As India’s largest wind turbine manufacturer continues to make progress in South Africa, the firm is considering building a plant to make equipment for the turbines in the country.
Possible site locations include the Eastern and Western Cape, according to Suzlon South Africa CEO Silas Zimu in a Bloomberg interview. The potential plant would need to produce about 400 MW worth of equipment each year to remain cost efficient. A Suzlon team will evaluate sites to make towers and blades next week.
Manufacturing 400 MW each year of equipment for wind turbines is feasible in light of the Indian firm’s recent agreement. Suzlon signed a contract with African Clean Energy Developments (ACED) to supply wind turbines for South Africa’s Cookhouse Wind Energy Facility in May 2011. The order has the Indian firm supplying 76 of its S88 model (totaling 152 MW), and there is a possibility for ACED to acquire an addition 124 turbines which would add 248 MW. With ACED alone, the company has the potential to reach 400 MW, and if Suzlon opens a manufacturing plant in South Africa, more orders will undoubtedly continue.
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