The company, which is headquartered in Norwich, was started by former Lotus Engineering commercial director John Moore in 2009 to provide small-scale renewable energy to farmers and other landowners.
Each turbine can make savings on the landowners' electricity bill and Windcrop makes its return on investment through the Government's Feed-in Tariff (FiT) – a financial incentive to encourage the uptake of small scale renewable energy.
John Ainsworth, general manager at the Saltash office, expects the branch to eventually employ 30 people within site assessment, planning, installation and operations teams.
Mr Ainsworth said: "My team will all be employed from the local area and we're really looking forward to working with farmers, smallholders and other landowners.
"Our small wind turbines are designed to provide the least amount of concern in the planning process and Windcrop has an in-house planning team who manage this part of the job for our customers.
"We then take care of the entire installation process, as well as the maintenance over a 20-year contract period, making it easy and immediately beneficial for customers in the South West."
Windcrop's small wind turbine also features a patented design which the company says has minimum impact on the environment, because the small masts are mounted onto a unique piling system, avoiding the need for onsite heavy plant or concrete.
Mr Moore, who is still managing director of the firm he founded, said the firm was looking forward to working with an increasing number of South West farmers and landowners interested in investing in, and benefiting from, renewable energy.
He said: "As we continue to expand across the UK we are looking to reach even more forward-thinking farmers and landowners who are interested in using a small piece of unproductive land to generate free electricity.
"The South West is already renowned for its pioneering attitude with regard to green energy."
"Ultimately we will play a key part in helping to meet the government target of generating 15 per cent of all the UK's energy from renewable by 2020."
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Europe recession further slowed global manufacturing
Global manufacturing output rose by merely 1.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year compared to the same period in the previous year, the lowest quarterly growth rate in the last three years, according to a United Nations report released on Friday that attributes the slowdown to the prolonged recession in Europe and weaker growth in other industrialized countries.
According to the report by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the risk of another slowdown looms over developing economies as long as the economic recession persists in industrialized countries.
In industrialized countries, manufacturing output fell by 1.8 per cent compared to the fourth quarter of 2011, while the manufacturing output of developing economies grew by 7.6 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year.
In Europe, the decline in industrial production previously observed in a few countries of the European Union spread across the continent. Industrial production systematically decreased there in all four quarters of 2012, UNIDO reported.
Manufacturing output in the fourth quarter fell by 3.9 per cent in France, 2.9 per cent in Germany, 6.9 per cent in Italy and 1.8 per cent in the United Kingdom.
The severity of the crisis slightly eased in Greece and Portugal where there was a much lower declining rate. However, manufacturing output in Spain dropped significantly, by 6 per cent in the fourth quarter, according to the UN agency.
Growth in North America continued but at a lower rate than in the previous quarter.
In East Asia, manufacturing outputs dropped for the second consecutive quarter, mainly due to a decrease in Japanese exports.
Improved growth in China helped bolster figures in developing countries averting a further slowdown in the rate of manufacturing growth observed during the first half of 2012, UNIDO reported.
According to the report by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the risk of another slowdown looms over developing economies as long as the economic recession persists in industrialized countries.
In industrialized countries, manufacturing output fell by 1.8 per cent compared to the fourth quarter of 2011, while the manufacturing output of developing economies grew by 7.6 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year.
In Europe, the decline in industrial production previously observed in a few countries of the European Union spread across the continent. Industrial production systematically decreased there in all four quarters of 2012, UNIDO reported.
Manufacturing output in the fourth quarter fell by 3.9 per cent in France, 2.9 per cent in Germany, 6.9 per cent in Italy and 1.8 per cent in the United Kingdom.
The severity of the crisis slightly eased in Greece and Portugal where there was a much lower declining rate. However, manufacturing output in Spain dropped significantly, by 6 per cent in the fourth quarter, according to the UN agency.
Growth in North America continued but at a lower rate than in the previous quarter.
In East Asia, manufacturing outputs dropped for the second consecutive quarter, mainly due to a decrease in Japanese exports.
Improved growth in China helped bolster figures in developing countries averting a further slowdown in the rate of manufacturing growth observed during the first half of 2012, UNIDO reported.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
U.K. Q4 Industrial Output Contracts Despite Outgrowing Estimates In December
U.K. industrial production increased at a faster-than-expected pace in December, in line with more recent economic data that suggest the economy might avoid slipping back into a renewed recession. However, the sector recorded a marked contraction in output in the fourth quarter amid wide-spread closure of oil fields in the North Sea, latest data showed Thursday.
Industrial production rose a seasonally adjusted 1.1 percent sequentially, following November's 0.2 percent gain, marking the second consecutive monthly growth, the Office for National Statistics said. The growth rate exceeded the 0.9 percent increase economists had forecast.
"December's industrial production and trade figures added to evidence that the economic picture improved at the tail end of last year," Capital Economics UK Economist Samuel Tombs said.
"But, the fact that the trade deficit for the year as a whole reached a record high underlines that these improvements are coming from exceptionally weak starting points."
Meanwhile, production declined a seasonally adjusted 1.9 percent quarter-over-quarter in the fourth quarter, marking the biggest fall since the first quarter of 2009.
Production by the manufacturing sector advanced 1.6 percent compared to November, when it dropped by 0.3 percent. Economists had expected a more modest growth of 0.8 percent. Output of the mining and quarrying sector rose by 1.2 percent.
"With the manufacturing surveys suggesting that order books are weakening again, largely as result of fading overseas demand, the industrial sector is not out of the woods yet," Tombs added.
Compared to December 2011, overall industrial production decreased 1.7 percent in December after falling 2.4 percent in the preceding month. Manufacturing output dropped at a slower rate of 1.5 percent than 2 percent a month ago.
Economists had forecast a 2 percent annual fall in overall output, and a 2.4 percent drop in manufacturing production.
In a separate report, the statistical office said that the shortfall in U.K.'s merchandise trade fell to GBP 8.9 billion in December from GBP 9.3 billion a month ago.
The results of the latest purchasing managers' survey released by Markit Economics last week showed that the British manufacturing sector expanded further in January, with production increasing to a sixteen-month high. The corresponding survey for the service sector showed that the sector returned to growth in the beginning of the year as business expectations rose to the highest level in eight months.
The British economy contracted 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter after a modest recovery in the previous three months proved to be short-lived. The economy has been under pressure from the government's austerity program and above-target inflation that outpaced wage-growth.
The Bank of England , or BoE, is widely expected to hold fire at today's monetary policy meeting, after keeping the main interest rate steady at 0.5 percent at the December meeting. The central bank is also seen leaving its quantitative easing unchanged at GBP 375 billion.
Although the BoE is expected to retain the current stimulus, economists say the bank will reinvest the redeemed gilts again in the asset purchase program.
Industrial production rose a seasonally adjusted 1.1 percent sequentially, following November's 0.2 percent gain, marking the second consecutive monthly growth, the Office for National Statistics said. The growth rate exceeded the 0.9 percent increase economists had forecast.
"December's industrial production and trade figures added to evidence that the economic picture improved at the tail end of last year," Capital Economics UK Economist Samuel Tombs said.
"But, the fact that the trade deficit for the year as a whole reached a record high underlines that these improvements are coming from exceptionally weak starting points."
Meanwhile, production declined a seasonally adjusted 1.9 percent quarter-over-quarter in the fourth quarter, marking the biggest fall since the first quarter of 2009.
Production by the manufacturing sector advanced 1.6 percent compared to November, when it dropped by 0.3 percent. Economists had expected a more modest growth of 0.8 percent. Output of the mining and quarrying sector rose by 1.2 percent.
"With the manufacturing surveys suggesting that order books are weakening again, largely as result of fading overseas demand, the industrial sector is not out of the woods yet," Tombs added.
Compared to December 2011, overall industrial production decreased 1.7 percent in December after falling 2.4 percent in the preceding month. Manufacturing output dropped at a slower rate of 1.5 percent than 2 percent a month ago.
Economists had forecast a 2 percent annual fall in overall output, and a 2.4 percent drop in manufacturing production.
In a separate report, the statistical office said that the shortfall in U.K.'s merchandise trade fell to GBP 8.9 billion in December from GBP 9.3 billion a month ago.
The results of the latest purchasing managers' survey released by Markit Economics last week showed that the British manufacturing sector expanded further in January, with production increasing to a sixteen-month high. The corresponding survey for the service sector showed that the sector returned to growth in the beginning of the year as business expectations rose to the highest level in eight months.
The British economy contracted 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter after a modest recovery in the previous three months proved to be short-lived. The economy has been under pressure from the government's austerity program and above-target inflation that outpaced wage-growth.
The Bank of England , or BoE, is widely expected to hold fire at today's monetary policy meeting, after keeping the main interest rate steady at 0.5 percent at the December meeting. The central bank is also seen leaving its quantitative easing unchanged at GBP 375 billion.
Although the BoE is expected to retain the current stimulus, economists say the bank will reinvest the redeemed gilts again in the asset purchase program.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Boost for solar energy industry as prices rise
Prices of polysilicon products, the main raw ingredient in solar products, have risen recently due to reduced production and favorable policies to promote domestic demand, injecting some hope into the industry amid its problems with overcapacity, analysts told the Global Times Monday.
The prices sank to a record low in the fourth quarter of 2012 when exports of solar panel products to the US and European Union stalled.
The US gave final approval on November 7, 2012 for anti-dumping duties ranging from 18.32 to 249.96 percent and additional countervailing duties of 14.78 to 15.97 percent on solar-energy products from China over the next five years. The EU also launched probes into Chinese solar panels in September and November last year.
China, the world's biggest producer of solar power products, imports half of its polysilicon materials mainly from the US and EU for assembling solar cells and panels that are then re-exported to these markets.
The average price of polysilicon reached 136,163 yuan ($21,962) per ton Monday, up 16 percent from mid-December, according to data from market intelligence agency Sunsirs China Commodity Data Group.
The higher price means that polysilicon producers can break even and even make a slight profit of 1 to 2 percent, Zhang Ming, a market analyst with Sunsirs, told the Global Times Monday.
"Many polysilicon manufacturers have gone bankrupt and only one out of 10 producers maintained production last year due to overcapacity issues," Zhang said.
China has allowed the connection of photovoltaic solar power producers to the State grid and has launched policies to boost domestic demand for solar power, which also contributed to the recovery of upstream raw materials, he said.
The price of solar panel products has also increased slightly to $0.7 per unit from a record low of $0.6 last year, Meng Xian'gan, deputy director of the China Renewable Energy Society, told the Global Times Monday.
However, it is too early to say that the slowdown in the sector has bottomed out, Meng said.
The prices sank to a record low in the fourth quarter of 2012 when exports of solar panel products to the US and European Union stalled.
The US gave final approval on November 7, 2012 for anti-dumping duties ranging from 18.32 to 249.96 percent and additional countervailing duties of 14.78 to 15.97 percent on solar-energy products from China over the next five years. The EU also launched probes into Chinese solar panels in September and November last year.
China, the world's biggest producer of solar power products, imports half of its polysilicon materials mainly from the US and EU for assembling solar cells and panels that are then re-exported to these markets.
The average price of polysilicon reached 136,163 yuan ($21,962) per ton Monday, up 16 percent from mid-December, according to data from market intelligence agency Sunsirs China Commodity Data Group.
The higher price means that polysilicon producers can break even and even make a slight profit of 1 to 2 percent, Zhang Ming, a market analyst with Sunsirs, told the Global Times Monday.
"Many polysilicon manufacturers have gone bankrupt and only one out of 10 producers maintained production last year due to overcapacity issues," Zhang said.
China has allowed the connection of photovoltaic solar power producers to the State grid and has launched policies to boost domestic demand for solar power, which also contributed to the recovery of upstream raw materials, he said.
The price of solar panel products has also increased slightly to $0.7 per unit from a record low of $0.6 last year, Meng Xian'gan, deputy director of the China Renewable Energy Society, told the Global Times Monday.
However, it is too early to say that the slowdown in the sector has bottomed out, Meng said.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Incentives Push Massachusetts Residents to Go Solar
To be green, sometimes you need to spend a little green. That’s the lesson Massachusetts officials have learned by enticing homeowners to invest in renewable energy through tax breaks, rebates and other economic incentives.
Since 1979, Massachusetts has offered a $1,000, one-time tax credit to homeowners who install solar systems, but that incentive didn’t exactly push residents to invest in these relatively costly systems.
What really drove the solar energy market, according to Dwayne Breger, director of the Division of Renewable Energy at the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), was the legislature’s passage in 2008 of the Green Communities Act. Among its most notable initiatives, the legislation established one of the nation’s first renewable energy portfolio standards (RPS), requiring that 15 percent of the state’s electricity come from renewable energy sources by 2020. For the record, Rhode Island beat its neighbor to the north by establishing an RPS four years earlier at 16 percent by the end of 2019.
To enact this and other green legislation, the state created the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) in 2009. The agency started providing rebates to homeowners, businesses and municipalities that installed solar power systems with the capacity to generate up to 15 kilowatts.
DOER also implemented a solar carve-out program, which issues a solar renewable energy certificate (SREC) to solar system owners for each megawatt-hour of electricity they generate. SRECs trade at market value, which floats currently between $200 and $250 apiece — a price often higher than fossil fuel-generated electricity. Retail electric suppliers gobble up these certificates, as they are required by state law to buy a certain number of them annually in support of renewable energy production.
If homeowners are hesitant to invest in the upfront costs of a photovoltaic system, third-party businesses have stepped in to fill the void by installing the equipment and racking up SRECs while hosts enjoy lower energy costs.
“It may take an upfront cost, but the payback with incentives is quite strong,” Breger said. “If you don’t want to have the upfront cost, you can do the third-party arrangement and have small but immediate energy-cost savings over time.
So far, nearly 4,000 residential solar projects have been installed and only 10 of the state’s 351 cities and towns don’t have some form of solar activity, Breger said.
Since 1979, Massachusetts has offered a $1,000, one-time tax credit to homeowners who install solar systems, but that incentive didn’t exactly push residents to invest in these relatively costly systems.
What really drove the solar energy market, according to Dwayne Breger, director of the Division of Renewable Energy at the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), was the legislature’s passage in 2008 of the Green Communities Act. Among its most notable initiatives, the legislation established one of the nation’s first renewable energy portfolio standards (RPS), requiring that 15 percent of the state’s electricity come from renewable energy sources by 2020. For the record, Rhode Island beat its neighbor to the north by establishing an RPS four years earlier at 16 percent by the end of 2019.
To enact this and other green legislation, the state created the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) in 2009. The agency started providing rebates to homeowners, businesses and municipalities that installed solar power systems with the capacity to generate up to 15 kilowatts.
DOER also implemented a solar carve-out program, which issues a solar renewable energy certificate (SREC) to solar system owners for each megawatt-hour of electricity they generate. SRECs trade at market value, which floats currently between $200 and $250 apiece — a price often higher than fossil fuel-generated electricity. Retail electric suppliers gobble up these certificates, as they are required by state law to buy a certain number of them annually in support of renewable energy production.
If homeowners are hesitant to invest in the upfront costs of a photovoltaic system, third-party businesses have stepped in to fill the void by installing the equipment and racking up SRECs while hosts enjoy lower energy costs.
“It may take an upfront cost, but the payback with incentives is quite strong,” Breger said. “If you don’t want to have the upfront cost, you can do the third-party arrangement and have small but immediate energy-cost savings over time.
So far, nearly 4,000 residential solar projects have been installed and only 10 of the state’s 351 cities and towns don’t have some form of solar activity, Breger said.
Monday, February 18, 2013
PV industry capacity imbalance pressure still in the consolidation and restructuring of focus
2012, photovoltaic products appear serious imbalance between supply and demand, product prices have fallen sharply, foreign polysilicon enterprises to China, dumping large quantities of low-cost polysilicon products, resulting in industry-wide losses of 90% of the domestic polysilicon enterprises Discontinued. Country ten PV companies listed in the U.S. debt had reached 111 billion yuan, the average debt ratio of close to 70%. "China Photovoltaic Industry Association Secretary-General Wang Bo said.
China Renewable Energy Society Vice President Meng XianGan of you said, "in 2013, the PV industry will enter a deep industrial restructuring period." December 19, 2012, is undoubtedly good news for China's photovoltaic solar panel industry. The State Council, while emphasizing in market Daobi mechanism to encourage corporate mergers and acquisitions, eliminate backward production capacity. On the other hand, strict control of new project simply expand the production capacity of polysilicon, photovoltaic cells and modules.
"These policy measures are bound to a certain extent, to accelerate the industry reshuffle 2013, the PV industry will enter a depth industry adjustment to eliminate a number of capacity inefficient, high-cost photovoltaic enterprises, the overall level of capacity may reductions. "China Renewable Energy Society Vice President Meng XianGan said.
In fact, this year to adjust the photovoltaic industry support policies more than that. "" Solar power development 'second five' plan, "the 2015 solar power capacity target to more than 21GW. According to the" declaration distributed large-scale application of photovoltaic power generation demonstration area, the planning of distributed PV a total installed capacity of 15GW .
National Grid [microblogging] also published a good distribution of photovoltaic power generation and network services advice, asked the 10 kV voltage level connected to the grid, just apply for no cost, and purchase the full amount of generating capacity, with intent to gradually clearing the grid obstacles. China Photovoltaic Industry Alliance Secretary-General Wang Bo, analysts believe that these policies are to the growth of the PV solar cell market in China to bring good, but still need to improve policy implementation rules, the effect of policies to be tested. '
"Overcapacity in exports, comprehensive loss for the industry, it can be said that the 2012 is the darkest year for the photovoltaic industry in 2013 after nearly two years of difficulties, or become the year of the turning point of the photovoltaic industry." ChinaVenture Investment in Group microblogging ] analyst Li Ling said.
Li Ling believes that "the entire PV solar charge controller industry will usher in a fully integrated, survival of the fittest, capacity and low efficiency, poor management, outdated business philosophy, enterprises will be eliminated or merger. Expected loss of a large area of ??the industry as a whole in 2013, the situation is expected to improve photovoltaic industry will gradually return to the right track. "
"Although efforts to control the production capacity at the policy level, vigorously develop the domestic market imbalances and will not immediately solve the short-term production capacity imbalance adjustments also need to go through this process in 2013." Photovoltaic Industry Association of Jiangsu Province, the former Secretary-General Wei Qidong said.
"The components will continue to bear the the stage imbalance of pressure by double reverse effect of foreign demand on China components is expected to 10GW domestic related to promote the introduction of the policy so that domestic demand to reach 10GW, the actual demand for a total of about 20GW but PV module production in China in 2012 to integrate not effectively occur phased imbalance pressure will continue to bear the capacity in 2013. "China Photovoltaic Industry Association Secretary-General Wang Bo said.
China Renewable Energy Society Vice President Meng XianGan of you said, "in 2013, the PV industry will enter a deep industrial restructuring period." December 19, 2012, is undoubtedly good news for China's photovoltaic solar panel industry. The State Council, while emphasizing in market Daobi mechanism to encourage corporate mergers and acquisitions, eliminate backward production capacity. On the other hand, strict control of new project simply expand the production capacity of polysilicon, photovoltaic cells and modules.
"These policy measures are bound to a certain extent, to accelerate the industry reshuffle 2013, the PV industry will enter a depth industry adjustment to eliminate a number of capacity inefficient, high-cost photovoltaic enterprises, the overall level of capacity may reductions. "China Renewable Energy Society Vice President Meng XianGan said.
In fact, this year to adjust the photovoltaic industry support policies more than that. "" Solar power development 'second five' plan, "the 2015 solar power capacity target to more than 21GW. According to the" declaration distributed large-scale application of photovoltaic power generation demonstration area, the planning of distributed PV a total installed capacity of 15GW .
National Grid [microblogging] also published a good distribution of photovoltaic power generation and network services advice, asked the 10 kV voltage level connected to the grid, just apply for no cost, and purchase the full amount of generating capacity, with intent to gradually clearing the grid obstacles. China Photovoltaic Industry Alliance Secretary-General Wang Bo, analysts believe that these policies are to the growth of the PV solar cell market in China to bring good, but still need to improve policy implementation rules, the effect of policies to be tested. '
"Overcapacity in exports, comprehensive loss for the industry, it can be said that the 2012 is the darkest year for the photovoltaic industry in 2013 after nearly two years of difficulties, or become the year of the turning point of the photovoltaic industry." ChinaVenture Investment in Group microblogging ] analyst Li Ling said.
Li Ling believes that "the entire PV solar charge controller industry will usher in a fully integrated, survival of the fittest, capacity and low efficiency, poor management, outdated business philosophy, enterprises will be eliminated or merger. Expected loss of a large area of ??the industry as a whole in 2013, the situation is expected to improve photovoltaic industry will gradually return to the right track. "
"Although efforts to control the production capacity at the policy level, vigorously develop the domestic market imbalances and will not immediately solve the short-term production capacity imbalance adjustments also need to go through this process in 2013." Photovoltaic Industry Association of Jiangsu Province, the former Secretary-General Wei Qidong said.
"The components will continue to bear the the stage imbalance of pressure by double reverse effect of foreign demand on China components is expected to 10GW domestic related to promote the introduction of the policy so that domestic demand to reach 10GW, the actual demand for a total of about 20GW but PV module production in China in 2012 to integrate not effectively occur phased imbalance pressure will continue to bear the capacity in 2013. "China Photovoltaic Industry Association Secretary-General Wang Bo said.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Why is Apple working on wind turbine technology?
Filing a patent for a new energy storage and generation system, it seems Apple may be looking at new ways to add clean energy to its manufacturing processes.
First discovered by Apple Insider, an application filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in June 2011 details an alternative wind turbine design that generates electricity from converting heat energy instead of rotational energy made possible by the movement of blades.
In standard turbine design, wind energy is used to turn the unit’s rotors, which then converts this type of power into electricity through powering machinery or sending it to generators. However, Apple’s patent design takes this one step further, and accounts for a problem faced by any system reliant on wind energy — the natural element’s variability.
Described as the “on-demand generation of electricity from stored wind energy,” the patent application details a mechanism in which rotational energy created by the turbine is used to generate heat, which is then stored in “low heat capacity” fluid. This energy is then transferred into a working fluid which creates steam, which replaces electricity in order to power mechanisms or generators.
As the energy is being stored, heat can be selectively transferred whenever there is a lull in wind activity, keeping machinery going and reducing reliance on back-up power systems.
First discovered by Apple Insider, an application filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in June 2011 details an alternative wind turbine design that generates electricity from converting heat energy instead of rotational energy made possible by the movement of blades.
In standard turbine design, wind energy is used to turn the unit’s rotors, which then converts this type of power into electricity through powering machinery or sending it to generators. However, Apple’s patent design takes this one step further, and accounts for a problem faced by any system reliant on wind energy — the natural element’s variability.
Described as the “on-demand generation of electricity from stored wind energy,” the patent application details a mechanism in which rotational energy created by the turbine is used to generate heat, which is then stored in “low heat capacity” fluid. This energy is then transferred into a working fluid which creates steam, which replaces electricity in order to power mechanisms or generators.
As the energy is being stored, heat can be selectively transferred whenever there is a lull in wind activity, keeping machinery going and reducing reliance on back-up power systems.
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