03/30/2006
Global player and local heroes - manufacturers at WindEnergy cover all five continents
The WindEnergy - International Trade Fair in Hamburg, from 16 to 19 May 2006, gives better coverage of this industry than any other trade fair this year, with a dozen international wind turbine manufacturers among the exhibitors. That shows the importance of this premier international fair as a meeting point and market indicator for the whole of the wind energy industry worldwide. The manufacturers are constantly developing new export markets, with activities on every continent. They will provide information at the WindEnergy 2006 on their international projects, showcasing their new developments with impressive large exhibits. All in all, there will be some 400 companies, institutions and professional associations their new products and services at this dedicated trade fair, on some 23 000 sqm of exhibition space.
GE Energy, the global player from the General Electric Group, will be exhibiting at the WindEnergy in Hamburg "with a 303 square metre stand, and a nacelle of the multi-megawatt class", says GE press officer Gaby Braun. The nacelle could be that of the new 2.75 MW turbine or the 3 MW turbine which is likewise in the project design phase. About one thousand units of the GE 1.5 MW turbine were installed in 2005, making this the most successful turbine type worldwide. The experts are expecting a similar number of turbines will be installed in 2006, especially in the booming US market. The new GE multi-MW turbines with options of 2.3 MW, 2.5 MW or 2.75 MW are intended for Europe and Japan, as are the 3 MW prototypes with 6362 or 6940 sqm swept area.
Nordex AG is another multi-MW turbine manufacturer present in Hamburg. The company recently built Germany's first offshore turbine, the N-90 (2.5 MW). The preparatory work for the Baltic Sea wind farm Baltic I is to be started this year. Then the wind farm with 21 turbines could be built as early as 2007, including eleven N90/2.5 MW Nordex turbines. A rotor manufacturing plant was recently set up in Baoding, China, for the N-60/1.3 MW turbines. There is a joint venture for the 1.5 MW turbines (Nordex S70) with the Chinese power company Ningxia Electric Power and the wind farm planner Ningxia Tianjing Electric Energy. This joint venture currently has an order book totalling 200 MW up to the year 2009, and the first 26 turbines of the 1.5 MW category from joint German/Chinese production are to be commissioned before the end of this year.
British exhibitors at WindEnergy include the manufacturer EU Energy, which intends to set up the prototype of its enhanced 2 MW machine, that is the DeWind 8.2, in Europe this year. The smaller 1.25 MW machines of the D6 series are now being manufactured in various licensed production facilities in China. The Texas based American EU affiliate, EU Energy Inc., has just signed a framework agreement with Exergy Development Group LLC, giving the wind farm planner an option for purchase of 550 machines of type D8.2 within a five year period from 2007. EU Energy plans to open a production plant in the USA and another in eastern Canada in the coming year. Another British manufacturer exhibiting at the WindEnergy is the Nottingham based company Iskra, which makes small 5 kW wind turbines for micropower systems for individual homes, farms and isolated power supplies.
Clipper Windpower is the second US manufacturer following GE, providing information on its projects at the WindEnergy 2006. After its flotation on the London stock exchange, Clipper now has "fresh capital" to the tune of some $300 million, and wants to go into series production with its 2.5 MW "Liberty" turbine, according to its CEO (and former Zond founder) Jim Dehlsen. It has already opened a factory in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Liberty turbine is designed for weight savings, so it requires only limited crane capacity, as for the smaller 1.5 MW turbines. The turbine also has its own crane in the nacelle.
Vensys is a newcomer to the wind energy manufacturing scene, and has now installed three prototypes of its 1.2 MW turbine in Canada. The Licensee Goldwind intends to install "at least half a dozen turbines" in China this year, according to Vensys marketing manager Jürgen Millhoff. Goldwind has also just acquired the licence for the planned new 1.5 MW turbine from Vensys. The first prototype is to be installed in Europe this summer. There is also a licensee for the Spanish market, that is Eozen S.A., to market these gearless turbines on the Iberian peninsula.
Gamesa Eólica will exhibit the nacelle of its G-87 turbine in Hamburg. This 2 MW turbine, with rotor diameter options 80, 83, 87 or 90 metre, is the first model developed independently by the Spanish company itself since its separation from Vestas. At the same time Gamesa has gained market entry to the US, installing 25 of its G-87 turbines in the Kumeyaay reservation, San Diego country, Southern California. This is also the largest American wind farm located in a reservation. Gamesa is also active in the Asian market, with production of 850 kW turbines G52 and G58 in China, the installation of its first 2 MW turbines in Japan, and the Indian wind farm scheduled for this year in Tamil Nadu (18 units of the G-58 turbine). It is also planning a first wind farm in Egypt.
Siemens Wind Power will present the nacelle of its 2.3 MW turbine, on its 255 sqm fair stand; this turbine has been installed both on land and offshore (in the Danish Nystedt wind farm). Its turbines are also in operation not only in the Asian region, but also in Australia. Siemens recently installed the second prototype of its 3.6 MW turbine in the Dutch ECN test field Wiringermeer - this is the most powerful turbine in the Netherlands, with a hub height of 80 metres and rotor diameter of 107 metres. The first Siemens 3.6 MW prototype is now in operation at the Risø test field in Hövesore, Denmark. The REpower stand will showcase the nacelle of the new MM92/2 MW. Three units have so far been built, and series production is to start this year. "We will build about 50 of these turbines this year," says press officer Daniela Puttenat. "We will also present our new wind farm management system Reguard, which gives much more comprehensive control than conventional Scada systems." REpower will install another four units of its 5 MW turbine M5 this year - two turbines at the DEWI offshore test field - on land - in Wilhelmshaven, and two in the deep-water Beatrice Field wind farm, scheduled for late summer. These turbines, located some 25 kilometres off the eastern coast of Scotland at a water depth of 44 metres, would then be the most powerful turbines so far installed at real offshore locations.
There will also be two manufacturers from Argentina at the WindEnergy 2006, with smaller wind turbines in their production programme - Invap Ingeniera SA and NRG Patagonia SA. A 1000 W turbine suitable for installation on houses will be presented by Zephyr Corporation from Japan.
GE Energy, the global player from the General Electric Group, will be exhibiting at the WindEnergy in Hamburg "with a 303 square metre stand, and a nacelle of the multi-megawatt class", says GE press officer Gaby Braun. The nacelle could be that of the new 2.75 MW turbine or the 3 MW turbine which is likewise in the project design phase. About one thousand units of the GE 1.5 MW turbine were installed in 2005, making this the most successful turbine type worldwide. The experts are expecting a similar number of turbines will be installed in 2006, especially in the booming US market. The new GE multi-MW turbines with options of 2.3 MW, 2.5 MW or 2.75 MW are intended for Europe and Japan, as are the 3 MW prototypes with 6362 or 6940 sqm swept area.
Nordex AG is another multi-MW turbine manufacturer present in Hamburg. The company recently built Germany's first offshore turbine, the N-90 (2.5 MW). The preparatory work for the Baltic Sea wind farm Baltic I is to be started this year. Then the wind farm with 21 turbines could be built as early as 2007, including eleven N90/2.5 MW Nordex turbines. A rotor manufacturing plant was recently set up in Baoding, China, for the N-60/1.3 MW turbines. There is a joint venture for the 1.5 MW turbines (Nordex S70) with the Chinese power company Ningxia Electric Power and the wind farm planner Ningxia Tianjing Electric Energy. This joint venture currently has an order book totalling 200 MW up to the year 2009, and the first 26 turbines of the 1.5 MW category from joint German/Chinese production are to be commissioned before the end of this year.
British exhibitors at WindEnergy include the manufacturer EU Energy, which intends to set up the prototype of its enhanced 2 MW machine, that is the DeWind 8.2, in Europe this year. The smaller 1.25 MW machines of the D6 series are now being manufactured in various licensed production facilities in China. The Texas based American EU affiliate, EU Energy Inc., has just signed a framework agreement with Exergy Development Group LLC, giving the wind farm planner an option for purchase of 550 machines of type D8.2 within a five year period from 2007. EU Energy plans to open a production plant in the USA and another in eastern Canada in the coming year. Another British manufacturer exhibiting at the WindEnergy is the Nottingham based company Iskra, which makes small 5 kW wind turbines for micropower systems for individual homes, farms and isolated power supplies.
Clipper Windpower is the second US manufacturer following GE, providing information on its projects at the WindEnergy 2006. After its flotation on the London stock exchange, Clipper now has "fresh capital" to the tune of some $300 million, and wants to go into series production with its 2.5 MW "Liberty" turbine, according to its CEO (and former Zond founder) Jim Dehlsen. It has already opened a factory in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Liberty turbine is designed for weight savings, so it requires only limited crane capacity, as for the smaller 1.5 MW turbines. The turbine also has its own crane in the nacelle.
Vensys is a newcomer to the wind energy manufacturing scene, and has now installed three prototypes of its 1.2 MW turbine in Canada. The Licensee Goldwind intends to install "at least half a dozen turbines" in China this year, according to Vensys marketing manager Jürgen Millhoff. Goldwind has also just acquired the licence for the planned new 1.5 MW turbine from Vensys. The first prototype is to be installed in Europe this summer. There is also a licensee for the Spanish market, that is Eozen S.A., to market these gearless turbines on the Iberian peninsula.
Gamesa Eólica will exhibit the nacelle of its G-87 turbine in Hamburg. This 2 MW turbine, with rotor diameter options 80, 83, 87 or 90 metre, is the first model developed independently by the Spanish company itself since its separation from Vestas. At the same time Gamesa has gained market entry to the US, installing 25 of its G-87 turbines in the Kumeyaay reservation, San Diego country, Southern California. This is also the largest American wind farm located in a reservation. Gamesa is also active in the Asian market, with production of 850 kW turbines G52 and G58 in China, the installation of its first 2 MW turbines in Japan, and the Indian wind farm scheduled for this year in Tamil Nadu (18 units of the G-58 turbine). It is also planning a first wind farm in Egypt.
Siemens Wind Power will present the nacelle of its 2.3 MW turbine, on its 255 sqm fair stand; this turbine has been installed both on land and offshore (in the Danish Nystedt wind farm). Its turbines are also in operation not only in the Asian region, but also in Australia. Siemens recently installed the second prototype of its 3.6 MW turbine in the Dutch ECN test field Wiringermeer - this is the most powerful turbine in the Netherlands, with a hub height of 80 metres and rotor diameter of 107 metres. The first Siemens 3.6 MW prototype is now in operation at the Risø test field in Hövesore, Denmark. The REpower stand will showcase the nacelle of the new MM92/2 MW. Three units have so far been built, and series production is to start this year. "We will build about 50 of these turbines this year," says press officer Daniela Puttenat. "We will also present our new wind farm management system Reguard, which gives much more comprehensive control than conventional Scada systems." REpower will install another four units of its 5 MW turbine M5 this year - two turbines at the DEWI offshore test field - on land - in Wilhelmshaven, and two in the deep-water Beatrice Field wind farm, scheduled for late summer. These turbines, located some 25 kilometres off the eastern coast of Scotland at a water depth of 44 metres, would then be the most powerful turbines so far installed at real offshore locations.
There will also be two manufacturers from Argentina at the WindEnergy 2006, with smaller wind turbines in their production programme - Invap Ingeniera SA and NRG Patagonia SA. A 1000 W turbine suitable for installation on houses will be presented by Zephyr Corporation from Japan.
- Source:
- WindEnergy
- Author:
- Gudrun Blickle
- Email:
- gudrun.blickle@hamburg-messe.de
