Investors who traditionally focus solely on big-ticket mergers and acquisitions are showing interest in offshore wind projects as returns on investments in more conventional infrastructure assets are pushed lower and lower, according to Macquarie. Pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and insurers t
Operational offshore wind projects may be rated investment-grade, subject to adequate mitigation of technical and operational performance risk, Fitch Ratings said in a report. Offshore wind farms under construction are exposed to materially greater challenges compared with onshore projects and their
Two multi-billion dollar offshore wind projects have turned Europe into the strongest performing region in terms of clean energy investments in the first quarter of 2016, according to the data compiled by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). The two projects, the 1.2GW Hornsea Project One and the 71
BIRD Energy, a programme sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Israeli Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, has issued a Call for Proposals for funding of renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development (R&D) projects. Among others, the areas of R&D themes that are wi
Statoil has selected Partrac to provide real-time wave and current measurement services for the 402MW Dudgeon offshore wind farm. Partrac has been contracted to manage the deployment and maintenance of the equipment and the delivery of real-time waves and current data over the duration of the constr
The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult appointed Dame Anne Glover DBE to its Board as a Non-Executive Director today. Following a three year term, Baroness Helen Liddell of Coatdyke PC has stepped down from the Board. A biologist and academic, Dame Anne Glover is Vice Principal for External Af
Basque Energy Agency (Ente Vasco de la Energía; EVE) will back demonstration and validation of marine renewable energy technologies with EUR 500,000 this year, as part of a EUR 10 million aid programme for energy efficiency and renewable energy in 2016. Under the programme, a budget of EUR 1.7 milli
DONG Picks Hughes SSE for Subsea Inspections in Denmark and Germany DONG Energy has signed a contract with the UK-based Hughes Sub Sea Engineering for the undertaking of a subsea inspection campaign at offshore wind farms located in Denmark and Germany. DanTysk Accommodation Platform Taking Shape Th
The Carbon Trust has awarded a contract for dynamic thermal rating of subsea cables (DTR) to the Kenilvorth-based Transmission Excellence Ltd. The GBP 375,000 contract is part of the Offshore Wind Accelerator (OWA) initiative focussed on reducing the cost of energy from offshore wind by more than 10
Natural Power has been appointed by Kite Power Solutions (KPS) to support proposals for consenting a test and development site at RAF West Freugh, now operated by QinetiQ, near Stranraer in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Founded in 2011, KPS was established to develop a deep water wind energy tech
The UK’s Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has launched public consultations to receive public views on the first documents to be published as part of the North East, North West, South East and South West marine plans. The two consultations will focus on the draft Statement of Public Participatio
China’s Goldwind Science & Technology has installed the wind lidar system ZephIR DM by Beijing New Energy Technology Ltd. (BNET) on the company’s 6MW prototype offshore wind turbine. Goldwind has confirmed that ZephIR lidar systems will be used to measure power curves and to understand the effects o
By Dr Ali Mehmanparast REMS CDT Manager The rapid growth of the wind energy sector relies on engineering know-how as much as it does on planning and regulatory changes. But the growth of the industry could be stunted if the sector doesn’t get enough doctoral-level graduates able to deliver the innov
APEM will complete a final survey over Vattenfall’s Norfolk Vanguard East site this month, as part of an eight month project to gather data on birds and marine mammals in the area. Eight surveys were flown out from Norwich International Airport at monthly intervals between September 2015 and April 2
