Vestas to establish a new research centre in the USA

As part of the Vestas goal to maintain and extend its position as the leader within modern energy, Vestas Technology R&D is about to establish a new research and development centre in the USA.

The research centre will be operational already from 2009, and will, when fully established in 2010, employ up to 80 people.

“Today, Vestas is a technology enterprise. If we want to be market leaders, we have to be present and drive the development, where the market is. And that is amongst other places in the US,” says Finn Strøm Madsen, President of Vestas Technology R&D.

This decision is a direct continuation of Vestas’ establishment and expansion of its R&D activities in Singapore, India and the creation of the world’s largest wind power research centre in Aarhus, Denmark.

“With the establishment of another centre – this time in the US – we have taken a significant step towards Vestas’ global, long-term dedication to technology and research,” says Finn Strøm Madsen. As a direct consequence, a restructuring of the global Technology R&D organisation has taken place, making Research an independent unit.

Location to be decided

”We have not yet decided where in the US the centre is to be located. But we primarily investigate options close to the large and recognized universities,” says Finn Strøm Madsen, who has great expectations for the new centre.

”It is crucial for us to be able to attract the best talents globally and, at the same time, to take part in the technological development in cooperation with some of the world’s leading universities. Being located close to a university will therefore be our first priority,” says Finn Strøm Madsen.

Wind energy is experiencing significant growth in all of North America. During 2006, the capacity of wind power was increased by more than 30 per cent, to approx 12,000 MW, in USA alone, and the American energy authorities, Department of Energy, have recently called for large public investments in sustainable energy in the USA.

So far, Vestas has installed more than 9,300 wind turbines in the USA.

Please address any questions regarding the establishment of the new research and development centre in the USA to Finn Strøm Madsen, President of Vestas Technology R&D, telephone +45 9730 0000.