India - Vestas to supply turbine blade

Leading wind turbine maker 'Vestas Wind Systems' today said it has entered into a long-term agreement with LM Glasfiber for supply of windmill blades to the company's turbine plant in Chennai. The three-year supply agreement comprises supply of 1,500 MW blades for Vestas' V82-1.65 MW turbine, which is produced in Chennai, Vestas said in a statement. The blades would be delivered from LM Glasfiber's factory in Bangalore as well as from a new factory under establishment in Dobespet, Karnataka.

Supply from the new factory is expected to begin in the middle of 2007. 'Vestas Asia Pacific, president, Thorbjorn N Rasmussen, said the Indian wind energy market has a great potential and it was the world's fourth largest in 2005. "It has good wind conditions, rapid economic growth, growing demand for energy - in particular wind energy - to support its economic development," he added. The long-term supply agreement with LM Glasfiber is part of the company's growth strategy in India," Rasmussen said. "By sourcing the blades locally in India, we obtain the l ocal competitive advantages through reduced transport costs and less dependency on currency fluctuations," he said. LM Glasfiber, Sales and Marketing Director, Soren F Knudsen, said "The agreement marks a considerable prolongation and extension of the good cooperation which we have had with Vestas for years in India."