The Hindu Business Line : Leitner Shriram opens wind turbine facility

Mr Bharatsinh Solanki (centre), Union Minister of State for Power, accompanied by Mr T. Shivaraman (left), Managing Director and CEO, Shriram EPC, and Mr P. Ashok, Managing Director, Leitner Shriram Manufacturing Ltd, at the inauguration of Leitner Shriram’s wind turbine generator facility at Gummidipoondi near Chennai, on Friday.

Our Bureau

Chennai, Sept. 25 Leitner Shriram Mfg Ltd, the Rs 200-crore Indo-Italian joint venture for manufacturing megawatt-class wind turbines, was formally inaugurated today.

Leitner Shriram has a capacity to produce 150 units of 1.5 MW gearless wind turbines annually at the integrated facility which can manufacture the entire turbine, including the critical components, generator, controls and nacelle.

Addressing a press conference following the inaugural function, Mr T. Shivaraman, Managing Director and CEO, Shriram EPC, which holds a 49 per cent stake in the company, said that the facility is well set to exploit the expected growth in wind energy in India and abroad.

In the domestic markets, large projects are being envisaged by independent power producers. Apart from the domestic market, the facility would also export to Africa, Europe and West Asia. The 1.5-MW class units are the most popular. Demand is picking up with the focus on renewable energy sources. Leitner Shriram wind energy generators have been in operation in Shriram EPC’s own wind farms.

Leitner Shriram has a four-month order book which is likely to fill up to about a year over the next four months.

Leitner, the Italian partner which holds a 51 per cent stake, and Shriram are also exploring opportunities to set up wind farms in Europe, Mr Shivaraman said.

The Leitner Group is a €600-million conglomerate, which has a major presence in wind turbines, urban transportation systems and ropeways.

Addressing the inaugural at the manufacturing facility in Gummidipoondi, the industrial suburb about 45 km north of Chennai, the Union Minister of State for Power, Mr Bharatsinh Solanki, said that the Government of India was keen on adding at least 2,000 MW of wind energy capacity annually.

Mr P. Ashok, Managing Director, Leitner Shriram, told reporters that the interest shown by independent power producers in wind energy would mean that large capacities would come in with wind energy equipment manufacturers needing to scale up capacity. The facility is geared to increase production capacity to over 250 units annually.

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