Gamesa Inaugurates 640 MW Brazil Nacelle Factory

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!

---

One of the planet’s most prominent wind energy manufacturers, Gamesa, announced the official inauguration of its expanded nacelle assembly factory in Brazil, which will be capable of producing 640 MW of produce each year and focused nearly entirely on the Brazil wind market.

The factory, located in Camaçari, in the north-east of the state of Bahia, will have an annual production capacity of 640 MW and will make all the 2.0 MW and 2.5 MW platform turbines currently destined for the Brazil wind energy market.

Gamesa has targeted Brazil as one of its primary manufacturing and development destinations, with several hundred MW worth of orders over the past year alone. In July of 2014 Gamesa announced two new Brazil wind projects worth 214 MW and spaced over four wind farms in Bahia. Gamesa stepped in later that year to pick up the slack when Vestas Wind Systems bailed on two projects, committing in total to delivering turbines to 9 farms. And in February of this year Gamesa signed another 150 MW order in Rio Grade do Norte.

Since Gamesa developed its manufacturing presence in Brazil all the way back in 2011, the Spanish wind energy giant has invested over €35 million into the country, and built up a competitive local supply chain of over 1,000 suppliers.

Subsequently, Gamesa has installed over 1,000 MW of wind energy in Brazil, and has firm orders for another 1,500 MW.

“The start-up of this facility evidences our industrial pledge in Brazil and our commitment to developing the country’s wind power and broader manufacturing infrastructure,” said Ignacio Martín, Gamesa’s Chairman, during the inauguration ceremony.

“This expansion reinforces our operations in one of Gamesa’s priority markets: in 2014, Brazil accounted for 22% of total MW sold. Gamesa is one of the leading OEMs in this market thanks to a business strategy that combines global leadership with local know-how, along with a strong commitment to local community development in terms of wealth generation, job creation and purchases from and alliances with local suppliers.”