New Jersey to open 1.1GW offshore auction

US state New Jersey is set to open to bids tomorrow from developers keen to build up to 1.1GW of offshore wind capacity in its waters.

The application window is due to close on 28th December and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities is set to announce winning bids by July 2019. This is part of Governor Phil Murphy’s plan to add 3.5GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030. Ørsted is among the companies considering bidding in the tender.

Vestas to upgrade 316MW Ikea turbine fleet

Vestas has agreed to upgrade the turbines in the global portfolio of Swedish furniture giant Ikea to take their headline capacity to 316MW.

The Danish manufacturer is set to increase the capacity of turbines used by Ikea by 1.5% with new software algorithms and improved aerodynamics. Ikea’s portfolio of Vestas turbines includes installations in France, Poland, Sweden and the US; and the machines range from 2MW and 3.3MW each.

Siemens Gamesa launches 8MW turbine for Taiwan

Siemens Gamesa has launched a version of its 8MW offshore turbine platform, which it said can cope with typhoon conditions, for the Taiwanese market.

The manufacturer has tailored the variant of its 8MW offshore machine for the challenging conditions of the Taiwanese Strait, including typhoons and seismic activity. The final design of the turbine is set to be ready in 2019, with the first installation in Taiwanese waters forecast by 2020.

Boralex buys 201MW quintet from Invenergy

Boralex has completed the purchase of stakes totalling 201MW in five wind farms in Canadian province Québec from Invenergy for C$215m ($165m).

The Canadian developer agreed to acquire the stakes in June and has now won all of the approvals and consents needed to complete the buyout. The portfolio is made up of stakes in the 139MW Le Plateau 1, the 136MW Des Moulins 1, the 75MW Roncevaux, the 21MW Des Moulins 2 and the 21MW Le Plateau 2 wind farms. All the projects were commissioned between 2012 and 2016.