EGEB: Skyscraper-sized wind turbines coming from MHI Vestas

• MHI Vestas Offshore Wind A/S is building giant offshore wind turbines to compete in the energy market.
• Does your state’s governor’s mansion host solar? (Hint: Only 10 out of 50 do.)
• The US Southeastern states invest in EV manufacturing, but they’re not using what they make.
• Arcadia Power is committed to making clean energy work for the planet and Americans’ bank accounts — all without changing your utility company. Sign up to receive your $20 Amazon Gift Card — *ad.

Skyscraper-sized wind turbines

Danish wind turbine manufacturer, seller, installer, and servicer MHI Vestas Offshore Wind A/S is getting serious about the size of its offshore wind turbines. It’s working on its next-generation wind turbine and will release it to the public within a year, and maybe even before the end of 2020.

MHI’s CEO Philippe Kavafyan didn’t say in an interview exactly how large their new offshore wind turbines would be — just that they’ll be competitive with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA’s huge turbine with a rotor diameter of 222 meters (728 feet) — the world’s biggest. Larger blades are more efficient.

Kavafyan said:

The only thing I can tell you today is it triggers the interest of our customers. It’s difficult to imagine it will be much smaller than our competitors.

Electrek’s Take: So, why is this news? Danish offshore wind company builds huge turbines, but we don’t know how big yet? Because we know they’re going to be very large indeed, and it’s yet another clear indicator that there’s a quickly growing market for giant offshore wind projects, and that includes floating wind farms. In other words, green energy is growing fast. But you know that, if you read this roundup regularly.

Gubernatorial solar

Lots of politicians promote green energy, but which ones actually host it? The website Solar Power Challenge, which was created as a personal project this month by Nick Thorsch, a digital media specialist who works for Powur, looked at governors’ residences in all 50 states using Google Maps. And governors’ mansions in only 10 states have solar.

You can check out the website’s politician’s homes solar survey map, which shows aerial views of each governor’s mansion roof. Thorsch’s next step will be checking governors’ personal homes, members of Congress, and presidential candidates.

Thorsch explains why he’s conducting this investigation:

In past elections, personality has trumped policy. Meanwhile, natural disasters have gotten worse. With the upcoming election on November 3, it’s even more important to enact policies that support the future of our planet, people, and profit. We can encourage politicians on both sides to come together and get solar on their mansions and homes, so they can experience the benefits of cleaner and cheaper solar powered energy. Challenge our politicians on social media to get solar on their homes and to extend the federal solar tax credit. The 26% federal tax credit goes down to 22%, next year, then 0% after that. If you’re a homeowner who doesn’t have solar yet, in case the tax credit isn’t extended, secure your 26% federal tax credit savings by ordering solar now.

EVs in the US Southeast

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy has released a new brief, “Transportation Electrification in the Southeast,” which demonstrates that while the US Southeast is benefiting from EV manufacturing job creation and economic investment, the region is not actually maximizing the full breadth of opportunities that come from the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

The Southeast accounts for 28% of US EV manufacturing investment and at least 14% of the passenger EV manufacturing jobs while representing 18% of the US population. At least $6.7 billion of $24 billion in current automakers and battery manufacturers’ committed investments are in the Southeast.

But in stark contrast, the Southeast accounts for only 10% of national EV sales and 13% of EV chargers. Further, the Southeast accounts for less than 1% of utility investment and only 4% of government funding nationwide.

In other words, residents of the Southeast aren’t using what they’re making, and they need to shift this behavior. SACE lists ways Southeast policymakers can support EV growth here. There is also a link there to download the full report.

Photo: MHI Vestas