Gamesa commissions 1.34 GW (a record for 2012) in U.S.

Gamesa Technology Corp., the first overseas wind manufacturer to set up full production facilities in the U.S., closed out 2012 having commissioned 1.34 GW of U.S. generating capacity, a single-year record for its North American operations. That total represents 10% of the U.S. market share for 2012, based on just-released figures by the American Wind Energy Association.

Among the company’s achievements over the last year, Gamesa secured deals with six new customers, completed an innovative multi-wind farm sales agreement with Algonquin Power and Utilities, totaling 400 MW; and deepened its penetration into the growing community and distributed wind sector, supplying four U.S. projects.

Altogether, Gamesa commissioned 674 turbines at 18 wind farms in 13 states. Among the 1.34 GW are 480 MW developed directly by the company.

“Last year was a strong year for Gamesa’s North American operations. Projects originally scheduled for 2013 were pulled into 2012, due in part to concern that the federal production tax credit would not be extended,” said David Flitterman, Chairman of Gamesa North America. “The effect of that spurred the record level of 1.34 GW of commissioned capacity for Gamesa and an all-time single-year high of more than 13 GW across the entire industry.”

The company entered the North American market in 2005 and has two manufacturing plants in Pennsylvania. Its U.S. headquarters is located in Trevose, Pa., just outside Philadelphia.

Since Gamesa began installing U.S. wind farms, it has made a significant contribution to wind energy development in its home state. In 2012, Gamesa supplied wind turbines to the 30-MW Patton Wind Farm in Cambria County, Pa. In total, the company has installed 466 MW in Pennsylvania at nine wind farms, representing about 35 percent of the state’s total installed capacity. Of the nine wind farms, four were developed by Gamesa.

The firm’s 1.34 GW of commissioned capacity in 2012 represent U.S. projects only. Gamesa also exports its U.S.-made turbines to Canada, Central America, and South America.

Gamesa supplied its first Canadian project in 2012, providing five turbines to the 10-MW Gesner Wind Farm in Highgate, Ontario. In February 2012, Cerro de Hula, the company’s first wind farm in Honduras, went commercial and is delivering 7% of the country’s energy, enabling it to reduce its oil imports for power generation. In May, Gamesa signed a deal in Uruguay, where the company is supplying 25 of its G90-2.0 MW turbines for a wind farm project in Peralta. The turbines are being manufactured in the U.S. with transport, assembly and startup scheduled for 2013.

The company continues to evolve its technology to meet demand for superior reliability, availability, and energy production. The company’s upcoming G114-2.0 and G114-2.5 MW models for Class II & III sites will deliver superior project economics by maximizing energy output, increasing competitive investment ratios and reducing the cost of energy per megawatt installed.