World Wind Watch | Green Energy News

July 9, 2006 – Vol.11 No.16

WORLD WIND WATCH.

In a single stroke of a pen, BP has entered into the wind energy business in a major way and Clipper Windpower has become a significant player in the wind turbine business.

BP and Clipper Wind have announced that they have entered into a strategic alliance for the long term supply of wind turbines as well as the joint development of five of Clipper’s wind projects in the US.

The five Clipper projects - for New York, Texas, and South Dakota - are anticipated to have a combined capacity of 2015 megawatts. In the supply agreement, BP has secured additional orders of up to 2250 megawatts of wind turbine capacity.

BP will utilize the turbines in projects around the globe beginning in 2007 with 100 megawatts of Liberty turbines, and by 2008 an additional 200 megawatts of turbine capacity will be delivered for more projects.

Including firm and contingent orders Clipper will be delivering up to 900 units over five years of its Liberty 2.5 megawatt turbine. The turbine is unique in that it incorporates four power generators within its nacelle. The generators can be individually removed and lowered to the ground for repair or replacement if necessary.

Visit BP at http://www.bp.com/ , Clipper Windpower at http://www.clipperwind.com/

The industrial midsection in the United States has been taking a beating in recent decades as heavy industries - particularly steel - have moved overseas.

Yet the midsection is also the nation’s great wind resource. The long flat plains nearly guarantee strong winds every day.

Maybe that wind can help bring some industries back. In a relatively small way maybe it has.

Tower Tech Holdings of Manitowoc, Wisconsin has set up a production shop on a 46 acre site for the sole purpose of mass-producing large wind tower support structures and monopiles. Centrally located in the nation, the facility can ship to points across the country as well as Canada.

The company already has a long-term, multiyear, preferential manufacturing contract with Vestas Wind Systems and takes other orders as well. Tech Tower has announced that it has secured an order from Gamesa for 34 steel wind towers. The first two will be delivered by the end of July - in less than two weeks. The other 32, 78-meter four section towers will be delivered at a rate of two per week thereafter. Tech Tower doesn’t reveal the site of Gamesa’s wind project. Visit Tech Tower at http://www.towertechsystems.com/

The farther out offshore wind farms can be built the more likely they will be built. If offshore wind farms can’t be seen from land fewer will complain and resist.

Econcern has also formalized financing to build a 120-megawatt wind farm 14 miles (23 kilometers) off the coast of The Netherlands. Q7, as the facility will be known, will have 60, 2-megawatt turbines planted in water 62 - 74 feet deep (19 - 24 meters). The project, which is set to be completed in the beginning of 2008, will be the first in the world to be this far from shore and in the deepest water to date.

Much farther offshore Econcern has announced plans to go even farther out and build a 330-megawatt facility 29 miles (46 kilometers) off the coast of Belgium. If approved the project of 66, 5-megawatt turbines will begin construction in 2009 and be operational a year later.

Econcern has also taken over the helm of DarwinD BV a new wind turbine company specializing in gearless direct drive turbines engineered specifically for offshore use. Visit Econcern at http://www.econcern.com/