Strategic partnership between innogy and Nordex bears first fruits

In October 2018 innogy and the Nordex Group agreed on a strategic partnership with a view to facilitating future growth with onshore wind projects in a highly competitive environment in an optimal manner. This partnership is already paying off for both companies: for instance, at the end of 2018 innogy SE and the Nordex Group signed a contract in the USA for the supply of six N131/3900 turbines on the basis of a so-called "Safe Harbor" agreement. The term "Safe Harbor" describes the possibility on the North American market of securing Production Tax Credits on current terms and conditions – in this case from 2018 – by buying a part of the total components required at an early stage. In addition to this, innogy is planning, subject to its investment decision, to realise its US onshore development projects in the state of New York, Cassadaga (126 MW) and Baron Winds (240 MW), using mainly Nordex turbines. Furthermore, the two companies enjoyed a joint success in the first onshore auction in Poland with the Zukowice project (33 MW). Innogy will shortly be making its investment decision on this. The Nordex group is expecting to receive the order for this project in the second half of 2019.

Within the framework of the strategic partnership, between 2019 and 2022 innogy plans to optimise its project pipeline in Europe and the USA together with the Nordex Group and, following its investment decision, to buy its wind turbine generators exclusively from Nordex. The two companies are planning to work on projects with a total capacity of 1.7 gigawatts.

Hans Bünting, Chief Operating Officer Renewables at innogy SE: "Thanks to the strategic partnership with Nordex we have been able to optimise our procurement strategy for onshore wind turbines. For example, in Europe and especially in the USA, we have secured prices for wind turbines and service for the coming years so that we remain competitive and ideally positioned for future auctions. The Nordex Group was successful in a tender due to making the best commercial bid and because of the promised transparency with regard to project optimisation."

José Luis Blanco, CEO Nordex Group: "This partnership marks an important milestone. This new type of all-round collaboration covers the entire value chain for all onshore projects. Our joint aim here is to reduce the cost of energy over the entire life cycle of the turbines with a view to promoting the further development of wind energy.”