Siemens Signs Agreement for Up to 253 Wind Turbines

Siemens Energy has signed a framework agreement for up to 253 wind turbines with a total capacity of more than 580 MW for onshore wind power plants in Sweden. Purchaser is Statkraft SCA Vind AB (SSVAB), in which Statkraft holds a 60-percent stake and Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA 40 percent. The first firm order under the terms of this agreement entails the supply of 37 direct drive wind turbines each with a rating of 2.3 megawatts and a rotor diameter of 113 meters for the Morttjarnberget project in central northern Sweden. The framework agreement covers the supply of as many as 253 wind turbines, 213 of which will be the new SWT-2.3-113 direct drive turbines and as many as 40 SWT-2.3-101wind turbines with gearbox, which are to be called up by the fall of 2014.

The Morttjarnberget project is the first commercial contract for the new gearless SWT-2.3-113 wind turbines with a capacity of 2.3 megawatts (MW) and a rotor diameter of 113 meters. The new machine is designed for low to moderate wind speeds and was launched for sale only three months ago. Installation and commissioning of the 37 SWT-2.3-113 wind turbines are scheduled for 2013. The SWT-2.3-113 is the second gearless wind turbine launched by Siemens, after the SWT-3.0-101 with a capacity of 3 MW was introduced in 2010. The Siemens direct drive wind turbines feature only half of the parts compared to conventional geared wind turbines and a significantly smaller number of moving parts.

"This new contract demonstrates the trust our clients have in our new direct drive technology," said Jens-Peter Saul, CEO of the Siemens Wind Power Business Unit. "We're particularly proud that our new gearless wind turbine has been embraced by the market so quickly. We are confident that it will become a preferred solution for onshore wind power plants at sites with low to medium wind speeds," Saul added.