Contents In this issue 23 5 Numbers The vital stats impacting the market. World outlook


8 A new dawn With robust wind energy goals and ample government investment, France is typical of European countries eager to show off their green credentials. In practice, however, the Hexagon has struggled to match the successes of its neighbours. Between acres of red tape and broad suspicion of wind farms in general, that isn’t very surprising – however, the future of French wind energy does seem rather brighter. Andrea Valentino talks to Pierre Tardieu, chief policy officer at Wind Europe, and Matthieu Monnier, deputy CEO at France Énergie Éolienne, to understand what tomorrow could bring.


Operations & maintenance


11 The demand for data As wind farms grow in size and number, the need for accurate data on turbine performance has become increasingly pressing – maintenance operations can be costly both in terms of time and money, particularly when dealing with offshore farms. Implementing digitalisation can help to pinpoint damage ahead of time and avoid unnecessary site visits, while also reducing overall operations costs. Nicholas Kenny speaks with Bruce Hall, CEO at ONYX InSight, and Jonas Corné, CEO at Greenbyte, to break down the benefits of digitalisation for the wind industry.


4 Manufacturing


14 A blade's new world The question of recyclability has loomed over wind turbine blades, as more and more turbines installed over the past few decades come to the end of their life cycle. Offering an answer at last, Siemens Gamesa have launched the world’s first fully recyclable wind turbine blade – the aptly titled RecyclableBlade. Nicholas Kenny speaks to Gregorio Acero, head of quality management & health, safety, and environment at Siemens Gamesa, about this new technology, its development, and the potential it poses for the industry at large.


17 Plastic shipping covers Reef Industries


Technology


18 Up to the challenge A team at Oxford Brookes


University has shown that wind farms could perform more efficiently by substituting traditional propeller-type designs for compact vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs). When arranged in grid formation, these turbines can increase each other’s performance. Elly Earls speaks to two of the researchers behind the study, professor of engineering materials Dr Iakovos Tzanakis and former master’s student Joachim Toftegaard Hansen, to find out how to help speed the green transition.


HSE


20 The birds and the bats The impact turbines have on bird and bat populations is undeniable,


a frequent soundbite used by those who oppose the construction of wind power installations – yet, at the same time, it is far below that of fossil fuels, or indeed, glass windows. Abi Millar talks to Joel Merriman of the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and Christine Sutter of Natural Power about what is being done to minimise bird and bat fatalities caused by wind turbines.


Offshore 23 A sea change


As an island nation used to strong gusts, Japan should be a global leader in wind energy. But with rugged geography stymieing investment and unreliable cables currently the only way to get power from offshore turbines back to shore, the country has struggled to meet its renewable quotas. Masahiro Ito hopes to change that. The co-founder of PowerX, he has ambitious plans to carry clean power on special ships to Japan and beyond. Andrea Valentino talks to Ito to learn the inspiration behind PowerX, how his system will work in practice, and why it could eventually herald the development of a truly global market for wind power.


26 Safe and efficient wind turbines for the future Pemamek


Onshore 28 Size matters


As wind energy has become more cost competitive, onshore turbines are increasing in size faster than ever before. Elly Earls meets Feng Zhao, head of strategy and market intelligence at Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), and Daniel Laird, director of the National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) at the US government’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), to find out why logistical challenges and social acceptance are the only things preventing them catching up with their offshore counterparts.


World Wind Technology / www.worldwind-technology.com


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