Suzlon Energy plans to shortly start making REpower wind turbines at its plant near Mangalore. Suzlon owns about 91% of REpower Systems AG of Germany.
Mr Tulsi Tanti CMD of Suzlon Energy Ltd told Business Line that “There are definite plans to make REpower turbines at our Mangalore unit, which will be for the export markets.”
Suzlon has a facility at Padubidri, near Mangalore, which makes rotor blades, nacelles (the part at the top of the tower that holds components such as gears and brakes), nacelle covers and nose cones, with a total capacity of 1,500 MW a year.
Suzlon's plan is to manufacture REpower's 2 MW wind turbines in Mangalore and export them to markets such as the US, Canada, Australia and Brazil. It will source gearboxes from Hansen's plant in Coimbatore (Suzlon is the single largest shareholder in Hansen), rotor blades from the Mangalore unit and generators and control systems from Coimbatore.
Starting manufacture of REpower turbines in India will be a major step for both Suzlon and REpower, as the two companies are looking at ways to cut costs in a highly competitive market with excess capacity. The two had signed an agreement under which Suzlon would support the latter as a sales agent in the US, Australia and New Zealand. Suzlon will use the New Mangalore port to export the turbines.
×
