REpower Systems AG, a unit of wind turbine-maker Suzlon Energy Ltd, today said it has signed a contract with Belgium's C-Power for supply of 48 wind energy turbines.
"The turbines have a total rated power of approximately 295 megawatts (MW) and are envisaged for phases 2 and 3 of the first Belgian offshore wind farm, Thornton Bank," REpower said in a press statement here.
Suzlon Energy has over 90 per cent participating interest in REpower.
"The installation of 24 turbines for phase 2 is planned for 2012 and a further 24 are designated for installation during a third extension stage by mid-2013," it said, but did not give the value of the order.
Companies from Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Denmark are involved in the project at Thornton Bank.
A consortium of seven commercial banks, together with the European Investment Bank, will provide around 900 million euros worth of loans to finance the two phases. The total investment -– including the cost of refinancing the phase 1 project -– amounts up to an estimated 1.3 billion euros.
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At the formal contract signing ceremony in Antwerp, REpower Systems AG CEO Andreas Nauen said: "The fact that we have been chosen as turbine supplier for the next two phases of the first Belgian offshore wind farm shows that the client is convinced by the quality and reliability of our offshore technology, proven in phase 1."
Suzlon Energy Chairman Tulsi Tanti, who is also chairman of REpower's supervisory board, said: "The offshore market is expected to grow by 42 per cent annually and by 2015, constitute 8 per cent of new global wind power installations and Europe is clearly leading the way in this development."
"REpower is a leader in offshore technology and has proven expertise in building offshore wind farms in extremely challenging conditions. This contract illustrates that we are well-poised to meet the demands of the burgeoning sector and are poised to lead growth in this space," he said.
REpower delivered and installed six REpower 5M-type turbines for the first extension stage of the Thornton Bank wind farm in 2008. The offshore wind farm -- located around 28 kilometres off the Belgian coast in waters depths ranging from 12 metres to 27 metres -- was officially put into operation at the end of June, 2009.
For phases 2 and 3 of the project, REpower's scope of delivery covers -- as in the first extension stage -- the production and delivery of the nacelles, towers, blades and hubs, as well as pre-installation of the turbines in the port of Oostende.
Furthermore, REpower is responsible for installation, commissioning and conducting test runs of the turbines, the statement added.