The global demand for sustainable energy solutions in low and ultra-low wind areas continues to grow as renewable technology improves in efficiency and cost. This trend is especially prominent in India, the world’s fourth largest wind energy market, where the energy demand is expected to double and the government targets to add around 100 GW wind power in the predominantly low-wind market by 2030.
To help meet the growing demand, Vestas is introducing the V155-3.3 MW turbine optimised for low and ultra-low wind conditions. The V155-3.3 MW was introduced by Vestas CEO Henrik Andersen in a meeting today with the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi along with Vestas’ commitment to support India’s push for renewable energy and to strengthen the country’s wind energy industry. While the new turbine is globally applicable, it initially targets low and ultra-low wind condition projects in India. It increases the turbine swept area by 67 percent in comparison to V120-2.2 MW, and with a large rotor to rating ratio, it significantly improves the partial load production in low-wind conditions. The V155-3.3 MW improves the annual energy production (AEP) by more than three percent for a 300 MW wind park with 46 fewer turbines, creating an improved level of business case certainty.2
As the turbine will be predominantly locally manufactured and sourced in India, it reinforces Vestas’ existing commitment to the country’s growing renewable energy industry. Vestas will increase its already prominent manufacturing footprint in India by establishing a new converter factory in Chennai and expanding its current blade factory in Ahmedabad. These investments follow our previously announced new nacelle and hub factory in Chennai, which is currently under construction. The production ramp-up will add around 1,000 new jobs within the next year to the approximately 2,600 people currently working for Vestas in India. While the expanded production setup in India will serve the growing wind market in the region, it will also act as a strategic export hub.
“We have installed close to 4 GW of wind turbines in India over the last two decades and established a large production footprint, and we’re excited to leverage this as we support the government’s ambitions for renewable energy”, says Clive Turton, President of Vestas Asia Pacific. “With the production ramp up in India, we anticipate increased employment across our existing hubs, underlining our commitment to better support our customers and drive the country’s renewable energy transition”.
“With the introduction of the V155-3.3 MW turbine, we are able to offer improved energy production and business case certainty for our customers in India’s growing wind market”, says Vickram Jadhav, Vice President of Sales for Vestas India. “Built on the globally proven 4 MW platform, the V155-3.3 MW features a full-scale converter delivering excellent grid compliance, faster active and reactive power during dynamic frequency and voltage events. The V155-3.3 MW has an optimised blade design customized and best suited for the Indian Wind conditions. It also features market specific towers up to 140m hub height to meet local transportation requirements”.
With 35 GW of 4 MW platform turbines installed in 47 countries, the V155-3.3 MW has been developed within Vestas’ leading standards within design, testing and manufacturing, ensuring customer’s business case certainty.
Prototype installation is planned for the third quarter 2021, while serial production is expected by the first quarter of 2022
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