Windfair Interview with AREVA Wind

What will be the name of the joint venture?

The future name of the JV will be disclosed at closing by Q4 2014.

The PR mentioned an offshore joint venture, no word about onshore activities. Will there be no cooperation within the onshore sector? Or could cooperation in this field become of interest in a future perspective?

Within this JV, AREVA and Gamesa will pool personnel, assets and activities dedicated to offshore wind power. The JV will also benefit from technological synergies. Both companies have opted for the same fundamental design options and concepts. Gamesa’s onshore wind activities and assets will not be contributed to the JV.

In the beginning of this year AREVA announced short time work for the German site. What now about the manufacturing sites in Bremerhaven and Stade? Do they stay despite the plans to set up new production sites in UK and France?

Bremerhaven and Stade remain the key industrial base for JV manufacturing in Germany. For the upcoming projects in the German waters, Bremerhaven and Stade will produce our turbines. The JV will continue the industrial development plan that has until now been led by AREVA in France, which notably includes the creation of a turbine assembly plant in Le Havre and the development of a network of sub-contractors in France and in the UK.

Are there any considerations to downsize the German sites in favor of UK and France?

There is no plan to downsize Bremerhaven and Stade in link with the development of French and UK sites that will serve different markets.

AREVA as well as Gamesa have a 5 MW turbine. Will both turbine types be developed or will there  only be one 5MW turbine for both?

The JV will market and optimize both companies' existing 5MW turbines, offering a comprehensive portfolio to meet customers’ requirements on a project by project basis. The idea is not to design a new 5MW but to fine-tune the existing platforms on a continuous improvement basis. In parallel, the JV will accelerate the development of its 8MW turbine to further respond to the LCOE challenge.

The joint venture creates a tremendous pool of technologically know-how; i.e. the 8 MW turbine shall be further developed together. When do you expect it to be market-ready?

Our development timeline has been built to fit with major European projects. We will launch the serial production of the AREVA 8MW at the end of 2017.

Some other companies are already planning on a 10 MW turbine. Will the joint venture, and with it the transfer of technology know-how, enable both companies to be a front runner with something like it?

With the 5 and 8 MW we have a comprehensive portfolio to serve market requests in the short and medium term. In the future, we will continue to adapt our portfolio if needed.

After Vestas and MITSUBISHI the joint venture of AREVA and Gamesa is the second merger within the sector. Are joint ventures the 'silver bullet' for the future of the offshore industry?

AREVA’s strategy is to become a leader in the field of renewables and a European champion in the field of offshore wind. This JV will further enhance the strength and competitiveness of AREVA’s wind activities and boost its developments in the offshore market.
Through this strategic alliance with Gamesa, AREVA will play a key role in the consolidation of the offshore wind sector, which is already under way, and confirms its long-term commitment to renewable energies.
We do believe that consolidation is key on this market.

Copyright Pictures: AREVA / Gamesa