The JV will be responsible for the design, manufacturing, installation, commissioning and services of offshore wind turbines and combines the wind energy expertise of both Gamesa and Areva and their respective track records. Adwen will be positioned to become a leading player in the global offshore wind market with a 2.8 GW project pipeline and the objective of capturing a market share close to 20 percent in Europe by 2020.
The offshore market is increasingly seen as one of the most promising areas for the development of renewable energy over the next decade, particularly in the coastal countries of northern Europe where the installed base should reach over 25 GW by 2020. Additionally, Adwen will target the huge offshore wind potential of Asia which could reach 17 GW of installed capacity by 2020.
Adwen is chaired by Louis-François Durret, CEO of Areva Renewable Energies with Luis Álvarez, Chief Operating Officer of Gamesa’s offshore activities serving as General Manager. There are eight members of the Board of Directors, four from each company. The JV has corporate offices in France, Spain, UK and Germany. Its product portfolio will include the Adwen 8MW platform, initiated by Areva and further optimised with assistance from Gamesa. This will reach serial production in 2018.
The Adwen 5MW platform offers two complementary 5 MW turbines for immediate use, the AD 5-135 and AD 5-132 (formerly the M5000-135). The latter is Areva’s 5 MW turbine which has an installed base of 650 MW. This will increase to 1 GW with the development of the Wikinger wind farm in Germany.
Adwen will manufacture these turbines in its existing plants in Bremerhaven and Stade in Germany, which are ideally positioned to serve the North Sea and Baltics projects. The company will fulfil its industrial commitments engaged by Areva and Gamesa in France and the UK, comprising the creation of factories in Le Havre and the implementation of a network of suppliers and partners throughout the country.
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