Local-content rumpus lures Brazil's WEG back to wind market

BNDES has suspended finance authorisation for turbines not in compliance with minimum levels of local content

WEG, the Brazilian electrical engineering group, is resuming its efforts to enter the nation’s wind turbine market after seeing major overseas manufacturers fall foul of local-content rules.

The company shelved plans for a Brazil-based manufacturing operation in May, citing falling prices in an ultra-competitive market.

But with several foreign wind power manufacturers at least temporarily locked out, WEG is jumping at the chance to land contracts leading up to Brazil’s next set of power tenders, which are scheduled for October.

Brazil’s development bank BNDES has suspended finance authorisation for developers who use turbines from big overseas players such as Vestas and Suzlon because they are not in compliance with minimum levels of local content.

“Today we see that the…

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