By Kari Williamson
The wind turbine blade plant in the city of Vadodara, Gujarat, is currently staffed by 157 employees and is forecast to reach production capacity of 390 blades in 2013.
Gamesa invested €25 million to commission the wind turbine blade facility, which has already produced its first blade for the G5X-850 kW turbine.
The blade factory will primarily supply India's northern states, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, which offer promising wind energy potential.
“This marks another step towards cementing our manufacturing base in India, where we are also implementing our best technology and practices in wind turbine production,” says Gamesa India Chairman and Managing Director Ramesh Kymal.
Gamesa recently boosted its manufacturing presence in India with a tower factory built through the Windar Renewable Energy joint venture, in which Gamesa owns a 32% stake. The facility will employ 50 workers by the end of the first quarter of 2012.
Nacelle plant planned
The wind turbine blade plant is part of a €60m investment Gamesa announced in March 2011 to strengthen the company’s manufacturing base in India in order to tap rising demand in the country's wind energy market.
Gamesa will round off this investment plan in India by building a new factory in Tamil Nadu state to produce nacelles.
In the third quarter of 2011, India accounted for 20% of the MW sold by Gamesa worldwide.
