Wind Power

As the wind industry braces for a period of uncertainty due to unfavourable policy conditions in the US and disruption to the supply chain, some argue that geopolitical shocks are not necessarily a bad thing for Europe.Recorded at the recent WindEurope conference in Copenhagen, senior Vestas spokesman Morten Dyrholm speaks to Ian Griggs, editor of Windpower Monthly, about his forecast for wind power in Europe, the say/do gap in policy-making across the bloc and why the industry needs to find its voice.This episode was produced by Inga Marsden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Wind Power News Review – hosted by Windpower Monthly senior reporter, Robyn White, and Windpower Monthly reporter, Orlando Jenkinson – along with our regular panellists, Shashi Barla and Sorcha Versteeg.This time on the news review, we ask our panellists for their views on a tumultuous few weeks in the United States, which has seen the US government order a stop to work at Equinor's Empire Wind offshore wind project in New York. The halt order has since been rescinded, but uncertainty continues to reign in the West's biggest wind energy market. We also explore how President Donald Trump's tariffs are impacting the global wind industry, from rival markets in Europe and China to the responses of the biggest wind energy firms. Meanwhile, Danish renewables major Ørsted has suspended the Hornsea 4 offshore wind farm in the UK North Sea. What does this mean for the company, and the industry, going forward? Finally, we examine the first quarter financial results of major western wind turbine manufacturers, which seem to be improving after years of difficulties. This episode was produced by Inga Marsden.Windpower Monthly is now on Bluesky – follow us at @windpowermonthly.bsky.social for all the latest updates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The only thing worse, in policy terms, than Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on countries across the world, are the constant US policy flip-flops, senior wind industry figures have said.As Trump began to impose tariffs on US imports; many countries, including China, responded in force with their own tariffs, sparking fears of a global trade war. Although the US president has since relented on high tariffs for some countries, the world remains on high alert for yet another US policy reversal creating a climate of uncertainty which has knocked the confidence of the wind industry to invest. Ian Griggs, editor of Windpower Monthly, was at last month's Wind Europe conference in Copenhagen as the tariffs began to bite and he took the opportunity to speak to delegates from DNV, Statkraft, Modvion and Hitachi about what they might mean for the wind industry. They said the constant policy reversals were potentially even more harmful than the tariffs themselves but that this was tempered by some silver linings too.This episode was produced by Inga Marsden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Wind Power News Review – hosted by Windpower Monthly senior reporter, Robyn White, and Windpower Monthly reporter, Orlando Jenkinson – along with our regular panellists, Shashi Barla and Will Sheard.This time on the news review, we'll ask our panellists for their views on global installation figures from wind turbine manufacturers last year, which show Chinese companies including Goldwind, Envision, Mingyang and Windey coming out on top. We also explore why some of the biggest European energy companies have cut their renewable energy targets recently to focus more on fossil fuel production. Meanwhile, Siemens Gamesa has just sold 90% of its wind business in India and Sri Lanka. How does this reflect the company's broader strategy? Finally, we explore the vastly different outcomes of recent onshore wind tenders in Germany and Italy. This episode was produced by Inga Marsden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As delegates prepare for the annual WindEurope conference in Copenhagen, Ørsted's European development chief discusses the EU's proposals for the Clean Industrial Deal and its implications for the wind industry.The EU's Clean Industrial Deal contains a raft of measures which could benefit the wind industry.Together, they form a vision of increased electrification across Europe, with state-backed power purchase agreements and guidelines to address foreign subsidies and support the EU's manufacturing base.Duncan Clark, head of European development at Ørsted - and an ambassador for the conference – spoke to Ian Griggs, editor of Windpower Monthly, about what these measures could mean for the wind industry, if adopted.This episode was produced by Inga Marsden.Windpower Monthly is now on Bluesky – follow us at @windpowermonthly.bsky.social for all the latest updates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robotics is still a fringe technology in wind energy, but it has vast potential to transform the industry from the factory floor to operational turbine towers and blades. In manufacturing, machines offer the prospect of precision and efficiency in the exacting task of blade finishing. Meanwhile, the rapid evolution of drone technology is increasingly being applied to streamline operations and maintenance work at both onshore and offshore wind farms. In this episode of the Wind Power Podcast, we spoke with two leading experts on the use of robots in wind power to see what the future holds on this exciting new frontier for renewable energy. This episode was produced by Inga Marsden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The winners of this year's Turbines of the Year awards reveal stark contrasts in the trajectory of technology development between European and Chinese OEMs – but what will happen next?Windpower Monthly's technology and market trends correspondent – and Turbines of the Year judge – Eize de Vries answers questions about why the winners won and the shape of things to come in turbine technology, both on and offshore.The discussion also touches on why floating wind power has not reached commercial scale yet and whether this sector will ever come of age.Finally, for companies which are considering putting their technology forward for next year's awards, Eize shares some invaluable advice about how to shape a submission.This episode was produced by Inga Marsden. Windpower Monthly is now on Bluesky – follow us at @windpowermonthly.bsky.social for all the latest updates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Wind Power news review – hosted by Windpower Monthly senior reporter Robyn White and Windpower Monthly reporter Orlando Jenkinson – along with our panel of experts, independent analyst Shashi Barla and K2 Management's country director for the UK and Ireland Sorcha Versteeg.This time on the news review; we discuss Siemens Gamesa's new 21MW prototype, and find out how much of an impact this massive new wind turbine model could have on the wider wind industry.We also explore the Chinese government's decision to cut renewable energy subsidies and embrace a CfD-style pricing system, as it looks to maintain its place as the world's primary wind energy market. Meanwhile, our panellists give their verdict on Ørsted's appointment of a new CEO amid prolonged financial difficulties, and discuss how he might look to change the company's strategy going forward.Finally, there is a closer look at how a dispute between offshore wind developers in the UK North Sea has raised questions about the wake effect and its impact on neighbouring wind farms. This episode was produced by Inga Marsden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is the difference between a split and a crack on a turbine blade? Our guest explains the need for an industry standard for blade damage.Speaking ahead of Windpower Monthly's Blades USA conference in late February, Lili Haus, wind energy engineer and scientist at the Electric Power Research Institute, discusses her quest to introduce a global dictionary of agreed terms to categorise blade damage. In Episode 32 of the Wind Power podcast, Haus, a speaker at the Blades USA conference, discusses the latest techniques available for blade inspections, the benefits of non-destructive evaluation and how predictive analysis could reduce the rate of costly blade failures. Listen to this podcast episode to get a special discount code for the Blades USA conference and find out more about the event on our dedicated website.This episode was produced by Inga Marsden and Til Owen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Wind Power news review – hosted by Windpower Monthly senior reporter Robyn White and Windpower Monthly reporter Orlando Jenkinson – along with our panel of experts, independent analyst Shashi Barla and K2 Management's analysis and due diligence director Will Sheard.This time on the news review, we ask our panellists for their views on President Donald Trump's turbulent first week of attacks on US wind energy. We also take a closer look into the impressive sales figures from wind turbine manufacturers Vestas and Nordex in 2024. Meanwhile, our panellists give their view on how the ongoing German election could impact wind energy in that country. Finally, we discuss the massive new floating offshore wind prototypes currently being installed in China, and how they might impact other markets around the world. This episode was produced by Inga Marsden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Germany's onshore wind market is a remarkable success story, with 2,400 onshore wind turbines totalling 14GW newly approved in the last year.But the country stands at a crossroads, with upcoming federal elections on 23 February in which the two parties currently leading in the polls are either agnostic or actively hostile towards wind power.So, can the fragile gains made under the current administration survive the election?Katja Wünschel, chief executive of RWE's renewables business in Europe and Australia and Karsten Brueggemann, vice president, region central, for the Nordex Group, talk about how these policy and regulatory gains have translated into new onshore wind power in Germany and how they will capitalise on the improved prospects in their home market. Meanwhile, Mirko Moser Abt, chief policy officer for German wind energy association BWE, discusses the political backdrop to these changes.In interviews recorded at last autumn's Wind Energy Hamburg conference, our guests for episode 31 of the Wind Power podcast explored the reasons for Germany's onshore wind success, how far-right parties are making advances in local elections and the temperature of German public opinion towards wind power in an age of industrial scale social media-fueled disinformation about climate change.This episode was produced by Inga Marsden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this sponsored edition of the Wind Power podcast, Mike Blumenfeld, industrial lubricant development and wind energy specialist at ExxonMobil, discusses how advanced lubricant technology can help the wind industry cut costs, reduce waste and improve turbine performance in the long term. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Wind Power news review – hosted by Windpower Monthly senior reporter, Robyn White, and Windpower Monthly reporter, Orlando Jenkinson – along with our panel of experts, independent analyst Shashi Barla and K2 Management's country director for the UK and Ireland Sorcha Bán VersteegThis time on the news review; we'll ask our panellists for their views on how the victory of Donald Trump and the Republicans in the US elections could impact wind power and renewable energy policy in the country. We also explore major wind energy firms' third quarter financial results, which may be showing signs of improvement amid widespread difficulties. There is also a closer look at how Chinese manufacturers continue to push boundaries as they announce plans for the world's largest wind turbines. Finally, there is an examination of why the government of Sweden decided to cancel 13 offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea, and what the role its open-door leasing policy may have played in the decision. This episode was produced by Inga Marsden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yong Yu, international CEO at Chinese turbine firm Windey, discusses fair trade, whether bigger turbines are better and the country's recent dominance of global installations.In episode 30 of the Wind Power podcast, recorded during the Wind Energy Hamburg conference earlier this autumn, Windey's international CEO sat down for a discussion with Windpower Monthly editor Ian Griggs.The discussion focused on claims made by some wind industry voices that China enjoys the benefit of an unfair playing field with its European counterparts.The conversation also touched on how much market share Chinese turbine firms expect to have in Europe, from their current level of 0.2%, and the underlying reasons for China's dominance of global turbine installations. This episode was produced by Inga Marsden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Wind Power news review – hosted by Windpower Monthly senior reporter, Robyn White, and Windpower Monthly reporter, Orlando Jenkinson – along with our regular panellists, Shashi Barla and Will Sheard.This time on the news review; we'll ask our panellists for their views on the recent blade issues that impacted GE Vernova's Haliade X turbines in the US and UK, and ask how serious this could be for the reputation of the offshore wind industry. We also explore how a new government in the UK is looking to re energise wind power in the country by boosting a recent renewables tender, and ending the de-facto ban on new onshore wind. Meanwhile, Siemens Gamesa's 4.X turbines are back on sale again. Is there light at the end of the tunnel for this troubled wind turbine platform? Finally, we explore how China's industrial dominance is causing concern for workers at European wind energy manufacturers. This episode was produced by Inga Marsden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 29 of the Wind Power podcast, recorded during last week's WindEnergy Hamburg conference, GE Vernova's Gilan Sabatier sat down with Windpower Monthly editor Ian Griggs.The discussion centred on how the company's growth will be shaped by its customers' needs and how three recent deals illustrate its wider strategy in new and emerging markets.Sabatier also touched on healthy competition between turbine firms, in Europe and beyond, which markets the turbine firm is keeping an eye on right now and how a favourable – or unfavourable – policy backdrop can turn a market on its head in a matter of months.This episode was produced by Inga Marsden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Speaking ahead of Wind Energy Hamburg, Ben Backwell, chief executive of GWEC, discusses tripling wind installations, the Inflation Reduction Act and whether global trade tensions could derail the energy transition. Backwell spoke to Windpower Monthly editor Ian Griggs about whether global markets are on track to achieve a tripling of wind power installations by 2030, whether President Biden's landmark Inflation Reduction Act has lived up to the hype and why policy makers should avoid ramping up trade tensions with their competitors.The conversation also touched on how to bring emerging wind markets up to speed quickly, the UK's role in the energy transition following the end of a de facto onshore wind in England and the how the rising tide of mis and disinformation is affecting the wind industry today. This episode was produced by Inga Marsden Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a country, Norway is heavily reliant on oil and gas exploitation to meet its energy demands. However, with the climate crisis encouraging a break from fossil fuels, Norway is increasingly looking to offshore wind to help with its energy transition. The country's deep coastal waters mean most offshore wind in Norway will need to be built on floating platforms, and therefore rely on a technology that remains in its infancy around the world. In episode 27 of the Windpower Podcast, we spoke with two leading experts on Norwegian offshore wind to see whether floating wind can meet the demands of Norway's energy transition, and what challenges it might face along the way. This episode was produced by Inga Marsden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the ‘Wind Power' news review – hosted by Windpower Monthly's editor, Ian Griggs, and Windpower Monthly reporter, Orlando Jenkinson – along with our regular panellists, Shashi Barla and Will Sheard.This time on the news review: has US offshore wind turned the corner after a series of setbacks? Our regular panelists give their verdict.The advance of Chinese turbine technology continues apace, but how concerned should Western OEMs be that their competitors will steal a march on them with European developers?Meanwhile, back in Europe, some developers have criticized so-called negative bidding in Germany and the Netherlands, claiming that it makes projects unviable but are state regulators listening to their concerns? And finally, is a summer of industrial strife on the cards after a German union, which represents workers from several turbine firms, threatened strikes if their pay demands are not met?This episode was produced by Til Owen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How vulnerable is wind industry infrastructure to physical and cyber-attacks – and is the risk growing?The owners and operators of today's wind industry infrastructure must now navigate a new and murky world of unattributed physical attacks, cyber warfare and GPS jamming – as well as hybrid attacks comprising one or more of these elements.And as geopolitical tensions rise between Russia and Europe, China and the West - as well as other hostile state actors - what can the wind industry do about this growing threat?In episode 26 of the Wind Power Podcast – the final episode of our series recorded at the Wind Europe conference in Bilbao earlier this year – we spoke to a security expert and a senior underwriter for a specialist insurance firm to find out more about the calculus of risk. This episode was produced by Inga Marsden Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This time on the news review: Our panellists discuss a change of leadership, rumoured job cuts and a new offshore turbine in development at Siemens Gamesa. A change of leadership, rumoured big job cuts and a new offshore turbine in development – we ask our panelists to analyse the big developments at Siemens Gamesa. Meanwhile, as the first shots are fired in a potential EU/China trade war, our guests discuss whether new tariffs could slow down the energy transition and whether Chinese turbine firms are a threat to Europe anyway. And industry safety is back on the agenda after a man died in a fatal fall at a Texas wind project and another man's hand was crushed in an incident in the UK. Finally, is GE Vernova's ‘workhorse turbine' strategy one that fellow Western OEMs are likely to adopt for themselves? This episode was produced by Inga Marsden Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vic Abate, chief executive of GE Vernova's wind segment, discusses the company's Haliade-X workhorse turbine and how long-term relationships with its customers will determine which markets it is deployed in.Interviewed at WindEurope's annual conference in Bilbao earlier this year, Abate talked about how GE Vernova can reconcile deep cuts to its onshore workforce with the urgent need to ramp up global wind power installation - in Episode 25 of the Wind Power podcast.He explained the increasing role of AI in quality control for turbine components and why the company is paring down the number of markets it serves.Finally, Abate gave his take on whether the wind industry should be concerned about the outcome of the US presidential elections in November.This episode was produced by Inga Marsden Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Senior wind industry voices discuss what they want to see from member states to enable EU policies to be implemented quickly - and the potential roadblocks.Recorded at the recent WindEurope conference in Bilbao, the Wind Power podcast spoke to delegates on the conference floor about what member states should do to enable far-reaching EU policies, such as the Net Zero Industry Act and the Critical Raw Materials Act, to reach their full potential and what the challenges might be to achieve that.Speakers raised issues such as auction design and setting clear milestones to achieve stated goals for wind installation targets in member states, as well as where the EU's policy falls short when compared with the Inflation Reduction Act in the US and a necessary investment in grid and port infrastructure at a country level. Episode 24 of the Wind Power podcast features comments from Morten Dyrholm at Vestas, Victor Signes at Rystad, Katja Wünschel at RWE, Carmelo Scalone at Renantis, Carolina Clemente at Siemens Gamesa parent company, Siemens Energy and Alfredo Parres at Hitachi.This episode was edited by Ian Griggs and produced by Inga Marsden and Nav Pal Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This time on the news review: Our panellists discuss the continuing issues with Siemens Gamesa's 4X platform, after a wind project supplied with the turbines in Norway was shut down when a turbine blade broke.A Russian drone attack on a Ukrainian energy substation left 200,000 people without power but are wind turbines are more resilient than other energy infrastructure and is wind power becoming emblematic of Ukraine's - and the EU's - resistance to Russia's aggression?Meanwhile, two reports showed respectively that Chinese manufacturers dominated global turbine supply in 2023 and that US turbine firm GE Vernova similarly dominated the US market. But is China is caught in a trap of its own making, with more than 95% of the supplied turbines installed in its domestic market, and is GE Vernova also playing it safe on home turf?Meanwhile, the UK government approved an additional £800m to boost strike prices for offshore wind in the forthcoming AR6 tender round but wind industry voices are still calling it a missed opportunity - are they right?And finally, what were our panellists most important takeaways from WindEurope's annual conference in Bilbao?This episode was produced by Inga Marsden Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Experts from across the industry discuss how to optimise blade performance and reduce the cost of operations and maintenance.Recorded at our Blades USA conference, held in Austin, Texas, earlier this year, this episode of the Wind Power podcast features speakers from Vestas, RWE, the Electric Power Research Institute in the US, Envision and Aerones.What emerged loud and clear from the discussions is just how far the industry has come over the last decade but also the challenges brought by the rapid growth in blade length in recent years.Bigger blades bring bigger challenges and blade failures can happen in unexpected ways. In an industry where the cost of maintenance and downtime can be very high, identifying whether a blade defect is cosmetic or structural and, crucially, how much time there is before that defect turns critical, is becoming increasingly important.According to our experts, drones, robotics and artificial intelligence will all increasingly play their part as this industry develops, particularly given the workforce challenges facing the industry and the limited weather windows for carrying out blade maintenance.This episode features Noah Myrent, a senior technical leader at the Electric Power Research Institute, Kevin Standish, director of the Global Blade Innovation Center at Envision Energy, Pasquale Braione, head of global repair at Vestas, Arnold Wilmink, VP of reliability engineering for the Americas at RWE and Greta Krumina, regional manager for North America at Aerones.The episode was produced by by Inga Marsden Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This time in the news review: Major Western wind companies have released quarterly and full-year results but what do they tell us about the overall health of the wind industry? Meanwhile, several wind giants have announced – in the wake of their financial results – that they will narrow their focus on markets, but what is the strategy and what does it mean for the markets not chosen?Following their joint award of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering last month, wind industry pioneers Henrik Stiesdal and Andrew Garrad told Windpower Monthly that the so-called turbine ‘arms race' must stop – but is anyone listening, especially developers?Finally, we ask our panellists how they think geopolitical events – such as Russia's war in Ukraine, the continuing attacks on merchant shipping in the red sea and Donald Trump becoming the presumptive Republican nominee in the forthcoming US presidential elections – are affecting the wind industry.To listen, simply click on the 'play' button in the graphic above, or follow and download Wind Power on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other platforms.This episode was produced by Nav Pal and Inga Marsden Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WindEurope chair and Nordex CEO José Luis Blanco discusses EU policy, a looming trade war with China and whether the consensus on the energy transition is holding two years after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Speaking ahead of trade body WindEurope's annual three-day conference - to be held in Bilbao from March 20 - Blanco examines some of the key policy developments to emerge since the start of the year, including the European Wind Charter and the forthcoming Net Zero Industry Act.In episode 22 of the Wind Power Podcast, Blanco explains the significance of these policy developments for European turbine firms, developers and the wider supply chain.Blanco also gave his opinion on whether a trade war between the EU and China is likely in the coming years and what the effect of that might be on the industry.And he gave his thoughts on whether the hard-won consensus on the urgent need to transition towards renewables and away from reliance on Russian gas, forged in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, is still intact two years on.This episode was produced by Czarina Deen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do the winning entries in this year's Turbines of the Year awards tell us about the trends at work in wind power technology and why did the gold medallists win?In episode 21 of the Wind Power podcast, Windpower Monthly's editor and deputy editor are joined by technology and market trends correspondent – and Turbines of the Year judge – Eize de Vries to discuss the awards Last month, Windpower Monthly published the winners of the coveted Turbines of the Year awards. The categories included onshore and offshore wind turbines, blades, drivetrains and innovations. But what do the winning entries in each category tell us about the wider trends influencing the fast-paced world of wind power and what new technologies could be announced this year? Meanwhile, what must wind power technology companies do to enter the next Turbines of the Year awards and what are the ingredients of a winning entry?This episode was produced by Czarina Deen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the ‘Wind Power' news review – hosted by Windpower Monthly's editor, Claire Warren, and deputy editor, Ian Griggs, with a panel of expert guests.This time in the news review: An academic has reopened the debate on turbine sizes, claiming that bigger is better after all, while it also emerged that Siemens Gamesa is due to test the prototype of a new offshore turbine which could be the most powerful in the world - is the fragile consensus among Western OEMs on turbine sizes about to be broken?Also, two separate reports reveal a similar truth: we are not moving fast enough on wind power installation targets to meet ambitious COP28 and EU goals, but what can be done about it?Meanwhile, developers suffered a series of legal setbacks over the last few weeks over threats to endangered species and trespassing on land. As the rate of deployment increases, legal challenges will become more common and the wind industry will have to up its game on community engagement or risk more court battles.Finally, we ask whether floating wind technology is progressing as originally hoped and we ask our panellists for their predictions for the year ahead in wind.Our panellists are Shashi Barla - director and head of research in renewable energy at the Brinkman Group – and by Will Sheard - director of analysis and due diligence at the consultancy firm K2 Management.This episode was produced by Czarina Deen and Inga Marsden Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As wind power's contribution to the global energy transition grows, insiders are looking to improve sustainable practices within the wind industry itself. In the latest edition of the Wind Power podcast, Lisa Ekstrand, head of sustainability at Vestas, joins Carbon Rivers' chief technical officer David Morgan to discuss how both companies are boosting circular economics in the wind industry by developing new ways to recycle turbine blades. Between 85-90% of a typical wind turbine is already made of recyclable materials like steel. However the turbine blades themselves are often made from composite materials including epoxy resin that is much harder to break down and cannot be recycled so easily. Numerous prominent companies in the wind industry are now exploring blade recycling in the hopes of growing it to a commercial scale and solving one of the biggest sustainability challenges the industry still faces. Vestas last year announced it had developed a bespoke, chemical-based process named Cetec (Circular Economy for Thermosets Epoxy Composites) which it claims can effectively break down the epoxy resin “superglue” which holds blade composites together and thereby reclaim the blade materials for recycling. Carbon Rivers meanwhile worked with the US Department of Energy to develop its own way to break down the composite materials within wind turbine blades using a process similar to pyrolysis. Ekstrand and Morgan discussed why recycling turbine blades is so important for sustainability in the wind industry, and why employing the reclaimed materials anywhere they can be useful is the most important outcome when it comes to circular economics. This episode was produced by Czarina Deen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the ‘Wind Power' news review – hosted by Windpower Monthly's editor, Claire Warren, and deputy editor, Ian Griggs, with a panel of expert guests.This time in the news review: Major Western turbine manufacturers have released quarterly or full-year results, but what do they say about the OEMs relative financial health and which of them is likely to move into profitability first?Meanwhile, in the wake of Ørsted's shock cancellation of Ocean Winds 1&2 last month, US regulators and the UK government appear to be heeding developer's warnings to make projects financially viable, so is the tide turning for offshore wind?And finally, there are ominous signs of a trade war brewing between the EU and China over what some European wind industry representatives have described as “unfair competition” from their Chinese counterparts but is it necessary and are Chinese OEMs even interested in the European market?Our panellists are Shashi Barla - director and head of research in renewable energy at the Brinkman Group – and by Will Sheard - director of analysis and due diligence at the consultancy firm K2 Management.This episode was produced by Czarina Deen and Inga Marsden Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Senior wind industry figures from GWEC, Vestas and Arup come together to discuss what they want policymakers to agree on at the forthcoming COP28 conference later this month.Starting on 30 November and running for nearly two weeks the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP28, will bring together world leaders, business and NGOs to discuss the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions caused by fossil fuels - but will global policymakers act decisively? This year's conference, to be held in the United Arab Emirates, will include a global stock take of the progress made since the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, in which countries pledged to reduce carbon emissions and step up the roll out of renewable energy in order to limit the potentially devastating effects of climate change – but how far off-course has the world drifted since the agreement was signed?In the 19th episode of the Wind Power Podcast; Ben Backwell, chief executive of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), Morten Dyrholm, group senior vice president of communications and public affairs at turbine manufacturer Vestas, and James Theobolds, director at engineering and sustainability consultancy Arup, come together to discuss what the wind industry will be calling for from world leaders at COP28.Is the stated aim of tripling renewable energy deployment by 2030 possible, let along realistic? How far off course has the world drifted since the Paris Agreement and has the time now come to override objections to the installation of wind power from the public in the face of the existential threat to human life on Earth?This episode was produced by Czarina Deen and Inga Marsden Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the first ‘Wind Power' news review – hosted by Windpower Monthly's editor, Claire Warren, and deputy editor, Ian Griggs, with a panel of expert guests.This time in the news review: Did we dream too big on offshore wind and will inflation force the industry – and policymakers - to recalibrate pricing or deployment targets?The Contract for Difference mechanism was once seen as the gold standard but is it still fit for purpose in the current inflationary environment, especially after the failed CfD auction in the UK?And the trouble at Siemens Gamesa. The turbine manufacturer and its parent company face serious challenges but is there a point at which its financial losses become unsustainable - and who is best-placed to lead it back to profitability?For this episode, we're joined by our panelists Shashi Barla - director and head of research in renewable energy at the Brinkman Group – and by Will Sheard - director of analysis and due diligence at the consultancy firm K2 Management.This episode was produced by Czarina Deen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Indigenous and first nations communities are being confronted by wind energy developments on their traditional lands, causing legal battles and protests to flare. Is this an inevitable conflict? Or is there space for a mutually beneficial coexistence? Orlando Jenkinson, reporter for Windpower Monthly, discusses these issues across three interviews that make up Episode 18 of the Windpower Podcast. In the first, Larry Wright Junior, the executive director of the National Congress for American Indians, describes why the organisation is calling for a pause on offshore wind developments in the US, and how the federal government could help ensure Native American sovereignty is respected to avoid similar disruptions in the future. The episode also explores the growing protests against wind farms among the indigenous Sami communities of Norway. Aslak Holmberg, president of the Sami Council, recounts how Sami communities face the loss of their traditional culture as reindeer herders due to the impact of wind farms on their grazing lands, despite winning the support of the Norwegian Supreme Court in a recent decision. Situations like these echo the historic oppression of first nations peoples. However, alternative, constructive relationships of mutual benefit can also be imagined. Arash Moalemi from the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, and Tyler Hoffbuhr from developer Avangrid, describe what one such case might look like while discussing the pair's new joint venture in the southwestern United States. This episode was produced by Czarina Deen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

British wind power pioneer Andrew Garrad has worked in the industry for more than four decades, from the early ‘Wild West' days of trial and error in the late 1970s.Now semi-retired, Garrad – who received a pioneer award at the Global Wind Energy Council's ‘One Terawatt' party earlier this year - is nonetheless still active in helping communities to harness wind power for themselves. In the seventeenth episode of the Wind Power podcast, Ian Griggs, deputy editor of Windpower Monthly, spoke to Garrad about a professional life spent in the wind industry.The conversation covered his experience of the ‘Wild West' days of trial and error in the wind industry in the late 1970s, how we arrived at the turbine models seen as the industry-standard today and how long he thinks it will take to install the next global terawatt of wind power.Garrad also identifies the global markets he thinks are the most exciting today, what national governments should do now to enable wind power and comments on the so-called ‘arms-race' in turbine sizes. This episode was produced by Czarina Deen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Global offshore wind deployment is happening in greater volumes, at an increasingly frenetic pace but is the industry becoming a safer place to work in as it matures?In the sixteenth episode of the Wind Power podcast, Ian Griggs, deputy editor of Windpower Monthly, spoke to Rakesh Maharaj founder of safety & training organization ARMSA Academy, and Anna Hilden, global industry manager for offshore wind at StormGeo, According to our expert guests several factors may be working against safer working environment in offshore wind. These include a relentless drive by industry players to reduce costs and maintain the profitability of wind projects, an industry awash with innovation in which change is the only constant, and even the structure of multi-level contracts, in which developers seek to transfer the responsibility for risk-mitigation further down the supply chain.On the face of it, data from the annual G+ offshore wind safety report show the number of incidents which could be of concern is decreasing, even as hours worked in the offshore installation rise sharply, but do these figures show us a complete picture and can the industry players learn anything meaningful from them to enhance their own safety procedures?This episode was produced by Czarina Deen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act is expected to double the size of the US market over the next ten years, but is the industry fully equipped to meet all of the benefits on offer?With clarity of the details in the IRA beginning to emerge, it is clear that it will have a transformative effect on the US market. But in order to fully realise the benefits, turbine firms will need to make massive up-front investments in new manufacturing facilities based in the US to satisfy domestic content requirements or else bring existing facilities out of hibernation to ramp up production. The potential rewards are huge for hard-pressed turbine manufacturers which can find the necessary capital to invest but some are better placed than others to do so.Meanwhile, there are worrying signs that the political consensus on wind power at federal level in the US has begun to unravel and a presidential election is looming on the horizon. What could the outcome mean for the IRA and the companies which are banking on it?Finally, Europe has proposals but no firm legislation in place to compete with the IRA so does the bloc risk being left behind?In the fifteenth episode of the Wind Power podcast, Shashi Barla, head of renewables research at Brinckmann Group, and John Begala, policy chief for the US Business Network for Offshore Wind, discuss whether the industry is ready to reap the benefits of the biggest policy driver in the history of the wind. This episode was produced by Czarina Deen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vic Abate, chief executive of GE Vernova's onshore wind division as well as GE's chief technology officer, is one of the most senior people working in the wind industry todayA former CEO of GE's renewable energy division from 2005 to 2013, Abate has been with the company for more than twenty years and he can trace a line in his career from when wind power was in its infancy through to today's global energy transition.In the fourteenth episode of the Wind Power podcast - recorded at the recent WindEurope conference in Copenhagen - Ian Griggs, deputy editor of Windpower Monthly, caught up with Abate to ask him how President Biden's landmark Inflation Reduction Act will affect the fortunes of GE in the coming decade, how the legislation compares with Europe's proposals and why the company is cutting the number of turbine variants it offers.This episode was recorded at WindEurope's annual event in Copenhagen, produced by Czarina Deen, and researched by Craig Richard. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The threat of cyber attacks on the wind industry's remote control systems for turbines and other equipment is all too real and it is growing by the day, with potentially disastrous consequences for companies which do not understand the dangers they face.As the industry becomes increasingly reliant on remote systems to control the operations of offshore wind farms, the so-called ‘attack surface' grows with them. Meanwhile, the energy transition - in which Europe attempts to pivots away from Russian fossil fuels - brings with it a higher likelihood of cyber attacks which originate from state actors.In the thirteenth episode of the Wind Power podcast - recorded at the WindEurope conference in Copenhagen last month - Ian Griggs, deputy editor of Windpower Monthly spoke to three cybersecurity professionals about the nature of the threat and how the wind industry can guard itself against them. Boye Tranum, DNV's director of cybersecurity, Bart Van den Bossche and Tijl Deneut - both cybersecurity experts at Ebo Enterprises - discuss how to assess and counter the threats which face the industry, where responsibility for cybersecurity in companies lies under the new ‘NIS2' directive, and why people are the weakest link but also the best defence against cyber attacks.This episode was recorded at the WindEurope Annual Event in Copenhagen and produced by Czarina Deen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last year Europe as a whole commissioned 19.1GW of new wind power capacity (16.7GW for EU-27 member states), according to WindEurope, up 4% (40% for the EU-27 states) from the previous year. That takes Europe's operational wind power capacity past the 250GW mark but still falls well short of what's needed to hit climate and energy goals.From the perennial problem of long waits for permits and grid connections through to nimbyism, ever-increasing turbine sizes and the chicken-and-egg situation that is holding the roll-out of wind power back, there are plenty of issues keeping the industry awake at night. But, as the guests on our podcast point out, this is an industry that is willing - and able - to rise to the challenge. The technology is there and wind, given the right conditions, can be built at speed.Matilda Afzelius, CEO for the Nordics at RES, Alexander Fløtre, who heads up offshore wind research at Rystad Energy, Jon Salazar, founder and CEO at Gazelle Wind Power, Joachim Koefoed, who heads up public affairs across Europe for Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Tom Walker, head of onshore wind at Statkraft in the UK, and Eric Jan Bijvank, director Europe & Africa at Fugro join Windpower Monthly editor Claire Warren to discuss some of the challenges - and how we might address them.To listen, simply click on the 'play' button in the graphic above, or follow and download Wind Power on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other platforms.This episode was recorded at the WindEurope Annual Event in Copenhagen and produced by Czarina Deen.Further reading'EU must restore confidence' as 2022 additions lag climate targets – WindEuropeEU's Net Zero Industry Act 'falls short' of driving 36GW annual wind turbine production – WindEurope Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Speaking ahead of the start of the WindEurope conference in Copenhagen next Tuesday (25 April) Sven Utermöhlen - chair of the trade group and chief executive of offshore wind for RWE - discusses the EU's package of measures to stimulate the wind industry.Last month, the European Commission proposed a package of measures which, if enacted, could help boost the fortunes of the wind industry in member states as well as speeding up the roll out of renewable energy.They include a ‘Net Zero industry act', which could boost member states' permitting capacity and reform auction criteria for new wind farms, they also include ‘Electricity market reforms' which could expand the use of corporate power purchase agreements across the continent, and a ‘critical raw materials act' which seeks to secure Europe's supply of the essential components the wind industry needs for future expansion.In the eleventh episode of the Wind Power podcast, Ian Griggs, deputy editor of Windpower Monthly, talked to Utermöhlen about whether the EU's package is sufficient to help the industry, how it compares with the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) policy in the US policy and where the EU could go further and faster.The conversation also touched on what skills the wind industry needs now and how to plug the skills gap effectively.To listen, simply click on the 'play' button in the graphic above, or follow and download Wind Power on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other platforms.This episode was produced by Czarina Deen and researched by Craig Richard and Orlando Jenkinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth Klein, the new chief at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), discusses the route ahead for offshore wind in the US.Klein was appointed as the new director of BOEM in January and has been a member of Biden's administration since it took office, initially serving as senior counsellor to US secretary of the interior Deb Haaland.She has also served two previous presidents and was a key architect of the Obama administration's work to create a new offshore wind industry and leasing programme.In the tenth episode of the Wind Power podcast, Ian Griggs, deputy editor of Windpower Monthly, talked to Klein about minimising conflict with other sea users during the site-selection stage for auctions, the likely impact of Biden's landmark Inflation Reduction Act and whether last year's offshore wind tender in California underperformed expectations.Klein was asked whether she thinks a recent spate of whale deaths off the Atlantic coast was being leveraged to galvanise opposition to offshore wind and for her view on how the wind industry should tackle the under representation of women and people from ethnic minorities in senior roles.To listen, simply click on the 'play' button in the graphic above, or follow and download Wind Power on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other platforms.This episode was produced by Czarina Deen and researched by Craig Richard Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turbine blades represent up to a third of the cost of a wind turbine but they do not yet benefit from the sophistication of sensor technology which exists in its other components, so are they the poor relation?The evidence is that, as blades get larger, issues such as leading edge erosion – and its cumulative effect on annual energy production – will get worse and other types of repairs more frequent.So what does the near future of blade inspections and maintenance look like, how big will they get and what is the effect on public opinion towards wind when turbine blades experience a catastrophic failure? Finally, Episode Nine explores whether owner-operators of wind farms and turbine manufacturers can resolve the current stalemate between the need for detailed information to run a wind farm at optimum efficiency on one hand and OEMs protecting commercial sensitivities in a highly competitive marketplace.Ahead of the return of the Blades USA forum in Texas next month, Ian Griggs, deputy editor of Windpower Monthly, spoke to two of the key speakers from the forthcoming conference: Carsten Westergaard, president of Westergaard Solutions, and Katelyn Reynolds, manager of operations and engineering at owner-operator Invenergy.To listen, simply click on the 'play' button in the graphic above, or follow and download Wind Power on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other platforms.This episode was produced by Czarina Deen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Experts from the Renewable Hydrogen Coalition, DNV and Bellona discuss green hydrogen's potential as a component of the renewable energy transition.Green hydrogen has the potential to decarbonize the industry sectors that will be hardest to electrify in the coming energy transition to a renewables based energy system. But what is the best way to achieve that goal? What obstacles lie in its way? And what is the opportunity/cost of producing it in sufficient quantities?As ever, there will be hurdles to overcome - from showing leadership in policy choices, to creating a viable market place capable of attracting investors.In the eighth episode of the Wind Power podcast, Ian Griggs, deputy editor of Windpower Monthly, is joined by Francois Paquet, impact director at the Renewable Hydrogen Coalition, Marta Lovisolo, policy adviser on renewable energy systems at Bellona, Europa, and Magnus Killingland, hydrogen lead for northern Europe at DNV.This episode was produced by Czarina Deen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anders Nielsen, chief technology officer for the turbine manufacturer Vestas, discusses why the race for the biggest turbine has to stop.In the seventh episode of the Wind Power podcast, Ian Griggs, deputy editor of Windpower Monthly, had a wide-ranging discussion with Nielsen about the current health of the turbine industry.Subjects on the agenda included how keep the whole wind industry supply chain solvent – and the role of turbine manufacturers within that – as well as whether a level playing field currently exists between Europe and China for OEMs. The conversation also covered the uneven distribution of profit across the industry, whether turbine customers need to shoulder more of the risk and how big turbines can and should get if the industry wants to build them at scale and meet global demand.Nielsen also gave his view on COP27 and what form reparations to countries drastically affected by climate change should take.This episode was produced by Czarina DeenOpinion: Wind industry must slow down turbine development to speed up the offshore rolloutVestas launches new 15MW offshore wind turbine with 236-metre rotorSiemens Gamesa chief calls for EU turbine quota to protect industry from ‘unfair' Chinese competition Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the sixth episode of the Wind Power podcast, Claire Warren, editor of Windpower Monthly, is joined by Jonathan Cole, CEO of Corio Generation, Vicky O'Connor, technical manager for development in Europe at Northland Power, and Pablo Necochea, lead advisor for the floating segment at Vestas.Floating offshore wind offers enormous potential for countries, particularly those whose coastal waters are too deep for conventional offshore wind. But this is an industry that is still in its infancy. Currently, there is little in the way of operational capacity and, although we have tried and tested floater concepts, we are a long way from having enough port space and heavy engineering capacity to facilitate the mass production needed for the industry to truly take off.But the benefits are clear and in the longer term floating wind will likely be central to global decarbonisation efforts and the drive to hit net zero by 2050.So where will it take off first, what are the hurdles, how can we overcome them and, crucially, what do governments need to do to facilitate rapid deployment? This episode was produced by Czarina Deen and recorded at WindEnergy Hamburg where Windpower Monthly was the official podcast partner.Video: X1 Wind installs floating platform prototype in SpainStiesdal platform set for 100MW North Sea floating offshore wind demonstratorCorio and Q-Energy team up to explore floating wind in Spain Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the fifth episode of the Wind Power podcast, Ian Griggs, deputy editor of Windpower Monthly, had a wide-ranging conversation with Backwell which included how the wind industry should respond to the ongoing energy crisis.Also up for discussion was the subject of how to attract and retain the expanded – and skilled - workforce the industry desperately needs in order to achieve ambitious deployment targets as well as whether there are sunnier times ahead for struggling turbine manufacturers.In the closing moments of this episode, Backwell also laid out a controversial view of which country currently has the most favourable policy backdrop for the wind industry. This episode was produced by Czarina Deen.Qualified workforce is ‘biggest' supply-chain challenge for offshore windRaw materials, logistics and policy: The challenges facing OEMs in 2022Siemens Gamesa demands Europe-wide action to safeguard wind industry Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Industry specialists discuss how a raft of new policy measures from the German government could ramp up its onshore wind industry.The German government looks set to pass a range of measures which could drastically cut permitting times for new onshore wind farms and repowering existing ones. There are also plans to restructure its grid.Slashing permitting times for new onshore wind farms from the current average of around seven years could be exactly the sort of lifesaving measure needed by turbine manufacturers to stimulate demand for their products.But new repowering rules could also prove transformative for the German market, because they have the potential to make better use of land which has already been set aside for wind farms.How are German people likely to respond to more wind farms becoming part of their landscapes and has public opinion in the country changed since the war in Ukraine?In the fourth episode of the Wind Power podcast, Ian Griggs, deputy editor of Windpower Monthly, spoke to the German Wind Energy Association and to the turbine manufacturer, Nordex.This episode was produced by Czarina Deen.Onshore wind breakthrough as Germany green lights 10GW a year from 2025Nordex to raise €212 million from rights issue as short-term headwinds biteAnalysis: GE faces mounting impacts from SGRE patent case loss Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US offshore wind industry has reached a pivotal moment, with a favourable policy announcement from the Biden administration which could transform the fortunes of its nascent supply chain.Everything from a skilled workforce to meet the growing needs of the industry, through to critical infrastructure and the construction of wind turbine installation vessels could be enhanced by the measures – while the whole offshore wind industry can only benefit from the president's personal focus.But as two of the world's major turbine manufacturers lock horns in a US court over an intellectual property dispute, it's clear that the wind industry must find ways to collaborate rather than simply compete in order to make the best of the economic benefits to come.In the third episode of the Wind Power podcast, Ian Griggs, deputy editor of Windpower Monthly, spoke to two members of the US Business Network for Offshore Wind (BNOW) to get their take on the latest developments.This episode was produced by Czarina Deen.Could SGRE's IP court battle with GE have implications for the entire wind industry?Jury awards royalties after verdict in GE vs SGRE court battleSiemens Gamesa vs GE court case: '60GW US offshore wind exposed to intellectual property risk' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The tragic war in Ukraine has claimed thousands of lives, driven millions from their homes and destroyed vital infrastructure.But amid the daily cost in human suffering, there is also a feeling in Europe that the war has achieved what the slower moving crisis of climate change could not, by galvanising policymakers towards a swifter transition to renewable energy.But is this a moment in time? Or will we come to view this point in history as the real turning point in the transition to clean energy?In the second episode of the Wind Power podcast, Ian Griggs, Deputy Editor of Windpower Monthly, spoke to one of the largest turbine manufacturers in the world, a wind farm developer and a European policy maker.This episode was produced by Czarina Deen.Is the EU's 480GW wind target for 2030 realistic?Governments join pledge to accelerate offshore windVestas announces ‘complete withdrawal' from RussiaEU outlines plan to reduce energy dependence on Russia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are at a pivotal moment for European wind power. The climate crisis and Russia's invasion of Ukraine have left no one in any doubt about the need to roll out renewable energy as fast as possible.The EU wants to end Russian energy imports by 2030 and expand wind energy from 190GW today to 480GW by 2030. But is it a realistic goal, given the challenges facing the wind industry? Giles Dickson, CEO of WindEurope, firmly believes it is. In our first ever Wind Power podcast he talks to Claire Warren, Editor of Windpower Monthly, about what it will take for the industry to deliver.This episode was produced by Czarina Deen and recorded at WindEurope's annual event in Bilbao.EU outlines plan to reduce energy dependence on RussiaWind power ‘can help deliver European energy independence' from Russia – WindEuropeAbout Windpower Monthly Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.