Turbine-maker Vestas has kicked off plans to build a new engineering design centre in Porto, Portugal, as part of a strategy to further expand its global research and development (R&D) operation.

The facility, which will join the OEM’s network of R&D departments in the UK, Norway, Germany, India and the Danish company’s headquarters in Aarhus, will be responsible for developing “core technology” for Vestas' product portfolio.