July
Is storage the final piece of the wind power puzzle? Enercon seems to think so. It announces what it claims will be Germany's largest battery-based energy storage system with grid developer Energiequelle.
Big changes afoot as Siemens, as CTO Henrik Stiesdal announces plans to retire from the company. Also leaving is newly promoted onshore CEO Jan Kjaersgaard.
Anti-wind news reports in the media are common enough. Ususally, with skewed research. In this case though, research based on the prevalance of fires on wind turbines, is found to have been based on data from an anti-wind group.
August
Who says vertical-axis turbines are a thing of the past? An EDF project to float 2MW Darreus turbines takes a step further with the competion of a full-size prototype in France.
The price of wind energy in the US is at an all-time low, according to a new report from the Department of Energy.
Vestas has put both buildings of its headquarters in Aarhus, Denmark, up for sale, but will rent one of them back. The decision is part of plans to restructure the Danish business and move key functions to Copenhagen.
September
Aerodyn unveils an integrated floating platform and turbine design it claims can reduce offshore wind costs by 40%. Speaking at WindEnergy Hamburg, Aerodyn president Soenke Siegfriedsen tells “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç TV: "At first, I was a little surprised about my ideas, but at the end we know it can work."
The Hamburg WindEnergy conference also provides a platform for Siemens to finally launch a low-wind turbine. The 3.3MW machine is fitted with a 130-metre rotor. But it will have stiff competition. Many other manufacturers have a head start in terms of low-wind.
Suzlon reveals plans to raise as much as $600 million by listing part of its German subsidiary Senvion on the London Stock Exchange. In an attempt to tackle its cumbersome debt, the Indian manufacturer's chairman, Tulsi Tanti, says at least 25% will be offered.
October
Vestas' efforts to build a leading position in the Brazilian market suffer a blow as it loses a 220MW contract. The project developer cancels its turbine deal, with insiders saying that Vestas had failed to meet local-sourcing regulations. Vestas is left red-faced when Gamesa steps in to fulfil the contract.
After months of speculation, Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) reveals it has shut two of its wind-energy offices in Europe and is downsizing its wind business in South Korea. A source says that SHI will still explore opportunities in Europe, but is unable to define what those activities would be. SHI's flagship 7MW prototype turbine at the Fife Energy Park in Scotland is still spinning, but its fate remains unclear.
November
Following losses on a number of major projects, under a new business model. The decision follows a dramatic fall in earnings for the power systems division, partly caused by project costs for offshore wind transmission systems.
at its Isle of Wight plant to produce blades for the V164 8MW turbine. It described the move as the first part of a wider UK production strategy.
Siemens results are hit by faulty turbine costs, forcing the wind division into a loss for both the fourth quarter and 2014. The €223 million in charges are for inspecting and replacing main bearings in onshore turbines, as well as repairing blades on both onshore and offshore turbines.
December
Our exclusive look at Enercon's new 4MW turbine platform proved the most popular story in December. Three models make up the platform, with the first prototype of the E126 4.2MW medium-wind speed model planned for late 2015. The turbine is thought to be the first specifically developed to last for 30 years.
The dramatic collapse of a Suzlon turbine in Nicaragua also proved popular reading. The 2.1MW turbine nacelle caught fire and later crashed to the ground in an incident that also damaged two other turbines at the country's first wind project. Local press reports said all three machines suffered failure in their emergency braking systems, leaving them helpless against high gusts of wind.
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