Turbine OEM Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) looked to have a foot in the door of the world’s largest wind project when it struck its first deal with China’s SPIC, which is planning the 6GW mega-complex in Inner Mongolia.
The 21MW turbines supplied to SPIC under the debut agreement between the two are “expected to gather wind farm performance data” for the Inner Mongolia project, said the OEM.
Recharge revealed exclusively last week that state-run SPIC is open to using western turbine supplier at Ulanqab, which will be built in phases of up to 1.4GW.
The tender for the project looks for “global top 15” turbine suppliers, in what commentators said could mark a loosening of the grip of China’s OEM giants on the world’s largest wind market.
The onshore CEO for SGRE’s Asia-Pacific and China region, Richard Paul Luijendijk, recently visited SPIC and met with the chairman of the utility, Qian Zhimin, a meeting where Ulanqab was discussed, Recharge revealed.
The debut order is for six 3.4-132 wind turbines, powered up to 3.65MW,which will be deployed at a demonstration project in in Holingola, Tongliao city with commissioning later this year.
SPIC will use the power generated at one of its own electrolytic aluminum plants.
Western rival Vestas is also hotly tipped to be a contender for a piece of the action at Ulanqab. It signed its own first power deal with SPIC at the end of last year.
