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Wind Catching Systems wants to develop a floating, multi-turbine system. This illustration shows what it could look like once deployed.

Wind Catching Systems

With their considerable height and sweeping blades, wind turbines are perhaps the most visually striking sign of the world’s shift to a more sustainable future.

Over the past few years, major players in the sector have developed huge new turbines, with the era of “super-sized” onshore and offshore structures appearing to be just round the corner.

While these massive pieces of kit are based on a familiar design that incorporates a tower, nacelle and blades, some firms are working on new ideas that, if built, would look very different indeed.  

Wind Catching Systems is one of them. Established in 2017 and headquartered just outside the Norwegian capital of Oslo, it’s focused on the development of what it calls a “floating wind power plant based on a multi-turbine design.”

The overarching idea behind the Windcatcher system, as it’s known, relates to maximizing “power generation from a concentrated area.” The design also incorporates an elevator-based system for installing turbines and maintenance.

Illustrations of what the Windcatcher would look like are certainly striking, resembling a vast, water-based wall of rotating blades.

The potential scale of it is considerable. CEO Ole Heggheim said the “large model” would have a height of 300 meters (around 984 feet) and a width of 350 meters.

Such an iteration is some way off, however. While the large version of the Windcatcher would use 126 turbines of 1 megawatt, Heggheim said a planned pilot model will have “between seven and 12,” with the exact number to be decided over the next few months.

The plan is for a gradual scale-up. Following the pilot, Heggheim said his firm would “most likely build an intermediate size, probably around 40 megawatts, before we go for the large size.”

Floating tech

Floating offshore wind turbines are different from fixed-bottom offshore wind turbines, which are rooted to the seabed.

One advantage of floating turbines is that they can be installed in far deeper waters than fixed-bottom ones, and in recent years major economies like the U.S. have laid out goals to ramp up floating wind installations.

Firms like Wind Catching Systems are beginning to attract some notable backers as countries and companies around the world look to slash their emissions and hit net-zero goals.

In June 2022, the company said it entered into a strategic agreement with automotive giant General Motors and also secured investment from GM Ventures.

The agreement with GM, Wind Catching Systems said, related to “collaboration covering technology development, project execution, offshore wind policy, and the advancement of sustainable technology applications.”

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More recently, in February 2023, the company announced it was awarded a pre-project grant of 9.3 million Norwegian krone (around $872,500) from Enova, which is owned by Norway’s Ministry of Climate and Environment.

Wind Catching Systems said the grant would “support the initial implementation of a full-scale Windcatcher.”

“Through the pre-project, Wind Catching Systems will mature and validate the technology and cost estimates for a full-scale Windcatcher,” it added.

Bird concerns

Over the past few years, the interaction between wind turbines and the natural world has generated a huge amount of discussion and debate, sometimes presenting hurdles to projects.

The effect on birds is a particular concern, with the U.K.-based Royal Society for the Protection of Birds warning that wind farms “can harm birds through disturbance, displacement, acting as barriers, habitat loss and collision.”

It adds that “impacts can arise from a single development and cumulatively multiple projects.”

During his interview with CNBC, Heggheim attempted to highlight how his company’s design might mitigate any risk.  

“We have a large structure behind the turbines [and] we hope that that will be a visual for the birds,” he said, explaining that there was also the opportunity to incorporate detection and deterrence systems on the structure.

“We are hopeful that we can make something that is more benign, if you like, for birdlife,” he said.

A crowded field

Designs such as the Windcatcher offer a glimpse into how wind energy could develop, and a range of ideas have been proposed over the past few years.

These include Vortex Bladeless’ system, which has a cylindrical mast and does not use blades, and Kitemill, which has developed a design centered on a kite-like system tethered to the ground. Elsewhere, businesses like SeaTwirl are working on a vertical-axis floating turbine.

There is excitement about the potential of such proposals, but it seems a long road lies ahead when it comes to challenging the dominance of the onshore and offshore turbines of today.

“The role of new turbine models and innovation in turbine design should not be neglected,” Christoph Zipf, press manager at industry body WindEurope, told CNBC via email.

“It is good that the wind industry keeps exploring new paths and innovative solutions,” Zipf said. “But as things stand today the “traditional” wind turbine, the three-bladed, horizontal axis turbines will continue to lead the way.”

He added that such turbines are dominating all “competitive projects” in offshore, floating and onshore wind. “They offer the greatest electricity output at the lowest price.”

Disrupting the wind power industry is a colossal task that will require significant investment, time and patience.

Like other marine-based technologies, floating offshore wind faces a range of challenges, not least the incredibly harsh environment turbines need to operate in.

Wind Catching Systems’ Heggheim was, however, optimistic about the future. “We definitely want to be mainstream,” he said.

Whether the company’s plans bear fruit remains to be seen, but its journey over the next few months and years will be an interesting one to watch.

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EV with fake engine noises recalled for not having the correct fake engine noises

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EV with fake engine noises recalled for not having the correct fake engine noises

The Dodge Charger Daytona EV made headlines when it rolled out fake engine noises as a way to make the EV appeal to muscle car drivers. As it turns out, they weren’t the right sort of fake engine noises – and now Stellantis has to recall 8,000 of them for a fix.

According to the ChryCo fans at Mopar Insider, Stellantis is recalling ~8,390 examples of its 2024 to 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona EVs because of an exterior amplifier that may be missing critical enabling the amp to emit exterior sounds – including the Federally mandated pedestrian warning sounds designed to keep pedestrians safe.

What’s more, the recall’s “suspect period” reportedly begins on 30APR2024, when the first 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona was produced, and ends 18MAR2025 … when the last Charger EV was produced.

RECALL CHRONOLOGY

  • On April 17, 2025, the FCA US LLC (“FCA US”) Technical Safety and Regulatory Compliance (“TSRC”) organization opened an investigation into certain 2024–2025 model year Dodge Charger vehicles that may not emit exterior sound.
  • From April 17, 2025, through May 13, 2025, FCA US TSRC met with FCA US Engineering and the supplier to understand all potential failure modes associated with the issue. They also reviewed warranty data, field records, and customer assistance records to determine field occurrences.
  • On May 14, 2025, the FCA US TSRC organization determined that a vehicle build issue existed on certain vehicles related to a lack of EV exterior sound, potentially resulting in noncompliance with FMVSS No. 141.

MOPAR INSIDER

Without the software patch, the vehicles don’t comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) No. 141, “Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles.” The rule requires noisemakers for EVs and hybrids when operating under 19 mph, the safest speeds for pedestrians.

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Basically, if you have a Dodge Charger EV, expect to get a recall notice.

It just keeps getting funnier


My take on the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust, via ChatGPT.

If you’re not familiar with the Charger Daytona EV’s “Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust,” it’s a system that employs a combination of digital sound synthesis and a physical tuning chamber (translation: a speaker) to produce a 126 decibel sound that approximately imitates a Hellcat Hemi V8 ICE. That’s loud enough to cause most people physical pain, according to Yale University – putting it somewhere between a loud rock concert and a passenger jet at takeoff.

While you could argue that such noises are part and parcel with powerful combustion, they’re completely irrelevant to an EV, and speak to a particular sort of infantile delusion of masculinity that I, frankly, have never been able to wrap my head around. Something akin to the, “Hey, look at me! I’m a big tough guy!” attention-whoring of a suburban Harley rider in a “Sons of Anarchy” novelty cut, without even enough courage to ride a motorcycle, you know?

You know – and I bet you can help me dial in the the comparison to perfection (and help me explain why the car just isn’t selling) in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

SOURCE: Mopar Insiders; featured image by Stellantis.


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Kia’s electric van spotted with an open bed and it actually looks like a real truck

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Kia's electric van spotted with an open bed and it actually looks like a real truck

Is it an electric van or a truck? The Kia PV5 might be in a class of its own. Kia’s electric van was recently spotted charging in public with an open bed, and it looks like a real truck.

Kia’s electric van morphs into a truck with an open bed

The PV5 is the first of a series of electric vans as part of Kia’s new Platform Beyond Vehicle business (PBV). Kia claims the PBVs are more than vans, they are “total mobility solutions,” equipped with Hyundai’s advanced software.

Based on the flexible new EV platform, E-GMP.S, Kia has several new variants in the pipeline, including camper vans, refrigerated trucks, luxury “Prime” models for passenger use, and an open bed model.

Kia launched the PV5 Passenger and Cargo in the UK earlier this year for business and personal use. We knew more were coming, but now we are getting a look at a new variant in public.

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Although we got a brief glimpse of it earlier this month driving by in Korea, Kia’s electric van was spotted charging in public with an open bed.

Kia PV5 electric van open bed variant (Source: HealerTV)

The folks at HealerTV found the PV5 variant with an open bed parked in Korea, offering us a good look from all angles.

From the front, it resembles the Passenger and Cargo variants, featuring slim vertical LED headlights. However, from the side, it’s an entirely different vehicle. The truck sits low to the ground, similar to the one captured driving earlier this month.

Kia-electric-van-open-bed
Kia PV5 open bed teaser (Source: Kia)

When you look at it from the back, you can’t even tell it’s the PV5. It looks like any other cargo truck with an open bed.

The PV5 open bed measures 5,000 mm in length, 1,900 mm in width, and 2,000 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,000 mm. Although Kia has yet to say how big the bed will be, the reporter mentions it doesn’t look that deep, but it’s wide enough to carry a good load.

Kia-PV5-open-bed
Kia PV5 Cargo electric van (Source: Kia)

The open bed will be one of several PV5 variants that Kia plans to launch in Europe and Korea later this year, alongside the Passenger, Cargo, and Chassis Cab configurations.

In Europe, the PV5 Passenger is available with two battery pack options: 51.5 kWh or 71.2 kWh, providing WLTP ranges of 179 miles and 249 miles, respectively. The Cargo variant is rated with a WLTP range of 181 miles or 247 miles.

Kia-PV5-open-bed-pickup
Kia PBV models (Source: Kia)

Kia will reveal battery specs closer to launch for the open bed variant, but claims it “has the longest driving range among compact commercial EVs in its class.”

In 2027, Kia will launch the larger PV7, followed by an even bigger PV9 in 2029. There’s also a smaller PV1 in the works, which is expected to arrive sometime next year or in 2027.

What do you think of Kia’s electric van? Will it be a game changer? With plenty of variants on the way, it has a good chance. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: HealerTV

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Solar and wind industry faces up to $7 billion tax hike under Trump’s big bill, trade group says

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Solar and wind industry faces up to  billion tax hike under Trump's big bill, trade group says

Witthaya Prasongsin | Moment | Getty Images

Senate Republicans are threatening to hike taxes on clean energy projects and abruptly phase out credits that have supported the industry’s expansion in the latest version of President Donald Trump‘s big spending bill.

The measures, if enacted, would jeopardize hundreds of thousands of construction jobs, hurt the electric grid, and potentially raise electricity prices for consumers, trade groups warn.

The Senate GOP released a draft of the massive domestic spending bill over the weekend that imposes a new tax on renewable energy projects if they source components from foreign entities of concern, which basically means China. The bill also phases out the two most important tax credits for wind and solar power projects that enter service after 2027.

Republicans are racing to pass Trump’s domestic spending legislation by a self-imposed Friday deadline. The Senate is voting Monday on amendments to the latest version of the bill.

The tax on wind and solar projects surprised the renewable energy industry and feels punitive, said John Hensley, senior vice president for market analysis at the American Clean Power Association. It would increase the industry’s burden by an estimated $4 billion to $7 billion, he said.

“At the end of the day, it’s a new tax in a package that is designed to reduce the tax burden of companies across the American economy,” Hensley said. The tax hits any wind and solar project that enters service after 2027 and exceeds certain thresholds for how many components are sourced from China.

This combined with the abrupt elimination of the investment tax credit and electricity production tax credit after 2027 threatens to eliminate 300 gigawatts of wind and solar projects over the next 10 years, which is equivalent to about $450 billion worth of infrastructure investment, Hensley said.

“It is going to take a huge chunk of the development pipeline and either eliminate it completely or certainly push it down the road,” Hensley said. This will increase electricity prices for consumers and potentially strain the electric grid, he said.

The construction industry has warned that nearly 2 million jobs in the building trades are at risk if the energy tax credits are terminated and other measures in budget bill are implemented. Those credits have supported a boom in clean power installations and clean technology manufacturing.

“If enacted, this stands to be the biggest job-killing bill in the history of this country,” said Sean McGarvey, president of North America’s Building Trades Unions, in a statement. “Simply put, it is the equivalent of terminating more than 1,000 Keystone XL pipeline projects.”

The Senate legislation is moving toward a “worst case outcome for solar and wind,” Morgan Stanley analyst Andrew Percoco told clients in a Sunday note.

Shares of NextEra Energy, the largest renewable developer in the U.S., fell 2%. Solar stocks Array Technologies fell 8%, Enphase lost nearly 2% and Nextracker tumbled 5%.

Trump’s former advisor Elon Musk slammed the Senate legislation over the weekend.

“The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country,” The Tesla CEO posted on X. “Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”

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