Clipper Windpower Share Discussion Threads

[andrbea] 27/7/2006 13:46

"seller's market"

While intensifying competition and gigawatt size pipelines suggest an unstoppable boom, soaring global demand is putting a strain on European wind turbine supply. A seller's market for turbines has emerged in Europe, constraining growth in some cases, according to EER's study.

In the global context, Europe will remain the major regional market for the near term, installing at least a third of global capacity through 2011 at over 6 GW yearly. Growth is shifting away from Germany and Spain, according to EER's study.

In other West European markets the UK will add 4,700 MW of new wind power capacity in the next six years. In this same period, Italy is expected to add 3,900 MW, and France and Portugal, 3000 MW. Eastern Europe, boasted by Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic, is expected to grow its wind power capacity ten fold by 2011.

26 July

[andrbea] 27/7/2006 13:38

Ultimately, wind energy can play a "not insignificant" role in the country's overall energy supply, Mr. Fetter says.
"Wind might supply as much as 5 or 10 percent of electricity demand," he says. "I don't think it could produce much more than that."
Mr. Dunlop begs to differ.
Though Germany stands as an example of how wind energy can affect a country's energy output, Mr. Dunlop sees great potential stateside.
"Germany leads the entire world in installed wind-energy capacity, but Minnesota alone has five times the wind-energy resources as Germany," he says. "We have the capacity."

[andrbea] 27/7/2006 08:55

sector interest

[andrbea] 27/7/2006 08:43

QUIET IS GOOD, VERY QUIET IS BETTER D-GEN®
Sets the new standard for low noise.
Lower decibel levels are a big plus in developing new wind projects, particularly in noise sensitive areas. The D-GEN® load splitting architecture together with high contact ratio design takes the pressure off gear teeth, significantly reducing noise. Conventional drivetrains with highly loaded gears generate unwelcome noise levels that can jeopardize project development. D-GEN®'s very quiet operation opens up the range of turbine siting possibilities thus providing new areas of business potential.

[andrbea] 27/7/2006 08:41

the "quiet" quote from July 20

However, Kathleen Dixon repeated her previous comments that Chevron's ultimate goal is not the meteorological towers but the erection of the turbines on and near the company's property.

Dixon also criticized them as noisy.

Cunningham responded the noise issue misrepresents what wind turbines are like now.

"Early designs were a bit noisy because of the design," he said.

The American-made Clipper Wind Power turbines considered by Chevron are so quiet that people can conduct a conversation beside them, Cunningham said.

[andrbea] 27/7/2006 08:37

chevron were impressed with the quietness of the turbines, see earlier post
so looks like we have superior technology 'inside'

[stegrego] 27/7/2006 07:58

I think this will start bothering 600p quite soon - which is a doubling of the share price since the BP announcement..

More to come hopefully

[abcd1234] 27/7/2006 07:34

very nice deal announced

[andrbea] 26/7/2006 14:33

so we have chevron talking about clipper turbines (Wyoming)

The American-made Clipper Wind Power turbines considered by Chevron are so quiet that people can conduct a conversation beside them, Cunningham said.



and on chevron's website:

We continue to evaluate and advance opportunities that will supply renewable energy to our core operations, such as U.S. wind projects in West Texas and Colorado

Sounds good to me
Target US market via the existing alliance with BP and maybe a future one (also) with Chevron-Texaco.

[andrbea] 26/7/2006 13:46

jobs market

After reviewing job postings at 23 different wind energy companies, we found 353 relevant jobs. FPL Group, GE Wind, and Vestas had the most openings, but Clipper, Northern Power, and PPM Energy had a healthy number as well.

If you're guessing that the task of manufacturing, installing, and maintaining wind turbines is largely a job for engineers and technicians, you're right on target. Moreover, there is a window of opportunity to get in on the proverbial ground floor, because (for the moment) there are more jobs available than there are qualified people to fill them.

[andrbea] 26/7/2006 11:26

Texas Blows by California in Wind Energy

By Peter Asmus, AlterNet. Posted July 26, 2006

//....

Bob Gates, who helped develop some of the first wind farms in California in the early '80s, and is now a senior vice president with Santa Barbara-based Clipper Wind, is clearly frustrated with the slow pace of new wind development in his home state. "In the '80s, we had rules that created a stable market, which is very important for the financial side of things. Today, we worry excessively. California is now considered a laggard. I think we need a wholesale retooling of California's approach. It's just too laborious to get things done in California today. We've known we needed more transmission access to the Tehachapi wind resource area way back in 1983, and here it is 2006, and we are still scratching our heads!" said Gates. He concluded, "To say that permitting facilities goes faster in Texas is a dramatic understatement

[andrbea] 26/7/2006 08:03

new wind projects appearing:

here's another in Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 25, 2006--Another site has been announced for MidAmerican Energy Company's 2006-2007 wind expansion project.


Construction of a 123-megawatt wind facility in Pocahontas County in northwest Iowa is expected to begin later this year and is scheduled to be completed prior to the end of 2007. In April 2006, MidAmerican announced a 99-megawatt wind project in Crawford and Carroll counties in west central Iowa following Iowa Utilities Board approval of the company's plan to build up to 545 megawatts of new wind-powered electric generation in Iowa before the end of 2007.

[andrbea] 26/7/2006 08:01

Texas tops in wind energy production
Posted 7/25/2006 8:09 AM ET

[abcd1234] 25/7/2006 17:26

would possibly expect an RNS re holdings over the coming days as some of the trades today were huge

they clearly were not sells as the price kept on climbing right up to the final bell and beyond

[andrbea] 25/7/2006 16:23

largest trade today was

25/07/06 12:47 485.0 1,000,000 O 482.0 487.0 Buy

[andrbea] 25/7/2006 11:05

GE Energy, Spain-based Gamesa Eolica and Clipper Windpower of Carpinteria, Calif., are among the other turbine makers hoping to capitalize on the growing U.S. market. Clipper recently opened a plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

"What we are seeing is more investment among manufacturers in opening plants, and that is a reflection of the speed of the North American market," said Christine Real de Azua, a spokeswoman for the American Wind Energy Association. Among the new power plants that came on line last year, wind power was second after new natural gas, she said.

[andrbea] 25/7/2006 11:03

uk project (not us)

[andrbea] 25/7/2006 10:20

I reckon the delayed trade (150k at 8.43, 476p) is a buy (they marked it as a sell)

[andrbea] 25/7/2006 08:26

Tks stratego

some big trades yesterday

24/07/06 14:15 450.0 200,000 O 447.0 452.0 Buy 444,976 40,000 0
25/07/06 16:44 454.32 100,000 L 0.0 0.0 ? 0 0 0
24/07/06 10:54 449.55 100,000 M 445.0 450.0 Buy 107,840 0 0
24/07/06 16:21 455.0 100,000 O 450.0 455.0 Buy

[stegrego] 24/7/2006 22:10

Citigroup initiates coverage of Clipper Windpower with a buy rating and 550p price target.

[andrbea] 24/7/2006 15:52

up to 20 (Clipper) turbines:

Commission Chairman Drew Perkins also repeated his support, saying that Chevron-Texaco will need to come back to the commission if it wants to erect a proposed wind farm of as many as 20 240-foot turbines.

Commissioner Jon Campbell said more work was needed to understand the effects of the turbines on the neighboring communities.

Commissioner Kathleen Dixon again voiced her opposition, saying the wind-data monitoring towers were a first step toward the towers east of Casper. "These are incredibly large, noisy structures," she said.

Keating, however, wanted the opportunity for local support of alternative energy and emerging technology.

After the 3-2 vote to allow Chevron-Texaco to erect its towers, Keating lauded the possible economic and educational opportunities of the company's proposal.

Raymond Cunningham, business development manager of Chevron-Texaco's emerging energy division, could not be reached for comment.

[andrbea] 24/7/2006 14:40

wind projects summary (Utah/North Dakota)

In an attempt to encourage the production of alternative energy in-state, Utah Geological Survey provides free 20- or 50-meter anemometer towers, which test wind potential. The Utah Geological Survey charges installation fees for the larger towers. The higher the tower, the better able it is to predict the wind capacity of an area. Turbines used to harvest wind are usually 50- to 80-meters high.

At the Pioneer Ridge project, two 50-meter towers stand, one on either side of South mountain.

It seems the south side of the Tooele Valley may see two new wind projects. In June, the Tooele Army Depot placed 20-meter towers to examine the possibility of utilizing wind power for the military.

Tasco Engineering will not release data on wind capacity of Hogan's land near South Mountain. However, in its first month of testing, TEAD recorded speeds of 10.5-11 miles per hour at 20 meters. That usually indicates more wind potential is almost always found at higher altitudes & and summer is a slower time of year for wind energy.

While Utah may never be a leading producer in wind energy, Hogan hopes the environmentally friendly practice eventually catches on here.

July 21