International Renewable Energy Magazine October November 2015 Digital version

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

WIND • SOLAR • BIOENERGY GEOTHERMAL MARINE & HYDRO

WIND Nordex & Acciona join forces

GEO HYDRO & MARINE Andritz Hydro trail blazes tidal waters

SOLAR Alstom open up the desert

BIOENERGY Modern day biomass professionals demand the best

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ISSUE 1 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

MAGAZINE

EDITOR’S COMMENT

Wind and solar take the lead in cheaper energy

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controversial new analysis from the European Union shows that onshore wind and solar are both cheaper than coal, gas or nuclear energy when the costs of outside factors like air quality, toxicity and climate change are taken into account.

The report, produced for the European Commission by consultants Ecofys, says that every megawatt hour of electricity generated by onshore wind costs around €105 compared with gas which can cost up to around €164 and coal which can cost as much as €233 per megawatt hour.

Remarkably, too, nuclear power, offshore wind and solar energy are all comparably inexpensive sources, at roughly €125 per megawatt hour.

Justin Wilkes, the deputy CEO of the European Wind Energy Association says that “This report highlights the true cost of Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels. Renewables are regularly denigrated for being too expensive and a drain on the taxpayer. Not only does the commission’s report show the alarming cost of coal but it also presents onshore wind as both cheaper and more environmentally-friendly.”

Richard Milton Editor

The study comes at the same time that the EU has announced that its grid connected cumulative renewable capacity in 2014 reached 129 gigawatts, meeting 8 per cent of European electricity demand, equivalent to the combined annual consumption of Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece and Ireland.

This impressive growth of the industry, says the EU, will allow it to meet its target of a contribution of at least 12 per cent of total electricity from renewables by 2020.

Interestingly, wind power is the renewable source that has seen the widest and most successful deployment over the last two decades, increasing the global cumulative capacity from 3 gigawatts to 370 gigawatts.

Last year represented an annual record with 52 gigawatts of wind turbines capacity installed worldwide, a 48 per cent increase compared to 2013 and 17 per cent over the 2012 record of 45 gigawatts.

With 23 gigawatts of new installations and a market share of 44 per cent, China is well ahead of EU’s member states, which together installed 13 gigawatts. The EU however still leads in

Not only are all renewable technologies fast coming of age and falling in price, they are also moving inexorably to the top of national agendas for the world’s developed and developing nations.

In an intensely competitive and fast changing international market, users are confronted with increasing complexity of technology and products and the need for information increases

This successful change in policy by three major economies makes it all the more difficult to understand the United Kingdom’s policy of ending support for onshore wind a year earlier than originally anticipated.

NEW! IREM ISSUE 1 Maintaining Brands

A Message from the Publisher of International Renewable Energy Magazine (IREM)

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After a poor showing in 2013, when worldwide wind power installations fell by 20 per cent, the wind energy industry rebounded strongly in 2014. Installations grew by 42 per cent yearover-year in 2014 to 51 gigawatts of wind power and cumulative installed capacity climbed to 372 gigawatts. This growth was mainly driven by policy decisions to support wind by three of the largest users, China, Germany, and the United States.

Building Brands

PUBLISHER’S COMMENT

OLLOWING THE SUCCESS OF OUR PILOT edition this, the first issue of International Renewable Energy Magazine, is launching at a crucial moment in the development of future energy resources.

cumulative capacity and its 129 gigawatts onshore and offshore wind installations, allowed six countries – Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Spain, Romania and Germany – to generate between 10 and 40 per cent of their electricity from wind.

daily. International Renewable Energy Magazine has been created to meet these urgent needs.

IREM comes from the same stable as International Mining and International Forest Industries, two highly respected and successful Business to Business magazines.

The rapid adoption of wind, solar and other renewable technologies is transforming markets and business models around the world, while creating both opportunities and challenges in the supply chain. We believe the buyers’ market is one that requires both an overview of Renewable Energy in general, combined with specialist in-depth reporting on each subject.

Governments, Institutional Investors, and policy makers all require a balanced portfolio of up to date information to inform their decisions, while energy businesses of every kind need to target relevant audiences to build and promote their brands. Now there is International Renewable Energy Magazine to fulfil this need.

Please join us in this new venture. Feel free to contact myself, and our editorial and advertising teams, to help spread the word about renewables globally.

Robin Peach Publisher

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 1

Stored on the jack-up vessel, the 58.5 meter-long rotor blades of the Siemens model SWT-3.6120 wind turbines are ready for installation off the coast of the island of Sylt.

Photo: www.siemens.com/press

MAGAZINE

CONTENTS 4

SUBSCRIPTIONS Annual Subscription UK and Europe £140, €210 Rest of the world US$25

Financial

EDITORIAL T: +44 (0)1923 823 789 www.int-renewableenergy.com richard@int-renewableenergy.com

14

Editor Richard Milton richard@int-renewableenergy.com

Wind

Publisher Robin Peach Falcon Publishing Ltd., 1 Strathmore Lodge, Northwood, Middx London HA6 2QY robin@int-renewableenergy.com

34

Solar

Editorial Contributors North America George Romain george@int-renewableenergy.com

46

South America Ramos Velasquez ramos@int-renewableenergy.com

Geothermal Hydro & Marine

Europe Daniella Miles daniella@int-renewableenergy.com

56

Australasia Gary Carstairs gary@int-renewableenergy.com

Bioenergy

International Renewable Energy is published

by Falcon Publishing Ltd. 1 Strathmore Lodge, Northwood Middx London HA62QY International Renewable Energy is published bi-monthly by Falcon Publishing Ltd.

80

ISSN Number 2396-9938 IREM uses, as preference, SI units throughout.

All dollars are US unless otherwise stated.

Events

COVER: Nordex N100 (2.5 Megawatt) The Nordex N100/2500 kW is a 2.5 MW wind turbine specially configured for moderate and low wind conditions.

The N100/2500 is one of the largest turbines in the Nordex product line and its yield rates among the highest

OCTO BER / NOVE MBER

2015

WIND • SOLA R • BIOEN ERGY GEOTHERMAL MARINE & HYDR O

in its power class. With a rotor sweep of 7,854 square metres, this IEC-2 certified turbine operates particularly profitably in medium and low wind regimes.

WIN D

Nord ex & Acci ona join force s

GEO HYD RO & MAR INE

Andr itz Hydr o trail blaze s tidal wate rs

SOL AR

Alsto m open up the dese rt

BIO ENE RGY

Mode rn day biom ass profe ssion als dema nd the best

www.nordex-online.com 2189 IRE Mag

Issue 1 cover.indd

1

06/11/2015

12:47

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 3

FINANCIAL

Harnessing the potential for solar energy leadership in the GCC

sustainable solar industry value chain and economy in the region.

Taking advantage of resources and developing solar initiatives Policy support

Dr. Jaap Kalkman, Sameer Anees, Adnan Merhaba, and Samrat Bose of Arthur D. Little

T

he costs of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and systems have declined by 65–70% in the last half-decade, reducing solar PV’s levelized cost of electricity (LCoE) dramatically.

This has improved solar energy’s competitiveness, making it far more affordable for emerging countries such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to develop their markets without resorting to heavy subsidy programs.

Solar industry deployment in the GCC With one of the highest rates of insolation, the GCC has ample resource potential to develop solar power as a primary energy source.

With the need to find alternative energy sources to reduce the opportunity cost of burning indigenous fossil-fuel resources, as well as the need to drive economic development, employment and technology industries, the solar industry is a sector few regions can afford not to develop. However, despite major plans announced in the past by the region’s governments to kick-start the sector, actual deployment is still in its nascent stage, and the share of the GCC’s solar energy capacity remains paltry (less than 0.5% of the installed generation capacity in the GCC in 2014).

4 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

Almost all GCC countries have announced plans to deploy significant volumes of solar-power generation capacity within the next decade. Saudi Arabia intends to be the single most important market in solar-power generation, with its target of deploying 41 GW of solar energy in the long term – which translates into approximately 86% of the GCC market share. Thus, Saudi Arabia’s market development efforts will drive the pulse of the GCC solar market in the coming decade.

But when it comes to actual deployment, Saudi Arabia’s track record has not been particularly remarkable. Since the announcement of its ambitions in 2012, no major projects have been approved or witnessed a commencement in construction.

In fact, the country recently announced plans to extend its solar energy deployment milestone by eight years. This suggests that aggressive national ambitions do not necessarily translate into aggressive market development.

Solar projects have been successfully deployed in countries such as the UAE (e.g. Abu Dhabi’s 100 MW Shams 1 CSP power project, launched in 2013).

However, the solar ambitions of countries outside Saudi Arabia remain relatively small and limiting to creation of a long-term

A clear policy framework is imperative for market development.

However, surprisingly not a single country in the GCC has rolled out its own set of solar policies.

Most of the deployment to date has been state sponsored - which whilst acknowledges remote nods to some sort of policy support, remains ad-hoc in its construct.

Going forward, if the GCC remains serious about developing a thriving solar energy market that draws significant investment from the private sector, then it must devise a clear and transparent solar energy policy that needs to be adequately communicated, to map direction and build market confidence in the industry.

Unlike the past, when policies were mainly directed towards subsidizing the high costs of solar energy, certain countries have been pushing for a “non-subsidy” solar policy paradigm. The GCC can learn valuable lessons from assessing new policy initiatives from emerging countries that have faced similar issues. For example, instead of providing expensive direct subsidies, countries are now focusing on providing structured and ample financing to solar projects, either through national banks or by collaborating with international development banks.

This is because priorities have shifted from providing subsidies (due to reduction in deployment cost) towards development of attractive financing options (to ensure bankability of long-term projects).

Implementation vehicles Different GCC countries have

FINANCIAL

identified different implementation agencies – in some cases, multiple agencies – to execute their solar development strategies. The agencies range from dedicated implementing agencies (MASDAR, K.A. CARE) to state-owned utility players (DEWA) and research institutes (KISR).

Creating an effective implementation agency is critical. Besides being given a clear mandate and equipped with the right capabilities, the government-backed agency must have the influence to drive national stakeholders to overcome implementation challenges. A case in point is India’s National Solar Mission, in which the government realized that developing a nationwide market for solar energy could happen only with concerted effort from all key stakeholders.

Industrial strategy Development of a robust national solar strategy must be articulated in terms of the target value-chain segments the GCC wishes to develop (e.g. power generation, components manufacturing, polysilicon manufacturing, rooftop installations), the technology pathways it wants to follow (PV versus CSP, c-Si versus thinfilm, parabolic trough versus central tower), the deployment model (utility scale, distributed generation, co-generation), and a clear investment and policy roadmap. The strategy must also delineate between other economic development objectives, such as employment generation and R&D, as well as the implementation plan by which the nation wishes to achieve these objectives.

In the GCC, the majority of countries have yet to develop clear visions for developing the domestic and regional solar sector industry

chain that are necessary to support local value-add from solar energy investments. Saudi Arabia, the most important market, has not yet come out with its strategy to achieve its ambitious targets. A draft document of a competitive procurement process (CPP) by K.A. CARE, a quasi-government agency dedicated to implementing alternative energy, gave the industry a preview of the strategy, but fell short of expectations and has not been finalized.

However, analyzing the solar energy initiatives of certain GCC nations throws light onto the underlying strategic themes of the region. For example, Masdar’s effort to diversify in all three mainstream solar technologies – CSP, c-Si and thin-films – in order to reduce technology risks indicates the hesitation of the region to bet on a single technology as yet. Qatar’s foray into manufacturing confirms the suitability of the GCC to develop a manufacturing sector.

Incentives for the private sector The private sector is expected to contribute to the manufacturing and EPC space in the short to medium term. In the long run, the GCC will throw opportunities in the energy generation value chain to the private sector as well. In fact, DEWA’s award of a 100 MW IPP model solar project to ACWA Power is a major development towards that. This said, the long-term feasibility of a thriving private sector requires high and sustainable regional demand, which can only emerge if Saudi Arabia is able to foster its own solar energy programs. The implicit subsidy in the energy and electricity sector is a major deterrent to this. With global energy prices going below KSA’s break-even point, the government

is facing higher pressure to reduce these subsidies. This may mean an increase in electricity prices and a more attractive business case for private players to enter the solar market.

Development of technology The development of a long-term sustainable-energy ecosystem requires strong R&D support and robust human capital development.

In the short term, R&D in the GCC should focus on obtaining accurate local data on solar energy’s potential to support the developers in deploying cost-efficient and reliable projects; developing solar energy technologies, design and construction techniques suited to the harsh operating conditions of the Gulf region; and sponsoring innovation in solar technologies for thermal applications (e.g. desalination, district cooling, enhanced oil recovery). Such initiatives are already being taken up in the GCC, such as the Renewable Resource Atlas by K.A. CARE, which provides pre-project data on solar patterns, dust levels and other meteorological data. This will provide optimal information to developers and investors during project planning.

Strategic partnerships between international communities and local R&D centers are yet another method for propelling technology development. Existing R&D centers in the GCC, such as the Solar & Photovoltaics Engineering Research Center, Masdar

(Masdar institute of Science and Technology) and KISR (Energy & Building Research Center) have all been active in conducting R&D activities in the renewable energy sector and will be an integral part of progress.

Supporting ambitions with action Saudi Arabia has been guiltier than others in terms of ambitions not having been supported with effective actions. The country could renew this lost momentum by clarifying the role of each stakeholder in the solar energy ecosystem, developing policies to foster industry participation, and encouraging large-scale capability building. It goes without saying that tough political policy decisions such as reduction of energy subsidies and increases in consumer incentives will point the Kingdom towards making optimal trade-offs in terms of energy mix and usage.

Additionally, it is imperative for solar energy to emerge as a key focus area in government narrative and communication. For any sector to emerge, political will and government backing are essential.

Re-energizing the renewable energy narrative will give a new lease on life to the solar energy industry in the GCC.

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 5

FINANCIAL

New study reveals that opportunities to invest in European hydropower are greater than ever • Hydropower provides strongest diversification in renewables portfolios, report says • Hydro plants are beginning to be sold as energy suppliers offset losses in other sectors

Oldrik Verloop, CoHead of Hydro at Aquila Capital

• Report follows launch of the Aquila European Hydropower Fund*, the world’s first dedicated European hydropower fund for institutional investors Institutional investors may have additional opportunities to increase their allocation to European hydropower over the coming years as the limited secondary market in existing hydro plants begins to open up and the benefits of having a diversified exposure to renewables are better recognised, according to a new report by Aquila Capital, one of Europe’s leading independent alternative asset managers.

Despite accounting for an average of 15% of the world’s total energy mix and two-thirds of the capacity produced by renewable sources, institutional investor exposure to hydropower is currently significantly lower than wind power and photovoltaic.

Indeed, research1 commissioned

by Aquila Capital showed that currently just 7% of European institutional investors have any exposure to hydropower, compared with 37% to photovoltaic and 29% to wind power investments.

Yet according to Aquila Capital’s study, Real Assets – Hydropower Investments, this is about to change. While hydro plants are mostly owned by large and medium-sized energy suppliers, several of these firms are selling their hydro assets in order to offset losses incurred by their exposure to the gas sector, caused by falling electricity prices.

Furthermore, some firms are also selling regional hydro plants as they consolidate their

6 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

businesses to improve efficiency and focus on their core operations.

The report argues that institutional appetite for hydropower will grow as investors increasingly recognise the benefits of building a diversified portfolio of renewable energy assets. Typical correlation coefficients to other renewable energy investments such as wind power and photovoltaics are low. The longterm, stable cash flows produced by hydropower are also uncoupled from wider financial markets, providing diversification versus traditional asset classes such as equities and bonds.

Aquila Capital’s study shows that in Europe, institutional investors prefer to buy existing plants. While less established markets such as Asia and Africa still have an expansion potential of 77% and 91% respectively, the majority of institutional investors are reluctant to bear the countryspecific risks in these regions such as poor infrastructure and politic and regulatory uncertainty.

According to Aquila Capital’s research as aforementioned, over half (52%) of institutional investors are committed to diversifying or increasing the size of their exposure to renewable energy.

Oldrik Verloop, Co-Head of Hydro at Aquila Capital,

commented: “Since 2009, we have acquired over 55 hydro plants in Europe for our investor base, giving us an edge in sourcing and assessing potential opportunities. As investors are looking to diversify their infrastructure holdings, operational run-of-river hydropower plants in Europe are complementary to many investment portfolios. Our recently launched Aquila European Hydropower Fund will co-invest in hydropower assets with our partners, among which is APG, Europe´s largest pension fund.”

The Aquila European Hydropower Fund, the world’s first dedicated European hydropower fund for institutional investors, was launched in May this year. It is a regulated fund structure in which the responsibility for sourcing and managing the assets is delegated to a dedicated team of hydropower experts. It offers a solution for institutional investors who wish to obtain preferred access to a balanced and diversified portfolio of European hydropower assets.

Its objective is to deliver an IRR of 7-9% after local taxes and fees and long-term stable cash yields, low volatility and independence from traditional asset classes and government subsidies.

A reliable partner for your investments. No matter which way the wind blows.

Katy Hogg, Managing Director BayWa r.e. UK Ltd

s at Visit u UK 2015 E L nd 56 WAB RENE erpool, Sta 5 Liv ACC -8 Oct 201 6

BayWa r.e. is your reliable partner for onshore wind projects tailored to your needs. Our experienced UK team covers the full range of activities: from project development to turnkey construction, financing and operations management. All this is backed by a strong international renewable energy network, technical excellence and significant buying power. This makes us a unique partner for landowners, investors and developers.

r.e.sponsible for your success.

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BayWa r.e. is a leading player in the European renewable energy sector focusing on solar energy, wind power, bioenergy and geothermal energy. Our business activities range from project development and implementation to retail and consulting services. We provide our customers with innovative and customised solutions, making energy sustainable and profitable.

Find out more online at: baywa-re.co.uk

FINANCIAL

SunEdison and TerraForm Power announce definitive agreement to acquire Vivint Solar for $2.2 billion

Ahmad Chatila, SunEdison CEO

Greg Butterfield, Vivint Solar’s CEO

SunEdison, Inc. (NYSE: SUNE), one of the world’s largest renewable energy development companies, Vivint Solar (NYSE: VSLR), a leading provider of residential solar systems in the United States, and TerraForm Power, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, TerraForm Power) (Nasdaq: TERP), an owner and operator of clean energy power plants, recently announced that SunEdison and Vivint Solar have signed a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which SunEdison will acquire Vivint Solar for approximately $2.2 billion, payable in a combination of cash, shares of SunEdison common stock and SunEdison convertible notes.

In connection with SunEdison’s proposed acquisition of Vivint Solar, SunEdison has entered into a definitive purchase agreement with a subsidiary of TerraForm Power which, concurrently with the completion of SunEdison’s acquisition of Vivint Solar, will acquire Vivint Solar’s rooftop solar portfolio, consisting of 523 megawatts (MW) expected to be installed by year-end 2015, for $922 million in cash (TERP Purchase Agreement). The 523 MW of residential solar projects are expected to provide a 10 year average unlevered CAFD of $81 million, and provide a ten-year average levered cash-on-cash yield of 9.5%.

In addition, TerraForm Power will acquire future completed residential and small commercial projects from SunEdison’s expanded residential and small commercial (RSC) business unit.

The addition of residential and small commercial projects and cash available for distribution (CAFD) to TerraForm Power is expected to provide greater visibility and predictability to CAFD growth and dividend per share accretion at TerraForm

8 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

Power. The rooftop solar portfolio is expected to add a growing, high-quality, long-term contracted and geographically diverse asset base to the SunEdison family of companies, strengthening one of the largest and highest-growth global renewable power platforms in the world.

The Vivint Solar management team will join SunEdison.

SunEdison’s existing RSC development business and the Vivint Solar team will be merged. The transaction expands SunEdison’s strong RSC platform and is intended to accelerate SunEdison’s existing business in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.

Platform expansion continues with strong execution “SunEdison’s acquisition of Vivint Solar is a logical next step in the transformation of our platform after the successful execution of our First Wind acquisition in January 2015,” said Ahmad Chatila, SunEdison chief executive officer and TerraForm Power chairman.

“We expect the Vivint Solar transaction to create significant value for our stockholders through the accretion in our TerraForm Power ownership, the acceleration of our Incentive Distribution Rights and an immediate expansion of our capacity and bandwidth to grow our residential business in the U.S. and globally. As of the fourth quarter of 2015, our organic growth and recent acquisitions will put SunEdison on track to deploy more than 1 gigawatt per quarter.”

“This transaction with SunEdison delivers to Vivint Solar’s stockholders excellent value for the business we have built over the last four years,” said Greg Butterfield, Vivint Solar’s chief executive officer. “SunEdison and TerraForm Power have built a

unique model that recognizes the value of long-term, predictable, contracted cash flows from our residential solar portfolio while providing access to a broad pool of financing at an attractive cost of capital. We are excited to join the SunEdison residential and small commercial team which has successfully developed a wide range of channels complementing those at Vivint Solar, both in the U.S. and globally.”

“TerraForm Power is excited to expand our residential solar portfolio with the acquisition of Vivint Solar assets, including 523 MW, which will accelerate our growth in this segment,” said Carlos Domenech, TerraForm Power’s chief executive officer.

“Vivint Solar’s profile of cash available for distribution is attractive and aligned with TerraForm’s growth profile, and the team has proven its ability to scale rapidly and successfully.

With immediate accretion to our stockholders at initial drop down and the predictable flow of drop down assets into the future, we see this acquisition as creating substantial value for our stockholders.”

“We are pleased by the tremendous success of Vivint Solar, which the exceptional management team has built into one of the leading providers of distributed solar energy in the United States in just four years,” said Peter Wallace, Vivint Solar’s board chairman and Blackstone’s senior managing director. “It is a testament to the strength of the Vivint platform, enabling customers to live life more intelligently. We believe this transaction positions the company’s asset portfolio for accelerated future growth as part of SunEdison and TerraForm Power.

We look forward to participating in its future success as a significant

FINANCIAL

investor in SunEdison going forward.”

SunEdison Initiates 2016 Guidance Concurrent with the announcement, SunEdison initiated 2016 annual guidance of 4,200 MW to 4,500 MW, a 50 percent increase from its prior outlook of 2,800 MW to 3,000 MW.

TerraForm Power Raising 2016 Guidance and Initiating 2017 Guidance Concurrent with the announcement, TerraForm Power is raising its prior 2016 dividend per share guidance of $1.70 to $1.75, a 30% year-over-year increase compared to 2015 annual guidance.

TerraForm Power is also initiating 2017 dividend per share guidance of $2.05, up from its prior target of $2.00.

Terms of Transaction and Financing Under the merger agreement, Vivint Solar stockholders will receive $16.50 per share, consisting of $9.89 per share in cash, $3.31 per share in SunEdison stock, and $3.30 per share in SunEdison convertible notes. The $2.2 billion acquisition price is based on approximately 115 million Vivint Solar shares outstanding after inclusion of employee stock options and restricted stock units that will vest upon the completion of the acquisition, the repayment of approximately $263 million of Vivint Solar debt and the payment of transaction costs. SunEdison expects that Vivint Solar will have approximately $100 million of cash on its balance sheet at the time of closing. SunEdison expects to issue approximately $370 million of its common stock and approximately $350 million of SunEdison convertible notes to Vivint Solar stockholders as merger consideration.

The number of SunEdison shares to be received by Vivint Solar stockholders in the merger will be determined based upon the volume weighted average price per share of SunEdison common stock for the 30 consecutive trading

days ending on (and including) the third trading day immediately prior to completion of the merger (the “Measurement Price”), subject to a collar. As a result of the collar, Vivint Solar stockholders will receive no more than 0.120 shares of SunEdison common stock and no less than 0.098 shares for each of their Vivint Solar shares. As part of the merger consideration, Vivint stockholders also will receive five-year notes convertible into SunEdison shares, which will be issued by SunEdison pursuant to an Indenture between SunEdison and a trustee. The convertible notes will be issuable only in registered form without coupons and will be direct, unsecured,

agreement. In addition, 313 Acquisition LLC has also executed a lock-up agreement that imposes certain restrictions on its ability to sell or transfer directly or indirectly, any of the SunEdison convertible notes issued to it in the merger or any SunEdison common stock that is received upon a conversion of the SunEdison convertible notes for a specified period of time following the closing of the transaction.

The merger is subject to the notification and reporting requirements under the Hart-ScottRodino Act, registration under the Securities Act of 1933 of the SunEdison common stock and convertible notes to be received

by Vivint Solar stockholders in

subject to customary remedies, including contract damages.

To support the merger transaction, SunEdison has entered into a commitment letter with Goldman Sachs Bank USA for a $500 million secured term loan facility to be provided to a wholly-owned, indirect subsidiary of SunEdison which will hold certain development assets of the expanded SunEdison RSC platform after the merger with Vivint Solar.

The funding of the term facility is subject to customary conditions, including the negotiation of definitive documentation and other customary closing conditions.

We are pleased by the tremendous success of Vivint Solar, which the exceptional management team has built into one of the leading providers of distributed solar energy in the United States in just four years – Peter Wallace, Vivint Solar’s board chairman

senior obligations of SunEdison.

The conversion price for these convertible notes will be 140% of the Measurement Price (but the Measurement Price may not exceed $33.62 or be lower than $27.51).

The convertible notes will bear interest at a rate of 2.25% per year, payable semi-annually in arrears in cash.

The merger requires the approval of Vivint Solar stockholders. 313 Acquisition LLC, which owns approximately 77% of the outstanding Vivint Solar shares, has entered into a voting agreement with SunEdison pursuant to which 313 Acquisition LLC has agreed, among other things, to vote in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement, subject to certain termination events, including, among others, termination of the merger

the merger, and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2015.

SunEdison intends to fund the cash portion of the merger consideration primarily from the proceeds of a new $500 million secured debt facility and the completion of the $922 million sale of assets to TerraForm Power.

However, completion of the merger with Vivint Solar is not conditioned on consummation of the new debt facility or of any other third-party financing or the completion of the asset purchase by TerraForm Power. If SunEdison were unable to obtain the funding needed to complete the merger at a time when all other conditions to the merger are satisfied, SunEdison could be liable for breach and be

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 9

FINANCIAL

Driving value through transformative change management

I

n the relentless search for new techniques to revolutionise the renewable energy sector, technology has been one of the fundamental driving forces. Yet while technology seems to have taken centre stage and disrupted wide tranches of the corporate landscape, many have found that rolling out technical solutions on their own is not sufficient.

Without doubt change offers a multitude of opportunities for organisations to gain competitive advantages, however, frustratingly, the value identified in many of these strategic decisions is often eroded at the point of implementation.

The rapidly shifting renewable energy sector is no exception.

Those organisations who are agile and able to harness changes, as a means of competitive advantage, can out-perform the competition in their ability to adapt to the market, yet to be truly effective, organisational change must be able to genuinely transform the business. In our haste to manage technological discontinuities, many organisations fail to adequately develop, communicate and execute their vision for the change.

As a consequence the potential transformational benefits of a change programme can be undermined. Currently about 30% of change projects meet their key performance indicators.

Little wonder then that change management as we know it, is at best viewed with some scepticism and at worst blamed for poor results.

It is therefore worth taking a closer look at the actual processes involved, and see what can be learned from those that do bridge the gap between the aspirations of

10 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

the technical design and the staff who will be required to adopt the change.

At the end of the Noughties we worked with one of the first movers among the major global oil and gas businesses as they entered the renewables market. From wind energy assets in the USA to consolidating their solar business in Europe, this organisation focused on either growing or acquiring a global portfolio. They also moved heavily into biofuels in Latin America, and had carbon capture assets in Europe and the Middle East. As a consequence they needed to create a global business from a great disparity of industries and assets that they had collected at different times in the businesses’ maturity, in different markets and with very different profitability profiles and horizons.

This project not only gave us invaluable insights into the complexity of this exciting sector, it enabled us to clearly demonstrate the value of accelerating the change process, reducing the time it takes to embed the changes, and minimising the disruption to the organisation’s overall business.

Positioned between the specific initiatives and the overall business, we assured the timely and effective launch of the new business division, and ensured it matched the corporate strategy and supported the business goals. From this perspective we were ideally placed to ensure that the highly polished repeatable processes (which large industrial businesses hone over thousands of hours of continuous improvement) did not impede the successful implementation and execution of change. It is often this dedication to honing processes which silently impedes a business for delivering the value sought in change.

Furthermore change management, like many other

Paul Arnold

implementation activities such as project management and risk, is frequently viewed as something which can be delegated. This can result in leaders distancing themselves from the challenge of implementing the strategic priorities they once championed.

And that allows the initiatives to fail.

In our experience, when all stakeholders involved are fully engaged with and participate in the required change processes, exceptional transformational growth can occur. As a consequence, a programme of detailed, global stakeholder research that we undertook for this renewables business ensured that the major players in all their new markets were well understood, and leaders could understand the importance of the sector’s makeup, and so more rapidly get aligned behind the change requirements.

In so doing we were able to rapidly address the many areas of resistance which emerged and accelerate stakeholder adoption. At the same time this also helped the business balance the competing demands and agendas within the larger organisation.

A key component of the successful launch of this business was the team of experts who

FINANCIAL

delivered this change programme had been chosen for their rare combination of deep technical understanding and their ability to provide change leadership.

From a strategic perspective this meant those who were going to be impacted by the change were fully briefed and risks and issues were proactively discussed and mitigated. The aim here of course was to make sure they didn’t just

understand the change, but that they embrace it, rather than resist it. This reduced the risk of value leaking and freed up vital resources to bring forward the return on investment.

The on-going change management programmes delivered beyond expectations. As the portfolio of alternative energy investments changed over the years we were also brought in to train their future leaders in change leadership and helped ensure an ongoing change leadership capability. As a consequence, the organisation developed strong change capability skills, processes and tools, due in a great part to the leadership team embracing the requirements and seizing the

opportunities afforded by effective change management.

There is no doubt, one of the challenges with change management is the misappropriation and misunderstanding of the term. To be effective, change management should enable leadership teams and their organisations to ensure successful growth and swiftly take advantage of opportunities that present themselves.

A key barrier to growth for many organisations is a limited awareness and understanding of the impact of poorly communicated strategic priorities, compounded by mismanaged change programmes.

Invariably the cost of this is high, not only financially but in business

continuity, lost opportunity, unexploited resources and diminished morale. All of which can drain substantial value out of any strategic change programme.

Today there can be little doubt that the evolving corporate landscape requires leaders to view change management as key to capturing value. As previously discussed, the emphasis needs to shift from it being delegated down the hierarchical chain to becoming an area deserving considerable leadership attention.

by Paul Arnold, Director of change management experts Able and How www.ableandhow.com

NREL growth forum brings together clean energy innovators Event recognizes the top startup businesses and clean energy technologies The Industry Growth Forum, hosted by the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), this week attracted more than 400 investors, entrepreneurs, technologists and thought leaders to Denver. At the conclusion of the event three companies were honored with Best Venture and Outstanding Venture Awards.

The two-day forum highlighted clean energy technology and business developments. In addition to hearing business case presentations from 30 clean energy companies, participants were engaged by a comprehensive lineup of speakers, in-depth panel discussions and facilitated networking opportunities.

“The convergence of R&D success, entrepreneurial innovation and a receptive investment community will accelerate renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies into the marketplace,” said Bill Farris, NREL Associate Laboratory Director for Innovation, Partnering and Outreach. “Relationships built and information shared at the Industry Growth Forum are vital to the advancement of these technologies. We are pleased to

be able to leverage the convening power of the laboratory to facilitate this essential discourse.”

Since 2003, the presenting early stage, pre-commercial, and expanding cleantech companies that have presented have collectively raised more than $5 billion in growth financing.

Three entrepreneurial companies were singled out from the 30 competitively-selected presenters to win the 2015 Clean Energy Venture Awards. Award winners will receive in-kind commercialization support to help increase their chances of becoming commercially successful.

Lightning Hybrids received the top prize, the Best Venture award.

This Loveland, Colorado-based company can equip trucks and buses with a technology that takes energy generated by braking and uses it for acceleration.

“It’s always fun to get validation,” said Tim Reeser, president and co-founder of Lightning Hybrids. He has attended the Industry Growth Forum for the past seven years, but this was the first year he was picked to be among the entrepreneurs chosen to make presentations.

An Outstanding Venture

award went to Stone Mountain Technologies Inc. This Johnson City, Tennessee, company is focused on gas absorption heat pumps that harness renewable energy and reduce heating costs by 30%-50%.

An Outstanding Venture award also went to Sun Number LLC. This Denver company has developed an online tool that allows owners of commercial and residential buildings to determine how much energy can potentially be generated by the addition of solar panels.

Also announced at this year’s event was the Dan E. Arvizu Industry Growth Forum Student Scholarship. The longest-serving director and chief executive in NREL’s history, Arvizu is retiring after 10 years at its helm. The newly announced scholarship will sponsor a two-person university student startup team to attend and participate in the Industry Growth Forum each year.

The forum is managed

by NREL’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center (IEC), whose mission is to foster an ongoing and extensive connection with the early-stage business community. Next year, the IEC is launching the NREL

Dan E. Arvizu Innovation Showcase to highlight entrepreneurs participating in IEC programs. Building on the momentum from the fall showcase, the next Industry Growth Forum will be held in the spring of 2017 in Denver.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 11

FINANCIAL

Solar Power in Turkey Ozan Karaduman, managing associate at Istanbul-based law firm Gun + Partners, examines Turkey’s burgeoning solar power industry - a small market with untapped natural potential

S

olar power has been one of the hot topics in the Turkish energy market in recent years. Considering the immense potential of solar energy, especially in the southern part of Turkey (approximately 1,330 kW/m2per year), the attention to solar power has come as no surprise. Both local and foreign investors are making plans to take part in the nascent Turkish solar market.

Although the potential of solar power in Turkey has been recognized for many years, it was not until June 2013 that the regulatory authority in Turkey (“EMRA”) began to request license applications for solar power plants. An enormous number of applications with a total capacity of 8,900 MWs were made to EMRA to get a share of the total capacity of only 600 MWs made available by the EMRA. A number of tenders were held to determine which companies would obtain licenses for the connection points where more than one application was made. In order to win the license a company had to outbid all the other bidders by committing the highest contribution payment to the National Grid Company.

The tenders were extraordinarily competitive which led to winning bids of amounts which cannot realistically be collected even in the 10 years feed-in tariff period.

This shows how ambitious some of the companies are in order to take part in the first commissioning of licensed solar power in Turkey despite concerns that companies would actually be maintaining their operations within such an unprofitable structure.

It’s not only licensed solar

12 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

Ali Ozan Karaduman Ozan is a senior associate in Corporate and Commercial Department of Mehmet Gun & Partners. He has been with the firm since 2007 and his practice focuses on M&A, preparation and negotiation of contracts, as well as telecommunication and energy law projects. He is a graduate of Galatasaray University in Istanbul and speaks English and French. He is the president of the Board of Directors of the Galatasaray University Alumni Association

power that investors are interested in; unlicensed solar power has attracted considerable attention after the upper limit for unlicensed power has been increased from 500 kW to 1 MW. Investors are looking into ways to use this opportunity to create investment plans based on unlicensed power by establishing multiple unlicensed power plants. Domestic and industrial premises have begun to install solar panels on rooftops and with the developments in the battery technology, this form of rooftop solar power facility may also become a reality to feed the Grid.

This article will analyse the legal framework regulating the licensed and unlicensed renewable energy market in Turkey.

Market Legislation There are two laws regulating the electricity production using renewable energy resources: the

Electricity Market Law (EML) and the Renewable Energy Law (REL).

The EML is the core legislation in the electricity market which regulates all licensed activities.

The REL is specific to renewable energy and mainly regulates certain incentives granted for the production of electricity by renewable energy resources, including solar power. Various regulations and communiqués detail the provisions of the main legislation.

Licensing As in all regulated activities in the electricity market, a production license must be obtained from the EMRA in order to establish and operate a solar power plant in Turkey.

Only limited liability companies and joint-stock companies established in Turkey can obtain electricity production licences.

FINANCIAL

There are no restrictions on foreign ownership.

The EML introduced a new licensing system by incorporating a pre-licensing procedure before the actual licensing process. Prelicensing is the first part of a two tier licensing system established to facilitate all administrative and bureaucratic requirements.

The previous electricity market law required the issuance of the generation license by the EMRA, in order to make certain other applications, ultimately delaying the process for generator companies to become operative, however, the pre-license procedure aims to solve this problem. When a company applies for a license, it will first be granted a prelicense with a maximum period of 24 months. The applicant company will then have the right to make applications for various administrative permits, licenses and related documents as well as to acquire property rights and usage rights on the land plot where the facility will be built.

License application procedures for wind and solar power plants differ from the licensing procedure of other power plants. That is, investors cannot apply for wind or solar licenses at any time they want but they need to wait for the pre-determined application dates. There is a simple reason for this, the transmission system of Turkey needs to have available capacity to connect wind and solar power plants to the national grid. If numerous wind and solar power plants are connected to the transmission system at the same time and without organization, this may create problems in terms of

balancing of the system because these types of power plants depend on inconsistent power sources to produce energy and are not always possible to predict production capacity. Moreover, there are limited places with sufficient wind or solar power to produce electricity in a cost effective way and there are often more than one application for these locations.

The “first-come, first-served” principle would not be the best option for granting solar or wind licenses as it would be prone to license-trading. Therefore, the EML adopted a system where the EMRA collects license applications within a given time and this is why the Turkish Electricity Transmission Company examines its grid system annually and allocates available capacity for different connection points for wind and solar power plants.

According to the License Regulation, vacant capacity for solar and wind energy facilities will be collated by the Turkish Electricity Transmission Company until April 1st each year and based on those vacant capacity figures, investors will be able to make prelicense applications for wind power plants within the first five days and for solar power plants within the last five days of October every year.

imports by incentivizing the use of renewable energy resources for the production of electricity. There are a number of important steps taken to incentivize renewable energy:

Incentives for Renewable Energy Resources

Another important incentive for renewable energy power plants is a discount in the license fee.

Renewable energy licensees are required to pay only 10% of the ordinary pre-license and license fees.

The government considers the foreign exchange costs for the import of natural gas and oil as is one of the major reasons for the increase in Turkey’s current account deficit and therefore wishes to decrease energy

• Feed-in-Tariff Mechanism Various legislative efforts have been made to encourage investors to make investments in power plants using renewable energy resources. The most important one of all these efforts has been the Feed in Tariff (“FIT”) mechanism which was introduced to Turkey by the REL. A new incentive was also introduced for using local components in the renewable energy power plants, with an additional increase in the FIT price if certain listed components used in the power plant have been locally produced.

The FIT prices are determined as ¢13.3 per kWh for solar power plants, ¢7.3 per kWh for hydroelectric and wind power plants, and ¢10.5 per kWh for geothermal power plants. If a renewable energy power plant uses applicable REL listed local components, the feed-in tariff applied to that power plant will be increased by between ¢0.4/kWh to ¢3.5/kWh based on the component type.

• Discount in the License Fees

• Unlicensed Electricity Production One of the most welcome amendments brought about by the EML relates to unlicensed power generation. Under the previous law, power plants using renewable energy resources with a maximum capacity of 500 kWh could generate electricity without obtaining a license. The maximum limit was constantly criticized for being extremely low. The EML responded to the feedback from the market and increased the maximum capacity to 1 MW which created a considerable increase of interest in solar energy equipment supply companies. Investors also began to use this as an model creating multiple power facilities each with a capacity of 1 MW.

Final Comment There is no doubt that Turkey has great potential in renewable energy and in particular, solar power, but this has yet to be turned into actual electricity production. The national grid system has to be improved to allow for more renewable power plants to be commissioned.

The country’s natural potential awaits for being turned into usable electricity production, and investors have shown enthusiasm to realize this task. The government however, needs to use this synergy to make the most of such considerable potential.

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 13

Nordex N117 (2.4 Megawatt) The N117/2400 has been specially developed for lowwind sites. Thanks to a rotor diameter of 117 meters and a rotor sweep of 10,715 square meters, the N117/2400 is one of the most efficient IEC 3 turbines in its class.

14 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

CONTENTS WIND

16 S iemens expands in Scotland

26 N ordex and Acciona Windpower join forces

33 K eeping wind turbines spinning

Photo: Courtesy Nordex

OCTOBER / NOVMEBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 15

WIND

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Siemens to add an additional 173 megawatts to Clyde onshore wind farm in Scotland Siemens has received an order for the supply, installation and commissioning of 54 direct drive wind turbines. The SWT-3.2-101 turbines will add another 172.8 megawatts (MW) to SSE’s Clyde wind farm in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Siemens will also be providing long-term service for the new Clyde Extension project. With an existing capacity of 350 MW, Clyde is already one of the largest onshore wind power plants in Europe.

54 Siemens SWT-3.2-101 wind turbines ordered for Clyde Extension project

The Clyde wind farm already has 152 operational turbines, making it the third-largest wind farm in Europe and SSE’s largest project to date. All of the existing turbines are Siemens 2.3-MW units, commissioned in 2011 and 2012.

The additional 54 turbines, each with a capacity of 3.2 megawatts and a 101-meter rotor diameter, will significantly increase energy output and provide the Clyde wind farm with the latest direct drive technology.

“We are very pleased to

continue the long and successful relationship with our customer SSE in an important project like the Clyde Extension,” said Thomas Richterich, CEO Onshore at Siemens’ Wind Power and Renewables Division. “Our direct drive units improve performance, reliability and maintainability. We see this innovation in our products as a stable basis for further collaboration with experienced customers like SSE.” The two-year construction effort commenced in July 2015 and will

support an estimated 500 local jobs through direct employment and the supply chain. The 54 turbines are scheduled for delivery and installation starting in June 2016. The Clyde Extension will be completed in June 2017.

54 Siemens SWT-3.2-101 wind turbines ordered for Clyde Extension project: The direct drive wind turbines will add another 172.8 megawatts (MW) to SSE’s Clyde wind farm in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.

Acciona Windpower enters the German wind turbine market ACCIONA Windpower, an ACCIONA Group subsidiary that designs and manufactures wind turbines, has opened a sales office in Mainz (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany) as a first step towards introducing its products into one of the main European wind power markets.

Another example of ACCIONA Windpower’s interest in the German market is its presence, with its own stand, in the Husum Wind 2015 fair, held in the German town of the same name from 15-18 September.

ACCIONA Windpower is a global vendor of wind turbines with extensive international experience.

It has completed sales in 18 countries in the five continents, with a total accumulated capacity of 6,660 megawatts (MW) sold by the first semester of 2015.

The company’s sales office in Germany joins twelve others

worldwide and will be the fifth in Europe, where it already has offices in Spain, Italy, Poland and Turkey, and in other continents in the USA, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, China, India and South Africa. It’s positive evolution is reflected by its EBITDA in the first semester of 2015: 45 million euros. This is largely based on the commercial success of its AW3000 turbine platform, a 3-MW rated power machine that has achieved accumulated sales of over 2.5 GW since its launch in the market.

The AW3000 is a robust and reliable turbine that optimizes the power generated to reduce the cost of energy throughout its working life. It is achieving notable success in emerging markets such as Brazil, where its sales have exceeded 1,100 MW, together with Mexico, South Africa, Chile, Turkey and Poland, plus sales in mature

markets such as the USA, Canada and Spain, where the company has its headquarters.

Designed as an evolution of the AW1500 platform, the AW3000 has configurations adapted to all kinds of winds. It is available with four rotor diameters (100 m, 116 m, 125 m and 132 m) and six tower heights, either in steel (84 m, 87.5 m y 92 m) or concrete (100 m, 120 m y 137.5 m).

Among the turbine’s competitive advantages, we would highlight the mounting on a double bearing on the slow speed shaft (a feature that gives it great robustness), generation at medium voltage (12 kV), which enables savings of up to 50% in energy capture infrastructure, an average availability of over 98% and a very low incident rate in the main components.

ACCIONA Windpower has

nacelle manufacturing plants in Spain, the USA and Brazil, plus facilities to produce blades in Spain and concrete towers in a number of countries close to projects currently being constructed.

CanWEA 2016 Canada’s Leading Wind Energy Conference & Exhibition Calgary, Alberta November 1-3

16 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

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WIND

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Grand opening of 270 MW K2 Wind power project, one of Canada’s largest wind facilities Facility generating approximately $15 million in funding for community initiatives over the next 20 years The K2 Wind Power Facility (“K2 Wind”) in Ontario held a Grand Opening Event hosted

by Samsung Renewable Energy Inc. (“Samsung”), Capital Power Corporation (TSX: CPX) and Pattern Energy Group Inc. (NASDAQ: PEGI) (TSX: PEG) (Pattern Energy”). One of Canada’s largest wind power facilities, the 270 megawatt (MW) K2 Wind facility is located in the Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh (ACW) in southwestern Ontario, and is expected to generate clean energy for approximately 100,000 Ontario homes annually. The commissioning of K2 Wind allowed Canada to surpass 10 gigawatts (GW) of installed wind energy capacity, making it the seventh country in the world to reach this level of wind power capacity, according to the Canadian Wind Energy Association.

“On behalf of the Council of the Township of AshfieldColborne-Wawanosh I would like to congratulate everyone who had a part in this long and complex project that created one of Canada’s largest wind-energy facilities,” said Deputy Reeve Roger

Watt. “We would especially like to thank K2 Wind for its commitment to the Community Benefit Fund.

This will enable the Township to undertake infrastructureimprovement and communitydevelopment projects over the next 20 years that we otherwise simply would not be able to pursue.”

“Samsung is proud to be part of the Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh community and is excited to complete our third wind project in Ontario,” said Mr. Steve Cho, Vice President, Samsung C&T. “The K2 Wind facility along with our other projects in the Province are creating thousands of high-skilled jobs that will benefit real people in this community and across Ontario.”

“As one of the largest wind power facilities in Canada, K2 Wind is a significant addition to our renewable energy capacity,” said Darcy Trufyn, Capital Power’s Senior Vice President Operations, Engineering and Construction.

“Yesterday, we celebrated the grand opening of K2 Wind, thanked the community for their support and acknowledge all those who have worked with us on the

project.”

“This event is to thank the community, the landowners and the local officials that worked to make this project possible,” said Mike Garland, CEO of Pattern Energy. “Going forward, K2 Wind will return many benefits to the community by providing ongoing funding for important community projects and initiatives at the same time helping to reduce pollution for Ontario and the globe.”

“Congratulations to our partners on the completion of the K2 Wind farm. With locally produced steel, towers, and blades, K2 Wind is another great example of the positive economic impact the wind power industry has on the Province of Ontario and is a progressive step towards environmental sustainability,” said David Hickey, Vice President, Wind Power & Renewables, Siemens Canada Limited.

K2 Wind has created a Community Benefits Fund Agreement with the Township of ACW to deliver approximately $15 million in funding for community initiatives over the next 20 years.

K2 Wind will also support local

residents living near the facility through lease agreements and other benefits.

While in construction, K2 Wind was one of the largest infrastructure projects in Ontario.

During its 18-month construction period, the project averaged over 300 workers on site. At peak construction, more than 500 workers were employed by the project.

The facility’s wind turbine components were manufactured in Ontario. A total of 700 turbine tower sections were produced in Windsor by CS Wind and the 420 blades were built in Tillsonburg

by Siemens, directly supporting over 800 manufacturing jobs in Ontario. K2 Wind expects to have approximately 20 full-time operations and maintenance employees, along with an additional 10 seasonal positions.

K2 Wind is comprised of 140 Siemens 2.3 MW wind turbines and operates under a 20-year PPA with the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO).

Wind power in China: Gamesa certifies its g97-2.0 mw wind turbine

Gamesa, a global technology leader in wind energy, has had its G97-2.0 MW turbine certified by a Chinese certification entity authorised by China’s National Energy Administration (NEA).

The G97-2.0 MW is a benchmark

turbine in the Chinese market, where over 150 units have been installed since 2011. Moreover, so far this year, Gamesa has secured orders for the supply of another 99 turbines of this make.

It is now mandatory to obtain local product certification in order to sell wind turbines in China in the wake of specific legislation passed which took effect on 1 July 2015.

“Gamesa has become the first foreign OEM to obtain this distinction from a Chinese certification agency. This milestone once again demonstrates our technological prowess and

18 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

strategic commitment to the Chinese market, where the company has established itself as the leading western OEM”, said Antonio de la Torre, Gamesa’s director of product development.

In the wake of certification of the G97-2.0 MW, the company is planning to have the rest of its Chinese 2-MW product catalogue certified under the local standard in the months to come. Gamesa’s presence in China, where it has installed over 3,800 MW and currently services almost 900 MW, dates back 15 years.

Type certification for the G114-2.0 MW class S Elsewhere, the company has also secured type certification for its G114-2.0 MW class S turbine, a variant of this model tailordesigned for the low-wind weather conditions typical of the Asian market.

This milestone completes the process of certifying the company’s turbine and constitutes an endorsement for the platform’s technology which in turn bolsters the marketing and industrialisation processes.

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WIND

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

MPI Adventure installs final blade for Amrumbank West Offshore Wind Farm

MPI Offshore has announced the wind-turbine-installation vessel MPI Adventure installed the final blade of the 80-turbine Amrumbank West Offshore Wind Farm.

This operation formed part of an ongoing, long-term charterparty agreement with E.On and

followed the successful monopilefoundation-installation campaign undertaken by another of the company’s WTIVs, MPI Discovery.

After mobilisation and preparation of MPI Adventure in January this year, installation of the Siemens 3.6MW turbines commenced in February, with the vessels operating in water depths of approximately 25m.

MPI Offshore’s constant involvement in engineering and installation works for the E.On spread of projects has provided the client flexibility on vessel availability and cost savings due to the innovative multi-functional

sea fastenings and construction tools which have been used on E.On’s Karehamn, Humber Gateway and Amrumbank projects over the previous three years.

MPI Adventure will shortly return to the Tees Base in the North East of UK, a facility that is becoming something of an offshore-wind hub. After her demobilisation from turbineinstallation duties she will return to sea in October for her next project of decommissioning works.

The Amrumbank West Offshore Wind Farm is situated approximately 35 km north of Helgoland and 37 km west of

Amrum in the German Exclusive Economic Zone of the North Sea. When fully operational later this year, Amrumbank West will have an annual capacity of 288 megawatts, enough to power 300,000 households.

Siemens receives major order for 151-MW wind project in the US • 66 Siemens SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines ordered • Expected to power about 50,000 average U.S. homes • Order also includes service and financing Siemens has been awarded an order from Apex Clean Energy to supply, support installation and provide long-term service for 66 wind turbines for the Grant Wind project in Grant County, Oklahoma.

The Grant Wind project follows an announcement earlier this year that Siemens will provide turbines, service and financing for Apex Clean Energy’s Kay Wind project in Kay County, Oklahoma. Installation of the turbines is scheduled to begin in October 2015, with the start of operations expected in the spring of 2016. Siemens Financial Services is supporting the project’s construction financing with $50 million.

The project will feature 66 Siemens SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines, each with a power

rating of 2.3 megawatts (MW) and 53-meter blades. The Siemens SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines are part of the company’s G2 platform of onshore geared products – the workhorse of Siemens’ installed portfolio with rotor diameters optimized for all wind conditions.

The G2 platform features exceptional reliability and low operational costs for an optimized return on investment. The nacelles for the Grant Wind project will be assembled at the Siemens facility in Hutchinson, Kansas, and the blades will be manufactured at the Siemens blade facility in Fort Madison, Iowa. The 151-MW project is expected to create enough clean energy to power approximately 50,000 average U.S. homes.

A long-term service and

maintenance agreement for the turbines was also signed and includes Siemens’ remote monitoring and diagnostic services, which offer a proactive approach to service and maintenance to help bolster the performance of the turbines during their lifetime.

Additionally, Siemens is supplying the project’s main step up transformer.

“With this second order in one year, Apex Clean Energy continues our successful collaboration,” underlines Thomas Richterich, CEO Onshore of the Siemens Wind Power and Renewables Division. “We are proud to meet the customers demand with our full spectrum of resources including equipment, service and financing.”

Grant Wind power plant will consist of 66 Siemens SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines

17 - 20 November 2015 Paris Expo – Porte de Versailles, Pavilion 1, Paris, France

20 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

WIND

ABB invests in most advanced cable-laying vessel for subsea installation and service

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has ordered the world’s most advanced cable-laying vessel to boost the capacity of its submarine cable operations while achieving greater efficiency and precision.

The new ship will be custom-built to ABB specifications and measure approximately 140 by 30 meters, will be constructed at Kleven shipyard in Norway. Delivery is expected in 2017.

“This next-generation vessel incorporating state-of-the-art ABB technologies will be a key differentiator for our high-voltage cable business, enhancing flexibility and execution ability,” said Claudio Facchin, president

of ABB’s Power Systems division.

“It will also improve operational efficiency and customer focus, supporting profitable growth in line with our Next Level strategy.”

The new ship will deploy many of ABB’s own leading marine technologies. The award-winning Onboard DC Grid and power distribution solution, for instance, will use a single DC circuit for ship propulsion to reduce power consumption. The vessel will set new standards for reliability and accuracy and will be equipped with roll-reduction tanks and the subsea operations will be executed and monitored by a remotely operated vehicle using cameras and sonar, avoiding the need for divers.

The vessel will also feature a complete ABB Integrated Automation System and three Azipod propulsion units. Together with an energy storage system for marine applications it will cut fuel consumption by 27 percent and

reduce maintenance compared to traditional AC systems. Sensors, monitoring hardware and software will enable data to be sent to shore via a satellite link, to allow the onshore technical support centers to work closely with the ship as part of ABB’s Integrated Marine Operations solution.

Advanced advisory software for motion monitoring, forecasting and decision support will also be on board.

Thanks to dynamic positioning technology of the highest class (DP3), the ship will be able to maintain its position with a high precision. The vessel is constructed in such a way that fire and flooding can be contained and will not compromise positioning and other essential systems.

Cable links play a key role in the reliable and efficient transmission of large amounts of electricity, often over long distances. With experience dating back to 1883,

Loading of high-voltage cable

ABB is a global leader in highvoltage cable systems with an installed base across applications such as integration of renewables, city center in-feeds, oil and gas platform power supplies, and subsea interconnections. ABB has commissioned more than 25 high-voltage direct current links and hundreds of high-voltage alternating current links around the world.

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 21

WIND

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Vestas receives 144 MW order in the USA Vestas has received a firm and unconditional order in Michigan, USA, for 72 V110-2.0 MW turbines, with a total capacity of 144 MW Additional information about the project: Customer:

Undisclosed at the customer’s request.

Project name:

Undisclosed at the customer’s request.

Location/Country:

Michigan, USA

Number of MW:

144 MW

Number of turbines/turbine type(s):

72 x V110-2.0 MW turbines

Contract type:

Supply-only

Contract scope:

The contract includes supply and commissioning of the wind turbines, as well as a 10-year Active Output Management 5000 service agreement.

Features: • V estas OptiStop pitch control strategy included to reduce loads and enable a lighter structure • Select products from the Vestas PowerPlus™ range are added to maximise output

Delivery and commissioning of the wind turbines are expected to take place in second half of 2016

Time of delivery:

V110-2.0 MW™ at a Glance The V110-2.0 MW™ IEC IIIA is an extremely reliable turbine, which is documented through its strong availability and performance. This turbine allows you to increase productivity by opening up low-

wind sites which were previously regarded as non-viable. To maximise power output at such locations, the turbines’ 110 m rotor gains more from the available wind – starting at an incredibly low

3 m/s. With its 54 m blades, the V110-2.0 MW™ IEC IIIA delivers a notable rotor-to-generator ratio producing a remarkable capacity and yield at low- and medium-wind sites.

Finland’s largest wind park to date will be powered by 93MW of Vestas turbines TuuliWatti Oy has placed a firm and unconditional order for 27 V126-3.45 MW turbines for the Simo III project in the province of Lapland, Finland.

With Simo III, Vestas has announced more than 500 MW of orders for the V126 in Finland alone With reference to Vestas Wind Systems A/S company announcement No. 48/2015 of 30 September 2015, Vestas has received a firm and unconditional order for the largest wind power plant in Finland to date. The order for the Simo III project comprises 27 x V126-3.45 MW turbines and includes delivery, installation, and a 10-year Active Output Management (AOM) 5000 service agreement. The delivery of turbines is expected to start in 2016, with commissioning in 2016 and 2017.

The V126-3.45 MW is specifically designed for low-wind sites and with more than 500 MW ordered in Finland alone, the V126

has already proven how well-suited it is for the challenging Nordic climate . The V126-3.45 MW’s high performance on low-wind sites is highlighted by its Annual Energy Production (AEP) that can be up to 20 percent higher compared to the V112-3.0 MW on sites with average wind speeds of 6.5 m/s.

“TuuliWatti Oy is pleased to be working with Vestas to deliver what is going to be the largest wind project in Finland. Vestas’ track record and performance in the Finnish market and the V126 turbine’s suitability for Finland were key factors in TuuliWatti Oy selecting Vestas. We were especially impressed by the AEP

22 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

increases that accompany the V126-3.45 MW technology” says Mr Jari Suominen, Managing Director, TuuliWatti Oy. “We are very pleased that TuuliWatti Oy has chosen one of our top performers on lowwind sites, the V126-3.45MW, for Finland’s soon to be largest wind power plant. With this project, we build on our strong collaboration with TuuliWatti Oy from previous record projects like the 73 MW Kalajoki wind farm, which was Finland’s very first large-scale wind power plant at the time of order”, says Klaus Steen Mortensen, President, Vestas Northern Europe.

Having received orders for

Mr Jari Suominen, Managing Director, TuuliWatti Oy

more than 700 MW since 2011 in Finland, Vestas has established a strong presence in this increasingly important Nordic market in terms of installed capacity and service capabilities.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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109 MW order: Senvion signs its biggest UK contract to date

3.4M114 - particularly suitable in high wind locations Senvion, one of the world’s biggest wind turbine manufacturers, has signed a major new contract with leading renewable energy developer Blue Energy to supply 32 turbines to the developer’s Beinneun Wind Farm in Scotland.

With a total rated output of 108.8 megawatts (MW), the wind farm

will produce enough electricity to power more than 59,000 homes each year. Beinneun will mark the fifth turbine supply contract where Blue Energy and Senvion have partnered in the UK. Senvion has more than 1.4 gigawatts of installed capacity in the UK. Located near Fort Augustus in

the Scottish Highlands, Beinneun will also be Blue Energy’s largest onshore wind farm project in the UK and will consist of 10 Senvion 3.4M104 turbines and 22 Senvion 3.4M114 turbines. The turbines are due to be delivered to the Beinneun Wind Farm in Autumn 2016 and the project’s expected date of commissioning is at the end of 2016. Senvion will provide the full maintenance of the wind farm project for 20 years.

Raymond Gilfedder, Senvion Northern Europe Managing Director, said: “We are very proud to have signed the company’s biggest UK onshore turbine contract. 10 years ago, Senvion installed its first turbine in the UK. We have come a long way and this contract marks a huge milestone in our company’s history. This achievement is the culmination of years of hard work by the team. It is evidence of what can be achieved

when we build strong relationships with our partners based on trust and respect, like the relationship we have with Blue Energy. We are looking forward to continuing this long standing partnership with Blue Energy moving forward.”

Chris Dean, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Energy, said: “We are very pleased to be working with Senvion on the delivery of our largest UK wind farm to date.

The Senvion 3.XM Series turbines are ideally suited to the Beinneun wind characteristics and our strong relationship with Senvion gained from recent experience across other projects, gave us the confidence to work with the Senvion team again on this major project”.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Senvion supplies 16 turbines to Vattenfall’s Ray Wind Farm, UK Senvion, one of the world’s biggest wind turbine manufacturers, has signed a contract with Vattenfall to supply 16 Senvion 3.4M104 turbines to the Ray Wind Farm.

Located on the Ray Estate near Kirkwhelpington in Northumberland, Ray Wind Farm will have a total rated output of 54.4 megawatts (MW) and will produce enough electricity to power more than 30,000 homes each year.

Ray Wind Farm is the first project that Senvion has signed

with Vattenfall in the UK using the 3.XM platform. The first turbine installations are scheduled for July 2016.

Raymond Gilfedder, Managing Director of Senvion Northern Europe, said: “Following our successful partnership on the Clashindarroch wind farm, we are delighted to once more be working in partnership with Vattenfall in the UK. I am very pleased that Vattenfall have again placed their confidence and trust in us to deliver.”

Paul Nickless, Vattenfall’s Construction Manager for the Ray Wind Farm, said: “Vattenfall started construction of the Ray Wind Farm earlier this summer. We are looking forward to delivery and safe installation of the wind turbines next year and generating green power by the end of 2016 or early 2017, building on our previous partnerships with Senvion and our other contractors to deliver a safe and successful project.”

Latest vessel the Dalby Don completes her successful sea trials

The newest addition to the Dalby fleet, The Dalby Don has undergone successful sea trials.

The Dalby Don is the 7th crew transfer vessel from Great Yarmouth builders Alicat Workboats.

Colin Palmer – Dalby Offshore CTV Fleet Superintendent said: “Alicat Workboats have truly pulled out the stops of this fantastic 23m CTV. I have skippered numerous Alicat built vessels over the years but this is one of the finest, most practical, comfortable and fastest of the vessels with a maximum speed of 32kts. Powered by twin MAN with Rolls Royce FF550 water jet propulsion this makes the vessel very manoeuvrable with the ROCS vector stick making

challenging conditions a pleasure” Steve Bartram Operations Manager also said: “Alicat Workboats have provided Dalby Offshore with another first class CTV, which has passed all expectations in the quality of the build and the level of after sales service. In the past 2 years we have expanded our fleet with a further 5 vessels having a total of 9 CTV’s. This is a testament of our commitment to work with our crews, clients and trusted partners

in bringing new innovations in comfort and design to our vessels.

The Dalby CTV fleet is very diverse, we can offer our clients various options from the normal pax transfers, to cargo carrying, retro refit work, refuelling, and cleaning of the landing platforms.

Dalby Offshore has established itself as one of the main players in the renewable industry, providing practical, efficient and costeffective offshore crew supply and support vessels.”

Gamesa continues to grow in India, having signed a new contract for the supply of 100 MW • T he company will install 50 of its G97-2.0 MW class S turbines, purpose-designed for the Indian market. (Dhar wind farm)

Gamesa, a technological leader in the worldwide wind industry, has signed a new contract in India for the supply of 100 MW to Hero Future Energies (HFE), one of

India’s leading independent power producers (IPP).

Under the terms of the contract signed with HFE, Gamesa will install 50 of its G97-2.0 MW class S turbines at the Dhar wind farm, located in the state of Madhya Pradesh. With a tower height of 104 metres, this new turbine variant -certified by TÜV NORD- is customdesigned for the low wind speed sites typical of India. The wind farm’s commissioning is scheduled for March 2016.

24 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

Gamesa in India The new order reinforces Gamesa’s solid commercial positioning in India: according to Make Consulting, the company ended 2014 as the leading OEM in the country for the second year running, with a market share of 25% in 2014, compared to 21% in 2013.

Gamesa’s presence in India - as technology provider and wind farm developer - dates back to 2009.

To date, it has installed close to

2,100 MW and services over 1,700 MW under O&M agreements. In addition, in its capacity as wind farm developer, it has developed over 1,300 MW.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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UK’s DeepOcean awarded offshore export cable installation

A contract for offshore export and interlink cable installation and burial for Dong Energy’s Walney Extension offshore wind farm has been awarded to DeepOcean 1 UK Ltd, a subsidiary of DeepOcean Group Holding BV (DeepOcean).

Walney Extension offshore wind farm, currently in its development phase and awaiting a final

investment decision, will have a 660 megawatt capacity and when completed will be capable of meeting the electricity needs of over 460,000 UK homes. To be constructed in two phases, 19 kilometres from Walney Island off the Cumbrian Coast, the wind farm will comprise of up to 90 turbines, each with a 7 or 8 megawatt

output.

Under the contract, offshore work will be undertaken by DeepOcean’s with a new cable installation vessel, Maersk Connector which is due to be available for offshore installation works during 2016.

DeepOcean’s scope includes route engineering as well as the installation and trenching of a total of 136 km offshore export cables and a 23 km interlink cable. The cables will be pulled ashore near Heysham and will link the two offshore substation platforms at the windfarm to shore.

Peter Rom Poulsen, Engineering, Procurement & Construction Director for DONG Energy’s Walney Extension project, said: “We are pleased to be able to call on the experience of a company like DeepOcean for this vital cable installation and

trenching work.

He added: “Placing this contract takes us another step towards what, on completion, is expected to be the world’s largest offshore wind farm.”

Otter Maeland, DeepOcean’s EVP Greater North Sea, said, “We are delighted to be expanding our relationship with DONG Energy from the offshore oil and gas market to the key growth area of offshore wind. DeepOcean’s investments and capabilities illustrate how the UK supply chain is working hard to support our Customers in bring clean power to millions of UK families.”

Offshore wind giant GEMINI awards long-term maintenance contract to Belgian OWA and German EWE OSS

The Gemini offshore wind park in the Dutch North Sea, located 85 km north of the Dutch coast, is to be one of the world’s largest wind farms, both in terms of size as well as production (total capacity of 600 MW). Gemini is being built on two locations close to each other, ‘Buitengaats’ and ‘ZeeEnergie’.

Offshore Wind & Assistance (OWA), the offshore maintenance specialist of offshore solutions provider GeoSea (DEME Group) will operate and maintain the Balance of Plant for both windfarms. Next

to providing marine logistics, the scope of works includes the maintenance of all foundations above and below water (2 x 75 WTG foundations + 2 OHVS foundations) as well as the maintenance of the cable & scour protection (2 export cables, infield cables, export connector cable, scour protection at WTG and OHVS foundations) EWE Offshore Service & Solutions GmbH (EWE-OSS), the offshore subsidiary of the Oldenburg-based energy provider, will be in charge of operating, maintaining and monitoring two transformer stations at sea and one transformer station in Eemshaven.

It will also be responsible for the network management of the two 220 kV export cables that will transport the electricity to land and a 380 kV stretch of cable on land that will connect the electricity to the transmission network.

“OWA has quite some experience in offshore maintenance activities on the North Sea and

can count on the longstanding expertise of parent company GeoSea and other offshore companies within the DEME Group. It allows us to export our maintenance know-how on a longterm basis on the entire European energy market,” confirms Stijn Delauré, General Manager Offshore & Wind Assistance NV. “We are very pleased that the operators of this fascinating project have placed their confidence in us,” says Ines Kolmsee, Chief Technical Officer of EWE AG. “It is also a positive affirmation of our strategy not just to implement our own projects but also to operate as a service provider in the offshore sector.” EWE OSS will be supported with this contract by EWE NETZ and BTC – two other companies in the EWE Group.”

Stijn Delauré, General Manager Offshore & Wind Assistance NV

Ines Kolmsee, Chief Technical Officer of EWE AG

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 25

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Nordex and Acciona Windpower join forces to create a major player in the wind industry • Agreement to acquire Acciona Windpower against cash and new Nordex shares • Global presence ensuring capacity utilisation and growth • Excellent market fit • Complementary products and technologies

N

ordex is acquiring Corporación Acciona Windpower S.L. from Acciona S.A. to form a new major player in the wind industry. The purchase price is paid in cash and new shares issued without subscription rights. The closing of the transaction is subject to standard market conditions, including merger clearance by the relevant competition authorities.

In combining their activities Nordex and Acciona Windpower will create a truly global company and in doing so reduce exposure to demand swings in individual markets.

Nordex and Acciona Windpower complement each other in a number of important areas. Nordex has a strong market position in Europe, while Acciona Windpower is well-positioned in the Americas and emerging markets. Nordex products are particularly wellsuited for complex projects subject to technical restrictions, while Acciona Windpower’s products are primarily aimed at large-scale wind farms that require efficient and sturdy machines for unconstrained terrains.

The purchase price for Acciona Windpower is comprised of a cash payment in the amount of EUR 366.4 million and 16.1 million new Nordex shares valued at EUR 26.00 each. Alongside the transaction Nordex´ current main shareholders SKion/momentum, which is controlled by the member of the Supervisory Board Jan Klatten, will sell shares in Nordex to Acciona, which is one of the biggest owners and operators of wind farms in the world. SKion/ momentum´s and Acciona post-

26 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

transaction shareholdings in Nordex will be 5.7% and 29.9% respectively. SKion/momentum remains committed to Nordex as a shareholder. Jan Klatten will continue as a member of the Supervisory Board. It has been agreed with Acciona that two-thirds of the members of the Supervisory Board will be independent of Acciona in any case for a period of at least five years. Furthermore, for a period of three years Acciona undertakes, as a general rule, not to purchase direct or indirect voting rights in Nordex SE and thereby to increase its stake in Nordex SE to 30% or more. Nordex SE will remain a listed company according to German law with its head office remaining domiciled in Hamburg.

“By acquiring Acciona Windpower Nordex will hold a very strong position throughout the transformation in the wind industry. We now earn the fruits of our strong commitment to research and development. With this in mind my special thanks goes to both our shareholders SKion and momentum capital: Over nearly ten years now they have been excellent advisors to Nordex in every phase of the company and supported significantly the transition to a technology leader in wind turbine manufacturing.

With their transaction SKion and momentum pave the way for Nordex to continue with a longterm-oriented and family-led anchor shareholder”, said Dr. Wolfgang Ziebart, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Nordex SE. “Both Nordex and Acciona Windpower have demonstrated ability to grow at impressive pace in recent years and in combining

our business activities we are laying a robust foundation for future profitable growth. This is in the interest of all our stakeholders.

We are confident that both Nordex and Acciona Windpower customers will realize value from our companies´ combined expertise.

Also, we are gaining an important long-term shareholder with deep understanding of our industry”, said Lars Bondo Krogsgaard, CEO of Nordex SE. “The deal makes sense on key parameters, and I have great confidence in our respective organizations to realize the high expectations that we have”, so Lars Bondo Krogsgaard, who will continue as CEO after closing of the transaction. He will be joined in the Management Board by Bernard Schäferbarthold, CFO, plus two further members currently working at top-level with Acciona Windpower. The Management Board and company headquarters will remain in Hamburg.

Nordex SE Nordex SE numbers among the leading mid-sized manufacturers of wind turbines for the international onshore market and operates worldwide in more than 20

WIND

countries with branches there.

The company has been active in the industry for 30 years. This makes Nordex one of the most experienced specialists in the sector. Its core business includes the development of modern turbines as well as the production, installation and long-term servicing of wind farms. Since 2011 annual revenues have increased in average by almost 20% per year to more than EUR 1.7 billion in 2014.

At the same time Nordex’ profits continue to grow. For the current year the Management Board projects revenues of up to EUR 2.2 billion.

Acciona Windpower Acciona Windpower designs and produces 3.0- and 1.5-MW turbines for all wind classes, including the design and manufacture of rotor blades and towers. AWP currently operates four production facilities, which are located in the US, Brazil and Spain, while a new factory is under construction in India. It has manufactured, or has orders

(from left) José Luis Blanco, CEO Acciona Windpower; Bernard Schäferbarthold, CFO Nordex SE; Juan Muro Lara, Chief Corporate Development and Investor Relations Officer Acciona; Dr. Johannes Fritz, MD SKion; Lars Bondo Krogsgaard, CEO Nordex SE; Jan Klatten, Supervisory Board Nordex SE; Dr. Wolfgang Ziebart, Chairman Supervisory Board Nordex SE; José Manuel Entrecanales, Chairman Acciona; Rafael Mateo, CEO Acciona Energy.

for, wind turbines totaling 6.7 GW in more than 100 wind farms in 18 countries. It is a subsidiary of Acciona Energía, a global leader in renewable energy with more than 20 years’ experience in the sector

and 10,000 MW installed, either owned by the Company or built for customers. Both companies belong to Acciona S.A. - one of Spain’s leading corporations which operates in infrastructure,

energy, water and services in over 30 countries. ACCIONA is listed on the Madrid Stock Exchange, has a 33,000-strong workforce and posted revenues of 6,500 million euros in 2014

Gamesa to build a 40-MW wind farm in India for ReNew Power under a turnkey arrangement

Gamesa strengthens its presence in India. (Photo: Gamesa) The company will install 20 of its G97-2.0 MW class S turbines, purpose-designed for the Indian market. (Lingsagur wind farm) Gamesa, a technological leader in the worldwide wind industry, is to build a 40-MW turnkey wind

farm in India for ReNew Power, one of India’s leading independent power producers (IPP).

Under the terms of the contract signed with ReNew Power 1, Gamesa will install 20 of its G972.0 MW class S turbines at the Lingsagur wind farm, located in the province of Karnataka. With a tower height of 104 metres, this new turbine variant -certified by TÜV NORD- is custom-designed for the low wind speed sites typical of India.

Given the fact that it is a turnkey contract, Gamesa will handle all of the infrastructure needed to install and operate the project and will also provide the long-term operations and

maintenance (O&M) services.

The wind farm’s commissioning is scheduled for March 2016.

This new contract strengthens Gamesa’s relationship with ReNew Power, with which it has already signed firm orders for the supply of 102.65 MW in the provinces of Karnataka and Maharaja.

Gamesa in India The new order secured by Gamesa in India - with some 500 MW locked in year-to-date - reinforce its solid commercial positioning: according to Make Consulting, the company ended 2014 as the leading OEM in the country for the second year running, with a market share of 25% in 2014, compared to 21% in

2013.

Gamesa’s presence in India - as technology provider and wind farm developer - dates back to 2009.

To date, it has installed close to 2,100 MW and services over 1,700 MW under O&M agreements. In addition, in its capacity as wind farm developer, it has developed over 1,300 MW. They are to install a further 20 of its G97-2.0 MW class S turbines.

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 27

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Gamesa secures new order for the supply of 98 of its G114-2.0 MW to Votorantim in Brazil • T he turbines will be equipped with Gamesa’s MaxPower technology, designed to boost nominal capacity from 196 MW to 205.8 MW. (seven wind farms located in the state of Piauí, in eastern Brazil) • The turbines are slated for delivery in 2017, as is the facility’s commissioning

Gamesa has signed its first contract1 with Votorantim Energia, this Brazilian group’s energy arm,

for the supply, transportation, installation and commissioning of 98 G114-2.0 MW turbines at seven wind farms located in the state of Piauí, in eastern Brazil. These turbines will be equipped with Gamesa’s MaxPower technology, which increases their nominal capacity from 2.0 MW to 2.1 MW, thereby boosting output from 196 MW to 205.8 MW. In addition, Gamesa will maintain this seven wind farms for

the next five years. The turbines are slated for delivery in 2017 ahead of the facility’s scheduled commissioning at the end of the year.

This new order further endorses the success of the company’s new turbine, the G114-2.0 MW, in this market: this turbine, nearly 500 MW of which has already been installed in Brazil, is designed to harness more energy at a lower cost at low and medium wind

speed sites, making it particularly suited to the country’s low turbulent winds.

1 Contrat signed during the third quarter of 2015.

Moventas exceed high torque density 3 MW gearbox exceeded expectations Moventas sets a new performance standard in the onshore 3 MW wind turbine gearbox class. Testing and verification procedures of the first prototypes of an Exceed high torque platform gearbox have been completed, and the results are even better than estimated

Launched in August 2014, the Exceed is a 3 MW and up product platform with the best weight/ nominal torque ratio in the market.

The Exceed provides 20% more torque density with 10 % less

size and consists of 100% proven Moventas technology. Testing and verification showed that torque density improvement was even more significant than expected, exceeding 140 Nm/kg.

- We took measured gearbox values of the technology we’ve been using for a decade and recalculated them with new design methods. As a result, one gets more torque out of a smaller and more lightweight gearbox. This positively affects the levelized cost of wind energy, comments

28 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

Moventas’ CTO Jyrki Virtanen.

In addition to the superior torque density, the Exceed’s other major improvements contributing to turbine competitiveness are lower weight, smaller size and best in class noise and vibration behavior. Compared to a conventional Moventas 3 MW gearbox, the Exceed is nearly 4.5 tons lighter, under 20 tons. Despite the lighter weight no quality compromises have been made.

The Exceed’s overall noise levels are quieter on both partial

and nominal powers. Its maximum vibration level is half the level of a conventional 3 MW gearbox.

In addition to the increased performance, tests also showed improved reliability.

Supervised by a classification body, Moventas finished the successful prototype verification process two weeks ago. Serial deliveries of the Exceed will begin in Q1/2016 for two OEM customers from Moventas’ highly modern MMW wind gearbox factory in Finland.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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Tail wind for Nordex in Turkey: contracts for 45 MW awarded Nordex has been awarded three contracts for wind farms with a capacity of a total of 45 MW in Turkey. The manufacturer will be installing seven N117/3000 turbines close to the city of Izmir in Western Turkey for its new customer Üçgen Rüzgar Enerjisi Elektrik Üretim Anonim Şirketi. This Delta series turbine is the optimum fit for this IEC 2 site with average wind speeds of 8.5 m/s. The wind

farm is the first project which the company is implementing with Nordex.

Nordex is delivering a further four Delta turbines to another new customer, Süper Enerji, for the “Çataltepe” wind farm near Istanbul. This project marks Süper Enerji’s first foray into the wind power industry. Süper Enerji is a member of Süper Group that is active in active in textile,

construction, tourism, geothermal and hydropower energy business.

The third order for Nordex comes from project developer REA Elektrik and entails the delivery of five N117/2400 turbines for the “Zincirli” wind farm. Following the “Kurtkayasi” and “Yahyali” projects, this is the third order which Nordex has received for a wind farm in the province in Kayseri. The N117/2400 turbine is

the ideal solution for the light-wind conditions prevailing at this site.

To date, Nordex has installed a total output of almost 1,000 megawatts in Turkey, with a further 400 currently under construction.

As a result, it holds around 23 percent of the Turkish market.

Nordex UK: Flexibility and customer proximity

Nordex will be supplying Frodsham Wind Farm Limited in UK, owned by Peel Energy and Belltown Power, with 19 N90/2650 wind turbines.

This version of the N90/2500 Gamma strong-wind turbine has

been especially developed for the Frodsham” project.

Originally designed to accommodate 21 turbines, the wind farm is located on the Frodsham Marshes roughly 12 kilometres north-east of Chester.

The scheme was redesigned and the number of turbines reduced following consultation with the local community and nature conservation experts. To ensure that the planned total capacity of at least 50 megawatts could still be achieved, Nordex has developed an exclusive higher-output version of the N90/2500 for this project.

As a result, the wind farm will

have a certified output of 50.35 megawatts.

“With the Frodsham project, we have shown that we are flexible enough to accommodate our customers’ individual requirements. However, the N90/2650 will not be going into bulk production,” explains Lars Bondo Krogsgaard, CEO of Nordex.

The specific conditions prevailing at the “Frodsham” site favoured the development of this innovative solution. “The wind in this region exhibits only minor turbulence and the climate is mild. This allowed our engineers to increase the turbine output,” says Krogsgaard.

Construction work at “Frodsham ” commenced in April 2015, with the delivery of the initial turbines scheduled for the second quarter of 2016. After it goes into operation, the wind farm will produce some 100,000 gigawatthours of electricity per annum, sufficient to supply around 24,000 homes.

After “Scout Moor” and “Port of Liverpool”, “Frodsham” is the third wind farm at which Peel Energy is installing Nordex turbines

Vestas installs its 55,000th turbine and achieves 70 GW of installed capacity Vestas wind turbines cumulatively can produce enough power to cover the annual electricity consumption of about 75 million European residential electricity consumers.

Vestas having installed 55,000 turbines and 70 GW of capacity in 74 countries across six continents is strong evidence of their ability to provide wind energy solutions anywhere in the world. It underscores Vestas’ global industry leadership and reaffirms the growing reality that wind energy is the best of all worlds – costcompetitive, readily available, and carbon-free. Globally in 2014, wind energy accounted for about 20 percent of all newly installed power

generation capacity, and that share is set to continue growing in the future.

“The entire Vestas organisation – past and present – has contributed to reaching this industry-leading milestone, and we can all take pride in the accomplishment”, says Anders Runevad, President and CEO of Vestas Wind Systems A/S. “This Vestas achievement together with wind energy’s global growth confirms that whether one is looking to power one’s own operations, reduce supply risk and price volatility, or contribute to combatting climate change, investing in wind energy makes

economic sense”.

The 55,000th turbine is a V1123.0 MW that has been installed at the 27 MW Wallroth-Schlüchtern wind park in Hesse, Germany. That the milestone has been reached here testifies to the importance of the German market, which is the biggest in Europe and the second largest market for Vestas globally.

“We thank our customers all over the globe and especially in Germany for their trust in wind energy, in our technology, and our people” says Knud E. Rissel, Vice President Sales Germany.” More than 1,900 Vestas employees in Germany, representing the company’s full value chain, are

Anders Runevad, President and CEO of Vestas Wind Systems focused on being the very best wind energy partners for our customers and have contributed to Vestas becoming one of the leading wind technology providers in Germany.

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 29

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Global Infrastructure Partners to acquire a 50 % stake in DONG Energy’s German offshore wind farm project, Gode Wind 1, bond financed by German insurance companies DONG Energy has signed an agreement to divest 50% of the 330MW German offshore wind construction project, Gode Wind 1, to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a leading global, independent private equity infrastructure investment fund.

The total sales price amounts to approximately €780 million (DKK 5.8 billion) which will be paid in the period 2015 to 2016.

As a part of the transaction, GIP will issue a rated project bond to a consortium of renowned German insurance companies with Talanx, one of the largest German insurance groups, as cornerstone lender. The development of a rated bond structure that facilitates the provision of institutional debt to offshore wind construction projects was initiated and led by DONG Energy and implemented with the strong support from GIP and Talanx. This transaction marks the issuance of the first non-recourse, investment grade, certified green bond dedicated to part finance an offshore wind farm asset under construction.

The transaction is subject to approval by the competition authorities and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2015.

Samuel Leupold, Executive Vice President in DONG Energy Wind Power, said: “I’m delighted about this partnership and it is a great pleasure to welcome GIP as a partner of DONG Energy. I am also very excited about the evolution of DONG Energy’s market leading

partnership model to facilitate this innovative long term investment by German institutional investors into the offshore wind sector for the first time.”

Adebayo Ogunlesi, Chairman and Managing Partner of GIP said: “We are delighted to be forming this strategic partnership with DONG Energy, a recognised leader in the energy sector and a pioneer in the development and operation of offshore wind farms.

This transaction builds on GIP’s considerable experience in the renewable space and is in line with our strategy of partnering with industry leaders. We are pleased to bring GIP’s added-value investment model to the promising market for offshore wind projects.”

Dr. Thomas Mann, Chief Investment Officer of Talanx Asset Management, said: “Gode Wind 1 is a perfect match for us. We are more than delighted to have teamed up with two very experienced and reputable sponsors, DONG Energy and GIP. In addition to that, the investment demonstrates Talanx’s capability to structure, arrange and finance large scale transactions.

For the first time a group of institutional investors has been lined up by an insurer to support the financing of a landmark offshore wind project.”

‘The parties have agreed that DONG Energy will finalise the construction of the Gode Wind 1 offshore wind farm project, and will provide operation and maintenance services to Gode Wind 1 from its O&M base in Norddeich in

30 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

Germany.

Furthermore, the parties have agreed that DONG Energy will provide a route to market for the power production from Gode Wind 1.

Earlier this year, DONG Energy started the offshore construction works for the Gode Wind 1 offshore wind farm. The 330MW wind farm will consist of 55 turbines from Siemens, which in total will be able to supply CO2-free power corresponding to the annual power consumption of approx. 340,000 German households. The wind farm and the neighbouring wind farm Gode Wind 2 are expected to be fully commissioned in 2016.

The information provided in this announcement does not change DONG Energy’s previous financial guidance for the 2015 financial year or the announced expected investment level for 2015-2016.

Samuel Leupold, Executive Vice President in DONG Energy Wind Power

Adebayo Ogunlesi, Chairman and Managing Partner of GIP

Dr. Thomas Mann, Chief Investment Officer of Talanx Asset Management

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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Blue Energy orders 30 German turbines for new 109MW wind farm in the Highlands

CGI image of Blue Energy’s Beinneun Wind Farm, near Fort Augustus

Senvion has signed a new contract with renewable energy developer Blue Energy to supply 32 turbines to the developer’s Beinneun Wind Farm, near Fort Augustus.

With a total rated output of 108.8 megawatts (MW), the

wind farm will produce enough electricity to power more than 59,000 homes each year.

The Beinneun parc marks the fifth turbine supply contract where Blue Energy and Senvion have partnered in the UK. Senvion

has more than 1.4 gigawatts of installed capacity in the UK. Beinneun will also be Blue Energy’s largest onshore wind farm project in the UK and will consist of 10 Senvion 3.4M104 turbines and 22 Senvion 3.4M114 turbines.

The turbines are due to be delivered in Autumn 2016 and the project’s expected date of commissioning is at the end of 2016.

Senvion will provide the full maintenance of the wind farm project for 20 years.

Raymond Gilfedder, Senvion Northern Europe Managing Director, said: “We are very proud to have signed the company’s biggest UK onshore turbine contract. 10 years ago, Senvion installed its first turbine in the UK. We have come a long way and this contract marks a huge milestone in

our company’s history.”

Chris Dean, Chief Executive, of Cheshire-based Blue Energy, said: “The Senvion turbines are ideally suited to the Beinneun wind characteristics”.

The company’s community benefit scheme will provide up to £544,000 per annum (£5,000/MW) and five annual scholarships of £1,000 towards tertiary education, and households within five miles of the site will receive £250 per year as a contribution towards their domestic electricity bills.

Since setting up in 2010, Blue Energy has built and financed a portfolio comprising over 300mW of wind farms under management and in construction – and it remains keen to acquire more.

Apex clean energy secures $216 million construction loan for the Grant Wind project Apex Clean Energy, an independent renewable energy company, has announced it has reached financial close of a $216 million construction loan for the 151 MW Grant Wind project in Grant County, Oklahoma.

Bayerische Landesbank, New York Branch, acted as the Joint Lead Arranger, Coordinating Mandated Lead Arranger, and Bookrunner for the transaction. Additionally, KeyBank National Association and Siemens Financial Services, Inc., acted as Joint Lead Arrangers.

Bayerische Landesbank is the Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and LC Issuing Bank. The project is expected to utilize 66 wind turbines manufactured by Siemens and will be capable of generating enough electricity to

help meet the energy needs of approximately 50,000 average U.S. homes.

“We are very pleased to be working with these industry leaders to bring another premiere wind generation asset to market,” said Mark Goodwin, president of Apex Clean Energy.

“BayernLB is dedicated to offering our clients the solutions they need to expand their business, and we are thrilled to have supported Apex again on this financing,” said Alexander von Dobschütz, Global Head of Structured & Trade Finance at BayernLB. Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, East Texas Electric Cooperative, and Northeast Texas

Electric Cooperative have signed agreements to purchase the power and associated renewable energy credits (RECs) produced by Grant Wind. Each will have the option to keep or sell the RECs it receives.

Southern Company subsidiary Southern Power has announced an agreement to acquire Grant Wind upon successful completion of project construction. Apex will provide comprehensive asset management services led by an on-site operations team and supported by Apex’s Remote Operations Control Center located in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Apex believes that Grant Wind is expected to generate about $500,000 per year on average in tax revenues for local counties and

Mark Goodwin, president of Apex Clean Energy

school districts, $1 million per year on average in royalty payments to local landowners, 100 local jobs during construction, and about 8 high-quality long-term jobs throughout operation.

17 - 20 November 2015 Paris Expo – Porte de Versailles, Pavilion 1, Paris, France

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 31

WIND

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

New partnership heralds green light for Galloper Offshore Wind Farm • F our-way international partnership secures £1.5 billion UK renewable energy project • Significant boost to UK economy creating nearly 800 jobs • Project can generate enough clean energy for up to 336,000 homes RWE Innogy announced October 29 three new project partners for Galloper Wind Farm Ltd (GWFL).

UK Green Investment Bank (GIB), Siemens Financial Services and Macquarie Capital, join RWE Innogy in becoming 25% joint equity partners of the 336MW Galloper Offshore wind project.

Combining the expertise and experience of all four companies, the deal will enable construction of the project off the coast of Suffolk, to commence in November 2015. The debt financing for GWFL was also closed. A consortium of 12 commercial banks and the European Investment Bank provides the £1.37 billion debt facilities. BNP Paribas acted as financial advisor to the project.

The project’s go ahead is set to create around 700 jobs during construction and around 90 jobs once operational.

Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom said: “This is fantastic news for the region and the whole of the UK, reflecting the fact that we are open for business and the best place in the world to invest in offshore wind. This milestone shows how the UK’s offshore wind industry is going from strength to strength.”

Hans Bünting, CEO of RWE Innogy said: “Today’s announcement is the culmination of many months of successful negotiations with our partners and investors and shows that the UK is still a strong market for offshore renewables. Siemens, as well as becoming a project partner will also, through their technical division, support key aspects of the project including turbines, turbine installation and maintenance support. We welcome GIB, with their experience of supporting renewables ventures and their substantial knowledge of offshore wind financing, back to another offshore partnership, their first ever

equity investment being a stake in our Rhyl Flats project. Macquarie Capital bring considerable international business and finance acumen as well as a strong track record advising and investing in infrastructure and energy projects globally. I look forward to working together to utilise our collective experience and expertise to realise the successful construction of Galloper wind farm.”

As part of the overall partnership agreement, Siemens will supply and install 56, six megawatt turbines for the GWFL project and deliver a 15 year maintenance contract.

Wolfgang Bischoff, Head of Energy Finance EMEA at Siemens Financial Services said: “Again we will work alongside some of the offshore wind industry’s most experienced players on a project that will make a significant contribution to the UK’s renewable energy goals. Achieving financial close quickly was an essential component for Galloper to remain on-track in regards to construction as well as becoming operational in time to qualify from the government’s Renewable Obligation Certificate subsidies.

The speed in which it was achieved owes much to the hard work of our project partners, as well as the strong market confidence in Siemens’ technical and financial experience in this sector.”

The Green Investment Bank, which was created by the UK Government, its sole shareholder, continues its purpose to accelerate the UK’s transition to a greener, stronger economy with this latest partnership, which is the UK’s first pre-construction, offshore wind project, finance deal.

Ed Northam, Head of Investment Banking, UK Green Investment Bank, said: “This is another significant milestone in the development of the UK offshore

32 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

wind industry in a year that has already seen two major projects come online and construction commence on another. The transaction reinforces our relationship with RWE and further highlights the impressive list of companies that are investing in the sector. It is the second investment in offshore wind that GIB has made at FID in the space of six months, demonstrating the role that we continue to play in making sure that complex but important green infrastructure projects can proceed.”

Macquarie Capital, the principal investment, advisory and capital markets arm of Macquarie Group, furthers its ongoing interest in the European renewables market following today’s announcement.

Mark Dooley, Head of Infrastructure, Utilities and Renewables, Macquarie Capital Europe said: “Macquarie Capital is delighted to partner with RWE Innogy, Siemens and GIB on Galloper Offshore Wind project.

This investment demonstrates our commitment to the European offshore wind sector as part of our strategy to invest alongside clients in energy and infrastructure transactions.

Mark Muldowney, Managing Director, Energy & Infrastructure, BNP Paribas said “The strong support of the financial markets for the Galloper project demonstrates the depth and capacity of the market for well-structured deals with respected sponsors.”

The Galloper project which will be located close to its existing sister project Greater Gabbard off the Suffolk coast, was awarded development rights by The Crown Estate in May 2010 and will commence operations by March 2018.

Mark Dooley, Head of Infrastructure, Utilities and Renewables, Macquarie Capital Europe

Wolfgang Bischoff, Head of Energy Finance EMEA at Siemens Financial Services

Hans Bünting, CEO of RWE Innogy

Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom Photo: Courtesy of Scottish Energy News

Ed Northam, Head of Investment Banking, UK Green Investment Bank

WIND

FEATURES

Keeping wind turbines spinning

A

UK wind farm in was faced with major problems in some of their 27 offshore turbines. Each turbine has between one and three hangoff flanges, most of which are not gas tight.

Changes in tide lead to dangerous gases seeping from the seabed and into the chambers.

A temporary sealant had been applied but could not effectively seal the leaks and a permanent solution was required.

When choosing a repair material, the site manager had to bear in mind restricted access affecting surface preparation as well as high humidity, eliminating the potential use of polyurethanes.

After careful consideration, they settled on the use of a Belzona surface-tolerant leak sealing system. Belzona Technosol, Belzona’s UK application division, was signed on to carry out the repairs with the application completed in the first quarter of 2014.

Charlie Farrant Belzona’s Application Technician, who travelled offshore to complete the job, described the repair process: “First we removed the temporary sealant, wire brushed and degreased the surface.

We then packed the joints, cap bolts and nuts with a Belzona composite, also covering the edges to fully encapsulate the flange.

Two coats of the coating grade material were applied onto flange tops and bottoms to ensure lasting protection and to eliminate any risk of leaks.”

After more than a year in service, the repair is performing well with no reported leaks or damage to the flanges. The use of a surface-tolerant composite and coating ensured that the repair could be carried out quickly regardless of surface moisture or contamination as these materials bond exceptionally well to oily or greasy surfaces and even underwater.

Leaking flange and Belzona solution applied

About Belzona: • E stablished in 1952, Belzona has pioneered innovative polymer technology that has revolutionised industrial repair and maintenance procedures.

• B elzona is a leading company in the design and manufacture of polymer repair composites and industrial protective coatings for the repair, protection and improvement of machinery, equipment, buildings and structures.

• A t Harrogate, the full Belzona product range is manufactured to stringent quality and environmental control guidelines complying with the requirements of ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004.

• B elzona has over 140 Distributors in more than 120 countries ensuring not only the availability of Belzona materials, but also specification support, project management, application and supervision services. Distributorships and their teams are supported by Belzona Corporate offices in Europe, North America and Asia.

Belzona Applicator - Charlie Farrant OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 33

Alamosa Solar Generating Project is the largest high concentrating solar photovoltaic power generation system in the world. Alamosa Solar consists of over 500 dual-axis, pedestal mounted tracker assemblies, each producing 60 kW. Each tracker assembly is 70 ft. wide by 50 ft high and contains 7,560 fresnal lenses that concentrate sunlight by a multiple of 500 onto muIti junction cells. The photovoltaic assemblies were provided by Amonix Alamosa Solar is located on 225 acres in the San Luis Valley near Alamosa, CO. Photo by Dennis Schroeder / NREL File name: 30542-C

34 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

CONTENTS SOLAR

37 H eraeus and BELECTRIC OPV deepen collaboration for nextgeneration Organic Photovoltaics

42 C ornerstone laid at Israel’s Ashalim Solar-Thermal power plant

44 K ochi airport India becomes world’s first to completely operate on solar power

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 35

SOLAR

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

GE to upgrade California’s Mountainview generating facility, highlighting need to balance renewables with natural gas • New DLN2.6+ Combustion System Helps Lower Site’s Emissions without Using Additional Water • Advanced Gas Path Solution to Boost Turbine Performance While Reducing Startup Times and Fuel and Water Consumption • Project is Part of North American Utility Sector Trend to Boost Efficiency, Output of Existing Natural Gas Power Plants • By Combining GE Hardware and Software, U.S. and Canadian Operators Achieving Greater Output and Longer Periods between Maintenance Cycles GE’s Power Generation Services business (NYSE: GE) announced last month it has signed a multiyear services agreement with Southern California Edison (SCE) to upgrade the utility’s Mountainview Generating Facility, a 1,054-megawatt (MW) combinedcycle power plant in Redlands, California. Highlighting a growing trend with North American combined-cycle power stations, the upgrade project will reduce the facility’s startup times, lower its emissions without using additional water and help to balance the growing role of renewables on the grid.

“Our Mountainview station will be much more flexible, enabling it to more quickly respond to the needs of the California ISO system that is highly penetrated with solar power and other renewable sources,” said Stuart R. Hemphill, senior vice president, Power Supply & Operational Services, Southern California Edison. “GE’s solution also gives us a more efficient plant, creating greater value and savings for our customers.”

GE’s technologies will boost the station’s output by about 48 MW, increase its efficiency and offer longer intervals between maintenance outages. By boosting Mountainview’s flexibility, the project will help SCE protect the grid from the intermittency of the state’s rapidly expanding renewable energy supplies while strengthening the facility’s competitive position in California.

Renewable energy has grown so rapidly[1] that it accounted for most new U.S. electricity production added in 2014. California’s share of electricity from renewables has more than doubled to 25 percent today, up from 12 percent in 2008.

California also has signed contracts with its leading utilities to ensure that more than 33 percent of the state’s power comes from renewables by 2020. Gov. Jerry Brown also set a new state target of 50 percent renewables by 2030.

“We are excited to support SCE’s upgrades to the Mountainview Generating Facility,” said Paul McElhinney, president and CEO of GE’s Power Generation Services business. “This agreement underscores their confidence in our generation and combustion technologies and capabilities to execute an extremely complex project while increasing plant availability. With natural gas playing a growing role in power generation around the world, we are committed to helping operators squeeze every megawatt they can out of their existing facilities while also reducing their site emissions and water consumption.”

SCE’s Mountainview Generating Facility features four 7FA.03 units, two D-11 steam turbines and associated generators in combined cycle. As part of the new extended service agreement with SCE to upgrade the site’s generating equipment, GE will supply six Advanced Gas Path (AGP) sets; six sets of its Dry Low NOx 2.6+ (DLN2.6+) combustion system as well as its OpFlex* software package; and four new unit rotors.

GE also is providing extended steam turbine coverage as well as premium generator coverage.

The Mountainview upgrade project reflects a broader commitment by SCE and other California utilities to curtail their water consumption to help the state battle chronic drought conditions. The DLN2.6+ combustion system will enable SCE

36 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

to further reduce the Mountainview plant’s emissions without the need for using additional water in the process. Moreover, using GE’s technology, SCE can reduce both water consumption and emissions, helping them comply with tightening environmental regulations while also reducing their operating expenses.

GE’s Remote Monitoring & Diagnostics Center in Atlanta, which oversees the company’s installed base of gas and steam turbines, will play a crucial role in enhancing the environmental compliance of the Mountainview Generating Facility’s combustion technology.

GE is scheduled to begin installing its technology solutions at the Mountainview Generating Facility in 2016 and complete the project by May 2017. GE’s equipment is expected to be supplied by its gas turbine facility in Greenville, South Carolina.

Located about 80 miles east of Los Angeles, Mountainview Generating Facility generates enough power to meet the needs of about 685,000 average U.S. homes.

SCE’s upgrade of the Mountainview Generating Facility is just one of a growing number of combined-cycle power plants that GE is helping to upgrade throughout North America as operators seek to strengthen their financial and competitive positions in a changing energy landscape.

Other projects include: In July 2015, Nova Scotia, Canada-based energy company Emera Energy selected GE to upgrade the Tiverton Power station in Rhode Island to increase efficiency, capacity and long-term availability of the power plant and

reduce its operating costs and environmental impacts. The 265MW natural gas-fired combinedcycle power plant provides electricity to Rhode Island and the surrounding area through ISO New England.

Illustrating that Canadian operators have similar requirements, GE was selected in March 2015 to help modernize the 874-MW Goreway Power Station in Brampton, Ontario, to increase its reliability, flexibility and efficiency. GE will upgrade the facility’s existing 7FB gas turbine to more efficient 7FB.04 gas turbine specifications. GE’s solution will include its AGP and DLN2.6+ combustion technologies as part of a multiyear service agreement that includes premium extended generator coverage.

The SCE, Emera Energy and Goreway power plant upgrade projects illustrate the benefits of packaging GE’s service solutions.

By combining GE’s AGP, DLN and OpFlex solutions, operators can increase their output more than through just installing AGP. Furthermore, combining AGP and DLN can help operators extend their maintenance cycles by aligning hot gas path and combustion inspection intervals, while installing only AGP or DLN does not allow the operator time to reach an extended outage to do all the work at once and reduce downtime.

SOLAR

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Heraeus and BELECTRIC OPV deepen collaboration for nextgeneration Organic Photovoltaics The ability to produce organic photovoltaic (OPV) products in various shapes and colors has been illustrated by BELECTRIC OPV at the German Pavilion at the International EXPO in Milan, Italy. The large OPV surfaces are integrated into tree-like structures creating a big canopy over the pavilion. The effect is an attractive, futuristic architecture that generates electricity. This way OPV can energize almost any surface.

Heraeus, a partner of BELECTRIC OPV in development of organic photovoltaics, plays a key role in BELECTRIC’s innovative technology through the supply of vital components.

Clevios™ conductive polymer materials based on PEDOT:PSS provide the hole-transport layer, and low temperature SOL silver pastes serve as the electrode in the devices. Both materials are processed by roll-to-roll coating and printing so providing high throughput at low cost. The mutually beneficial cooperation between BELECTRIC OPV and Heraeus on new materials and processes to improve the viability of OPV even further demonstrates the positive impact along the supply chain. Using state-ofthe-art materials in combination with innovative wet-coating based manufacturing processes, BELECTRIC OPV is able to supply the market with customized, aesthetically pleasing OPV solutions.

Heraeus, a leading supplier

of metallization pastes used in crystalline silicon PV solar cells, is expanding its product range to include next generation PV technologies with low temperature silver pastes along with OPV grades of Clevios™ PEDOT based conductive polymers. Clevios™ is already extensively used in antistatic, touch sensor and emerging OLED applications.

Heraeus has ton-scale production capacity for these materials. ”Open innovation approaches, like the joint-development effort together with Heraeus for example, is part of our R&D strategy”, reveals Andreas Distler (Head of R&D, BELECTRIC OPV). “In order to bring OPV technology to its best, it is important that a holistic development approach is applied throughout the whole device architecture and the manufacturing process.” This also adds to the great potential for scalability of printed OPV manufacturing.

Armin Sautter, (Manager at Heraeus New Businesses) stated: “Heraeus has over 45 years’ experience in the development thick film metallization pastes and conductive polymers. Partnerships with new technology leaders, such as BELECTRIC, who provide unlimited shapes, colours and even flexibility, is an entirely new dimension for PV technology.

BELECTRIC OPV’s vision for photovoltaics is consistent with ours - using technology and innovation to achieve sustainable green energy.”

Special developed BELECTRIC OPV laminates at EXPO2015 (Source: LAPP Group)

Southern Power acquires majority stake in 200 MW California PV project Southern Power, subsidiary of Southern Company, is set to acquire an around 51% stake in the 200 MW solar PV project, which is currently under construction.

Canadian Solar, meanwhile, will retain its 49% stake.

The latter has already financed the project via a construction and bank-leveraged loan facility

from a syndicate of six banks.

The financial details were not disclosed.

The Tranquillity solar project, scheduled to reach commercial operation in Q4 2016, is located in Fresno County. Signal Energy Constructors are undertaking EPC services, while the generated energy will be sold to Southern

California Edison under a 15 year PPA. In official documents submitted to Fresno County by RE Tranquillity LLC, a subsidiary of Recurrent Energy, in 2013, the project could be expanded to 400 MW under a second, 200 MW phase. Mention of this was not made, however, in today’s news.

Overall, Recurrent Energy, which was acquired by Canadian Solar at the end of this March, has a North American solar PV project pipeline totaling 3.3. GWac. In addition to the Tranquillity project, it has another two solar projects under construction in California – the 127 MW Astoria Portfolio and the 100 MW Mustang plant.

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 37

SOLAR

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

SunEdison begins construction on a 2.8 Megawatt solar project for 8 schools in the Montgomery County public school system SunEdison, Inc. (NYSE: SUNE), the largest global renewable energy development company, has announced that it has begun construction on a 2.8 megawatt (MW) solar project for eight schools in the Montgomery County Public School system in Maryland.

The eight solar power plants are expected to deliver approximately $200,000 of savings per year at current utility rates. The systems are projected to generate enough electricity each year to power more than 260 homes and avoid the emission of more than 5 million pounds of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of removing 500 cars from the road.

“SunEdison has a long and successful track record helping school districts across the U.S. save money with solar,” said Steve Raeder, SunEdison’s

managing director of its Eastern U.S. commercial and industrial business. “This is our second consecutive project with the Montgomery County Public School system and we’re honored to have earned their business again.”

“Montgomery County Public Schools has a comprehensive districtwide program to reduce the environmental impact of its facilities through an Environmental Sustainability Management Plan, which includes generating solar power, recycling initiatives, energy conservation efforts and a commitment to green construction practices,” said Dr. Andrew Zuckerman, chief operating officer for the school system. “We are excited about this project because it does more than just bring a substantial amount of renewable energy into the county; it also

becomes a real-life science lab where our students can see solar energy at work.”

SunEdison is partnering with Rockville, Md. based solar installer Standard Solar to construct the project.

“Standard Solar’s collaboration with SunEdison is a win-win,” said Tony Clifford, Standard Solar’s chief executive officer.

“The Montgomery County Public School system receives local EPC expertise, and Standard Solar gets access to SunEdison’s world class financing, high-efficiency solar panels, construction capital, and management expertise. We have a great history of working with SunEdison and look forward to completing this project.”

Construction of the first phase of the 2.8 MW solar project is targeted for completion in the

Tony Clifford, Standard Solar’s CEO

fourth quarter of 2015. Operation and maintenance of the solar power plants will be performed

by SunEdison Services, which provides global asset management, monitoring and reporting services.

SunEdison and Oak Leaf Energy Partners team up to bring solar power to waste water treatment plant SunEdison announced October 6 the completion of two solar power systems totaling 1,280 kilowatts (kW) AC. The systems were developed for the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities’ waste water treatment plant in partnership with Oak Leaf Energy Partners, a leading national solar developer. SunEdison constructed and financed the installation of the systems.

The construction of the solar systems was funded in part by a $2 million grant from the Xcel Energy Renewable Development Fund. The fund is designed to sponsor projects that improve the environment, increase renewable energy use and create jobs. The grant supports a 1,000 kW solar system for the liquid treatment

facility of the plant and another 280 kW solar system for the on-site sludge drying facility, bringing the total installed solar capacity at the wastewater treatment plant to 1,280 kW. “Xcel Energy is a forward thinking utility, and by promoting the development of new renewable energy in their community they are creating economic activity and valuable jobs,” said Mark Domine, SunEdison’s senior director of US channel sales. “This is another great example of SunEdison delivering cost effective, clean and reliable renewable energy.”

“These grants serve as a critical tool in the creation of renewable energy solutions,” said Adam Duininck, Metropolitan Council chair. “The project developed

38 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

by Oak Leaf and SunEdison will bring clean, renewable energy to our wastewater treatment plant while creating jobs, increasing the tax base, and promoting a more livable environment. We’re proud to continue advancing our mission of sustainability. In addition, we expect to be able to pass some savings on to wastewater ratepayers across the region.”

The solar power systems are expected to generate enough clean energy each year to power 10 percent of the wastewater treatment plant’s annual electricity needs. This is the equivalent to powering more than 127 homes and avoids the emission of three million pounds of carbon dioxide, the same amount of carbon sequestered by more than 1,100

acres of U.S. forest.

“This project was a result of the leadership shown by the Metropolitan Council and the support provided by Xcel Energy,” said Michael McCabe, Partner at Oak Leaf. “Oak Leaf applauds all project partners for their contributions in making this a successful project.”

Operation and maintenance of the solar power plants will be performed by SunEdison Services, which provides global asset management, monitoring and reporting services.

SOLAR

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

International renewable energy developers look to invest in Sub-Saharan Africa, reports Frost & Sullivan African countries present opportunities for the development of grid-connected solar, wind, and geothermal power projects International renewable energy (RE) power developers are looking to invest in Africa as a result of the continued success of the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) and the global decline in RE technology costs. RE suppliers are more specifically looking to explore opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa due to the surplus of RE stocks and services globally, the acute power supply deficit in almost every country of sub-Saharan Africa, and abundant RE resources on the continent.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Large-Scale Renewable Energy Power Development Opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa finds that opportunities for the development of grid-connected solar, wind, and geothermal power projects exist in South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia, Kenya, Zambia, Nigeria and Ethiopia. The Ivory Coast and Ghana, despite not appearing in the top-five, have also been identified as important countries for their large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) potential.

Solar PV is by far the most popular technology in development, followed by wind, geothermal and concentrated solar power (CSP).

“Certain governments across Africa are striving to frame clear regulatory and institutional frameworks in order to rapidly deploy RE power technologies as they have recognised the potential for large-scale RE development,” said Frost & Sullivan Energy & Power Systems Industry Analyst Celine Paton. “Prominent challenges to these efforts, however, include the bankability of the projects, limited grid capacity and the affordability of electricity. Poor long-term planning often compels governments to implement expensive short-term solutions.”

Furthermore, the market will require creative funding schemes that will improve the bankability of RE power projects. Development finance institutions, like the International Finance Corporation with its Scaling Solar Programme as well as the Climate Investment Funds’ Scaling Up Renewable Energy in Low Income Countries Programme (SREP), are already moving in this direction.

“Following a global trend, governments in most sub-Saharan Africa countries have established increasingly ambitious RE targets for their power sectors,” noted Paton. “Solar, wind, and

geothermal technologies will represent the highest growth, slowly eroding the dominant market share of hydropower, which has recently been prone to severe climate change issues.”

As of June 2015, the pipeline of large-scale RE (solar PV, CSP, wind) power projects in subSaharan Africa (excluding North Africa, South Africa and the African islands) totalled approximately 14.7 gigawatts. While only 647 megawatts (MW) is actually under construction, there has been significant progress since early 2014 with the commissioning of flagship projects like the Olkaria I-III-IV geothermal projects in Kenya (306 MW), the Adama II wind project in Ethiopia (153 MW) and the financial close of the Lake Turkana wind project in Kenya (310 MW).

The global market trend in terms of procurement and contracting mechanisms - is currently favouring a competitive bidding process, similar to the one adopted by the REIPPPP. The renewable energy feed-in tariff (REFiT) approach also continues to be used in emerging markets like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria and Ghana.

“Overall, strong government

support, a long-term vision, astute energy planning and private sector involvement are essential for the successful implementation of RE power projects in subSaharan Africa,” observed Paton.

“RE power developers that can leverage these factors and garner innovative financing structures will be the ones that optimally tap the opportunities in this dynamic market.”

Large-Scale Renewable Energy Power Development Opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa is part of the Energy & Power Growth Partnership Service program. Frost & Sullivan’s related studies include: Mozambican Gas Sector: Major Opportunities Across Multiple Industries, Diesel Generator Market in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania and An Overview of the South African National Development Plan 2030 and the Industrial Policy Action Plan. All studies included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

FiT installations top 750,000 as DECC records 27% pre-degression boom The number of feed-in tariff accredited solar installations topped 750,000 for the first time last month, Department of Energy and Climate Change figures have revealed.

And installation figures for September soared 27% year-onyear to more than 18,000 as people rushed to have solar fitted before its most recent degression on 1 October and prior to controversial

proposals to cut the FiT by up to 87%, providing yet more evidence of a ‘boom and bust’ culture towards renewables deployment.

DECC’s FiT deployment figures showed there were 18,346 installations throughout September, 84% of which were 4kW in size or below, the standard size of a residential rooftop system.

Proposals to cut the feedin tariff significantly were first

published on 27 August, leading to many at the time to predict a significant rush from consumers to have solar installed while it is still more profitable.

Former energy secretary Greg Barker spoke of DECC needing to avoid a boom and bust cycle of renewables deployment when in office, but the department’s steep degressions – and current policy proposals – have been accused of

achieving exactly that.

DECC’s most recent figures also continue to show strong deployment of solar PV in the south west and north east, with comparatively weak deployment in London – backing up criticism from the Greater London Authority published earlier today.

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 39

SOLAR

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Stephen Cerrone named SunEdison Chief Human Resources Officer “Stephen is an excellent fit with our culture at SunEdison,” said Ahmad Chatila, the company’s president and chief executive officer. “With more than 30 years of experience in all areas of human resources, including navigating complex organizational and business issues and leading strategic change across multiple industries and geographies, Stephen has the skills and leadership to make a powerful and immediate contribution to our company.”

“I am very excited to join a dynamic company like SunEdison,” said Mr. Cerrone. “We have an incredible opportunity to transform

lives around the world, and I look forward to working with everyone to continue building and strengthening the organization.”

Cerrone has extensive executive experience, most recently at Hudson’s Bay Company, a leading North American retailer including Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor, and Hudson’s Bay, where he led Human Resources and Communications. Prior to that he was executive vice president of Human Resources at Sara Lee Corporation, where he led human resource strategy for more than 44,000 employees in 40 countries.

Before joining Sara Lee, he served

as executive vice president of Human Resources for Retail Financial Services at JPMorgan/ Bank One Corporation, and has also held prior executive positions at Bank One, Diageo/Burger King and General Foods Worldwide.

Cerrone earned a B.A. in psychology from Providence College and holds both an M.A. and Ph.D. in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology from the University of Houston. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Roosevelt University. Cerrone is the 2006 recipient of the Academy of Management Distinguished Executive Award, and has served

Stephen Cerrone

as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Houston and the University of Miami.

Solarcentury building Holland’s largest solar farm Solarcentury is to build a 6MWp solar farm, the largest to date in Holland, on Ameland Island in the north of the Netherlands. Solar Park Ameland will provide enough clean solar energy for 1,500 homes, reducing reliance on fossil energy from the mainland. Solarcentury will be responsible for the design and construction of the utilityscale energy system, as well as the maintenance and monitoring of the solar park to ensure it operates as efficiently as possible, therefore producing the maximum yield and the best return on investment.

The solar farm will be built on Ameland’s airfield, and energy will be fed into the local grid for use by local residents. There are construction challenges of building a solar project on a small

island, however Solarcentury is experienced at complex solar projects. Last year in the UK, Solarcentury connected a solar system on Blackfriars Bridge which spans the River Thames in the heart of London. The system was installed over a river, above a live railway line.

Michiel van Beek, director of Solar Park Ameland said, “The basis for Solar Park Ameland is a unique collaboration between three different, but complementary, parties being the municipality of Ameland, the local energy cooperation AEC and sustainable energy supplier Eneco; all in it with the goal to build a solar farm for the locals and contributing to the island’s sustainability ambitions.

The ambitions to integrate this

project into the landscape are high.

Therefore we are pleased with the outcome of the European tender process. With Solarcentury we have an experienced international party, with a solid financial position and a local team with strong engineering and project management capability.

Together we can build a solar farm fit for the future!”

Solarcentury is currently building solar projects on three continents, including a 10MWp solar farm in Panama, and East Africa’s largest solar car port. In the UK, Solarcentury also built and connected a 48MWp solar park last year.

Dennis de Jong, Director of Solarcentury in the Benelux said, “We are pleased to have won this project as part of a European

Michiel van Beek tender process; it demonstrates the confidence in Solarcentury and our commercial-scale project experience. Ameland Solar Park furthers our ambition to offer customers around the world solar energy with maximum yield at low risk. It’s encouraging to see Dutch people looking to solar as a way to reduce carbon emissions.”

Pöyry awarded implementation consultancy services in Ukraine The Zhytomyr City Council and the Public utility, ZhytomyrTeploKommunEnergo, of Zhytomyr City Council have awarded Pöyry with the implementation consulting services assignment for the energy efficiency Zhytomyr project in the Ukraine. The assignment includes feasibility studies, purchasing support, capacity building, and specific technical expertise.

The overall project will deliver improved municipal infrastructure and energy efficiency; introduce, as appropriate, renewable energy sources; build capacity in the District Heating company and raise awareness about energy efficiency and renewable energy, in order to increase living standards, promote economic development and provide a response to climate change.

The outcomes of the project

40 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

will be a more sustainable management and use of energy within the area resulting in reduced CO2 emissions, a more sustainably managed District Heating company and an increased reliability of the heat and warm water supply.

“As one of the world’s leading power engineering companies, Pöyry is proud to support this important energy efficiency project in the Ukraine”, says Raffael

Schubiger, Pöyry’s Head of Thermal Power and Renewables.

The value of the order is not disclosed. The order will be recognised within the Energy Business Group order stock in Q3/2015.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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BayWa r.e. sells solar farm in UK BayWa r.e. has sold the Pingewood solar farm, close to the town of Reading in Berkshire, England, to SUSI Renewable Energy Fund II. The investment fund, advised by the Swiss-based SUSI Partners AG, focuses on investments into renewable energy projects, representing the interests of institutional investors such as pension plans and insurers. The sale was closed on 24. September.

The installation, with an output capacity of about 15 MWp, was completed in the spring and supplies electricity to the public grid under the ROC scheme. It was built on a former landfill, adding value to this brownfield conversion site. The solar farm produces some 15,000 MWh every year, supplying sufficient power

for 4600 households. BayWa r.e. continues to be responsible for the plant’s technical operations and management. The solar farm was financed by BayernLB, with whom BayWa r.e. has a long and successful history of collaboration.

“This is the first of four solar farms that we shall be selling this year in Great Britain,” said Matthias Taft, Energy Director of BayWa AG and Chairman of the BayWa r.e. board. “We were able to secure a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for the project, which made the investment even more attractive.” The PPA provides for sale of the power generated at a fixed price over a period of 20 years. The purchaser under the agreement is McDonald’s Restaurants Ltd, which is thus

able to supply its restaurants with renewable electricity.

BayWa r.e. is currently highly active in the British market. Aside from the planned sale of the completed projects, the beginning of August saw the starting gun fired for construction work on another solar farm. The Vine Farm project in eastern England will have a capacity of 45 MWp, making it the largest individual project undertaken so far by BayWa r.e. in the field of solar energy It is scheduled for completion in March 2016. To date, the company has constructed solar and wind farms in the UK with a total output of over 260 MW. BayWa r.e. also continues to be on the lookout for new projects.

Matthias Taft, Energy Director of BayWa AG & Chairman of the BayWa r.e. board

SunEdison completes 1.2 Megawatts of solar for Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities, Minn SunEdison, Inc. (NYSE: SUNE), has announced the completion of two solar power systems totaling 1,280 kilowatts (kW) AC. The systems were developed for the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities’ waste water treatment plant in partnership with Oak Leaf Energy Partners, a leading national solar developer. SunEdison constructed and financed the installation of the systems.

The construction of the solar systems was funded in part by a $2 million grant from the Xcel Energy Renewable Development Fund. The fund is designed to sponsor projects that improve the environment, increase renewable energy use and create jobs. The grant supports a 1,000 kW solar system for the liquid treatment facility of the plant and another

280 kW solar system for the on-site sludge drying facility, bringing the total installed solar capacity at the wastewater treatment plant to 1,280 kW. “Xcel Energy is a forward thinking utility, and by promoting the development of new renewable energy in their community they are creating economic activity and valuable jobs,” said Mark Domine, SunEdison’s senior director of US channel sales. “This is another great example of SunEdison delivering cost effective, clean and reliable renewable energy.”

“These grants serve as a critical tool in the creation of renewable energy solutions,” said Adam Duininck, Metropolitan Council chair. “The project developed

by Oak Leaf and SunEdison will bring clean, renewable energy to

our wastewater treatment plant while creating jobs, increasing the tax base, and promoting a more livable environment. We’re proud to continue advancing our mission of sustainability. In addition, we expect to be able to pass some savings on to wastewater ratepayers across the region.”

The solar power systems are expected to generate enough clean energy each year to power 10 percent of the wastewater treatment plant’s annual electricity needs. This is the equivalent to powering more than 127 homes and avoids the emission of three million pounds of carbon dioxide, the same amount of carbon sequestered by more than 1,100 acres of U.S. forest.

“This project was a result of the leadership shown by the

Metropolitan Council and the support provided by Xcel Energy,” said Michael McCabe, Partner at Oak Leaf. “Oak Leaf applauds all project partners for their contributions in making this a successful project.”

Operation and maintenance of the solar power plants will be performed by SunEdison Services, which provides global asset management, monitoring and reporting services.

EUREXPO LYON, FRANCE 15-18 November 2016 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 41

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FEATURES

Cornerstone laid at Israel’s Ashalim Solar-Thermal power plant, one of the largest of its kind in the world

Eran Gartner, CEO of Megalim

Israel Kroizer, Executive Vice President of Engineering and Operations for BrightSource Energy

Patrick Kron, Chairman & CEO of Alstom

Megalim Solar Power Ltd. has hosted a Cornerstone Ceremony in the southern Negev desert region of Israel to celebrate progress on the Ashalim solar project, one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Megalim is a Build, Operate, Transfer (B.O.T.) concession company owned by Noy Fund (49.9%), BrightSource (25.05%), and Alstom (25.05%). The 121 MW Ashalim Plot-B solar-thermal project is expected to supply 320 GWh of electricity annually into Israel’s grid when it is completed in 2017. The project costs are in excess of 3 billion ILS, with 80% of the funding provided by an Israeli banking syndicate led by Bank Hapoalim and by the European Investment Bank.

The Ashalim Plot B power facility is part of the Ashalim solar complex, which includes two solar-thermal projects (Ashalim Plot B and one other) and one photovoltaic projects. In total, these facilities at Ashalim are expected to produce nearly 300 MW of power, about 2% of Israel’s electricity production capacity.

They will support the country’s commitment to reach 10% of the country’s electricity production from renewable sources by 2020.

Megalim’s Ashalim Plot B plant is being constructed by a consortium under the leadership of Alstom, a French-based global leader in power generation, and will operate with BrightSource’s innovative solar tower technology, developed to be a source of stable, reliable and responsible renewable energy, in comparison to other renewable energy sources available in the market. Distinguishing characteristics of the facility include the 240-meter solar tower standing at the center of a 3.15 square kilometer field covered by over 50,000 sun-tracking heliostats with a cumulative surface area of over 1 million square meters.

The event was attended by nearly 300 guests, including senior public officials and officers of Megalim, its partners and the company’s board of directors.

Speakers at the event included Minister of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources, Dr. Yuval Steinitz; the Chairman & CEO of Paris-based Alstom Group, Patrick Kron; Megalim Chairman Pinchas (Pini) Cohen, the head of the Ramat Negev Regional Council, Shmuel Rifman; CEO of Megalim, Eran Gartner; Executive Vice President of Engineering

and Operations for BrightSource Energy, Israel Kroizer; President of Alstom (Israel), Nissim Zvili; Chairwoman of the Public Utility Authority, Orit Farkash-Hacohen; Deputy Accountant General, Yariv Nechama; and French Ambassador, Patrick Maisonnave. Although he could not join in person, the former President of the State of Israel, Mr. Shimon Peres, shared his support for the project in a pre-recorded video message.

Beyond the clean energy objectives, the Ashalim Plot B facility will also satisfy the State’s declared objective of bringing economic activity to the Negev region, employing over 1,000 engineers, technicians, construction workers and support services. During the 25 years of planned operation Megalim, through its Operations & Maintenance Contractor, will permanently employ 45 skilled staff members.

Pinchas (Pini) Cohen, Chairman of Megalim and Chairman of the Noy Fund, stated: “As Chairman of Megalim, I have witnessed the impressive international talent that the partners in this project have assembled. Ashalim Plot B is just the beginning of what will become

42 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

a technological and commercial success story in the Negev. We have recently launched exploratory discussions with the State on a significant expansion of the project to include storage and extend the plant’s operating hours into the evening peak, thereby enhancing

The Megalim solar plant borrows heavily from, and further enhances the technology which we built and which is proving itself daily in California’s Ivanpah Solar-Thermal Electricity Generating System.

In short, Ashalim represents a giant leap into the future along

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considered as Israel’s flagship in the field of solar energy, and will ultimately have an output of 121 megawatts, one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Construction completion is expected in late 2017. The plant will supply electricity to about 120,000 households under a power purchase agreement for 25 years with the Israel Electric Corporation.

About 50,000 computer-controlled heliostats (mirrors), at the size of over 20 square meters each, will be installed over an area of more than 3 square kilometers, and will follow the sun in two axes while concentrating sunlight onto a boiler atop a 240-meter tower which will produce high temperature and high pressure steam to feed a steam turbine to generate electricity.

Pinchas (Pini) Cohen, Chairman of Megalim and Chairman of the Noy Fund

About BrightSource

the contribution of clean energy to the national grid and improving the competitive position of our plant.”

Eran Gartner, CEO of Megalim, said during the ceremony that, “This landmark project brings with it occupational and technology opportunities to the Negev region.

My company and our partners have a clear commitment to deepen our engagement with local residents and authorities – some of whom we welcome in our tent today! The project has touched my own life – allowing me to return to Israel with my family after many years working abroad – and I am determined that the impact on others will be equally favorable”.

Israel Kroizer, Executive Vice President of Engineering and Operations for BrightSource Energy: “This is a unique and important project from a technological and other perspectives. From 2018 onwards, Megalim and the Ashalim Plot B project will deliver a real contribution to the Israel’s diversitfication and decarbonization of its energy sector.

BrightSource’s technological path”.

Patrick Kron, Chairman & CEO of Alstom: “This project illustrates Alstom’s commitment to contribute to achieve a sophisticated, environmentally-friendly and efficient infrastructure that forms the backbone of the State of Israel’s dynamic economy and culture. The Group’s involvement in Israel already includes the Tzafit combined-cycle gas turbine facility, the Gilboa and Kochav HaYarden Pump Storage Hydro plants and the Jerusalem Light Rail system. Alstom and Israel benefit in equal measure from our deep and long-standing partnership to develop and supply state-of-the-art infrastructure solutions to answer the world’s economic and environmental challenges. Solar-thermal power, in cooperation with the industry leader BrightSource Energy, is a natural extension of Alstom’s Renewable Power portfolio”.

About Megalim Solar Power Ltd and the Ashalim Plot B Power Plant The future power plant is

BrightSource Energy, Inc. provides the world’s premier solar field technology for concentrating solar power systems to deliver reliable clean energy to utilities and industrial companies. For more information on BrightSource Energy please visit www.

BrightSourceEnergy.com.

managed by the partners Pinchas (Pini) Cohen, Gil-Ad Boshwitz and Ran Shelach. The fund was founded in mid-2011 to satisfy the growing demand among institutional investors for investment in energy and infrastructure, including renewable energy, traditional energy, and infrastructure and so on. These investments represent an attractive channel to those entities seeking solutions to long-term risk investments – with an adequate return. As of today - Israel’s largest infrastructure fund. For more information about the company, please visit www.noyfund.co.il.

About Alstom Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure and sets the benchmark for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the world, provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and it offers a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. The Group employs 88,000 people in around 100 countries. For more information about the company, please visit www.alstom.com.

About Noy Fund Noy Fund established and

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 43

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FEATURE

Kochi airport India becomes world’s first to completely operate on solar power

C

ochin International airport, the country’s first airport built under PPP model has scripted another chapter in aviation history by becoming the first airport in the world that completely operates on solar power. Hon. Chief Minister Mr.Oommen Chandy inaugurated the 12 MWp solar power plant, on 18th August 2015, comprising of 46,150 solar panels laid across 45 acres near cargo complex. Now, Cochin airport will have 50,000 to 60,000 thousand units of electricity per day to be consumed for all its operational functions, which technically make the airport ‘ absolutely power neutral ‘.

CIAL which has always been adhered to the philosophy of sustainable development, ventured into the Solar PV sector during March 2013, by installing a 100 kWp solar PV Plant on the roof top of the Arrival Terminal Block.

This was a trend setter in the field of grid-connected solar PV in the State of Kerala. The plant was installed by the Kolkata based M/s Vikram Solar Pvt. Ltd. 400 numbers of polycrystalline modules of

Solar cells near cargo terminal 250Wp with five numbers of 20kW capacity Refu-sol make string inverters were used in this plant.

After the successful commissioning of this plant, CIAL installed a 1 MWp solar PV power plant partly on the roof top and partly on the ground in the Aircraft Maintenance Hangar facility within the Airport premises. This plant was installed by Emvee Photovoltaic Power Pvt. Ltd. 4000 numbers of monocrystalline modules of 250Wp with thirty three numbers

44 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

of 30kW capacity Delta make string inverters were used in this plant, which is the first Megawatt scale installation of Solar PV system in the State of Kerala.

Both these plants are equipped with a SCADA system, through which remote monitoring is carried out. After commissioning, these plants have so far saved more than 550MT of CO2 emission contributing to the efforts of CIAL towards minimizing environmental degradation.

Inspired by the success of the above plants, CIAL decided to set up a larger scale 12MWp solar PV plant as part of its green initiatives. This will come up in an area of about 45 acres near the International Cargo premises.

The work has been awarded to M/s Bosch Ltd. The project components include PV modules of 265Wp capacity manufactured

by Renesola, and Inverters of 1MW capacity manufactured by ABB India.

After commissioning, this installation is expected to generate around 48000 units per day, which along with the electricity generated from the existing 1.10 MWp plants, would be sufficient to meet the power requirement of the Airport.

This is a grid connected system without any battery storage and a power banking module with the Kerla State electricity board

(KSEB)has been worked out; wherein, CIAL gives as much power it produces (in day time) to (the grid of )KSEB and ‘ buy ‘ back the power from them when needed (especially in night).This plant will produce 18 million units of power from ‘sun’ annually-the power equivalent to feed 10,000 homes for one year.

Over the next 25 years, this green power project will avoid carbon dioxide emissions from coal fired power plants by more than 3 lakh metric tons, which is equivalent to planting 3 million trees or not driving 750 miles.

Mr.K.Babu, Hon’Minister for Fisheries,ports &Excise chaired the function. Mr.M.A.Yusuffali, Director, CIAL, rendered the welcome address and Mr.Aryadan Mohammed, Hon’Minister rendered the keynote address.Mr.V.J.Kurian IAS, Managing Director, CIAL made the introductory remarks. Hon’ble Ministers Mr.V.K.Ibrahim Kunju, Mr.K.V.Thomas MP,Mr.Anwar Sadath MLA, Mr.Jose Thettayil MLA, Mr.Andrea Christ, Dy.Consul General,German Consulate, KSEB, Mr.C.V.Jacob, Mr.N.V.George, Mr.E.M.Babu, CIAL Directors, Mr.A.C.K.Nair, Airport Director, Mr.A.M.Shabeer, Executive Director Mr.Jose Thomas, General Manager, CIAL participated at the function.

Outotec provides leading technologies and services for the sustainable use of Earth’s natural resources.

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VISIT US AT: IMPC 2014 For the whole story, please visit our YouTube channel.

Santiago, Chile October 20-23, 2014 Booth #4

The SeaGen tidal turbine in Strangford Lough in Portaferry.

Designed and developed by Siemens-owned Marine Current Turbine, (recently purchased by Atlantis Resources) it generates electricity from two massive underwater propellers and has been installed since 200.

Photo: www.siemens.com/press

46 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

CONTENTS GEOTHERMAL HYDRO & MARINE

49 TiPTORs

project delivers improved design processes for tidal turbines

50 British

energy firms turning the tides with Canada

52 The future of ocean-based electrical energy production has begun

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 47

GEOTHERMAL, HYDRO & MARINE

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

€17m EC Funding Secured for Project Stroma Atlantis, a global leader in the tidal power sector, is pleased to announce that the European Commission’s Climate Change Committee has approved the transfer of €17 million of funding from the Kyle Rhea project to Atlantis’s MeyGen project, the world’s largest planned tidal stream energy project.

The funding is for MeyGen Phase 1B (“Project Stroma”) and will accelerate the development of the MeyGen project, with this second phase targeted to reach financial close and commence construction during 2016.

The €17 million funding was originally awarded to the Kyle Rhea

project, a tidal stream array project between the Isle of Skye and the west coast of Scotland, being developed by the Marine Current Turbines group (“MCT”). MCT was acquired by Atlantis from Siemens AG in an all share deal in July 2015.

Following completion of the MCT acquisition, Atlantis applied to the European Commission, with the assistance of the member state, Scotland, to have this funding transferred from the Kyle Rhea project to Project Stroma, which enables the funding to be retained for the benefit of a more advanced Scottish tidal energy project. The first tranche of €10 million will be made available on 1 April 2016.

The maximum funding available is €16,777,548. The funding comes from the NER 300 programme which supports innovative renewable energy technologies.

Tim Cornelius, CEO of Atlantis, commented: “Construction of MeyGen Phase 1A continues apace with first generation scheduled for next year.

The Phase 1B funding announced today will accelerate the rate of development at the MeyGen site and we expect to commence construction of Project Stroma before the end of 2016. These developments further underline the benefits of the MCT acquisition.

“The EC’s continued support for

Tim Cornelius, CEO of Atlantis

tidal power via the MeyGen and the Sound of Islay projects underlines Scotland’s position as the world’s leading tidal power region and reflects the strong support the industry has received from the Scottish government.”

FloWave and EMEC team up to help progress wave energy sector FloWave to replicate EMEC’s Billia Croo wave site in the onshore ocean test tank FloWave and EMEC have joined forces for a ground-breaking project to recreate scaled versions of Scotland’s oceans in the laboratory.

EMEC, the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, and FloWave Ocean Energy Research Facility at The University of Edinburgh first began working together in 2012 to share their expertise in ocean and laboratory testing.

For more than a decade EMEC has been the world’s leading test centre for new wave and tidal machines. Completed in 2014, FloWave’s 25 metre circular test tank is the only facility in the world to combine both waves and tides.

Now they have kicked off an ambitious programme to use real-life ocean data from EMEC to replicate Orkney’s seas in the FloWave tank.

“Testing full-scale ocean energy technologies at sea can be an expensive and risky business,” says FloWave Chief Executive Officer Stuart Brown.

“The closer you can replicate real ocean conditions in the laboratory, the better you can refine your prototype and validate how it might perform – before testing part-scale or full-scale devices at sea.

“To date, test tanks have typically only been able to generate waves or tidal flows – but anyone who has been to Orkney will know, Scotland’s oceans are much more complex and usually combine both.

At FloWave our unique facility gives us the ability to create both waves and tidal currents at the same time,” Brown says.

“This is similar to the way an airliner would be tested in a wind tunnel during development, and is a real world first for the ocean energy sector. Ocean technology developers now have a clear pathway from the computer to the laboratory to EMEC and, if required, back to FloWave again.”

Brown concludes.

Through the initiative, EMEC is providing a wealth of data to FloWave – gathered over years by ‘Waverider’ buoys, radar and ADCPs (acoustic Doppler current profilers) – which FloWave is using to develop accurate models to replicate the complex sea states encountered in Orkney as closely as possible.

This challenging work is being led by research engineer Sam Draycott, now in the third year of a four year industrial doctorate in offshore renewable energy at FloWave.

The results will be incredibly

48 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

valuable, according to EMEC Managing Director Neil Kermode: “Developing a marine energy technology is not a linear process.

You may start in a test tank before you bring an idea to sea, and then once you find out what works and what doesn’t, you end up back in the laboratory.

“At EMEC we have spent a lot of time recording wave and tidal data and are focussed on measuring the things that are important to developers. Our interest is in monitoring the conditions at a site, so that developers can use that data to aid their design process, and we can then validate the performance and potential power production of their technology.

“EMEC is purpose-built for sea trials with ready made test facilities, but working offshore can be expensive. That’s why it makes perfect sense to utilise the unique capabilities of FloWave to develop representative EMEC conditions in the test tank. By sharing this data, we will help accelerate learning from lab to sea and back again, and enable the UK to stay at the very forefront of this industry as it continues to mature.”

Lindsay Roberts, Senior Policy Manager for industry body Scottish Renewables said: “Real-sea testing of marine

energy devices allows developers to gain a unique understanding of the way their machines work, but not everyone is ready to jump straight in at the deep end. FloWave provides realsea conditions in the centre of Edinburgh, in all weathers and through all 12 months of the year, speeding up opportunities for the eventual deployment of devices to the sea in places like Orkney.

“Replicating EMEC’s sea conditions at FloWave will help developers ensure their devices are ready for Orkney’s powerful waves and tides, and provide a costeffective route to the later stages of real-world testing and eventual commercialisation.”

EMEC and FloWave are the most advanced test facilities of their kind in the word. Through this collaboration they are making each centre’s offering even more compelling – and together they ensure the UK remains the world’s foremost destination for ocean energy research, testing and demonstration.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

GEOTHERMAL, HYDRO & MARINE

TiPTORs project delivers improved design processes for tidal turbines

The first phase of the Tidal Turbine Powertrain Reliability Project (TiPTORs), led by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, has delivered a ‘Design for Reliability’ (DfR) methodology which provides a robust and systematic approach to developing tidal turbine drivetrains.

The methodology, developed in partnership with Ricardo and DNV GL, allows designers to understand and control the factors influencing product reliability and hence operational performance, improving the detection of weak links at the design phase and significantly improving design optimisation.

Alongside the DfR methodology, specifications for both a reliability simulation tool and a component database have been produced in preparation for the next phase of the project, which will focus on accurately modelling components.

The simulation tool will allow designers to ‘plug and play’ their designs, looking for any weaknesses at a turbine prototype development stage, enabling

them to better predict reliability, degradation, and pinpoint potential failure. This will be linked to a cost model that will enable the quantification of benefit to support the decision making process.

Together, the DfR process and simulation tool will enable turbine designers to confidently select components and system architectures to optimise reliability.

The ability to evaluate the overall system availability and reliability early in the design process and linking this to a cost model will establish greater confidence that the turbine will operate within required parameters delivering the predicted LCoE. ORE Catapult Marine Sector Specialist Simon Cheeseman said: “Improving the reliability of tidal turbine powertrains, and being able to iron out failure at the design stage, will significantly increase investor confidence in tidal turbine technology and ultimately reduce the cost of tidal energy to the consumer.

“The successful completion of Phase 1 of this project is a major

step forward in understanding the ‘Physics of Failure’ in tidal turbines. Applying best practice from automotive, aerospace, wind, offshore oil & gas and defence sectors has enabled us to confidently quantify system reliability issues.

“The next stage of the project will be to test the DfR methodology across a range of tidal technologies. A followon programme will validate the methodology, develop the component database, create the prototype simulation tool, and develop a recommended practice.

The goal is to ensure alignment and integration with industry and developers’ own design processes.

At the same time ORE Catapult will look at advanced sensors application techniques linked to turbine control schemes, in order to boost health monitoring systems.”

Ricardo’s global market sector head for clean energy and power generation, Paul Jordan added “The application of these tools will represent a quantum change to existing design processes, providing turbine developers with greater confidence in achieving availability targets, significantly reducing unplanned maintenance whilst accelerating design optimisation.”

Claudio Bittencourt Ferreira, Business Development Director at DNV GL, said “Reliability is traditionally tackled through the application of experience and statistical data, both of which are extremely limited in the tidal industry. This project takes a new

ORE Catapult Marine Sector Specialist Simon Cheeseman

Claudio Bittencourt Ferreira, Business Development Director at DNV GL

approach to provide a step change in our understanding of reliability and accelerating the learning curve so that the tidal sector moves smoothly into a commercially viable, bankable industry.”

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 49

GEOTHERMAL, HYDRO & MARINE

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

British energy firms turning the tides with Canada Five British companies are celebrating today after they have received grant funding from the Government’s innovation experts at Innovate UK to develop tidal energy projects with Canadian businesses and universities.

Split across two projects, worth a combined £700,000, the projects will help governments, industry and academia better understand the impact of tidal technology on the marine environment, and the impact of the marine environment on that technology.

The first project involves UK-based FloWave TT, the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), and Ocean Array Systems alongside British Columbia-based Dalhousie University, Black Rock Tidal Power and project leaders Rockland Scientific. As part of this project, Rockland Scientific and its partners will develop a new sensor system to measure the impact of turbulence on tidal devices. Improved understanding of turbulence will allow developers to optimize design and deploy technology that can withstand the effects of strong tides and currents.

Stuart Brown, Chief Executive Officer at FloWave said: “FloWave is really pleased to be able to partner in this project.

Our test tank is uniquely capable of replicating both EMEC and the Bay of Fundy at scale and the prospect of new instrumentation, data and analysis techniques that will help the industry better understand and address the challenge of turbulence in the tidal flow, particularly around structures and within projects, is to be welcomed.

We very much look forward to working with our Canadian and UK partners over the next three years to help drive this industry forward on both sides of the Atlantic, and globally too.”

50 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

Nova Scotia Energy Minister Michel Samson

Stuart Brown, Chief Executive Officer at FloWave

The second project involves UKbased Tritech International (a Moog Inc. Company), Ocean Sonics, and SMRU’s UK and Canada divisions in partnership with Nova Scotiabased OpenHydro Canada, Acadia University and project leaders Emera. This project will develop an acoustic sensing system to improve the detection and tracking of fish and marine mammals at tidal sites in the Bay of Fundy.

The software will be used at the Cape Sharp Tidal berth at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy, gathering real-time data to assess the impact of its tidal turbine on marine life in the Bay of Fundy, Canada.

Scott McLay, Sales Director, Tritech International Ltd, developers of acoustic technology, commented: “We are very pleased to be part of this leading-edge project within the expanding renewables industry.

Tritech has extensive subsea acoustic expertise and this project allows for further enhancements to a system which already successfully helps classify and track a range of subsea targets” Today’s announcement is the first under the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Nova Scotia and the UK. Two projects have been selected for

funding through a partnership between the Offshore Energy Research Association (OERA), a Nova Scotia based not-forprofit research facilitator, and Innovate UK, the UK Government’s innovation experts.

Rob Saunders, head of energy at Innovate UK said: “The marine renewable energy sectors in both the UK and Canada, particularly Nova Scotia are very strong. By supporting innovation and collaboration between the two countries we can combine expertise, knowledge and experience to tackle shared challenges associated with tidal energy, and make it a more affordable, low carbon energy alternative while also creating jobs, growth and boosting productivity.”

“At Innovate UK we are pleased to be working alongside OERA as Nova Scotia is a growing and large potential market for British tidal energy companies.”

Nova Scotia Energy Minister Michel Samson added: “Canada and the United Kingdom are among the recognized leaders in marine renewable energy and ongoing investments in tidal research spur innovation and development in both countries.

“These projects are an example of how partners from around the

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Scott McLay, Sales Director, Tritech International Ltd

Oliver Wragg, Commercial Director at EMEC

world are coming together to better understand the opportunity in our oceans and how to harness their power – safely, effectively, and in an environmentally responsible way.”

The project involving FloWave will carry out research in both UK and Canadian waters, including the University of Edinburgh’s FloWave Ocean Energy Research Facility.

This facility hosts a one-of-a-kind, 25-metre diameter circular wave and current tank that holds 2.4 million litres of water. Wave makers on the surface and flow-drive units underneath create currents in multiple directions, mimicking the conditions within tidal energy sites.

Testing will also be conducted in Scotland’s Orkney Islands at EMEC and in Canada’s Bay of Fundy.

This project has recently received the internationally recognized EUREKA Label designation. EUREKA is an EU-based intergovernmental network with associate member nations, including Canada, and supports market oriented R&D and innovation projects. The label will add value to the Rockland project, providing partners with a competitive edge when it comes to commercializing technology.

Oliver Wragg, Commercial Director at EMEC said: ““We’re

delighted to be collaborating with FloWave, Ocean Array Systems, Rockland Scientific, Black Rock Tidal Power and Dalhousie University on this project, which will address some of the shortcomings of existing measurement technologies, enabling developers to better evaluate the dynamic behaviours of the sites in which they plan to deploy tidal energy turbines.

If this can be designed into the technologies earlier on, it should reduce risk in the latter stages of development and testing at EMEC.” Nicola Pearson, Commercial Director at Ocean Array Systems said: “Ocean Array Systems is excited to provide the link between the MRCF TiME project and the OERA/ Innovate UK InStream project.

“Ocean Array Systems will use its EnvironmentStudio and TurbineGrid software to model device-turbulence interaction using test tank and ocean data. This work will provide turbine developers with a direct translation of unsteady loads between conditions at FloWave and those experienced at full scale under turbulent marine conditions.”

Nicola Pearson, Commercial Director at Ocean Array Systems

GEOTHERMAL, HYDRO & MARINE

Rob Saunders, head of energy at Innovate UK

Photo: Courtesy of FloWave

FloWave Ocean Energy Research Facility - A large scale testing facility which simulates waves and currents for marine energy devices

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 51

The ANDRITZ HYDRO Hammerfest (AHH) tidal turbines with three blades, similar to wind turbines, incorporate a pitching system for the blades and a yaw mechanism to turn the turbine through approximately 180째 when the tide changes direction. The nacelles themselves contain a generator and gearbox, whilst the power conditioning equipment is housed in the onshore facilities.

(See Page 55)

52 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

GEOTHERMAL, HYDRO & MARINE

FEATURES

Tidal energy The future of ocean-based electrical energy production has begun

A

bout 70% of our planet is covered with water, but only 3% of this is fresh water.

The far larger amount of 97% of salt water possesses a huge potential of sustainable and clean energy. After a century of developing fresh water resources like rivers and lakes from the mountains to their deltas, now mankind is starting to produce electrical energy direct from the ocean. Amongst numerous technical approaches, today tidal power is considered to be one of the most promising additional future energy sources, with an estimated worldwide potential of more than 150,000 GWh.

Hydropower in transition – Very low head, barrages and lagoons The history of hydropower technology development has followed the rivers – from high head solutions to very low head hydropower plants. As a leading global supplier in hydropower, today ANDRITZ HYDRO is also a

2014 – Tidal current power plant

pioneer in providing commercial equipment for the ocean-based electrical energy future.

At the end of 2014, ANDRITZ HYDRO Hammerfest received an order from the UK-based tidal development company MeyGen Ltd. to supply three 1.5 MW tidal current turbines for an array under construction in the Inner Sound of the Pentland Firth, Scotland.

2012 – Very low head hydropower plant ANDRITZ HYDRO has followed this development and realized several very low head examples like the world’s largest HYDROMATRIXTM power plant Ashta, Albania, only 30 km from the coast.

2015 – Tidal lagoon power plant

2011/2014 – Tidal power plant

The latest tidal energy design is to build an arteficial off-shore lagoon, mostly encompassed by a dam providing a head. In February 2015 ANDRITZ HYDRO, as a market leader in tidal energy technology, was appointed in a consortium with GE by Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay plc. as preferred bidder for the supply of the electromechanical equipment for the world’s first tidal lagoon hydropower project in Swansea Bay, Wales, UK. It will be located in the Severn Estuary and will be equipped with 16 bulb units, more than 20 MW each.

Tidal power plants are saltwater applications and typically use an existing natural bay blocked with a dam. In 2012 the world largest tidal power plant Sihwa (10 x 26 MW) was inaugurated in South Korea. ANDRITZ HYDRO delivered and installed the electromechanical equipment. In 2014, ANDRITZ HYDRO was awarded with the rehabilitation of the oldest commercial tidal power plant HPP La Rance in France.

Ocean energy future: 1 – very low head, 2 – tidal, 3 – tidal current, 4 – tidal lagoon

4 2

1

3

OCTOBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 53

GEOTHERMAL, HYDRO & MARINE

FEATURES

designed variable-speed pitching mechanism and a nacelle yawing system, allowing the optimal harnessing of tidal currents in both ebb and flood directions. The whole substructure is designed to have a very small footprint, while the nacelle is optimized to minimize its drag profile.

Although ocean currents move slowly relative to typical wind speeds, they carry a great deal of energy.

For the same rotor swept area, water moving at 2.5 m/s exerts about the equivalent amount

Sea water has more than 800 times the density of air

ANDRITZ HYDRO Hammerfest tidal turbine

Tidal currents To use the unexploited energy from tidal currents ANDRITZ HYDRO integrated one of the world’s leading companies in the development and supply of tidal current turbines beneath the sea level – today known as ANDRITZ HYDRO Hammerfest. Established in 1997 by the local utility company Hammerfest Energi, ANDRITZ HYDRO Hammerfest has offices in Hammerfest, Norway and Glasgow, Scotland.

and 100 m. They are deployed on the seabed and kept in position by gravity, pins or pilings, depending on the seabed and tidal stream characteristics. Moreover, the horizontal axis turbines are equipped with a specially-

Tidal current turbines – technology and challenges Tidal power is clean, renewable, reliable, and predictable. Any visual or audible impact above the surface is eliminated and normal shipping traffic will not be affected by the presence of fully submerged tidal arrays. It is based on experience of the technologies and solutions used in hydropower, marine propulsion, wind energy, offshore oil and gas industries, with focus on reliable and sustainable solutions.

The tidal turbines are designed to generate electrical energy from water currents with a speed above 1 m/s and at depths between 35 ANDRITZ HYDRO Hammerfest in Glasgow, Scotland

54 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

of force as a constant wind speed of above 100 km/h (27.8 m/s). The tide level can be predicted well into the future, thus the speed of associated tidal currents can also be predicted with high accuracy.

Alongside the advantages of power generation from tidal flows, there are considerable technical challenges associated with this new technology. For example, a challenge is posed by the high turbulence levels and large waves associated with storms originating in the ocean. At a rotor hub height even 20 m below the surface, the effect of such large waves is to impose a sinusoidal velocity component with a magnitude of around 4 m/s.

Considering a normal cut-out water flow speed of 4.6 m/s, this wave results in a requirement for the turbine being designed to survive in

FEATURES

Installation of HS1000 at EMEC flow speeds twice as high as the cutout speed.

Adding the requirement to consider fault conditions, which may result in pitch or yaw system misalignments, the thrust loading on the rotor hub can be up to 1,500 kN (150 tons), which is five times higher than the mean operating value of 340 kN (34 tons).

An 18 m rotor gives the turbine a swept area of 255 m2. During extreme loading events the bending moment at the root of each of the three turbine blades can be up to 2,700 kNm. The peak rotational speed during normal operation is 14.5 rpm, giving a tip speed ratio of 4.8 – the ratio between the tangential speed of the tip of the rotor blade and the actual tidal current velocity. This high tip speed ratio is related to efficiency, with the optimum varying with the blade design. It results in a requirement for strong blades due to large centrifugal forces.

The MeyGen tidal current project At the end of 2014, ANDRITZ HYDRO Hammerfest received an order from UK-based tidal development company MeyGen Ltd. to supply three 1.5 MW tidal current turbines for the array in the Inner Sound of the Pentland Firth, Scotland.

The Inner Sound of Pentland Firth is recognized as one of the most challenging and highly active sites of tidal flow with high wave frequency and requires careful engineering, manufacturing, and assembly to ensure that the technology deployed is able to operate and perform within its environs.

This order follows the successful completion of a series of tests with the precommercial prototype tidal current turbine HS1000 at the European Marine Energy Center (EMEC) in

GEOTHERMAL, HYDRO & MARINE

Orkney, Scotland. Furthermore, it is the first commercial order worldwide for the supply of large-scale tidal current turbines and forms part of the first phase of the project.

Offshore design codes state that any structure should be designed for storm conditions with a return period of at least twice the intended life of the structure. In the case of the MeyGen project, this means designing for a wave with a return period of 50 years, in theory a wave as high as 16 m.

All major tidal turbine components are designed by ANDRITZ HYDRO Hammerfest in close cooperation with ANDRITZ HYDRO. The major components of the turbines like rotor blades, hub and front plate including the main bearing system, main-shaft, pitch and yaw system as well as assembling and test of the turbines prior to transportation to the site for

MeyGen is the largest commercial tidal energy project under development in the world

Installation of HS1000 at EMEC, Scotland

Jens Päutz jens.paeutz@andritz.com deployment are supplied by ANDRITZ HYDRO Ravensburg, Germany. Engineering, design and delivery of electrical as well as control and instrumentation components are provided by ANDRITZ HYDRO Vienna, Austria.

In the long-term, MeyGen is planning to install 269 turbines with an overall capacity of 398 MW to provide predictable, renewable, and sustainable energy for about 175,000 Scottish households.

The average generation per turbine is expected with 4.4 GWh per year.

TECHNICAL DATA MeyGen: Type: Mk1 Output: 3 x 1.5 MW

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 55

The Bandit Model 3680 Beast Recycler A chipper knife set-up can also be equipped on the Model 3680 Track, allowing it to produce a dimensional, screened chip that can be used for fuel and other applications demanding a consistent, high-quality, precisely-sized chip.

56 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

CONTENTS BIOENERGY

60 D NC Energy to build biomass plant in Ukraine

61 E xxonMobil launches Mobil Pegasus™ 605 Ultra 40

62 B iomass – Chipper manufacturers on show

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 57

BIOENERGY

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

WSM has introduced it’s BioPrep Organics Processing System With the growing need for high volume processing of organics (including green waste and food waste) for compost and AD conversion, WSM has introduced the WSM BioPrep Organics Processing System – a complete high capacity system to convert green waste, food waste, and mixed organics into high quality feedstock for compost and AD conversion systems.

WSM’s BioPrep Organics System is a complete and integrated system that includes bulk receiving and metering infeed, shredding, conveying, metal removal and/or detection, light fraction separation, screening,

sorting, and grinding – the full set of tools to allow effective processing of incoming materials at rates up to 100 t/h.

By using WSM’s high capacity Titan Trommel Screen (8 ft [2.4 m] diameter by 35-63 ft [10.7-19.2 m] length) and WSM’s Titan Horizontal or Vertical Feed Grinder (150-800 hp), this stationary electric system delivers substantial customer benefits including reduced handling, labor, and energy costs for reduced ‘per ton’ processing costs; full system integration with a system that is fully engineered and designed for ease of maintenance and low cost installation and operation; and WSM’s on-going technical training and support to

The West Salem 863 Titan Trommel insure a productive system.

“If you are looking for a way to improve your processing of organic materials, check out WSM’s new BioPrep Organics System – field proven in high capacity organics,

green waste, and food waste processing,” the manufacturer said.

New biomass piloting centre in Finland Finland’s research organisation VTT has built a piloting centre aimed at refining biomass at Kivenlahti, Espoo. Bioruukki offers companies world-class platform for new technology development and realisation of the national bioeconomy strategy. It operates in an area of technology that is important to Finland: bioenergy, utilisation of biomass to make valuable products – such as biochemicals – and recycling.

This is one of VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd’s most significant investments this decade, and the largest bioeconomy research facility in Nordic countries. It serves the needs of process and product development operations of companies and projects implemented by VTT and its research partners.

Bioruukki combines VTT expertise in chemistry, energy and biomass processing. It provides the opportunity to study which biorefinery concepts and ideas are both technically and economically feasible. This applies particularly to the development of production methods for biofuels and valuable chemicals. Bioruukki also speeds up the launching of innovations made by Finnish companies to world markets. Espoo offers a good location for operations, because

there is a close community of specialists from companies and research institutes nearby.

Through Bioruukki, VTT can make available its entire research volume for bioeconomy and circular economy, which amounts to more than EUR 60 million and almost 500 man-years annually. In the next few years, Bioruukki is estimated to employ some 40 researchers.

So far, VTT has invested EUR 10 million in Bioruukki and the planned further measures are estimated to be EUR 10–15 million.

In the first phase, Bioruukki will launch gasification and pyrolysis piloting operations. The installation of other pilot equipment in the 8,000 square metre Bioruukki will be carried out in the next two years.

“Bioeconomy based on sustainable use of renewable resources is a worldwide trend.

Finland is in good positions to benefit from such growth.

Bioruukki has an important national mission to develop new forest-based bioeconomy technologies and speed up their commercialisation in collaboration with companies,” says Petri Peltonen, Director General of the Department of Enterprise and Innovation at the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.

“The national Finnish strategy

58 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

calls for bold research trials and speed to creation of new products and services. It also requires cooperation, renewal and ability to take risks from industrial sectors.

What is required now is radical innovations. Bioruukki offers a concrete opportunity for this”, says Erkki KM Leppävuori, President & CEO of VTT. Finland needs more high-tech investments and new competenceand knowledge-intensive companies and jobs they help to generate. No new business activities or growth emerge without concrete demonstrations. The investment made by VTT on the growth and development corridor of the West Metro region is an excellent example of action needed right now. For its part, the City of

Espoo is also committed to creating preconditions for growth and emergence of high-competence jobs,” says Jukka Mäkelä, Mayor of Espoo.

In Finland, the value of bioeconomy is currently 10% of the national economy, and the goal is to double it by 2025.

Instead of individual technologies, both Finland and Europe are now focusing on building bioeconomy ecosystems and developed life-cycle approaches. VTT’s comprehensive research and development services for sustainable development can be applied in interdisciplinary manner to areas ranging from green data technology to complete recycling of waste.

BIOENERGY

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Norske Skog to invest NOK 150 million in new biogas facility at its Saugbrugs mill in Norway Norske Skog Saugbrugs will invest NOK 150 million in construction of a biogas facility in connection to its effluent plant. The biogas facility will contribute to gross operating earnings in 2016 and be at full run-rate contribution in 2017. - We are planning to commercialize biowaste from raw material into gas at our mills. Despite challenging markets, we believe that our mill sites are sustainable, and will strengthen their competitiveness by constructing biogas facilities.

Our new growth area will be a new main business leg named Nature’s Flame, says Sven Ombudstvedt, President and CEO of Norske Skog and chairman of the board of Norske Skog Saugbrugs.

Enova has granted NOK 52 million in support to the project, while Sparebank 1 Gruppen and Halden Municipality’s pension fund has provided about NOK 100

million in debt financing. Norske Skog plans to build biogas facilities at its mills, utilizing biowaste from the paper production process to renewable energy. Norske Skog is currently considering replicating the project at its other mills. - An onsite biogas facility brings twofold economic benefits; a new biogas revenue stream and reduced paper production costs. Biogas is further a renewable alternative to fossil fuels, which forms part of the carbon solution. Moreover, biogas has large potentials in improving urban air quality, says Sven Ombudstvedt, President and CEO of Norske Skog.

AGA will be the main purchaser of biogas from Saugbrugs. AGA has been supplying biogas to heavy vehicles since 2008. AGA supplies 550 buses and trucks with biogas from filling stations every day. - The agreement with

Norske Skog Saugbrugs represents a positive addition for renewable fuels in the county of Østfold, Norway. The volume of biogas covered by the agreement will be able to supply biogas to a fleet of 70 heavy vehicles and a reduction in CO2 emissions of about 6,500 tons annually, says John Melby, Manager Clean Energy at AGA AS. The investment in the biogas business will strengthen the entire mill site’s competitiveness and be part of Norske Skog’s efforts to improve operations at its remaining mill sites. - Bioenergy can play an important role in the transition to a more environmental friendly transport sector, and availability of bioenergy must be increased.

Therefore, we find it great that Norske Skog Saugbrugs will utilize sewage sludge from paper production to produce biogas.

Buses and refuse trucks in

Rickard Westerberg, Manager of Setra Malå

Østfold will now be able to use climate-friendly biogas made from waste products from Norske Skog. We wish to see more of this type of energy utilization.

Hopefully, several other mills in the Norske Skog group will adopt similar solutions, says marketing director Audhild Kvam in Enova.

Norske Skog Saugbrugs has 500 employees. The mill has an annual production capacity of 500 000 tonnes of magazine paper.

Waggeryd Cell invests SEK 60 million ($7 million) in a biomass boiler Waggeryd Cell in Sweden has invested SEK 60 million ($7 million) in a biomass boiler in order to replace LPG with bioenergy as energy source for the flash dryer.

The ground work is just about to start. The mounting of the boiler will begin during March 2016 and the start-up is scheduled for September. The mill’s emission of fossil carbon dioxide will be reduced by 85%.

Waggeryd Cell produces bleached CTMP and ever since start-up in 1989 the whole production has been flash dried using LPG as heat source. When the new boiler has started in

September 2016, LPG will be totally replaced by bioenergy. It is a grate boiler with an effect of about 12 MW. The supplier is Urbas, an Austrian company specialising in systems designed to extract energy from wet and coarse wood fuels from sawmills, woodworking factories and general forestry thinning. It is a turnkey project and Urbas is responsible for the whole delivery, including projecting, mounting and start-up.

“This is yet another of the environmental investments we have done since we began modernising the mill fifteen years ago,” says Ulf Karlsson, MD

Waggeryd Cell. “The boiler will be fuelled by sawdust, oversized wood chips and fibre residuals from our process as well as bark and fuel wood mainly supplied from our owner ATA Group’s sawmills.” ”So far we have invested about SEK 500 million ($59.2 million), out of which about SEK 95 million ($11.2 million) are environmentally related, in the mill. It has raised our production level up to 150,000 tonnes of bleached CTMP pulp made from spruce and pine sawmill chips. Last year we scored yet another production record and increased the production by 6,000 tonnes of pulp. The investment in

Ulf Karlsson, MD Waggeryd Cell

a biomass boiler will contribute to a long-term profitable and sustainable Waggeryd Cell,” Ulf Karlsson ends.

EUREXPO LYON, FRANCE 15-18 November 2016 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 59

BIOENERGY

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

The UK plans to build the world’s largest wood-burning plant The United Kingdom has announced plans to build the world’s largest biomass powerplant. The Tees Renewable Energy Plant (REP) will be located in the Port of Teesside, Middlesbrough and it will have a capacity of 299 MW. While the plant is designed to be able to function on a wide range of biofuels, its main intended power sources are wood pellets and chips, of which the plant is expected to use more than 2.4mt a year. The feedstock will be sourced from certified sustainable forestry

projects developed by the MGT team and partners in North and South America, and the Baltic States, and supplied to the project site by means of ships.

A biomass power plant of this type is referred to as a combined heat and power (or CHP) plant. It will generate enough renewable energy to supply its own operations and commercial and residential utility customers in the area.

Investment in the renewable project is estimated to reach £650m ($1bn), which will be partly funded through aids from

the European Commission, and construction works would create around 1,100 jobs. Environmental technology firm Abengoa, based in Spain, along with Japanese industry giant Toshiba will be leading the project for their client, MGT Teesside, subsidiary to the British utility MGT Power.

The feedstock will be burned to generate steam at 565°C that will drive a steam turbine, which will rotate the generator to produce electricity. The generated power will be conveyed to the National Grid.The exhaust steam generated

by the steam turbine plant will be condensed by the ACCs and reused, whereas the flue gases from theCFB boiler will be discharged via the exhaust stack.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions will be minimized by using capture technology, fabric filters will reduce emission of particulate matter or dust and check the sulphur content of the fuel feed, while sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions will be reduced through limestone injection into the boiler.

DNC Energy to build biomass plant in Ukraine DNC Energy, an environmental firm focused on building renewable energy infrastructure, recently announced today that it has received major funding through a bond program to construct a waste wood and crop residue fired biomass electric generation plant in Ukraine’s Kyiv region. The 25-megawatt facility is the 13th biomass plant to be built in the Ukraine, which currently has six burning biomass plants and seven biogas anaerobic digester systems.

The project includes construction and equipping of the plant, which will run primarily on woodchips, cornstover, sunflower and wheat straw to produce and realize energy via direct combustion in a steam boiler where the obtained steam passes through a steam turbine to receive energy. The technology will feature a “Wellons” boiler that runs on biofuel -- a Siemens steam turbine.

Gross power delivery is estimated at 25 megawatts and construction is targeted for completion by November 2016. DNC has selected and is formalizing purchase of eight sites for future expansion and plans to expand to over 200 megawatts’ generation by 2020.

These sites are strategically located and take into consideration fuel supply sustainability, cooling water and grid connection. An added benefit of the decentralized power supply will be grid stability and reduction of power outages.

Local governments have been proactive and highly supportive of

this venture.

“Our new facility is a unique source of renewable energy in Ukraine and we anticipate that this landmark project will add substantially to the local economy, support sustainable waste management practices and improve the health of the local environment,” said DNC Energy President David Neisingh. “The rising cost of energy makes it crucial to produce electricity from alternative sources and is also an important factor in our project’s implementation.”

In order to reduce dependence on energy producing countries, Western European countries are actively funding projects to develop alternative energy sources and biofuels. Unfortunately, the current financial situation in Ukraine does not allow it to invest large amounts of state funds in this sector. It has, however, created favorable conditions for the realization of high efficiency investment projects and the development of energy production from renewable sources by providing tax and customs exemptions known as the “green” tariff.” Electricity produced by DNC Energy’s new power station will be sold using the green tariff, a law that was introduced in 2009 to stimulate investment into the power sector since most of Ukraine’s current generation facilities are 50-60 years old, well past their useful service life, and must be replaced.

60 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

CIO, CTO & Developer Resources More recently, Ukraine and the international community have made Ukraine’s energy and financial independence from Russia’s imported coal, natural gas and nuclear fuel a top strategic priority. For this reason, Parliament just passed an amendment that President Poroshenko is expected to sign into law by in the coming days. Amendment 2010 sets the tariff at the equivalent of $0.18 per kw sold to the national grid and also allows for the use of biomass from energy crops. Additionally, it amends a previous requirement for 50 percent local content of power plant equipment and is now based on a formula for obtaining up to a 15 percent increase in tariff by having local content. With this bonus, the rate is 20.7 cents and this rate is indexed in Euros and secure against devaluation of the Hrivna. Additionally, the national power company is required to buy all power produced.

“Lighting the world with green biomass power is a natural solution for energy independence.

Clean renewable biomass power is carbon neutral and capable of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving forest health, and reducing the risk of forest fires. In rural communities around the world biomass energy

generates electricity and creates jobs. I’ve been in business In Ukraine for 21 years now and want to do my part to help bring Ukraine to full independence with European integration, energy security, investment, and technical integration. This is crucial for the Ukrainian people,” said Neisingh.

In terms of project sustainability, Ukraine is the sixth largest grain exporting country in the world with over 32 million hectares of prime farmland.

Ukraine is commonly referred to as the breadbasket of Europe because it produces 90-100mt of grain and is estimated to have nearly 70mmt of straw available for energy conversion, which is more than enough to fuel more than 8000 megawatts of additional capacity.

In fact, there is enough biomass available within a 50km radius to supply three 25-megawatt generation plants. Resultant ash is a very valuable organic fertilizer that sequesters carbon and balances soil ph, adding phosphor, potassium and other minerals back into the soil. Local farmers are enthusiastic about the option of trading crop residues for resultant fertilizer.

BIOENERGY

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

ANDRITZ MeWa presents new cross-flow shredder generation for biogas facilities ANDRITZ MeWa, member of international technology Group ANDRITZ, has further developed its proven cross-flow shredder for substrate treatment in biogas facilities (Bio-QZ). Above all, the new Bio-QZ generation features even easier maintenance.

ANDRITZ MeWa’s Bio-QZ is used in hundreds of European biogas facilities for processing many different input materials, such as organic waste, corn silage, grass clippings, sugar beets, cattle and horse manure, as well as packaged food that has passed its sell-by date. Flexible tools inside the machine produce a homogeneous substrate that leads to faster gas formation, shorter fermentation time, and higher gas yield overall

in the fermenter. This makes the entire plant more profitable. Any foreign objects present, such as packaging, are detached from the organic material and can be removed more easily. The new BioQZ generation has a compact and, at the same time, stable machine design and is offered in 900 mm, 1200 mm, and 1600 mm sizes.

Development work focused mainly on even easier maintenance. Besides a significant increase in the size of the maintenance port, access to the discharge, belt, and belt pulleys has been simplified. In addition, the wear plates can be replaced more easily. The new discharge geometry helps the material to pass through the machine

smoothly without any blockages.

The sealing system was also completely revised to give greater protection to the machine.

In addition to the classic chains for the treatment process, ANDRITZ Mewa offers many other accelerating and shredding elements for optimum substrate treatment. Depending on the input material and the desired effect, these elements are combined to provide tailored customer solutions. The elements can be upgraded further to achieve longer service life.

ANDRITZ MeWa will present the new Bio-QZ for the first time at Agritechnica in Hanover (November 10 to 14, 2015, booth A11, hall 18).

ANDRITZ MeWa presents the improved Bio-QZ 1200, the new cross-flow shredder generation for biogas facilities

ExxonMobil launches Mobil Pegasus™ 605 Ultra 40 Advanced gas engine oil helps improve productivity for power operators using biomass and landfill gas

• Formulated to help extend oil drain intervals and optimise engine performance • Launched in response to growing demand for engines running on biomass and landfill gas • Approved for use in GE Waukesha engines ExxonMobil has launched Mobil Pegasus™ 605 Ultra 40, an advanced oil formulated to help optimise the performance of

engines generating power from landfill and biomass gas. The product, which has the potential to double oil drain intervals*, has been engineered to support the increasing number of organisations that are choosing to generate power from landfill and biomass waste.

During extensive field tests that included more than 18,000 hours of testing at a customer site, Mobil Pegasus 605 Ultra 40 was shown

to double oil drain intervals* in GE Waukesha APG 1000 gas engines versus conventional gas engine oils. As a result of the test, the customer has since switched all of the company’s engines to Mobil Pegasus 605 Ultra 40, and the oil is now approved for use in the customer’s gas engines running on landfill gas.

Along with outstanding antiwear and anti-scuff performance, Mobil Pegasus 605 Ultra 40 offers exceptional carbon and varnish deposit control, mitigating some of the challenges of operating engines on biomass and landfill gas. Contaminants such as halides, sulphides and siloxanes – which can be present in high levels in these gases – can accelerate wear, compromising engine durability.

“Installing co-generation plants on landfill sites and farms is an increasingly popular trend, but securing reliable power output is not without its challenges,” said Jarmo Vihersalo, Europe, Africa and Middle East Industrial marketing advisor for energy at ExxonMobil.

Jarmo Vihersalo, ExxonMobil

“Mobil Pegasus 605 Ultra 40 is formulated to overcome the challenges posed by impurities that exist in gases from landfill, and it can simultaneously help customers improve power output by extending oil drain intervals and protecting the engine against wear and deposit formation.”

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 61

Chippers

The latest and greatest Biomass professionals are becoming more sophisticated and so must their suppliers

C

hipper technology is largely predictable, but that doesn’t mean that providing customers with improved machine solutions is easy. Far from it.

The breadth of function and requirements demanded by the modern day biomass professional – and by those using biomass production as a subsidiary business division – means that manufacturers are faced with a major challenge in meeting these needs in one machine.

The point is made in this year’s review that only the latest technology can deliver for the

62 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

biomass industry, and that is what International Renewable Energy has assembled in this feature.

As mentioned, it is near on impossible to provide everything in one machine and so various manufacturers have focused their energies on different functions, dependent on their existing strengths and their specific customer feedback, as well as tuning into different market segments.

The larger throughput end of the market is catered for by international giants such as Peterson Corporation, Terex, Bandit, Morbark and Vermeer, while the smaller-to-medium

segment is dominated by companies such as Heizomat and Rayco.

The priorities across segments include manoeuvrability, blade strength and general durability, and throwing capacity of the discharge.

Of course paramount amongst all these is the quality of product – the chip or micro-chip.

The biomass professional may feel they have a difficult task discerning the technology on offer to determine the right unit for a specific operation, but at least they are not starved for choice.

The 4300B drum chipper is the latest in a long line of high quality chipping and grinding machines produced

by Peterson. The 4300B drum chipper is suited for high volume biomass producers who have a wide variety of feed material, from logs up to 26 inches (61 cm) in diameter, to brush and small feed stock.

Peterson Corporation has multiple solutions for biomass applications – from horizontal grinders, to disc and drum chippers – providing a processing solution for almost all conceivable feed stocks.

Drum chippers “If the application is just for making biomass fuel chips, few machines will beat the productivity of a Peterson 4300-series drum chipper,” the company stated.

Processing tops, unmerchantable wood, and residues left over from a logging site is the drum chipper’s specialty and, depending on the way they are setup, can produce a chip from 3-31 mm (1/8-1¼ in).

Peterson drum chippers use a heavy-duty knife that produces a clean, cut edge to the material and a more consistent product size compared to ground material. The 4300-series drum chippers offer secondary screens to process twigs or branches that may get missed.

These ‘spears’ can cause material blockages in a biomass plant’s augers. Product consistency is

Powered by a C18 Caterpillar engine, the 4300B is powered by 765 horsepower (570 kW).

At 52,000 pounds (23,586 kg) and 8 feet 4-3/4 inches (255 cm) in width, the 4300B is a high production chipper whose dimensions do not require any oversize permits for road transportation.

extremely important to biomass chip buyers, so it is very important for the biomass chips not to have too many fines or spears in the product.

Like a disc chipper, Peterson drum chippers have adjustable knives that allow for a wide variety of chip sizes, depending on what end product the company is looking for. Peterson drum chippers can be equipped with a top load or end load spout depending on how the truck fleet is configured. Chip accelerators are used to increase load density in the chip van.

Peterson’s 4300-series drum chippers are equipped with a

six-pocket drum in standard form, but for applications looking to make a 3-6 mm chip, Peterson offers a 12-pocket drum to make ‘microchips’.

“As more pellet producing plants come online, procurement buyers are seeing the advantage of a machine that can make 0.25 in chips which can go directly to the dryer,” Peterson said. “Many pellet plants today start with longer more conventional 1 in chips that need to go through a costly hammermill reduction stage before the dryer.”

Production from Peterson drum chippers will vary with wood species, chip length, and tree size.

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 63

CHIPPERS Typical production from a Peterson 4300-series machine with a six pocket drum making 22 mm (7/8 in) length chips will be about 80 t/h. Microchip production making 6 mm (0.25 in) chips with a 12-pocket pocket drum will be about 50 t/h.

The fuel consumption will range from 0.76-1.9 litres/t depending on the wood species, size and moisture level. Fuel consumption of 0.76 litres/t) will be typical for fresh wood.

Disc chippers Though primarily used to make clean pulp and paper chips, Peterson disc chippers can also be used to reduce wood into short fibre chips. Disc chippers are the main type of chipper used to produce high quality wood chips for the pulp and paper industry.

“Peterson disc chippers provide a more consistent chipping angle which results in more uniform chip thickness and length,” the manufacturer stated.

The anvil gap, knife extension, counter knife angle, and attack angle can all be readily adjusted with a disc chipper to produce the highest quality chips.

A typical chip length specification for the pulp industry is between 16 mm (5/8 in) and 28 mm (1-1/4 in). Modifications must be made to the disc, counter knife and chipping speed to produce 6-9 mm (¼-3/8) in microchips.

Peterson has developed a

BIOMASS microchip configuration for the 5900E Disc Chipper and 5000H Whole Tree Chipper. Production with these machines will vary with wood species, chip length, and tree size.

Typical production with a four pocket disc making 6-7 mm (1/4 in) length chips will be 50 t/h.

Production making 9-10 mm (3/8 in) chips with a four pocket disc will be about 70 t/h. The fuel consumption will range from 0.76 to 1.9 litres/t) depending on the wood species, size and moisture level. Fuel consumption of 0.76 litres/t will be typical for fresh wood.

The most common feedstock for direct fired wood boilers is 76 mm (3 in) minus ground wood. Low moisture and low ash content are desirable. Dry wood has a higher net heating value. Dirt in the wood may cause boiler damage and increase the amount of ash to be disposed.

Minimum fines, particles less than 3 mm (1/8 in), may also be desirable for maximum boiler efficiency depending on the boiler type. Urban wood waste and forest residuals are common feedstock.

Horizontal grinders are the most economical machine type to reduce wood for this application. They are more tolerant than chippers to any contamination in the feedstock.

Peterson continues to refine in-field chipping with its 4800F chain flail debarker and 5900E disc

The 5900E is transported easily to the next site 64 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

The Peterson 4810F-5900E making clean chips

chipper combination. The popular pair can be found producing clean pulp and paper chips around the world.

Recently, these machines have seen excellent success in eucalyptus plantations in South Africa. The machines have been set-up to run with low chain speeds to promote longer chain life and lower running costs, making clean pulp and paper chips with very low bark content.

The pair’s compact and nimble size makes it easy to relocate with a skidder. The 4800F’s flails are specifically designed to match the capacity of the 5900E disc chipper and both machines are linked wirelessly to match feed speed and direction. The pair makes for a compact, nimble and very

productive chipping system.

Peterson 4800F chain flail debarker Continuing Peterson’s long history of innovation, this sixth generation design has the features that clean chip operations demand.

The Peterson 4800F multiple log delimber/debarker is designed to be used in tandem with whole tree chippers to produce high quality pulp chips.

Capable of processing multiple logs from 50-580 mm (2-23 in) in diameter, the 4800F increases productivity while reducing bark content, product handling time, and fibre loss.

Powered by a 350 hp (261 kW) CAT C9 Tier III or Tier IV engine, the 4800F meets all US, Canadian, and EU emission regulations.

The 4800F features upper and lower flails, direct drive lower in-feed and out-feed rolls, and a floating direct drive upper feed roll. The bark pusher has been redesigned and is now 1.5 m (5 ft) wide.

The machine also features a dedicated 511 litre hydraulic oil tank, and a 662 litre fuel tank to allow the 4800F to run an entire shift without refuelling.

The 4800F is controlled by an IQAN operating system, which provides the operator the information to efficiently operate the unit. The IQAN system provides self-diagnostics for faulty sensors and open circuits, and can communicate complete engine and system parameters.

With a retractable gooseneck, the highway legal 4800F is easily

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BUILDING EQUIPMENT THAT CREATES OPPORTUNITIES

CHIPPERS

BIOMASS

The 4800F and 5900E pair produce clean pulp and paper chips world wide moved between jobs and has a curb weight of 19,350 kg (42,660 lb). The four fixed landing gear (with floating pads) allow the 4800F’s operating height to be adjusted. The operator can operate the machine with a wireless remote which also can pair with the Peterson 5900E disc chipper.

Peterson 5900E disc chipper The Peterson model 5900E disc chipper is built to produce high quality paper chips when used with a Peterson 4800F debarker or fuel chips as a stand-alone fuel wood chipper. The same high quality chipping components have been used for many years in Peterson’s 5000H delimber/debarker/chipper.

The 5900E has a large feed throat that is capable of accepting up to a 563 mm (23 in) diameter tree or multiple smaller diameter stems.

The 5900E has a standard three knife disc, and is also available with an optional four knife disc.

The standard three pocket disc can produce chips from 5/8 to 1 1/4 in (16-32 mm) in length, and the four pocket disc can produce chips from 1/2 to 1 in (1,325 mm) in length.

Optional sheave diameters of 1,020 mm, 1,520 mm and 1,650 mm (40 in, 60 in and 65 in) are available if a slower feed speed is required to match the capacity of a flail delimber.

Peterson’s heavy-duty 1,676 mm (66 in) diameter 121 mm (4.75 in) thick chipper disc has a replaceable 1/2 in (13 mm) thick wear plate. Chipping production rates from 55-90 t can be achieved depending on chip size. The 5900E

is designed with a minimum of complication for reliable low cost long term operation. The chipper disc is directly driven from a highcapacity dry-disc clutch and belts.

The six-cylinder Caterpillar C18 engine is more economical and requires less maintenance than twelve-cylinder engines.

Peterson’s Adaptive Cooling system is used to adjust the fan pitch to match the engine cooling requirements. At full pitch the fan power requirement is 53 hp (39.5 kW) so adjusting the fan pitch can significantly reduce fuel costs over the life of the machine. Cooling air is directed over the engine to minimise any dust build up on the engine.

A twelve channel radio remote control permits control of the 5900E by the loader operator. The machine can be also controlled from the control box on the chipper.

The new HM14-800KL chipper truck from Heizomat is based on the Mercedes Arocs.

“With the higher torque Euro VI engine and its 6x6 wheel drive, it’s built for professionals,” the company stated.

The whole chipper is operated from within an air-conditioned truck cab with a 3m2 rear panel of laminate safety glass. The seat is air suspended and swivels for easy positioning and access. The auxiliary functions of the chipper

66 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

discharge chute can be operated remotely from outside by a second person using radio remote control, particularly useful when filling a trailer or chip bunker.

With the new software developed for the proven HE002 control, the infeed speed control is optimised and significantly reduces the number of stop-starts of the infeed, thus saving wear on the infeed system and fuel.

“This consistency of feed produces better chip quality,” Heizomat said.

Power for the chipper comes of the NMV (direct PTO output at gearbox), minimal power loss and full engine torque is delivered to a special V-belt transmission, ensuring a smooth power delivery and extreme efficiency.

Wood is fed into the chipper by the combination of a powerful and large diameter (800 mm) top feed roller, working in conjunction with a driven feed bed chain inside the chipper. At the drop down in-feed

table, a powered edge roller assists longer lengths into the chipper.

Control of the upper feed roller and lower feed chains is covered by a variable potentiometer control, operating a full hydraulic motor/ gearbox system.

Clever support design under the in-feed chain provides long-life and reduces wear. This large top in-feed roller weighing in at 1,000kg (2,200 lb), applies plenty of pressure and grip when in-feeding all types of material. This size of roller also makes easy work of brash and bushes that are bulky and awkward. The in-feed width is 1,215 mm (48 in) the top roller lifts to a height of 800 mm (31.5 in).

Whole trees up to a diameter of 500 mm (20 in) can be completely chipped, and shorter lengths of timber with a diameter of 800 mm can also be chipped if under 1,215 mm in overall length by feeding them in parallel to the cutting rotor.

“With the Heizomat chipper truck now in its 10 year of production, it is a well proven professional machine,” the manufacturer stated.

“The industry leading efficiency of the blade and cutting system mean that few chippers can deliver the quality and throughput of the Heizohack chipper for the fuel used. Often, competitors’ machines offer no more output, but need considerably more power to drive them.”

The cutting system has been further developed with the quick change shearbar, which has simplified the process to replace individual sections of the shearbar

The Heizohack provides a stable base without being excessively heavy

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CHIPPERS from inside the machine to reduce downtime and increased operator efficiency. The shearbar segments have hardened surfaces at the edges, again improving chip quality and extending life.

Another development from Heizomat is an additional sieve, this 25% extra sieve area increases throughput by some 15% for the same fuel consumed and also a reduction in fines. This technology can also be retrofitted to earlier machines.

“We are constantly looking for ways to implement improvements to our machines, giving the customer cutting edge chipping performance,” the company said.

After the chip is passed through the sieve (various sizes available), it is then moved through three mechanically driven augers, that feed into the flywheel housing.

The flywheel with a mass of 1,000kg (2,200 lb) is equipped with replaceable paddles made from Hardox, providing the powerful ejection of the woodchip.

Additional paddles can be installed to provide a greater throw of chip should they be needed. All the main contact surfaces around the inside of the flywheel housing and ejector chute are made from Hardox and are constructed from replaceable panels.

Epsilon forestry cranes are

BIOMASS fitted, with the most common model being the M70F101, with a powerful lift and 10.1 m (32.8 ft) reach. The use of Danfoss Profi1 joystick controls, allow fine-tuning for the operator and additional function buttons at the joysticks to control the chipper directly.

A powerful cone-type splitter with extreme splitting force powered by three high torque hydraulic motors is optional. The complete weight of the HM14800KL comes in at some 24,000 kg (52,900 lb).

“It’s a solid base without being excessive in weight,” Heizomat said.

The HM14-800KML is the same chipper unit as is fitted to the Arocs base. This chipper is built onto a trailed chassis with its own engine.

“The advantage of this is that you only need a towing vehicle with approximately 130 kw,” the manufacturer said.

The tandem axle chassis is from a long line of proven chipper chassis going back over many years. The combined weight of the chipper, chassis, drive engine and crane comes in at 17,000 kg (37,500 lb). Power is provided by a water-cooled six cylinder Deutz Diesel TCD12 with an 11.9 litre displacement and providing 295 kw (395 hp) of direct power into the chipper with minimum power

Development of the WC2300XL was the result of customer consultation

68 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

loss. This latest generation engine is equipped with common rail and SCR exhaust gas treatment.

“The Heizohack chipper is summarised by its extreme reliability and low maintenance.

Highest quality Chip is produced with minimum fuel consumption, sturdy maintenance friendly professional wood chipping machines.”

them to be more productive, but we also want them to be more effective at how they’re doing their job.”

An example of this can be seen in recent enhancements made to the Vermeer WC2300XL whole tree chipper. This past winter, Vermeer updated the model with an engine that meets forthcoming US emissions requirements, and also offers enhanced remote capabilities to improve productivity, a larger display screen, fewer pieces of hardware in the drum and an easier-to-ship design for international customers.

Initial design “At Vermeer, we listen to our customers’ feedback,” the manufacturer told IREM. Employees of the US manufacturer based in Iowa and representatives of its independent dealership network are continuously exploring how they can enhance their equipment.

Customer feedback, technological advancements, market changes and governmental regulations all can spur an update.

“What it boils down to is a desire to give customers the best product possible,” Jeff Bradley, Product Manager for the Recycling and Forestry Segment at Vermeer.

“Basically, we not only want

The initial WC2300 whole tree chipper was released in 2010, and the design was aimed at the burgeoning biomass industry. It was well received, with contractors liking its compact size, its ability to be moved around a jobsite with a log skidder rather than requiring a truck and an infeed system that included dual-infeed conveyor chains with variable speeds.

But as happens with any piece of equipment, as its use became more widespread, operators began sharing what they’d like to see enhanced.

Those types of comments are welcomed by Vermeer. Bradley says a major part of his job, as well as the jobs of sales representatives and dealership employees, is to talk with contractors and visit jobsites.

“We learn the most when we quit talking and start listening,” he says.

One of the things they heard was that operations processing slash or tops were having some challenges getting the fine material into the feed roller of the WC2300.

So, in 2012, Vermeer changed the feed roller configuration, increasing the diameter from 48.3 cm (19 in) to 71.1 cm (28 in).

Vermeer also increased the pull-in force on the feed roller by about 70% and the infeed chain by 25%, which in turn increased the downforce on the feed roller.

That enabled the machine to better grab material and push it through, reducing material backup and the need to reposition material. It also improved the efficiency and productivity of operators because they could put material in and then

CHIPPERS

go get another load rather than wait to make sure the first load went through.

Recent updates Nearly three years later after the model WC2300XL was introduced, Vermeer has made more enhancements to the WC2300XL. One was adding the option of an engine that meets Tier IV Final emission standards.

Emission regulations have been gradually phased in over the past two decades throughout the world, and the last phase, Tier IV Final, concludes this year. The WC2300XL has a 440 hp (328 kW) C-13 Cat engine, with the option of a Tier IV engine for lesser regulated countries.

At the same time Vermeer introduced the new engine option, it made several other enhancements, many of which were in response to customer feedback.

One was the ability to disengage the clutch on the WC2300XL with a remote control.

Operators said they didn’t like having to get off the loader to perform that action. Another update was allowing operators to use the remote to turn on and off the lights on the whole tree chipper. Vermeer also made the display screen larger on the chipper’s control panel.

Another thing Vermeer heard from customers was that the lid of the drum had too many pieces of hardware. The company was able to reduce those by adding an

interlock to the door.

Vermeer also put a tool storage area near the drum so the tools are near the work being completed.

Finally, in a move aimed at shipping the units to global locations for international customers, four full lift points were added to the WC2300XL to help lift the units on and off cargo ships.

Vermeer has customers in more than 60 countries, and its international philosophy is similar to what it does domestically.

“Not only do we listen to customers regardless of where they’re at, we’ll go visit them, we’ll watch them operate the equipment,” Bradley says.

that we’re providing our customers with advanced and cost-effective machinery in the market.”

HG6000/HG6000TX Chip Drum The Vermeer chip drum offers customers versatility and consistency, allowing them to use one grinder to process both wood

waste and biomass. Designed for use on the Tier 4i (Stage IIIB) HG6000 and HG6000TX horizontal grinders, the chip drum changes the action of the drum from ripping and shredding to chipping offering the flexibility to produce a more uniform chipped end product.

When equipped with the chip drum, the machine is capable of producing consistent sized end product. Sizing can also be altered by changing screens or adjusting infeed settings.

Future updates Without getting into specifics on the future of the whole tree chipper, Bradley said Vermeer is always looking for improvements that will positively impact the industry. That includes working to identify possible ways to reduce cost of operation, assessing regional needs around the world, as well as the changing market needs.

“In order to continue to offer products to help our customers be productive and efficient on their jobsites, we’ve got to continually review our product offerings for possible new enhancements, new features, new cost-saving ideas and new productivity improvements,” he said. “All those things need to happen in a timely manner to be able to make sure

HG6000/HG6000TX Chip Drum Millbox opening

60” (152.4 cm)

Drum weight

6500 lb (2948.4 kg)

Drum cutting width

63” (160 cm)

Depth of cut Ranging from to 3.8 cm) depth cut with (.3 cm) increment adjustments

.125” to 1.5” (.3 cm.125”

Number of knives

28

Knife thickness

.625” (15.9 mm)

Number of pockets

14

Maximum shaft diameter

6.5” (16.5 cm)

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 69

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Not only do we listen to customers regardless of where they’re at, we’ll go visit them, we’ll watch them operate the equipment – Jeff Bradley

Morbark released its redesigned 30/36 whole tree drum chipper.

Building on the success of the redesigned 40/36 whole tree drum chipper, Morbark has taken these innovations to the smaller, transport-friendly 30/36 model.

“The improvements we’ve made to the 30/36 drum chipper are focused on the moderate-sized contractor,” John Foote, Morbark VP of Sales and Marketing, said.

“We’ve made it easier to feed,

easier to manoeuver in-woods with a truck or a skidder, and more productive while increasing the consistency of the end product.”

The redesigned model includes an aggressive, sloped live floor and large top (750 mm diameter) and bottom (350 mm diameter) feed wheels to ensure positive feed of brushy tops and limbs.

Super Single tyres and a reduction in the 30/36’s overall width to 1.42 m make the model easier to transport.

The Morbark 30/36 whole tree drum chipper’s high production rate lowers operating costs by increasing fuel efficiency. The model retains the high-quality

Morbark’s smaller and transport-friendly 30/36 drum chipper 70 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

standard features Morbark is known for, including Morbark’s Advantage 3 Drum to produce more consistent chips, and the heat-treated, AR-400 steel drum skin to provide longer wear life for lower replacement costs and less downtime. An optional, operatorfriendly, slide-in forestry grate system reduces oversized chips and improves chip quality and consistency even further.

The Morbark Integrated Control System (MICS) is the “ultimate diagnostic system”, according to Morbark, monitoring hydraulic pressures, temperatures, clutch systems and engine efficiency to maximise performance. The directional flow discharge chute is hydraulically adjustable by remote

control; use this in conjunction with the optional mechanically driven chip accelerator for maximum chip loads.

Additional features include an externally adjustable anvil for longer life and easier maintenance and increased horsepower options for greater production.

“Using chippers for land clearing is fast and can process more wood with less fuel than traditional grinding equipment,” according to leading manufacturer, Fecon Chief Product Officer, Mike Slattery. “But

The improvements we’ve made to the 30/36 drum chipper are focused on the moderate-sized contractor – John Foote, Morbark

BIOMASS

CHIPPERS

the pioneer Development and production of Heizohack Wood Chipper since 1987 Quality made in Bavaria Heizomat GmbH Maicha 21 91710 Gunzenhausen / Germany Fon +49 (0) 98 36 / 97 97 -0 Mail info@heizomat.de Fecon advocates using chippers in concert with forestry mulchers limitations can exist for chippers.”

Material may be too small and cumbersome to fell or feed into the chipper, material may be larger in diameter than the infeed will allow, typically material must be felled by other equipment, and in many cases material has to be brought to the chipper for processing at a landing or staging area. Fecon advocates using chippers in concert with forestry mulchers to create a winning combination in land clearing.

“Mulchers can be mounted on wheeled tractors that present fast travel speed and the ability to cross roads or go reasonable distances

Using chippers for land clearing is fast and can process more wood with less fuel than traditional grinding equipment

HM 8-400

– Mike Slattery, Fecon

without being trailered or towed,” Slattery said.

“Different forms of tracked vehicles can provide low ground pressure capability, steep climbing capability, and sometimes both. Excavators provide reach and less ground disturbance as well as the ability to use a thumb to also pick and place material for the chipper.

“Material that is too small and cumbersome for a chipper can be mulched and incorporated into the ground or left on the surface to help against erosion. Higher HP mulchers have the production capacity to tackle material that may not fit into the throat of the chipper, and are often used to plane off stumps or grind windrowed root balls and slash that would not be conducive for chipping.”

Fecon’s HDT paddle style and FGT smooth drum style rotors come with standard double carbide tools and provide robust carbide rock tool options and knife tool options for versatility across different applications. Fecon’s new chipper style Depth Controlled Rotor (DCR) system was introduced in 2014 as a solution to provide efficient faster cutting and more uniformly chipped particle size where chipped material is not intended for collection. The company’s Bull Hog mulchers can be used on mulching tractors, excavators, PTO tractors, tracked feller bunchers, and excavators to reduce standing or fallen trees and vegetation.

Standard double carbide teeth in the HDT and FGT rotor systems provide long life and

HM 10-500 KTL

HM 14-800 KML

HM 14-800 KL

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 71

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The Fecon FTX600 & RTC22 500-8 RTF230 wheeled prime mover.

Fecon’s new RTF230 goes a step further by offering options for rear PTO power and a rear mounted 270° crane and grapple. The RTF230 can tow a PTO powered 170HP chipper and feed it with the crane and grapple from the tractor. There is also an option for a grapple saw to fell the trees that can be fed into the chipper.

The Fecon FTX600 & RTC22 500-8 highly productive overall use with forgiveness against abrasion and impact with rock or foreign metal debris. The rock tool options provide a stronger carbide that is larger and withstands more extreme impact with rock and foreign debris while providing strong cutting performance. The larger carbide of the rock tools also provide greater protection against wear in more abrasive conditions.

Knife tools provide faster cutting and finer particle size in fewer passes. Like a chipper the knife tools require more maintenance than will be necessary on carbide tools, a small trade-off for substantially greater production.

The Samurai knife is unique to the FGT and DCR rotor systems. The innovative shape of the Samurai edge is tapered rather than straight

to slice as it chips. The curved face of the tool below the knife edge helps material flow in order to reserve energy for cutting.

The overall shape uses material flow to self-shape for efficient cutting even as the tool wears.

The DCR rotor is exceptional in production capabilities and shares characteristics with traditional drum chippers like higher tip speed, inertia, and a controlled bite. Heavy steel rings welded into the rotor at the sides of each Samurai knife contribute to rotor inertia and create a controlled depth to the bite of the Samurai knife as it enters material.

Fecon Bull Hog mulchers are available for most suitable carriers but also come mounted on Fecon’s line of purpose-built track carriers from 100HP-600HP, and the new

72 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

The interchangeable blade system has a long tradition at Jenz.

Different types of cutters have successfully been fitted to chippers for more than 30 years so it’s no surprise to find that the latest release, the HEM 821 DQ Cobra+,

The open drum or helix drum application for the Jenz HEM 821 DQ Cobra + chipping knife

is also equipped with this blade system, either. A brief look back at the history of the well-established system illustrates its development.

“Up to around 1982, we had the cutters in the drum, and they had to be re-ground once they became blunt,” Uwe Hempen-Hermeier from Jenz told IREM. “This also applies to the first mobile chipper which we built in cooperation with Algol in 1977.”

The machine was constructed for the Finnish state forestry administration at that time.

Finland wanted to find out whether residual forest timber could be used as an energy source for heat generation through subsidisation with state development funds.

“The requirement was that the wood chippings could be produced outdoors in the forest using mobile means and with the highestpossible performance,” HempenHermeier explained.

The trials showed that producing the wood chippings was not a problem, but improvements with regard to handling the machine for use in the forest itself were required. Changing the cutters turned out to be extremely difficult.

Requirements on cutter replacement Unlike the stationary machines which had been produced up to then, which always worked under consistent deployment conditions, there were special factors to be taken into account for mobile chippers. Changing environmental conditions in the form of moisture, dirt, cold and the associated problems such as frozen stones provided a challenge for the manufacturer, as did handling the cutters requiring grinding which meant a continuous hazard potential for the machine operator due to their weight.

CHIPPERS

BIOMASS

The Jenz HEM 821 DQ Cobra + chipping knife

“On top of this, standstills resulted in negative consequences for the logistics chain.”

Developing the Jenz blade system When planning further machines, the Finnish state forestry demanded that all wear parts on the rotor were capable of being replaced in the forest. The birth of the interchangeable cutter system practised nowadays was approaching.

In 1982, Jenz delivered the first HEM 300-1000 WEA with a corresponding system. The basic idea was just as simple as it was ingenious: the cutters, which were fixed in a very complicated way, were replaced by sharp blades clamped in place using relatively small clamping pieces. The 3 mm blades used at first broke very quickly. The problem was the thin material incapable of resisting the extreme deployment conditions in Finland, especially during the

POWER & PERFORMANCE

winter. The 5 mm blade developed as a result proved sufficient for the fragmentised softwood mostly produced in Finland.

At the beginning of the 1990s, the 5 mm blade was reinforced to 7 mm. The reason for this was the proliferation of the Jenz mobile chippers in Germany where a lot more hardwood such as beech, oak and acacia was being chipped.

These blades proved to be reliable even when working with frozen wood in winter and have since

established themselves as the backbone of the Jenz chipper, as demonstrated by the sales figures.

“The 7 mm blade is our bestselling wear part,” Spare Parts Sales Manager Silvio Patzsch said. “Our customers confirm that the price-to-performance ratio is particularly good. The other convincing thing is the simple replacement system.”

Grinding has also been optimised over the course of time. The current Jenz blade

TBC435 DRUM CHIPPER • Featuring two 40”D x 48”W rotor options, it can make high-quality fuel chips custom sized from 1/2”–1” or ‘micro-chips’ from 1/8”–1/2” from logs up to 24” in diameter.

• Out-produces the competition by up to 50% on a daily basis and has a highproduction capability of 100-plus tons per hour.

• Caterpillar C-18; 765 HP diesel engine

www.terex.com/environmental-equipment TEE_CBI_TBC435_Half.indd 1

8/13/2015 3:57:51 PM

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 73

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Our customers confirm that the price-toperformance ratio is particularly good. The other convincing thing is the simple replacement system – Silvio Patzsch, Jenz

program therefore also includes a softwood and thick wood blade with special grinding in addition to the bestselling all-purpose blade.

Recently, a reinforced 12 mm thick wood blade, which is particularly suitable for the most extreme weather conditions, has been introduced.

Blades can be used for different drum types Jenz uses its blade system in different drum types, the open and the closed drum as well as the helix drum. Due to the construction of the open drum, the chips are less compressed, finally leading to a reduction of the fine and finest particles. Moreover, a good chip flow for coarse chips is created.

The closed drum mainly avoids excessive lengths of shrubbery.

Using the available cutting force based on the model of the nature in an even more optimal way – that was the motivation for the development of the helix drum.

For this purpose, the blades on the drum cylinder have been arranged helically, similar to the helix spiral. Thus, operators cut consecutively and the cutting force is optimally concentrated on a small area. The strong impacts of blade hitting wood are distributed in a better way leading to a considerably smoother running with fewer vibrations.

The rotor body consists of welded steel discs. Those discs are now equipped with deflectors for a better protection again foreign matters. As a result, the risk of important consequential damages by penetrating foreign matters is considerably reduced.

Jenz presents the HEM 821 DQ Cobra+ with hybrid technology The latest development, the mobile

chipper HEM 821 DQ Cobra+ is equipped with the Jenz blade system as well. The customer can choose between an open, closed, or a helix drum.

The highlight of this machine is the new Cobra+ truck chassis. The normal driver’s cabin of the MAN TGS 35.480 8x6-4 is replaced by a rotating and height-adjustable cabin. Through the swivel range of 270°, the driver has an optimal view of the work area for the 821 DQ. “The hybrid drive system underscores a system performance of some 900 hp and is therefore designed for continuous operation under the toughest conditions.”

Across the globe, CBI’s ChipMax 484 Series has proven to be an enormously powerful solution for companies looking to produce wood chips. From Chile to Ghana and France to Finland, this compact industrial wood chipper has challenged loader operators in keeping up with its processing capabilities.

The CBI ChipMax 484VR is no exception, as its high production rate exceeds 100 t/h. For over 25 years, CBI has prided itself in designing and manufacturing some of the most durable and innovative industrial wood chippers that are available on the market.

infrastructure of Europe means that land-clearing projects do not include as much open-space opportunities as North America currently does.

“The logging roads we use are very narrow but we can still transport this machine very easily,” Jarmo Ylijoki of Ylijoki Kuljetus, a third generation transport agency that processes and transports wood chips used to heat power plants located across southern and western Finland, told IREM. “The power plants need wood chips 24 h/d, seven days a week, so we have to ship these chips during that time. This machine is very strong and reliable to make sure that production is uninterrupted.”

Ylijoki runs his CBI ChipMax 484VR 24 h/d, five days a week between the months of November and April to keep up with market demands. The company first purchased its 484VR nearly two years ago.

“Jarmo said he has found the right solution,” CBI Europe Sales Manager Ulf Österroos said. “He’s always looking for new things in the biomass industry. If Jarmo tells a customer that he’ll have something for them, he will do it. Keeping his promise is very important to him.”

“We’ve always gotten help when we’ve needed it, but we don’t need it a lot because our machine is always in working order,” Ylijoki continued. “If we do need some assistance, we get all of our parts from CBI.” As CBI’s ChipMax line continues to expand, both the ChipMax

484BT and ChipMax 484BP are available for 2015. Like the 484VR, these machines are compact and enormously productive. However, they are the only two machines on the market that are capable of top or end loading chip trailers with CBI’s patented flex discharge chute, the manufacturer stated.

Multiple rotor options As with all CBI machines, this truck-mounted wood chipper was engineered with the customer in mind. Customers have a choice of implementing a two-knife or four-knife chipping rotor that is specially designed for producing fuel chips (19-30 mm) or wood micro-chips (3-12 mm).

These wood micro-chips produce a consistent fibre length that dramatically reduces the overall cost of producing pellets as well as improves the function of small boilers. The 484VR drum rotor is engineered with a 150 mm (6 in) flame cut pocket design, which makes it significantly stronger and more durable than any other drum rotor currently in the industry today.

“The 4-pocket drum can produce a short fibre length chip which is much better in pellet operations,” CBI Regional Sales Manager Ed Donovan said.

“The small chip has the right surface area to allow it to go directly into the dryer and come out with the right 8-12% moisture content in order to go into the pellet process further. The fact that it not only has the right surface area, but is already a short fibre

Transportability and dependability The truck-mounted 484VR is primarily designed and manufactured with the European market in mind. The aged

74 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

The CBI 484 series has proven hugely popular

The CBI 484VR chipper

length, also adds to the benefit of reducing the requirements to grind it down after the dryer. It takes a lot of horsepower to shorten the fibre length after the fact.

“CBI is synonymous with machine performance and reliability and earning that reputation comes from working directly with its customers.”

CBI offers 484VR machine owners with two feed conveyor options: an apron-style conveyor and a four strand heavy-duty chain.

The apron-style conveyor is an attractive option for the European market as this conveyor prevents fine material from spilling onto the truck frame that the 484VR is mounted onto. The four-strand heavy-duty chain serves as a screener to prevent any fines from entering the chipper box.

“The apron style chain enables a higher percentage of the material to go through the chipper or grinder that would otherwise fall on the ground with the box type chain,” Donovan said. “Typically, Europeans want to get as much material as possible and don’t want to waste anything. They typically don’t want to leave anything behind.”

Discharge chute Loader operators regularly work under time-sensitive conditions knowing they have to get the most out of high-value loads. The 484VR features a hydrostatic-driven blower for stronger chip discharge that automatically increases power when needed (without any wear or excess power consumption) and a chip deflector that is hydraulicallyactuated into position when top loading chip trailers, which is facilitated by its collapsible hydraulic-operated discharge chute.

To minimise truck relocation during loading periods, the 484VR includes a discharge chute that hydraulically rotates 290° to distribute chips in multiple areas.

North American manufacturer Bandit Industries claims its ‘clean feed system’ has the ability to increase chip yield by about 5%.

“Don’t dump some of your profit on the ground,” Bandit President Jerry Morey. “Bandit’s new clean feed system will capture the chips that fall between the in feed conveyor and anvil on most whole tree chippers and deposit them in the chip trailer, increasing chip yield by as much as 5%.

“It’s like getting a 5% increase in your chip price,” he said.

This new feed system eliminates most of the mess from the discharge of chips under and at the end of the infeed, while maintaining the unmatched pulling and crushing power of the Bandit feed systems. The chips go in the trailer, leaving only the dirt, leaves and trash on the ground.

The system is standard on the Bandit models 3090, 3590, and 3590XL. The system is particularly appropriate when producing a micro-chip because the smaller micro-chips have more of a tendency to fall between the infeed conveyor and anvil.

Another Bandit development centres on a 9.1 m (30 ft) discharge

CHIPPERS

BIOMASS

and thrower option, which has been released for Bandit’s Beast XP-Series recyclers so operators can load both open top and endloading trailers.

The 9.1 m conveyor acts like a

standard discharge on the Beast – providing a tall platform to pile mulch, chips, or other products or load them in open-top trucks. But with the thrower, operators can easily broadcast the end product

SHREDDING AND CHIPPING MADE EASY. THE AXTOR 6010 | UNIVERSAL SHREDDER

NEW

Material in abundance: Throughputs up to 300 m3 per hour A huge mouth: 1450 x 850 mm feed opening with aggressive feed rollers Neat and tidy feeding please: Huge feed table (5.7 x 1.4 metres) with hinged hopper

From shredding to chipping: Change tool elements, switch speed and away you go!

Always the right particle size: Simple screen basket exchange with screen basket rotatable to the rear Yellow powerhouse: CAT® engine with 590 HP in maintenance friendly underoor position Of course we´re not the only people helping to make the world a greener place. But we´re still very proud of our solutions for handling waste and biomass!

SHREDDERS | TROMMEL SCREENS | STAR SCREENS | WINDROW TURNERS

www.greenefficiency.com | www.komptech.com

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 75

CHIPPERS

BIOMASS

Bandit has a series of chipping units for multiple applications that have been well established in the industry

across a jobsite or load open-end trailers quickly and efficiently.

“This is a unique option. No one in the industry has such a device,” Morey said.

“The switch from discharge conveyor to the thrower is quick, taking less than a minute. The 30 ft (9.1 m) discharge conveyor is a two-section discharge. When the thrower is operated, the end section of the discharge folds up over the top of the first conveyor and out of the way.

“The thrower is then hydraulically tilted into position.

When the thrower is in place, material is top-loaded into the thrower and discharged at tremendous velocity,” he said.

When in use, the thrower is adjustable up-and-down, and can swivel side-to-side to direct the flow of material to fully load chip trailers.

The 9.1 m discharge with thrower option helps make the Beast line one of “the most productive and versatile horizontal grinders” on the market today, according to Morey.

“We are always looking for ways to improve our Beast recyclers and all of our products to increase their productivity and

utility to our customers,” he said.

“We listen to our customers and their needs and design products or improvements to meet those needs. With all of the improvements that we’ve made in the Beast recycler in the last 18 months, we believe it to be the best grinder on the market.”

The Axtor 6010 from Komptech is ready to set new standards, according to the manufacturer. But before going out to customers, it must prove its capabilities in tough benchmark testing.

Since its market launch, the Axtor has been one of the most flexible machines out there for biomass processing.

“Wherever the material is right for a high-speed chipper, the high-performance Axtor 8012 has demonstrated its versatility,” Komptech reported. “Now it’s getting a stablemate, the new Axtor 6010. With the same functionality but more compact while packing 590 hp of power, the Axtor 6012 is designed specifically for the

76 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

medium to high output category.”

A newcomer in a hotly contested market “Obviously we’re not the only manufacturer going after this market, so there’s just one way to find out who delivers the goods – with a benchmark test,” the manufacturer stated.

The competitor was a well-known European-based manufacturer that runs a high speed chipper with some 600 hp of power that is well established in the market.

“We tested the machines in typical applications. In addition to

throughput and consumption data, we looked at the ‘soft factors’ – using it is like for the operator and how easy it is to set up for different jobs, like screen basket or blade changes,” Komptech said.

Bulky green cuttings the yardstick The importance of efficient feed function is immediately obvious in what is perhaps the most common application – shredding green cuttings. At this time of year cuttings consist mainly of bulky and woody branches and brush.

The competitor often didn’t feed these in well, making it necessary

Cutting edge technology has given the 6010 unit an advantage over many existing products

CHIPPERS

BIOMASS for the operator to actively push in the material. Patience was lost with a small rootstock that just would not go into the feed, and tossed it out of the hopper with the gripper – it’s in times like these when you know why they tell operators to stay at a safe distance.

The upwards rotating drum with free swinging impact blades works like a hammer mill and gives a fibrous shred. That’s not at all a bad thing for composting, but less desirable when the woody component is intended for sale as biofuel.

Less bother, more throughput The operator and the machine formed a team: he put the material in the hopper, and the Axtor did the rest. The fixed shredder blades gave the output the desired fuel chip shape, and also gave a remarkable difference in performance – almost 60% higher throughput, with almost 40% lower specific consumption.

On both machines, switching screen baskets for the subsequent bark processing was problem-free, and the neutral stopwatch showed that it even went a little bit faster with the competing candidate.

But the output was another story. Here again, the competitor didn’t give the bark the desired chip shape for use as a mulch for soil covering. The two machines were neck-and-neck only with waste wood, but for this the Axtor was fitted with free swinging blades. It took about three hours to change the Axtor from fixed to free-swinging blades; on the other hand, that made the Axtor a truly all-purpose machine.

Summary The competing chipper is a tough, dependable machine, but is not equipped with cutting edge technology and therefore doesn’t meet the requirements of the modern biomass market.

“This is the strength of the Axtor 6010, which delivers top performance as both a shredder and a chipper,” Komptech stated. “It gets the green light to go to market as another green efficiency machine.”

Bruks mobile chippers has launched the 1006, a mobile chipper with high power and capacity.

The Bruks 1006 is a drum chipper in a bigger class. With its robust construction, the big chip drum with a diameter of 1 m, a very large in-feed and a powerful motor, this chipper is built to meet the toughest of challenges, according to the manufacturer.

Bruks’ well-known chipping technology and intelligent steering control, guarantees high production capacity, low fuel consumption and produces premium quality chips. The 1006 has been developed for chipping whole trees and not just tops and branches – there is an increasing demand from the fast growing European market and to meet the quality requirements of the bioengineering industry. The chipper also meets the demand for chipping at high capacity at the log dump and on terminals.

“We have developed Bruks 1006 to meet the customer needs to chip larger log dimensions at a higher torque capacity, at terminals or on the side of the road,” Ola Galfvensjö, Bruks Business Manager, said.

“Bruks 40 years’ experience of producing and manufacturing mobile chippers has developed extensive knowledge in combination with customer experience, which has driven the development of this new chipper.”

The Bruks 1006 drum chipper has a robust and flexible design The 1006 is powered by a 565 kW (768 hp) Volvo diesel engine with low fuel consumption. It has a robust design – the parts exposed for wear and tear are made with Hardox steel.

The upper feed roller has a diameter of 811 mm and can be adjusted in height. The upper roller is powered by a hydraulic motor.

The in-feed is in height and width 750 by 1,200 mm. The drum has a

maximum rotor speed of 750 rpm, which enables chipping at a high torque level. This also allows for chipping of branches and treetops as well as full-length trees or logs with a diameter of up to 60 cm.

The chipper drum has four fulllength knife blocks, which makes it easy to change between four or eight knives for production of fuel chips or micro-chips.

New chipper series HEM 593 Bigger flap for more power

We have developed Bruks 1006 to meet the customer needs to chip larger log dimensions at a higher torque capacity, at terminals or on the side of the road – Ola Galfvensjö, Bruks

JENZ GmbH Maschinen- und Fahrzeugbau Wegholmer Strasse 14∙ 32469 Petershagen∙ Germany +49 5704 / 94090 ∙ info@jenz.de ∙ www.jenz.de

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 77

CHIPPERS

BIOMASS Valuable solutions for continuous operation

With the new screen SM 518 plus, environmental specialist Doppstadt has updated its series for separation and sorting in the raw materials processing.

The range of possible applications of the mobile and stationary screens does not only include the requirements of classical recycling, but even tasks in the field of agriculture and forestry and of sand and gravel mining, for example.

“Whether landfill, processing plant, contractor or building material supplier: we can offer our customers today an individual and economically efficient, durable solution. This true for waste such as MSW and debris as well as for products made from waste such as compost and biomass fuels and besides for raw materials such as wood chips, sand, gravel and earth“ Karsten Runge reports, product manager from Calbe (near Magdeburg), one of the production sites of the internationally operating german enterprise.

Doppstadt SM 518 application 78 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

For nearly 50 years, the Doppstadt engineers and technicians have been developing machines that achieve high throughput every day.

The magic phrase in the design offices and production halls of the machine manufacturer is ‘Quality made in Germany’, as Karsten Runge explains.

“Machines must make money in the daily operation and mustn’t cost money. But they can only do so if they run reliably and for a long time, ideally with a high resale value after many years.

“Therefore at Doppstadt we count on high quality for machines, accessories and service, which is ensured by using premium materials and components of European suppliers. Intense controls during production guarantee a high quality level.

“Patented spare parts and CE marks for the machines providelegal certainty and maintain the manufacturer product liability.

Of course, quality comes at a price, but it will pay off thanks to the high and long availability of the screens.

“With regard to the economic efficiency during operation, Doppstadt machines beat comparable products and come off

well at the calculation of ‘costs per tonne of processed material’.

“If you consider output and costs of our machines the economic efficiency is above average. All our screens achieve a high output at low operating costs because they render their service at low maintenance costs, they are very durable and work with fuel efficient engines.”

24-hour service for original spare parts But the Doppstadt customer service does not end after the machine sale. A worldwide, promptly working maintenance and repair support guarantees a quick delivery of original spare parts. A dense network of sales partners enables this customer service.

Service technicians trained on Doppstaft machines go to the customers’ sites with original spare parts are trained specialists.

“We are of the opinion that every machine is as good as its service,” Runge said. “This makes a world of difference between Doppstadt and the competitors.”

The Doppstadt Group The Doppstadt family enterprise founded in 1965 with headquarters in Velbert, Wülfrath, Calbe, Vienna (Austria) and in Bethesda, near Washington (USA), serves customers in more than 40 countries worldwide using the distribution network and offering intelligent shredding, chipping, screening and sifting technology and water processing solutions in the field of environmental technology.

As a second generation, Ferdinand Doppstadt directs the international operating group of companies together with his executive staff. As a specialist in the field of environmental technology, Doppstadt develops innovative and reliable high-quality products. Customers who decide to buy a Doppstadt product will also profit from a perfect service.

Based on many years of practical experience and competence, the Doppstadt team assists and advises the customers in a solution-oriented and individual way.

BIOMASS

CHIPPERS

The Rayco RC1220G

Rayco specialises in lightweight yet durable machines.

“When you want a lightweight, 300 mm (12 in) brush chipper at an economical price, you don’t have to sacrifice performance,” the

company stated. “The RC1220G is the solution.”

The RC1220G features a powerful feed system, using a planetary drive motor to power the feed wheel for years of dependable service with very little maintenance. To reduce trimming, the throat opening is 500 mm (20 in) wide all the way through to the drum, eliminating neck-downs behind the feed wheel. The feed

wheel itself is 500 mm (20 in) in diameter, allowing it to climb over limbs and logs easier than smaller feed wheels.

Rayco’s X-Charge discharge system packs chips tight and helps to prevent plugging. To reduce maintenance costs, traditional clutches are eliminated. The drum engagement is provided by a reliable belt-tensioning PTO. Drive belts can be accessed

On the road… AND off the beaten track!

DOPPSTADT‘S DH 811 L – TruckChipper

easily, without tools to save maintenance time. The lighter weight of the RC1220G also makes it well suited for towing, reducing loads and using less fuel in the tow vehicle.

“The RC1220G offers performance and labor saving features in a package that can fit almost any budget.”

WE CARE

A special unit for the production of Biomass – Flexibility in place of use as well as choice of material!

Werner Doppstadt Umwelttechnik GmbH & Co. KG Steinbrink 13, D-42555 Velbert, Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 20 52 / 889 - 0 info@doppstadt.de

AnzIFI184x124_2015_LIGNA_DR.indd 1

l Doppstadt DH 811 L Chipper – 530hp (390kW) built in engine l 32 tonne 4 axle – all terrain lorry truck l Chipper mounted on turntable for both side working l Self-loader crane with various forestry grabs - 10m range l Hydraulically powered infeed conveyor l Ideal for producing quality wood chips and forest Biomass 26.03.2015 Energy 14:43:12 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable 79

SOLAR EVENTS Intersolar India 18-20 November Mumbai, India www.intersolar.in/en

BIOENERGY EVENTS Advances in biofuel market opportunities University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand 17 November 2015 www.bioenergy.org.nz Bioenergy Australia Conference 2015 Hotel Grand Chancellor Launceston, Tasmania 30 November - 2 December 2015 www.bioenergyaustralia.org

WIND EVENTS RenewableUK 2015 Conference & Exhibition ACC, Liverpool, UK 6–8 October www.renewableuk.com EWEA 2015 17-20 November Paris, France www.ewea.org/annual2015/ WindEnergy Hamburg in 2016 September 27-30, 2016, Hamburg The global on- & offshore expo http://www.windenergyhamburg.com/en/ WindEnergy Hamburg in 2016 September 27-30, 2016, Hamburg Annual conference The world’s leading conference of the wind energy industry

http://www.windenergyhamburg.com/en/ Canada’s Leading Wind Energy Conference & Exhibition Calgary, Alberta November 1-3

GEOTHERMAL, HYDRO & MARINE International Conference on Ocean Energy 23-25 February 2016 | EICC, Edinburgh, Scotland www.renewableuk.com/en/events/conferences-andexhibitions/icoe-2016/index.cfm

80 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

WIND

Photo: Courtesy Nordex

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 81

Nordex N117

The N117 series has been specially developed for lowwind sites.

Nordex N117 (2.4 Megawatt) The N117/2400 has been specially developed for low-wind sites.

Thanks to a rotor diameter of 117 meters and a rotor sweep of 10,715 square meters, the N117/2400 is one of the most efficient IEC 3 turbines in its class. In typical low-wind regions, it will achieve over 3,500 full-load hours, thus exceeding other turbines in this category by 20%. This translates into a capacity factor of 40%. As a result, Nordex customers using the N117/2400 will be able to achieve high and steady electricity production in regions characterized by lighter winds. The acoustic power level is a maximum 105 decibels, thus allowing the turbine to be used closer to residential areas and ensuring an optimum turbine array in the wind farm. The N117/2400 has also been designed with construction height limits in mind. Thus, with a hub height of 91 meters on the standard tower, it remains below the critical threshold of 150 meters.

www.nordex-online.com/en

82 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

Houlder’s Wind Turbine Monopile Restraining Frame

Houlder Reel Skidding Drive System

Houlder’s 300t monopile restraining frame has a small footprint that saves valuable main deck space. It is designed to with deck strongpoints, reducing the need for additional stiffening and excessive welding.

The Reel Skidding Drive System (RSDS), designed, engineered and constructed by Houlder to the client specification, consists of a skid frame, skid trolley and push beam. Weighing 75t itself, the RSDS receives a loaded cassette reel of flexible product, engages its drive system and then transports the unit 10 metres along the vessel deck from the loading to the product deployment position.

It is designed to operate at sea in all but storm conditions.

Houlder pile restraint equipment installation

Houlder LNG Bunker vessel and transfer system

Houlder’s Gripper arms stabilise 6m diameter 650t steel piles as they are driven into the seabed by the MPI Discovery installation jack up vessel. Installed on the vessel’s stern below deck level, they provide resistance to wave, tide and current forces in water depths of up to 40m. Their position and the additional control this provides significantly reduces installation times providing a valuable enhancement to the Discovery’s capability.

Houlder has developed a range of LNG bunkering systems, including the TRAV&L system. This video features the TRAV&L system installed on the Houlder designed ‘LNG-5’ Bunker Barge as well as in a shore-based application

www.houlderltd.com

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 83

Transforming Burbo Bank Wind Farm

Jack Collett, RenewableUK Face of Wind

Collett’s Girder Bridge Trailer is called into action once again, this time to facilitate the delivery of two 200Te transformers destined for the onshore substation at Burbo Bank

Faces of Wind Energy showcases real people contributing to the clean, safe and secure future of energy. Here you can find out about the wide variety of jobs created and supported by the wind energy industry, and meet people from all walks of life who are passionate about what they do

Introducing 3D Swept Path Analysis

New from the Collett Team, 3D Swept Path Analysis. Using the expertise in our Consulting Team we can accurately create transportation simulations to ensure your project can be planned to perfection

www.collett.co.uk

84 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

ExoFit STRATA™ Challenge

NY’s largest bridge and Capital Safety team up

Everyday begins with a promise. A promise to work hard, to get the job done and get back home safely.

It’s the reason we show up every morning. It’s the reason why even the smallest details have to be absolutely perfect.

While you’re out there on the front line, we’re hard at work developing safer, more comfortable products to support you.

Because what’s important to you is important to us to.

In the face of a challenge you never back down, and neither do we. Understanding the risks you take is our expertise. Because at the end of the day, we all want the same thing.

The longest bridge in NY is getting a facelift - and we have front-row seats! Capital Safety and the Tappan Zee Bridge crew teamed up to find a fall protection safety solution that would be mindful of the projects timeline, be easy for the workers to use, and provide peace of mind for the crew’s safety. Our unique, temporary horizontal lifeline allows for installation on the ground.

Rollgliss™ R550 Rescue and Descent System - Wind Turbine

The Rollgliss™ R550 provides safe, secure and efficient automatic rescue and descent for cell phone towers, aerial lifts, cranes, wind towers, buildings and more.

www.capitalsafety-training.com

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 85

New partnership for Galloper Offshore Wind Farm (GWFL) – Statement Paul Cowling

• F our-way international partnership secures £1.5 billion UK renewable energy project • S ignificant boost to UK economy creating nearly 800 jobs • P roject can generate enough clean energy for up to 336,000 homes

www.collett.co.uk

86 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

SOLAR

Photo by Dennis Schroeder / NREL File name: 32683

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 87

BayWa r.e. Video

Solarpark Barth: Der Bau im Schnelldurchlauf

31,5 Megawatt - 55 Tage - 40 Hektar - 130.000 Panele 1.097 Wechselrichter: Erleben Sie den Bau des Solarparks “Barth” im Zeitraffervideo

BayWa Interviewed at the 2014 U.S. Solar Market Insight Conference

Noah Eckert, CCO, at BayWa r.e. Solar Projects answers questions about the U.S. solar market and segmentation within the utility market at Greentech Media’s U.S Solar Market Insight 2014 Conference.

www.baywa-re.co.uk

88 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

GEOTHERMAL, HYDRO & MARINE

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 89

Andritz Hydro Hammerfest.mp4

Subsea 3D animation for Andritz Hydro Hammerfest

ANDRITZ HYDRO Hammerfest is a leading developer of modular tidal solutions capable to generate clean, renewable, reliable and predictable energy from tidal currents occurring in coastal waters.

Five Square Imagery designed a 3D animation and a few still images for Hammerfest.

Tidal stream energy (tidal energy or tidal power) is energy contained in naturally occurring tidal currents which can be extracted and converted into electricity.

www.hammerfeststrom.com

90 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

BIOENERGY

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 91

Bandit visits R.J. Nathe & Sons

Parker Kligerman visits Bandit 2013

Bandit visits R.J. Nathe & Sons on a job site near Ocala, Florida to see how their Bandit Whole Tree Chipper Model 3590 is working for them.

NASCAR Nationwide Series Driver Parker Kligerman visits Bandit Industries and gets behind the wheel of a few other machines.

Bandit Model 2400 XP (24” Disc-Style) Whole Tree Chipper

Revolution Cutter Wheel

Operations looking for a high production chipper with a large chipping capacity should take a look at the Model 2400. The Model 2400 is designed for those land clearing operations whose main goal is production, and those loggers looking to produce a high quality, dimensional chip. Like the Model 1900, the 2400 features a five feed wheel system that gives this unit unmatched crushing and pulling power. To aid in this capability, the 2400 features a Caterpillar or Cummins 700 horsepower engine.

The Bandit Revolution stump grinder cutter wheel is now standard issue for all new Bandit stump grinders, and it’s available as a retrofit for older machines. Don’t have a Bandit stump grinder? No problem—this amazing wheel is also available for a wide range of other stump grinder makes and models so you too can be part of the Revolution.

www.banditchippers.com

92 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

6600 Track Wood Hog

Morbark 5048 Drum Chipper

Morbark 6600 Track Wood Hog. Footage taken at the 2013 Morbark Demo Days.

Morbark 5048 Drum Chipper equipped with a 10 knife Advantage 3 drum and a Cat C-27 1050hp diesel engine. Footage taken at the 2013 Morbark Demo Days.

Morbark, Inc. I Make America

3200 Wood Hog Demo Days May 2013

Aimed at wood and green waste recycling applications, the Morbark 3200 Wood Hog is a compact and aggressive unit. A smaller, lighter, and more affordable unit with all of the benefits of our larger grinders, the 3200 can handle green waste, regrind, sawmill residue, pallets, and logs up to 14� in diameter ease.

Available as a tracked unit for greater mobility or with electric power, the 3200 can be built with Morbark’s most popular options.

www.morbark.com

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 | International Renewable Energy 93

4300B Drum Chipper Making Micro Chips

s5710C horizontal grinder with Terra Select S6 E Star Screen

The new Peterson 4300B drum chipper has been updated for 2014 with new features that high-volume biomass chippers demand. The 4300B can be equipped with either a 6-pocket (to make standard biomass chips) or 12-pocket (to make microchips) drum depending on your material needs.

A Peterson 5710C horizontal grinder feeds ground wood pallets into a Terra-Select S6-E star screen. The three fraction Terra Select S6-E sorts the ground material into fines, accepts and overs.

Both machines are ideal for processing mulch, compost, or other organic material.

6700B Mid-Speed Grinder

5710C Pallet Grinding

This Peterson 6700B horizontal grinder is equipped with our new Mid-Speed C&D package, and is doing primary grind in surplus railroad ties. The second grinder (a Peterson 4710B) is processing the material to meet the product spec which is being used for energy production.

This Peterson 5710C horizontal grinder is grinding pallets for mulch production in Indiana. The machine uses a cross belt magnet to pull the nails from the material (watch for a follow-up video on this process soon!)

The Mid-Speed C&D package is designed for highly contaminated material and features several new innovations that have not been seen on high-speed horizontal grinders before. This operation is seeing consistent 300+ tons per hour of production in this material.

The 5710C is Peterson’s latest generation of high production track grinders. Powered by the Caterpillar C27 or C32 engine at 1050 horsepower, this grinder provides the highest power to weight ratio of any Peterson grinder. At approximately 83,000 pounds (37650 kg) the 5710C was designed for operations requiring high production and frequent moves between jobs.

www.petersoncorp.com

94 International Renewable Energy | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015

Mobility Wins!

Peterson 5000H Whole Tree Chipper, the all-in-one chipping solution!

New tracked Peterson 4810F Debarker paired with a Peterson Disc Chipper

Scan with your smart phone to watch us chip!

Peterson’s mobile chipping equipment provides innovative solutions for your in-field chipping requirements. Around the world, Peterson chippers and flails provide the highest quality chips produced at the lowest cost per ton.

Let us know how we can help you grow your business!

Visit us a www.petersoncorp.com today!

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Renewable energy from tidal currents

ANDRITZ HYDRO Hammerfest deve-

Centre, Scotland. The HS1000 is based

lops the most energy-efficient, modu-

on the technology of the HS300; the

lar tidal turbine solutions capable

world’s first tidal current turbine connect-

of har nessing the energy in tidal

ed to the grid. This plant provides the

currents. ANDRITZ HYDRO Hammerfest

core technology for installation of the first

has successfully installed its self-deve-

commercial underwater energy arrays.

loped HS1000 tidal current turbine in the

We focus on the best solution – “from

waters of the European Marine Energy

water-to-wire”.

ANDRITZ HYDRO GmbH Eibesbrunnergasse 20, 1120 Vienna, Austria Phone: +43 50805 0, Fax: +43 50805 51015 contact-hydro@andritz.com

www.andritz.com