BELGIUM

Opening of expanded Hansen factory in Lommel
12 June 2008

On 12 June 2008 Hansen Transmissions’ expanded factory in Lommel, Belgium was officially opened by Flemish Minister-President Kris Peeters. Hansen invested around €180 million in the Lommel factory expansion to add a facility for producing multi-megawatt wind turbine gearboxes. The factory now has a production capacity of 6,000 MW and a surface area of 110,000 m2.

The factory was originally built due to growing demand for wind turbine gearboxes. It opened in 2004, employing 193 people. With today’s expansion, there are now over 800 workers based there.

Minister-President Peeters also unveiled Hansen’s recently obtained ISO 14001 environmental certificate and watched as the final pieces of its 20,000th wind turbine gearbox were assembled.

Read Hansen’s press release

GERMANY

International platform for the wind energy industry and technology goes online
13 June 2008

The first ever online overview of manufacturers, turbines and institutions within the wind energy sector has gone online at www.wind-energy-market.com. Provided by the German Wind Energy Association (BWE), information is given in both German and English. Although BWE has been publishing market summaries for 18 years, this is the first time it has been made available on the worldwide web.

The site “gives you quick and easy access to service providers and suppliers within the wind energy sector and also provides you with detailed technical information on individual turbines. It’s this combination which makes the platform unique", says Thorsten Paulsen, Head of BWE Service.

For further information, see www.wind-energy-market.com or the BWE website.

IRELAND

Launch of Mainstream Renewable Power
5 June 2008

Mainstream Renewable Power has been established by Dr Eddie O’Connor, previously co-founder and CEO of Airtricity. The new company will focus on generating electricity from renewable sources – at scale. The company has been incorporated in Ireland and is headquartered in Dublin, with another office in London to work on offshore development opportunities.

It has also announced that as from September this year it will start trying to raise €200 million from institutions and individuals to fund projects, primarily in wind energy. According to O’Connor, Mainstream currently has seed capital of over €40 million.

US

Vestas establishes research centre in Houston, Texas
2 June 2008

Vestas will set up a new research centre in Houston, Texas, in 2009, to become operational in 2010. Houston was chosen after several other locations were analysed.

The research centre should employ at least 100 members of staff in 2010, as well as working through external partnerships with technology companies, universities and institutes.

Research will focus on the wind technology areas of mechanics, electricity, control systems, advanced materials and aerodynamics, as well as increased turbine efficiency and lower energy costs.

Read Vestas' press release

EDF EN orders 200 turbines from GE Energy
3 June 2008

GE Energy is to provide 200 turbines with a total capacity of 300 MW to EDF Energies Nouvelles – the renewables branch of the EDF group that owns GE. The turbines have been ordered for 2010 and will be used in the US

Siemens to open research centre in Boulder, Colorado

Siemens is to open a centre in Boulder, Colorado, for wind energy research and development. According to plans, the centre will open in August this year with 12-15 researchers. By 2013 the number of staff members should reach 50.

Moreover; Siemens will start tests on a large wind-turbine prototype at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s National Wind Technology Center, which is also located near Boulder.

Link to original article in English

DoE to work with firms to boost wind power capacity
4 June 2008

Six companies which have a focus on wind energy are to work with the US Department of Energy (DoE) to help the country reach 20% of its power from wind by 2030. The companies will develop standards for grid connection and turbine certification, and help improve the quality of turbine components. They will work with the DoE to look at environmental issues as well as more technical aspects and cost-cutting.

The six firms are Gamesa of Spain, India's Suzlon Energy, Clipper Turbine Works, Danish Vestas Wind Systems, Siemens Power Generation of Germany and US-based GE Energy.

Link to original article in English

SPAIN

Gamesa and Iberdrola Renovables join forces

4 June 2008 Spanish wind turbine manufacturer, Gamesa, has signed a €6,300 million deal to supply wind turbines of 4,500MW in total to Iberdrola Renovables's wind farms in Mexico, the US and Europe.

This deal will run from 2010-2012 and also includes the assembly, operating and maintenance of the turbines. The firms have also signed a strategic alliance, via the setting up of two new companies, to jointly develop and operate wind farms in Spain and continental Europe. Iberdrola Renovables will buy several Gamesa wind projects in the UK, Dominican Republic and Mexico for a total of €65 million.

Iberdrola also signed up to a joint venture with Bancaja savings bank in order to take part in the tender for zones 1, 2 and 3 of the Valencian Wind Plan, which closed on 30 June 2008. Iberdrola is looking to expand into the Valencia region, where it is not yet present.

Link to original article on the Gamesa-Iberdrola deal in Spanish