Andrew Garrad, non executive chairman of GL Garrad Hassan, had a positive message for the future of renewable energy at his keynote address at the SUPERGEN Wind Annual Assembly in Bristol recently. He predicted that, while there may be a few bumpy years ahead, the long-term global outlook for renewables was bright.
Mr Garrad looked first at turbine technology noting that for onshore designs, “bigger and bigger“ is fast being replaced by “better and better“. He pointed out that in comparison to cars which operate at full capacity for only nine months; turbines are now so reliable they can operate near continuously for 15 years. A feat which should increase our appreciation for the sophistication and engineering that goes into today’s turbine technology.
While we have the technology to harness the wind reliably already, Mr Garrad observed that maximising this technology would require better data and that “satellite measurements will be of growing importance going forward, but to get a reliable forecast these must be combined with solid ground based local measurements”. He also suggested that grid integration would continue to pose a challenge, giving as an example wind farms being developed in the disused peat bogs of Ireland. The challenge for the UK lies in how to get this energy into the grid.
He highlighted China as an area of particular interest for renewables. Huge turbines, in equally large-scale farms are being opened throughout China and all at great speed. The Chinese approach has been to test and learn from existing operational turbines, rather than taking long lead-times for testing and development before operation as is common in the west, said Mr Garrad. This was resulting in China making “big advances, and quickly” which was “exciting for the industry as a whole,” he said.
The general outlook for the renewable energy industry was very positive, he said. After 30 years in the industry he observed that the nearly ubiquitous presence of renewable energy in the general energy mix today was a sure sign that the renewables industry had come of age. However, he noted that “the immediate challenge was how to make wind energy look and behave like conventional plant – electrically and economically”.
“Energy is political and renewable energy is especially political and especially vulnerable,” he said in conclusion. “ The main risks used to be energy and technology, but the biggest risk now is regulatory and in particular retrospective change”.
Dr Andrew Garrad was speaking as part of the EPSRC-funded SUPERGEN Wind Energy Technologies Consortium – a consortium of members of 7 key engineering universities and research institutions, and industrial partners, of which GL Garrad Hassan is one. The consortium event, led by Strathclyde and Durham universities, gives an opportunity for students and industry experts to get together to showcase research, and discuss current and future challenges.
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Press release, June 03, 2013; Image: gl-group