GL Garrad Hassan delivered the two projects as turnkey contracts. It can also be deployed as GH Scada Express which is a license only model to allow manufacturers to deploy the systems themselves. GH Scada provides high data coverage, superior information quality, complete independence and access to high speed data direct from the turbines.

“Using the GH Scada solution gives Samsung and other manufacturers a quick and risk free route to providing a fully internationalised, high functionality Scada and reporting system that meets both their needs and those of their clients”, said Gordon Smith, Global Practice Head of GH Scada at GL Garrad Hassan. “Our engineers were on site for the commissioning of the first turbine in Lubbock, ensuring that the system was available as soon as operation started.”

Samsung Heavy Industries stated that Samsung Heavy Industries selected GL Garrad Hassan’s Scada system for monitoring and control of our wind turbine. Its key features are the functionality of reporting and it’s compatibility with turbine controller.”

GL Garrad Hassan provides its GH Scada solution for monitoring and control of over 5GW of installed wind capacity representing over 3,500 turbines world wide. It is used for many turbines including Vestas, Gamesa, GE, Siemens, Mitsubishi, STX, Enercon, Nordex, CPC, XEMC, Nordic, and Repower. With GL Garrad Hassan’s global presence turnkey installations or support for license only deployments anywhere in the world can be offered.

Intersolar North America continued its long-standing international focus with trade visitors representing 66 countries and exhibiting companies from 26 countries, reflecting the global perspectives of the solar industry. “Intersolar North America’s continued growth over the last three years is an excellent sign for the solar market”, said Markus Elsaesser, CEO of Solar Promotion International GmbH, exhibition and conference organizer. “The discussions and sharing of information that occurred during the week made it clear that the overall global solar industry has a very positive outlook.”

While many attended the exhibition, the Intersolar North America conference and accompanying programs were a key attraction for more than 2,500 attendees. The conference portion featured more than 250 speakers, up from 170 speakers in 2009, who presented at over 30 conference tracks.
From a technical perspective, both Crystalline Silicon tracks provided attendees with a discussion around new technological concepts and processes designed to increase cell efficiency and still lower production costs, as well as presentations on advanced crystalline silicon module and system technologies. Highlights included presentations on ‘The Future of High Efficiency Technology’, ‘High Efficiency and Low Cost – Current Trends and Developments’, and ‘New Frontiers for Low Concentration CPV’.

During the extensive session, ‘Utilities Forum – Policy, Technology, Project Development, Finance and Insurance’, the focus was placed on the issues related to political framework conditions, project execution and financing. Well-known solar professionals from GTM Research, California Center for Sustainable Energy, and California Public Utilities Commission gave talks on  ‘Trends in the U.S. Utility PV Market’, ‘The Value of PV Electricity at Grid-Parity’, and ‘The Role of Cities in Advancing the Adoption of Solar’.

As worldwide solar markets have proven, the solar industry clearly creates jobs. As the U.S. market matures, demand for solar jobs will also increase. The on-site Job & Career Forum was designed to support the growing creation of solar jobs. Throughout the three-day event, the forum was utilized by hundreds of visitors and exhibiting companies.

Throughout Intersolar North America, companies and individual solar professionals were recognized for their innovative achievements at events including the Solar For All Design Contest awards ceremony, Intersolar AWARD Hall of Fame and the NorCal City/County Awards ceremony.
“We are extremely excited about the growth of Intersolar North America”, said Klaus W. Seilnacht, CEO of FMMI and Intersolar North America co-organizer. “As we move forward, we look forward to continuing our partnerships with SEMI PV Group, CALSEIA and others, to provide a place where solar professionals can come together and learn from each other.”

Two biogas plants of WELtec have been in operation at Agrargesellschaft Kandelin GmbH in Neuendorf and Wüsteney, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, since 2007. The construction of the third biogas plant started in May 2010, and the plant was commissioned in July. The order for the fourth WELtec plant has already been placed, and the approvalprocedure is under way.

“Back then, we considered the operation of biogas plants to be an opportunity to develop a promising business field in addition to food and feed crop production, pig breeding, and milk and beef cattle production, and to secure jobs for qualified employees”, explains Torsten Zahn, Managing Director of the agricultural company. As the same is still true today, the power generation field is being expanded: “At present, biogas is our most profitable line of business, and we would be pitiful businessmen if we failed to boost this area”, says Zahn, explaining the reasons for the expansion investments.

The design of the new biogas plants that are integrated in a calf facility in Kandelin is almost identical to that of the existing ones: 500 kW output, a 6,780-ft storage tank, and two fermenters of 70,630 cu ft each. However, the gas-tight final storage unit with a capacity of approximately 158,900 cu ft is new.
“We have always been impressed by the overall concept of WELtec BioPower. While being reduced to the required minimum, the employed technology is of a high quality and installed in a highly functional way. A functional pump block, a sturdy, easy-to-use control, and two dual-fuel engines”, says Zahn. The responsible staff at Agrargesellschaft appreciated the support they received during the start-up phase. “In the start-up phase, we coordinated the increasing feeding (maize silage, pig and cattle manure) and heating of the plant together with the WELtec biologists.” Additionally, WELtec impressed with its use of stainless steel: large fermenters are made of stainless steel, dosing devices are lined with stainless steel, and the entire feed input section and a storage tank are made of stainless steel in order to automate the feeding process to the highest degree possible. By continually expanding the use of the combined heat and power, the plants are to become even more profitable. Last winter, the milking unit in Neuendorf was connected to the exhaust heat of the combined heat and power plants. About 10 percent of the heat is used there. Though the heat is not yet used in Wüsteney, the pigsty is to be connected soon. For the third plant, the heat pipes are currently being laid, and the office and workshop facilities are to be heated next winter.

The report identifies that key offshore development projects over the next few years will take place in seven countries: France, Ireland, Belgium, Norway, Spain, Italy and Poland. These markets are expected to become increasingly important up to 2020 and beyond. The “Offshore Wind Energy Market Report” is being presented this week at the RenewablesUK conference in Liverpool.

The plant with a production capacity of 60,000 tons per year will be realised by Topell Nederland, a joint venture of RWE Innogy (49.9 %) and Topell Energy (50.1 %). It is due to be commissioned early in 2011. The investment in the plant will total some € 15 million. RWE Innogy had already taken a share in the young, Dutch technology company Topell Energy two years ago as part of its venture capital activities.

Dr. Leonhard Birnbaum, member of the Executive Board of RWE AG: “Our intention was to commercialise a new process for the production of efficient biocoal, which significantly improves and extends the potential applications of biomass. As a leading operator of coal-fired power plants, we consider it to be our responsibility to reduce the CO2 emissions of electricity generation as much as possible. The plant whose foundation stone we are laying today is another major step in this direction.”

The process developed by Topell enables the continuous production of biocoal pellets on an industrial scale. The manufacturing process is highly flexible in terms of raw material input. Biocoal is easily transported. When co-fired with conventional coal, no additional infrastructural measures are required, such as separate storage and pulverisation.

Type certification comprises design assessment, implementation of the design requirements in production and erection, evaluation of quality management and prototype testing. And on the basis of type certification, project certification is carried out that covers site design conditions, site-specific design assessment, and surveillance during production, transport and erection as well as witnessing of commissioning and periodic monitoring.

Mike Woebbeking, GL Renewables Certification, explained the relevance of the new guidelines: “It is important for manufacturers of wind turbines and components as well as banks and insurers involved to know the different certification processes and guidelines.”

The Edition 2010 is to substitute the current Edition 2003 with Supplement 2004. “The new edition will additionally cover small wind turbines and latest information on several prominent wind energy markets. It will have effect on future wind turbine developments worldwide,” Mr. Woebbeking pointed out.

As part of the certification process, the turbine passed a product design review, a power curve test and verification of the load assumptions by prototype measurements, in accordance with GL2003 certification guidelines.

Gamesa certifies its wind energy systems and wind turbines with accredited certification bodies such as GL. This process allows the company to convey to the market and financial institutions, through the opinion of an independent third party, the integrity of its products’ design, development, manufacturing and construction.

The company has obtained GL certification for its G5X and G8X systems, and is currently working to gain certification for the low-temperature version of the G90 turbine for use in the US and Canada. Similarly, it is in the process of gaining certification for its latest design, the Gamesa G10X 4.5 MW platform.

Electricity generation from solar energy and its subsequent feed into the public grid network is comparatively new to Abu Dhabi and ADDC. So as to encourage the growth of solar electricity in Abu Dhabi, a new incentive regime will be set up soon. In the run up to this new legislation, the government wants to gain initial experiences through the Solar Roof Program of Abu Dhabi, a 500 MW pilot project. ADDC has been commissioned with the implementation of this pilot project.

The curriculum of the training of  the ADDC employees included topics such as system design, installation, maintenance, monitoring, and network integration. “The workshop was helpful in skilling our engineers to meet the challenges of the Solar Roof Program, particularly because of its blended mix between theory and practical hands-on training”, said Jürgen Beigel, Senior Project Manager for Abu Dhabi’s Solar Roof Program.

Although the region has very high levels of solar radiation, it also suffers from high humidity, and abundant dust and sand. In the pilot project different PV systems will be tested in order to determine the optimal plant size, selection of components and the installation angle under local conditions.

The ADDC engineers will monitor the installation and undertake the connection to the grid..

The DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol (DDCE) joint venture and the DuPont partnership with Bio Architecture Lab (BAL) to develop macroalgae to butanol capabilities placed first, while the Butamax Advanced Biofuels joint venture placed second in their respective categories. DuPont Applied BioSciences President Craig F. Binetti: “Each venture incorporates game-changing science and tailored business models that maximize our ability to deliver large volumes of biofuels to a global population that is increasingly more interested in alternatives to oil.”

The joint venture of DuPont and Danisco has made rapid progress since it was established in 2008. DDCE has started up a 250,000-gallon demonstration-scale biorefinery in Tennessee and brought the cost of production below $2 per gallon. DDCE expects to announce its first commercial plans this fall. “Cellulosic ethanol is ready for deployment,” DuPont Applied BioSciences President Craig Binetti said.

The Butamax Advanced Biofuels joint venture was voted a clear leader in the development of biobutanol technologies. “The strategic plan for Butamax is to give biorefineries the option to convert from ethanol to biobutanol in the future. The joint venture has started some preliminarily exploratory discussions with ethanol producers in the United States and Brazil.”

The U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) awarded funding to DuPont and its partner BAL last fall to develop a process to convert macroalgae to biobutanol. The DuPont-BAL partnership placed firstin the category: Transformative Technology: macro algae platforms. “Macroalgae to biobutanol could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 90 percent when compared to petroleum and diversify feedstock routes for advanced biofuels.”

What are the solutions for offshore installations? What type of vessels are required? What kind of operational experience has been obtained in recent wind farm installation projects? What are the regulatory boundaries? And what can GL offer to ship owners, vessel operators and energy utilities? All these questions were addressed during the offshore GL First Class Exchange Vessels seminar in cooperation with Samsung Heavy Industries, Beluga Hochtief Offshore, Huisman, and BLM Jack up Systems. The forum was attended by some eighty clients in Hamburg’s International Maritime Museum.

Wind energy is one of the key renewable energy sources that will make a significant contribution towards the goals of clean energy around the world. The wind energy industry is in a period of significant growth. New capacity is installed predominantly offshore rather than onshore at least in Europe.

According to the European Offshore Wind Market Report by GL Garrad Hassan, there is a massive demand on the current supply chain, e.g. turbine suppliers, installation vessels, transformers for offshore sub-stations and most critically experienced personnel as well as grid connection issues and funding. Offshore wind projects in Europe are at a stage of mass development with 1.5GW already operating and a further 100GW at the planning and development stages.

In respect to suitable installation vessels there seems to be a danger of insufficient number which could constrain offshore wind development in the coming years. It is planned to install some 800 foundations and wind turbines p.a. till 2020. Turbines are getting bigger and heavier. The towers are growing, too. This requires new installation vessels capable of handling the next generation of offshore turbines of between three to five Megawatts. Installation vessels specially designed to handle bigger turbines will come into operation.

Since offshore wind farming is in its start-up phase with many players in field, a large number of different design concepts exist with a large potential for growth. GL’s Maritime business segment is already involved in more than 18 wind installation and maintenance newbuilding projects. The combined experience from the renewable sector, offshore installations and maritime operations within GL Group provides the groundwork for a comprehensive service portfolio and offers the competence to assist in any step of the project across all industries.

At the forum, Samsung Heavy Industries presented a new wind turbine installation barge while Beluga Hochtief Offshore explained the project management of a next generation wind turbine installation vessel. This vessel could handle +5MW wind turbines in deeper waters and in large distances to port. BLM gave an introduction to rack and pinion systems. Rack and pinion systems are a proven technology for jacking up self-elevating units, such as the vessels used for the installation of wind turbines. Huisman spoke on the requirements of offshore cranes. The crane manufacturer has expanded its heavy lifting product range with a customised range of wind turbine installation cranes. Cranes are one of the most important equipment for the installation of wind turbines. Customised cranes are necessary to streamline the installation process of foundation structures, towers and turbines.

In addition, the attendees of the exchange forum heard a presentation on the regulatory framework for wind turbine installation vessels, wind turbine carriers, barges, and subsea support vessels. One common advantage of these latest generation vessels is that DP2 (dynamic positioning of level 2) has become the quasi standard. This leads to the big advantage, that these vessels do not require anchors to be run while maneuvering, allowing to operate significantly quicker.