Clean Electricity News

My brother and I had a discussion about methanol where we concluded that methanol is a promising sustainable liquid fuel for transportation devices when batteries cannot do the job. While Methanol is initially not carbon zero, as long as we focus on developing zero carbon electrical energy, eventually we can produce zero carbon green methanol. Once there is plentiful green methanol, existing methanol vehicles will automatically become zero carbon transportation.The core argument…

The government of Maine has selected a section of state-owned area on Sears Island as its preferred site for a port facility development that will support the floating offshore wind industry.The selection of the site, announced by the Governor of Maine Janet Mills, follows an extensive public stakeholder process led by the Maine Department of Transportation and Maine Port Authority to consider the state’s primary port development options, including multiple potential sites in the Port of Searsport…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has set out plans to invest $4.75 million to establish a new national center of excellence to accelerate offshore wind deployment across the United States.The Academic Center for Reliability and Resilience of Offshore Wind (ARROW), led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst with approximately 40 partners, will focus on workforce development, targeted research, and partnerships and strategies to advance offshore wind development.As offshore…

New Jersey's utility regulator on Wednesday approved two offshore wind power projects with a combined capacity of 3,742-megawatts (MW) whose backers include Invenergy and TotalEnergies.The offshore wind industry is expected to play a major role in helping several states and U.S. President Joe Biden meet goals to decarbonize the power grid and combat climate change.But progress was slow last year after offshore developers canceled contracts to sell power in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey…

Prysmian Group has commissioned the inter-array cable system for the Fécamp offshore wind farm, located in the English Channel, offshore France.The Fécamp offshore wind farm is composed of 71 wind turbines with a total capacity of nearly 500MW.It will be able to generate clean electricity equivalent to the power needs of over 770,000 people.Prysmian had secured this project in 2020 with a contract awarded by EDF Renewables and its partners.Asso.subsea was contracted by Prysmian Group to execute the seabed preparation, installation and protection works for the cables.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced nearly $10 million for seven projects that will accelerate development and testing of marine energy technologies. These investments advance research on wave-powered technology for use in seawater desalination and support a feasibility study for a potential ocean current test facility. “Marine energy technologies have incredible potential to provide clean electricity as well as clean water,” said Alejandro Moreno, Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Northern California has some of the strongest offshore winds in the U.S., with immense potential to produce clean energy. But it also has a problem. Its continental shelf drops off quickly, making building traditional wind turbines directly on the seafloor costly if not impossible.Once water gets more than about 200 feet deep – roughly the height of an 18-story building – these “monopile” structures are pretty much out of the question.A solution has emerged that’s being tested in several locations around the world: wind turbines that float.In California…

With passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which contains US$370 billion for climate and energy programs, policy experts are forecasting a big expansion in clean electricity generation. One source that’s poised for growth is offshore wind power.Today the U.S. has just two operating offshore wind farms, off of Rhode Island and Virginia, with a combined generating capacity of 42 megawatts. For comparison, the new Traverse Wind Energy Center in Oklahoma has 356 turbines and a 998-megawatt generating capacity.

Turkey's Cemre Shipyard held a launch ceremony for the newbuild trawler Selvåg Senior being constructed for Norwegian owner Sørheim Holding.Developed in partnership with Skipsteknisk and Selvåg AS, the 79.5-meter-long Selvåg Senior purse seiner trawler will be the third in the world to use liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel, after the Cemre-built Libas and Sunny Lady.Thanks to the LNG fuel system, the new trawler will adapt to the new "environmentally friendly" vessel flow by reducing carbon emissions being in accordance with IMO Tier III.

California on Wednesday set ambitious new targets for offshore wind development, saying turbines along its storied coastline would power some 25 million homes by 2050.In a unanimous vote, the five-member California Energy Commission (CEC) adopted a goal of 3,000 to 5,000 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind by 2030 and 25,000 MW by 2045, the agency said in a statement.California has among the most aggressive climate change goals in the country, but its foray into offshore wind has lagged that of East Coast states like New York…

The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) last Friday designated offshore wind vessels as vessels of national interest making them eligible for financial support through the Title XI Federal Ship Financing Program (Title XI). The Federal Ship Financing Program - commonly referred to as "Title XI" based on the part of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936 that established the program - provides for a full faith and credit guarantee by the United States Government to promote the growth and modernization of the U.S. merchant marine and U.S.

Floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs) may not immediately spring to mind as providing a solution to several of today’s key global challenges – but FNPP development is emerging as a means of decentralized stand-alone production of cost competitive hydrogen-based fuels and clean electricity and water, according to a new report by Intelatus Global Partners.The commercial case for deployment of FNPPs featuring small modular reactors is founded in the growing demand for hydrogen and…

Maersk Supply Service, an offshore supply vessel branch of A.P. Moller-Maersk, is launching its offshore vessel-charging venture, Stillstrom, to support the decarbonization of the maritime industry by eliminating idle emissions.Together with the offshore wind giant Ørsted, Stillstrom plans to demonstrate the world’s first full-scale offshore charging station for vessels at an offshore wind farm, scheduled for installation later this year. "Maersk Supply Service’s pioneering new company will deliver offshore electric charging solutions to vessels at ports…

Offshore wind developer Ørsted said Monday that first power on Hornsea 2 offshore wind farm in the UK was achieved after its offshore substation (OSS), the world’s largest offshore AC substation, and reactive compensation station (RCS), were installed in late October 2021.When fully operational, Hornsea 2’s 165 8 MW Siemens Gamesa wind turbines will be capable of generating 1.32 GW of clean electricity – taking the title of ‘world’s largest operating offshore wind farm’ from its sibling project Hornsea 1.

A public-private partnership will aim to establish Salem Harbor as the Massachusetts’ second major offshore wind port.Vineyard Wind, set to be the first ever commercial scale offshore wind farm in the U.S., will work with Crowley Maritime Corporation and the City of Salem for the project.The agreement, part of the “Commonwealth Wind” proposal, is contingent upon the company winning an award by the State of Massachusetts, which is currently evaluating offshore wind procurement bids.Earlier this month…

As nations commit to reducing greenhouse gases, a fishing vessel is designed to do its share. Designed by Norway’s Skipsteknisk and Selvåg AS, it is in build at Cemre Shipyard for Sorheim Holding, the Selvåg Senior is a remarkable concept. Capable of both trawling and purse seining, the 79.5- x16.2-m vessel will have a molded depth of 6.9 m. The RSW holds, in the DNV-GL classed vessel, will have a total volume of just under 2550 cu. m.. The main propulsion engine will be a medium-speed Wärtsilä 8V31DF, producing 4,800 kW at 750 RPM.

U.S. offshore wind developer Vineyard Wind has contracted Belgium-based DEME for the offshore transport and installation of the wind turbine generators for the first largescale offshore wind installation in the United States.DEME's U.S. arm DEME Offshore US LLC will  team up with American maritime services contractor FOSS Maritime Company LLC to help construct the Vineyard Wind 1 project off the coast of Massachusetts. FOSS will provide the Jones Act compliant feeder vessels,…

Norwegian tourist vessel operator The Fjords has taken delivery of a new all-electric catamaran, Legacy of The Fjords, expected to enter service on July 17, ferrying passengers between Flåm and Nærøyfjorden.Like her sister ship Future of The Fjords, the 42-meter Legacy of The Fjords was designed and constructed by Norwegian shipyard Brødrene Aa, with a hull that echoes zigzagging mountain paths that can be seen from her spacious decks. Both vessels are all-electric, carbon fiber…

Siemens Energy has selected UK-based Fussey Engineering to supply and install steel framework and cladding at the National Grid 400kV substation site adjacent to the Hornsea Two offshore wind project.The steelworks, which will involve the construction of an annex building adjoining the National Grid substation, includes around 30 tonnes of locally sourced steel.With headquarters located less than a mile away from the new onshore substation in Lincolnshire, Fussey Engineering have worked all over the country, supplying a plethora of projects with steel fabrication.Michael Fussey, Director of Fussey Engineering said: “Here at Fussey Engineering we are proud to be involved in this small part in creating what is to be the largest offshore wind farm in the world.

Climate Fund Managers (CFM), the manager of the Climate Investor One facility (CI1), have announced that construction has begun of its 48MW near-shore wind farm in Tra Vinh province Vietnam.CI1’s Construction Equity Fund has committed USD 71 million to the project company, “Tra Vinh Wind Power Company”, which is jointly funded by Korean energy firm ST International. Vestas, the pioneering global supplier of wind turbines will act as EPC for the project.The collaboration makes use of ST International’s extensive knowledge of the Asian energy market, Vestas’s expertise in developing, constructing and operating wind power facilities, and CI1’s innovative end to end financing solution.As one of the fastest-growing Asian economies…

Ireland-based energy company Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and Norwegian energy company Equinor plan to jointly develop offshore wind sites and enter them into the country's renewable energy auctions from the mid-2020s.The partnership will work to identify suitable sites for new offshore windfarms in Irish waters and work to mature potential future wind projects. The potential for energy storage technology and other technologies to complement offshore wind operations will also be examined. It is the ambition of the partnership to explore opportunities for large scale wind projects towards commercial operation by 2030, thus contributing to the wider goals of the Irish Government on energy transition.Furthermore…

Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA) has agreed to lift its shareholding in the 576-MW Gwynt y Mor offshore wind farm in the UK by purchasing an additional 10% stake for an undisclosed sum.MIRA has managed a 10 per cent stake in Gwynt y Môr since 2017 following Macquarie Group’s acquisition of the Green Investment Bank.Gwynt y Môr is a 576 MW offshore wind farm positioned 13 kilometers off the coast of North Wales. Operational since 2015, Gwynt y Môr is comprised of 160 3.6 MW wind turbines spread across 80 square kilometers. Each year, the wind farm provides enough clean electricity to power approximately 430,000 UK homes.Leigh Harrison, Head of MIRA EMEA, said: “We are delighted to announce an additional investment in Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm.

The European Commission has approved the acquisition of Ocean Breeze Energy GmbH & Co. KG by Sage Holdings, ultimately indirectly controlled by Macquarie Group Limited.Ocean Breeze Energy is the owner of North Sea wind farm BARD Offshore 1, from Unicredit. The 400MW offshore wind farm is positioned 100 kilometres off the coast of northwestern Germany.Under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns as the companies are not active on the same or vertically related markets, announced European Commission.Comprised of 80 5MW wind turbines spread over 59 square kilometres, the project harnesses powerful North Sea winds to supply the equivalent of approximately 463…