you’ve wasted money. Here are 10 different ways you can use leftover greens before they spoil. Sautéed Greens Certain types of greens, like arugula, kale, chard and spinach, are ideal for making stir fries and sautés. You add these greens with shallots, peppers, and garlic,...
RES America cancels 600MW plans in Indiana
Sep 19, 2018: UNITED STATES: RES Americas has abandoned plans for a 600MW wind farm in Indiana, citing "unfavourable" changes in "technical circumstances".
Virginia could be offshore investment 'tipping point'
Sep 19, 2018: UNITED STATES: If Virginia was to back development of offshore wind, it could become the tipping point in investment by developers, a new report by BVG Associates has concluded.
France's first offshore turbine finally online
Sep 19, 2018: FRANCE: The country's first offshore wind turbine has exported electricity to the grid for the first time.
Boston University to buy South Dakota wind
Sep 19, 2018: UNITED STATES: Boston University will buy renewable energy credits from part of a new South Dakota wind farm, funding its construction, and virtually offsetting its power consumption with clean energy.
Ørsted sells 50% of Hornsea One
Sep 19, 2018: UK: Ørsted has agreed to divest half of its 1.2GW Hornsea Project One to investment firm Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) in an initial deal worth more than £3.5 billion (€3.9 billion).
Neoen starts IPO process
Sep 19, 2018: FRANCE: Renewables developer Neoen has filed with the French market authority (AMF), marking its first step towards an initial public offering (IPO).
Stefano Boeri Architettis iridescent tower breaks ground in Tirana
Sep 18, 2018: Stefano Boeri Architetti, the Italian architecture firm behind the vertical forest towers, has unveiled designs for the Blloku Cube, a mixed-use high-rise marked by its distinctive energy-efficient cladding. Located in the heart of Albania’s capital of Tirana, the Blloku Cube is a multifunctional center instrumental in the Tirana 2030 master plan—also designed by Stefano Boeri Architetti—that aims to breathe new life into one of the most prestigious districts in the city. Construction on the...
Germany premieres the first hydrogen-powered train in the world
Sep 18, 2018: At last, the world’s first hydrogen powered trains have made their global debut in the northern countryside of Germany. As of Monday, two Coradia iLint locomotives have been transporting passengers back and forth between the towns of Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervoerde and Buxtehude found just west of the majoring Hamburg. The eco-efficient models were produced by French transportation engineers at Alstom, the same manufacturers who amazed the world in the early 1980s with their world record setting...
This 1970s Airstream is an off-grid oasis for a family of six
Sep 18, 2018: Jonathan and Ashley Longnecker Related: Couple restores an old Airstream into a chic tiny home on wheels + Tiny Shiny Home Via Dwell Tiny Shiny Home, Airstream Renovation, Jonathan and Ashley Longnecker, airstream renovation into home, tiny home on wheels, living in an airstream, airstream design, tiny home design, tiny home DIY, interior design, tiny home interior design,…
Cities around the world lay the groundwork for a zero-waste future
Sep 18, 2018: Cities around the world are pledging to reduce waste over the next 12 years in an effort to curb global warming. During the Global Climate Action Summit, the C40 announced a new initiative that encourages cities to eliminate waste production and end the practice of waste burning. So far, 23 cities have agreed to become zero waste and will work towards that goal by the year 2030. Each city has agreed to cut down on waste that ends up in landfills by half over the next decade. The cities – which...
We love electric scooters but is the Bird trend actually bad for the environment?
Sep 18, 2018: The debut of city electric scooter programs within cities such as Austin, Washington D.C. and San Diego has been making headlines with promises of cleaner air and greener pastures, but is this really the case? Between LimeBike, Waybots, Spin, and Bird which has been newly introduced to the Los Angeles area, there are a plethora of companies jumping on the trend of promoting eco-friendly scooters to city planners and residents. As of late, however, urbanites have been asking why the craze? With public...
Ikea buys Vestas fleet upgrade
Sep 18, 2018: EUROPE: Vestas will upgrade Ikea's 316MW fleet of the manufacturer's turbines to increase annual energy production by an estimated 1.5%.
No replacement for mothballed NEG
Sep 18, 2018: AUSTRALIA: The new Australian energy minister said there will not be a replacement for the National Energy Guarantee (NEG) policy, proposed by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, and the government will let the current system expire in 2020 without a new one in place.
LM's first 66.6-metre blades installed in China
Sep 18, 2018: CHINA: LM Wind Power's first two sets of 66.6-metre blades have been successfully installed on Shanghai Electric Wind Power's (Sewind's) 4MW turbine.
DNV GL launches floating wind guidelines
Sep 18, 2018: GERMANY: Certification body DNV GL has published revised standards for the design of floating wind turbines and their structures.
SGRE adapts 8MW for Asia-Pacific
Sep 18, 2018: ASIA-PACIFIC: Siemens Gamesa has adapted its SG 8.0-167 DD turbine to address conditions in Asia-Pacific markets.
New Jersey sets course for 3.5GW target
Sep 18, 2018: UNITED STATES: New Jersey will solicit applications from 20 September for 1.1GW of offshore wind projects, following governor Phil Murphy's speech at the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco.
California plans to launch its own satellite to monitor air pollution
Sep 17, 2018: California is planning to launch its own satellite to track air pollution. Governor Jerry Brown announced the major initiative amid President Donald Trump’s bid to decrease NASA’s part in monitoring climate change. Brown has not announced when the state will launch the satellite or how much it will cost taxpayers. Brown has long stood in opposition to Trump’s conservative administration, which has fought California’s tough emissions standards. With Trump cutting NASA funding for climate...
France moves to reshape infrastructure and promote bicycle transportation
Sep 17, 2018: France plans to launch a major endeavor in order to triple the amount of cyclists on its streets within the next five years. The action will include building better bike lanes, providing financial incentives for commuters to switch to bicycle transportation, and cracking down on bike theft. The plan was announced by the French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe at a speech in Nantes, revealing that cycling accounts for only 3% of transportation in the European nation. Related: How to make American...
Passive House-inspired home ushers in spectacular Grand Tetons views
Sep 17, 2018: The sublime beauty of the Grand Tetons are fully embraced in the stunning House of Fir, a forever home that boasts sustainable and durable elements throughout. Designed by Wyoming-based architecture firm kt814 for a pair of retirees who actively volunteer for the National Park Service, this Jackson Hole abode was crafted to prioritize low-maintenance comfort with passive house design principles and universal design for aging in place. In fact, the home’s energy-efficient construction was put to...
An off-grid cabin on a remote island is inspired by Japanese design
Sep 17, 2018: Related: This tiny off-grid cabin in the UK is clad with reclaimed slate tiles + Maguire + Devine Architects Via Dwell Maguire + Devine Architects, Bruny Island Cabin, tiny cabin design,…
Get ready for an adventure with this ultimate checklist of backpacking essentials
Sep 17, 2018: Lace up your hiking boots and trod into places inaccessible via horse, quad, or car. Backpacking allows you to explore the outdoors while enjoying a little distance from the crowds squished together at the state campgrounds. There’s just something about planning for, and carrying in, all the supplies you need for backwoods camping that is empowering and exciting. Once you’ve decided to give backpacking a try, make sure you’ve got the essentials covered. You will find that you can survive with...
Baltic Eagle survey begins
Sep 17, 2018: GERMANY: Fugro has started investigating the site of Iberdrola's 476MW Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm off the island of Rügen.
Second joint German wind-solar tender launched
Sep 17, 2018: GERMANY: The Federal Network Agency (BNA) has launched its second joint tender for 200MW of wind power and solar PV.
Passenger service Gett launches carbon-free travel in the UK
Sep 14, 2018: The black car transportation service, Gett, which is used as an alternative to Lyft and Uber in the United Kingdom is embarking on a new endeavor - implementing carbon free and carbon positive rides for all of its passengers. The company, recognized by Forbes as one of the "top 15 explosively growing companies" has raised over $700 million in funding overall, including contributions for its various carbon offset programs that will achieve this new mission. The company's Sept 13 announcement featured...
DIY fall decor using upcycled items from thrift stores
Sep 14, 2018: Fall is a great time to bust out new decorations, but you don’t have to break the budget to make your house stand out. Making your own fall decorations is a great way to save money and help the environment at the same time. From floating shelves to fall clothing accessories, here are 8 fall decorations you can make from common thrift store items. Cake Stand Display Nothing says fall like fresh pumpkins. You can proudly display these fall staples using an old cake stand, or build your own from...
Henning Larsen unveils green, mountain-inspired buildings for Shanghai
Sep 14, 2018: Henning Larsen Architects has unveiled designs for the first phase of the “The Springs,” a mixed-use development currently underway in Shanghai that aims to embrace a “green living” lifestyle. Inspired by a style of traditional Chinese landscape painting called ‘shan shui,’ the Danish architecture firm crafted the buildings in the image of the dramatic mountain landscapes found throughout rural China. Trees and gardens will grow on top and around the stepped towers to create an immersive...
Retro-inspired beach hut rotates to catch the sun's rays all day long
Sep 14, 2018: Related: + Jak Studio Via Dezeen Jak Studio…
Shipping containers become a spectacular plant-covered gallery
Sep 14, 2018: São Paulo-based architecture studio SuperLimão and architect Gabriela Coelho recently completed GSC, a massive multi-use collectors gallery built from shipping containers and other metal materials. Located in a lush area of São Paulo, the spacious complex also contains an office, a gym, a small workshop, a kennel and additional gallery space for the client’s other prized items. The industrial character of the cargotecture project was softened with the addition of turf and potted plants while...
Boralex acquires Invenergy's Québec projects
Sep 14, 2018: CANADA: Boralex has acquired US developer Invenergy's economic interests in five wind farms in Québec with a net installed capacity of 201MW for C$215 million (US$165 million).
Global movement will call out consumer brands most responsible for plastic pollution
Sep 13, 2018: The Story of Stuff Project is launching its global call to action in combatting plastic pollution worldwide. The ambitious initiative plans to identify the most pervasive polluter companies found in waste while simultaneously cleaning up costal and inland communities across the country. The plastic waste brand audit is the first of its kind and intends to underline responsibility and accountability at the very source of our world’s growing trash crisis. Related: Indonesia mobilizes 20,000 citizens...
Google Street View cars will map air pollution in cities worldwide
Sep 13, 2018: Air quality sensors are coming to a Google Street View car near you. The tech giant just announced plans to introduce sensors from a San Francisco company called Aclima that test air quality in cities and towns all across the globe. The Google Street View cars take photographs and incorporate them into Google Maps. Aclima is installing the air quality sensors in vehicles based in Mexico City, Houston, and Sydney. The sensors will detect amounts of carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide,...
A green-roofed underground extension breaks the mold for school architecture
Sep 13, 2018: When Singaporean architecture firm Park + Associates was tapped to design an extension for Nanyang Girls’ High School in the heart of the city, they knew that they’d have to think creatively. The brief called for two large four-story blocks that would house a variety of programs, including classrooms, a large performing arts center and a multipurpose indoors sports hall. To meet these requirements without overshadowing the school’s existing architecture, the firm built the spaces below ground—an...
NY man spends 6 years building this incredible, energy-efficient hobbit home
Sep 13, 2018: Related: + Via…