Commercial operation of the offshore wind farm is expected in late 2011. The scope of supply includes a five-year service and maintenance agreement.
The 50 MW-project is a break-through in Siemens renewable energy strategy by securing the first offshore wind power order from China. "With more than 600 wind turbines with a combined capacity of more than 1,800 MW installed in European waters, Siemens is clearly the market leader in offshore. But we also see good opportunities for offshore wind power in China with its shallow water near the consumption centers on the coast," said Jens-Peter Saul, CEO of the Siemens Business Unit Wind Power.
According to the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association (CREIA) China will expand its offshore wind power installed capacity to 5 gigawatts (GW) by 2015 and 30 GW by 2020. "This order is an important step in entering the rapidly growing Chinese wind power market," added Saul. With almost 45 GW installed wind capacity and a growth rate of 73 percent from 2009 to 2010, China is the world's largest wind power market today.
As part of its internationalization strategy, Siemens has set up offshore offices in the UK, Germany, US and China in 2010. In November 2010, Siemens has opened its first rotor blade manufacturing plant in Shanghai. Since spring 2011, a nacelle plant in Shanghai is in operation, too.
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