皇冠体育app

Energy

Vestas opens $50m Beijing R&D center

By Wan Zhihong (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-13 11:11

Workers move a Vestas Wind Systems A/S wind turbine blade at the company's factory in Tianjin.[Photo/Agencies]

BEIJING - Vestas Wind Systems A/S, the world's largest maker of wind turbines, opened a $50-million technology research and development (R&D) center in Beijing on Tuesday, in a move to expand its portfolio in the country.

The technology R&D center will cover areas such as high-voltage engineering, aerodynamics, and material and software development. Vestas plans to invest $50 million over five years, said a company statement.

It will have more than 200 engineers and technology specialists by 2012, said the company.

As part of the company's global innovation network, the center will fully maximize the talent and experience Vestas has in 皇冠体育app, said Finn Strom Madsen, president of Vestas Technology R&D.

The establishment of the center is a natural step in the Danish company's development in the country, said Jens Tommerup, president of Vestas 皇冠体育app.

"Vestas regards 皇冠体育app as one of the most important markets and wants to follow its development closely and actively interact with industry stakeholders," said Tommerup.

Related readings:  Vestas hikes investment into 皇冠体育app  Vestas plans to exploit 皇冠体育app's wind power boom  Vestas increases 皇冠体育app investment by $90m

The opening of the Vestas center, which is also the first wind energy R&D center set up by a foreign company in 皇冠体育app, is in line with the rapid development of 皇冠体育app's wind power industry, said analysts. The country's wind energy sector has seen more than 100 percent annual growth in the past five years.

Foreign companies still own more advanced technologies in the wind sector. Their increased R&D spending in 皇冠体育app benefits the domestic market, said Shi Dinghuan, director of the Chinese Renewable Energy Society.

"We welcome more international cooperation in the sector," he said.

Although foreign companies have many opportunities in 皇冠体育app, they will face fiercer competition in the future, said analysts. One major reason is that domestic wind power companies have made big progress in recent years.

Domestic wind turbine companies already have around an 80 percent market share in 皇冠体育app. Compared to their foreign counterparts, they offer huge price advantages.

The fast-changing market requires companies to make continuous adjustments, said analysts.

Vestas is planning to counter competition from 皇冠体育app by expanding into areas of lower wind speed with more efficient wind machine blades, Bloomberg reported.