China: Gamesa secures new order to install turbines in extreme weather conditions

Gamesa, a global technology leader in wind energy, has received two new orders in China for the supply of a total of 82 MW to two developments: it will install 32 MW at the Bainijing wind farm at an altitude of 3,200 metres and another 50 MW for phase three of the Senjitu II complex.

The first order, placed by renewable energy player Concord New Energy (CNE), contemplates the installation of 16 G97-2.0 MW turbines at the Bainijing wind farm being developed in the province of Yunnan in southern China. The wind turbines to be fitted at this development have been especially configured to withstand the extreme conditions sustained at an altitude of 3,200 metres. Specifically, the refrigeration systems have been upgraded and the electrical design enhanced so that the turbines can cope with the low air density and cold temperatures. The wind turbines are scheduled for delivery this September and for commissioning in December.

This is the second order placed by CNE, which recently contracted Gamesa to supply 48 MW of turbines similarly equipped with this advanced configuration at the Canfang wind farm, located at an altitude of 3,400 metres.

"Gamesa's leading technological prowess allows us to tailor our wind turbine designs for customer needs for each project, as is evident in our ability to design turbines capable of withstanding the harsh conditions sustained at altitudes of over 3,000 metres. This ability, coupled with our deep knowledge of the wind value chain, has helped make us the leading western OEM in China, the world's largest wind market", underscored Álvaro Bilbao, Gamesa's CEO in China.

Elsewhere, the company has also secured a new order from Hebei Construction & Investment Group (HCIG) for the supply of 14 G97-2.0 MW turbines and 11 G90-2.0 MW turbines (50 MW) for the final phase of the Senjitu II wind complex.

This contract marks the third and final tranche of this agreement, which encompassed the delivery of 150 MW in total and was entered into by the two companies in September 2014. As a result, the Senjitu II wind complex, located in the province of Hebei, in south-east Peking, will have total capacity of 150 MW, made up of 64 G97-2.0 MW and 11 G90-2.0 MW turbines.

Since 2008, Gamesa has signed orders for the supply of 350 MW to HCIG, the largest operator in the province of Hebei and a top ten player at the national level.

Gamesa's presence in China, where it was the number one non-Chinese OEM by capacity instalments in 2015, dates back 16 years. In total, the company has supplied more than 4,000 MW in this market to date. This region accounted for 13% of the company's total sales volumes (measured in MW) in 2015.