Leitner Shriram's wind turbine facility begins operations

Leitner Shriram Manufacturing Ltd, a joint venture between Shriram EPC and Italy-based Leitner Technologies, on Friday inaugurated its Rs 200-crore facility at Gummidippondi near Chennai.

Spread across 20 acres, the facility would have a manufacturing capacity of 150 wind turbines per annum in Phase I. The plant was inaugurated by Union minister of state for power Bharatsinh Solanki.

T Shivaraman, managing director and chief executive officer of Shriram EPC, a group company of Chennai-based Rs 30,000 crore Shriram Group, said the facility would cater to both domestic and export markets.

Construction work on Phase II would start after six months to double the capacity, said P Ashok, managing director, Leitner Shriram.

Apart from producing wind turbines in India, the company would also use India as a sourcing hub for windmill components. While Leitner will bring technology know-how, Shriram would provide engineering expertise.

On the export front, Michael Seeber, president, Leitner Technologies, said apart from catering to the US and European markets, the company would cater to Egypt, Morocco and Africa.

Seeber added, one turbine could be translated into four million Kw hours a year and it could cater to 1,000 families. The unit employs 300 people and is expected to provide indirect employment for about 1,000 people. 

According to estimates, India has the potential to generate 45,000 Mw of wind power. Since, these wind farms are set up in rural areas, it generates opportunities for employment in the form of electrical, civil and mechanical engineers and technicians. The total capacity installed in India stood at 10,134 Mw as of March 31, 2009. 

Greenfield windfarms The two joint venture partners are planning to set up greenfield windfarms in the country, said Shivaraman. Oriental Green Power, a renewable energy generation company promoted by Shriram EPC, is in the process of acquiring wind assets.

The greenfield projects would be promoted along with Leitner, which is in the process of setting up such projects in Europe and the US, he added.

Shriram EPC is a $ 200 million company which offers design engineering, procurement, construction and project management services.