SunWind Power Systems

To use an old cliche, it's been a banner year here at RenewableEnergyWorld.com. Despite the worldwide downturn of financial markets and the global credit crisis, many Renewable Energy companies continue to thrive and our publication is no exception.

This year was dominated by bad financial news — very bad financial news. Renewables have certainly had their fair share of troubles associated with the financial crisis; yet somehow they've seemed to fare better than most industries. It's still uncertain how a financial hangover will impact development in 2009, but most analysts agree that any global slowdown will be moderate, especially considering how drastic and far-reaching the credit crisis has been thus far.

Policies that affect the renewable energy industry are as diverse as the nations, regions and communities that enact them. The year 2008 saw both progress and regression in some of these policies with the U.S putting in place an 8-year federal tax credit for solar energy and Spain reducing its feed-in tariff levels, leaving many developers scrambling to finish projects as quickly as possible.

Composite construction refers to any structure with two or more distinct materials that are combined to create an engineered product with properties "greater that the sum of its parts."

Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica has reached an agreement with Venezuelan energy group Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) for the supply of 76 AE61-1320 kilowatt wind turbine generators, amounting to a total power of 100 megawatts (MW).

The AES Corporation announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Wind Energy (North Rhins) Limited has secured long-term financing to construct and operate the 22-megawatt (MW) North Rhins wind farm in Scotland, UK.

It's been another great year for renewable energy and the technology advances that have been made are astounding. As always, we at RenewableEnergyWorld.com tried to stay on top of all the new developments throughout the year and bring them to you, our readers, as quickly as possible.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced on December 18, 2008, the award of new Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) to sixteen Energy Service Companies (ESCOs). These contracts could result in up to US $80 billion in energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation projects at federally-owned buildings and facilities.

Finavera Renewables Inc. has completed a Purchase and Sale Agreement with Ghost Pine Wind Farm LP, a wholly owned subsidiary of a major U.S. utility, for the sale of its 75-megawatt (MW) Ghost Pine Wind Project in Alberta, Canada for CAN $4.5 million [US $3.69 million].

Is it a bail-out or a build-up? That's the question being put to federal lawmakers right now as they try to grapple with the nation's economic woes and with how to allocate its depleting resources.

The GTZ (German Technical Cooperation - the federally owned Enterprise) suppoted the Congress in India by becoming a Knowledge Partner. EuroAkadem - Academy for European Management, Germany - Initiator and Official Organiser of the Congress Who should attend: The representatives of business development, purchasing, quality management, finance, trainee programs from: • the OEMs on Solar, Wind & Geothermal, Automotive Industry, Transport Fuel Sector; Zero–Carbon Buildings; Waste Management • the Western Components Manufacturers • the Indian Producers and Suppliers Universities, Business Schools International Banks, Consulting and Investment Institutions The representatives of Indian Governmental Organisations and climate politics worldwide Panels: Solar, Wind&Geothermal, Green Automotive Industry, Transport Fuel Sector; Zero–Carbon Buildings; Waste Management; Education; Health

REpower Systems AG has completed the assembly of the first three REpower 6M turbines in Bremerhaven. The wind turbines, which each have a rated output of 6 megawatts (MW), are expected to be erected at the Westre civic wind farm on the German-Danish border. There, they will undergo a comprehensive testing program and checks for certification according to the DIBT classification.

At the recently held 2008 Phase II of Renewable Energy in America National Policy Forum, hundreds of renewable energy executives, financial experts and policy makers gathered on Capitol Hill to discuss the state of renewable energy today.

Navigant Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: NCI) announced today that its Renewable Energy Group has been named best advisory in the ninth annual Environmental Finance and Carbon Finance Market Survey. More than 1,600 votes were received in the market survey from readers of the two London-based publications, and others active in environmental trading – making the survey the largest, and most closely watched, in the fast-growing environmental markets.

Vestas has received an order for 300 megawatts (MW)d of offshore turbines for the Thanet Offshore Wind Farm in the UK. Consisting of 100 units of the V90-3.0 MW machine, the project and will be located 11.3 kilometers offshore from Foreness Point in the Thames Estuary on the easternmost part of the Kent coastline.

I live in Michigan with my family. We have owned our own construction business for over 10 years now, but with the economy we have watched everything we built slip away and like many others, we now find ourselves at a crossroad that we cannot deny. Either we try to wait for better days, or we change course to something new. We have chosen alternative energy. But after trying to weather the economic storm, we find ourselves in a place to only have one shot to financially make the right choice. The big question is which is the smartest direction to take in starting a alternative energy business in the future. If your son or daughter asked you for advice in this matter what would you tell them? Thank you for your valuable time. -- Christine, T., Mancelona. MI

E.ON Climate & Renewables (EC&R) North America announced a 15-year power purchase agreement with CPS Energy, the nation's largest municipally owned energy company providing both electric and natural gas service. Under this agreement, CPS Energy will purchase 115.5 megawatts (MW) of electricity and associated renewable energy credits from EC&R's new Papalote Creek wind farm, located in San Patricio County, Texas.

Puget Sound Energy, the largest utility-owner of renewable energy in the Pacific Northwest, and RES Americas, a leading developer and constructor of wind power across the nation...

On Monday, President-elect Barack Obama announced key members of his energy and environment team. Dr. Steven Chu, currently the director of the Lawrence Berkley National Lab (LBNL) was named as Obama's choice for Secretary of Energy. Lisa Jackson was chosen for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator. Nancy Sutley will become the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). Carol Browner has been named as the Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change and Heather Zichal was named as Browner's Deputy Assistant.

Korean Engineering firm Doosan Heavy has announced that it is close to finalizing development of a 3-megawatt (MW) offshore wind turbine, the WinDS 3000. The class 1A machine features three blades with a 92 meter diameter mounted on an 80 meter tower. The blades have an electrical pitch system.