Europe/Middle East/Africa

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Key Industry Players Meet To Discuss Infrastructure Financing In Benelux Region

The Benelux region has been seeing huge developments in the renewable energy and infrastructure industry. The European Investment Bank (EIB) has recently announced that it is supporting Belgian offshore wind projects, as part of the €3.4 billion investment package for renewable energy. In addition, EIB and other key industry players are meeting to discuss financing infrastructure in the region at the 17th annual Benelux Infrastructure Forum next month in Amsterdam. These include MEAG MUNICH ERGO KAG mbH, EIB, AG Insurance, Macquarie Capital and NN Investment Partners.

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EES & IBESA Summit France 2018: Storage Industry Setting A Course For The Future

The ees & IBESA Summit in Strasbourg is the main meeting point for the battery and energy storage industry in France. On October 24, 2018, European manufacturers, service providers, project developers, systems integrators and research institutes will come together in Alsace to make transnational contacts. Supported by ees Europe, the continent’s largest and most visited exhibition for batteries and energy storage systems, and the International Battery and Energy Storage Alliance (IBESA), summit participants will discuss the latest topics and trends, and develop new business models and visions for the new energy future.

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Ørsted Announces Plans For Offshore Wind Farm To Power 1 Million UK Homes

Ørsted, the largest energy company in Denmark has recently unveiled its plans for a sustainable energy solution to power more than 1 million homes in the UK when completed. The company is one of many leading organisations speaking and presenting at the 17th annual Benelux Infrastructure Forum on 21–22 November in Amsterdam. This year’s 2-day conference is the biggest yet, hosting an international gathering of industry leaders from law firms, banks, investment asset and fund managers, energy companies, insurance companies, European Commission, and engineering consultancies.

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UK Wind Generation Capacity Smashes Through 20 Gigawatt Mark

RenewableUK has announced that the UK has hit a historic milestone of 20GW (20,000MW) of wind generation capacity. The opening of Ørsted’s 659MW Walney Extension off the coast of Cumbria this month pushed the total over the 20GW mark. Commenting on the announcement, RenewableUK’s Executive Director Emma Pinchbeck said: “It took 19 years to install the first 5GW of wind energy in the UK and we’ve now installed the same amount in under two years. That phenomenal growth shows just how quickly the UK is moving to a smart, low carbon power system and wind energy is at the heart of that.  

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MHI Vestas Signs Firm Order for Largest MW Project in Company History

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind will supply 90 of its flagship V164-9.5 MW turbines for the 860 MW Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm project; its largest MW project to date. MHI Vestas celebrated the financial close of the deal with innogy, at the site, confirming the project as the largest (MW) in the history of the turbine company. Affirming its strengthening position in the UK offshore wind market, the Danish-Japanese joint venture will supply 90 of the world’s most powerful commercially available turbine, the V164-9.5 MW, and has agreed on a comprehensive 5-year O&M agreement.

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EU Supports Denmark’s Drive Towards 50% Energy Sourcing From Renewables By 2030

The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules, three schemes to support electricity production from wind and solar in Denmark in 2018 and 2019. The Renewable Energy Directive established targets for all Member States’ shares of renewable energy sources in gross final energy consumption by 2020. For Denmark, that target is 30% by 2020. Furthermore, Denmark has a goal of supplying 50% of its energy consumption from renewable energy sources by 2030 and to become independent from fossil fuels by 2050. All three schemes aim to contribute to reaching those targets.

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Ingeteam Develops New Optimal Offshore Power Conversion Architecture

Ingeteam, an independent global supplier of electrical conversion and turbine control equipment, has announced that a recent in-house R&D study allowed them to work out the optimal electrical power conversion designs for offshore wind turbines up to 15 MW. The research, taking into account the complex set of parameters at play in LCoE, enabled it to develop a Medium Voltage Power Converter reaching up to the 15 MW power range. Ingeteam claims that its new design is the ideal solution for scaling up offshore turbine platforms and will present its converter and the associated research at the Global Wind Summit in Hamburg next month.

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Distributed Generation: A Lynchpin For The Small And Medium Scale Renewables

The global distributed generation market is expected to witness a growth of over 15% and is projected to reach nearly US $500 billion by 2024. Factors such as high cost of utility tariffs, interruption of power supply, and losses incurred during transmission of electricity over long distances have focused interest towards distributed generation. Furthermore, financial incentives given by governments for construction of renewable distributed generation facilities is likely to give even greater impetus to the market. In its knowledge series, Clean Energy World focuses on Distributed Generation and signposts to training available for professionals.

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EIB to Bankroll Offshore Wind Projects: Benelux Infrastructure Forum

European Investment Bank (EIB), participants of this year’s Benelux Infrastructure Forum, have recently announced their intention to support the transition towards renewables by bankrolling offshore wind projects. The Benelux region has been seeing huge developments in renewables and related infrastructure. EIB, who are also speaking at this year’s Benelux Infrastructure Forum on 21-22 November in Amsterdam, recently approved financing for an offshore wind project in Belgium, as part of the €3.4 billion investment package for renewable energy, energy efficiency, Near Zero Energy Buildings, hydropower and district heating projects.

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Electrification The Key To Decarbonising Europe’s Economy

Electrification is the key to decarbonising Europe’s economy, according to WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson. He said: “according to the IEA, wind will be the #1 source of electricity soon after 2030, providing more than 30% of Europe’s electricity, but electricity is only 22% of the final energy needed by Europe’s economy. Political momentum is starting to grow for an EU target of net-zero emissions in 2050. To do this we’ll need to electrify heating and transport, where the share of renewables is just 18% and 6% respectively; that has to be the #1 priority”.

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E-Buses to Surge Even Faster Than EVs as Conventional Vehicles Fade

The electrification of road transport will move into top gear in the second half of the 2020s, thanks to tumbling battery costs and larger-scale manufacturing, with sales of electric cars racing to 28%, and those of e-buses (electric buses) to 84%, of their respective global markets by 2030. As the supply of cobalt emerges as a potential risk to the pace of growth in electrified transport over the next few years, the advance of e-buses will become more rapid than for electric cars, BNEF states.