Production of turbines for low-wind sites from April: Suzlon

Suzlon plans to commence production of its S111 turbine of 2.1 mw capacity, designed for low wind speed sites, from April.
The new machine will deliver a substantial increase in annual energy production, the world's fifth-largest wind turbine maker based in Pune said.
The first prototype the S111 turbine was commissioned in January and commercial production will commence from next month, Suzlon Group Chief Financial Officer Kirti Vagadia told reporters here, where the firm has a plant.
"Wind is a cheaper and reliable source of energy. With the industry increasingly looking to low-wind speed sites, our S111 represents a major step forward to create products that deliver ever-increasing output from such sites," he said.

The first S111 120-meter turbine has been set up in Kutch district of Gujarat. This turbine has a combination of lattice and tubular towers and a rotor diameter of 111 meters.
The S111 will deliver up to 29 per cent more in annual energy production over its S-97 design in a 90 meter configuration, Vagadia said.

The troubled Suzlon, which had in January got Rs 9,000 crore of its loan recast and has a debt of over Rs 13,000 crore debt on its book, has also increased the production of 47 meter bent blades that would be used for these turbines.

"Earlier, we had 43 meter blades, but now we are producing more and more 47 meter bent blades that will be useful at low wind velocity sites," an official at its Bhuj blade manufacturing plant said.
Meanwhile, the company is planning to bring the 6.2M152 offshore turbine to the country.
Suzlon's German unit Senvion (formerly REPower) is developing this turbine, which has a rotor diameter with sweeping area larger than three football grounds or 152-metre.
"There is a huge scope in the offshore market. We have already completed 325 mw Thornton Bank project with 6 mw offshore turbines in Europe. Being a leader in the field, we are ready to tap the offshore market as well," Vagadia added.

The company defaulted on its Rs 3,200 crore worth foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) last year and the same are under restructuring now.
Suzlon, with an order book of USD 7 billion and global installed capacity of 24,000 mw, is expecting a turnaround in FY15.