REpower
Encyclopedia
REpower is a German
wind turbine
company founded in 2001, purchased December 2009 by Suzlon Energy
Ltd. Its product range comprises several types of turbines with rated outputs of between 1.5 and 6 megawatts. It created the 5M, in 2005.
REpower's 1.5-megawatt MD 70/77 range of turbines is one of the most successful turbines in its class. In 2002 REpower launched its 2-megawatt MM 70/82/92 range, currently in series production.
, to take a controlling interest in the company, a series of protracted bidding resulted in not Areva, but Suzlon Energy of India acquiring the majority shareholding in REpower for €1.3 billion. The deal was structured in such a manner to allow Suzlon to purchase Martifer's stake (22%) within two years for a fixed price of €265 million. Suzlon subsequently strengthened its position by buying the remaining 30% Areva stake in June 2008 for more than €350 million. Suzlon's total investment of approximately US$
1.6 billion gives it a holding of 66%, with the next largest shareholder being Martifer of Portugal. Areva went on to purchase the majority holding in 5MW rival, Multibrid . In 2009 Suzlon raised its share to 92% of REpower. As of 31st August 2011, Suzlon Energy holds 95% of REpower. Suzlon Energy is now in the process of minority share squeeze out in an attempt to gain 100% control.
. Meanwhile a 6 MW version with the same rotor diameter is operational in Elhöft, Germany.
Through subsidiaries and associates as well as licensing agreements, REpower is present in all major growth markets for wind energy in Europe: France, Portugal, Italy, Spain, the UK and Greece, in addition to promising overseas markets such as Japan, China, India and Australia.
Recently Repower has developed the 3.4MW and 3.2MW wind turbine for onshore market.
Together with the North German wind farm project developer Denker & Wulf AG, REpower Systems has signed a contract for the delivery of 22 wind turbines to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The REpower 3.4M104 turbines are planned for the Hohen Luckow project southwest of Rostock and are to be constructed by summer 2012.
, Schleswig Holstein, close to the original manufacturing plant and test centre in Husum. A new assembly hall was opened in Bremerhaven
in 2008 specifically aimed at the future offshore market. This facility was built adjacent to a new 460m long joint venture blade assembly plant, where REpower has a majority holding. A further manufacturing and service centre exists at Trampe near Berlin, and a secondary design office at Osnabrück.
, the 5M unit is currently being used for Phase I of the Thornton Bank
project off the Belgian coast, where the first six of a proposed 60 units are being installed in the summer of 2008. Further projects include Nordergründe in the Weser estuary off the coast of Bremerhaven, where a turbine supply agreement has been signed to supply 18 5M units. The 5M is also deployed as part of the Alpha Ventus demonstrator in the German North Sea
, where six 5M units were installed in 2009. In anticipation of future turbine supply shortages, RWE Innogy
signed a memorandum of understanding with REpower for supply of 250 offshore units up to 2016.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
wind turbine
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
company founded in 2001, purchased December 2009 by Suzlon Energy
Suzlon Energy
Suzlon Energy is a global wind power company based in India. In terms of market share, the company is the fifth largest wind turbine manufacturer in Asia...
Ltd. Its product range comprises several types of turbines with rated outputs of between 1.5 and 6 megawatts. It created the 5M, in 2005.
REpower's 1.5-megawatt MD 70/77 range of turbines is one of the most successful turbines in its class. In 2002 REpower launched its 2-megawatt MM 70/82/92 range, currently in series production.
History
In May 2007 after efforts by its largest shareholder ArevaAreva
AREVA is a French public multinational industrial conglomerate headquartered in the Tour Areva in Courbevoie, Paris. AREVA is mainly known for nuclear power; it also has interests in other energy projects. It was created on 3 September 2001, by the merger of Framatome , Cogema and...
, to take a controlling interest in the company, a series of protracted bidding resulted in not Areva, but Suzlon Energy of India acquiring the majority shareholding in REpower for €1.3 billion. The deal was structured in such a manner to allow Suzlon to purchase Martifer's stake (22%) within two years for a fixed price of €265 million. Suzlon subsequently strengthened its position by buying the remaining 30% Areva stake in June 2008 for more than €350 million. Suzlon's total investment of approximately US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1.6 billion gives it a holding of 66%, with the next largest shareholder being Martifer of Portugal. Areva went on to purchase the majority holding in 5MW rival, Multibrid . In 2009 Suzlon raised its share to 92% of REpower. As of 31st August 2011, Suzlon Energy holds 95% of REpower. Suzlon Energy is now in the process of minority share squeeze out in an attempt to gain 100% control.
Operations
The REpower 5M 5-megawatt turbine was the largest commercial turbine until the subsequent upgrade of this unit to provide significant more power, named "6M". This has a rated output of 6.2 megawatts from the same rotor diameter of 126.5 meters. The target market is offshore wind farm. The prototype was assembled in the autumn of 2004 in Brunsbüttel, located in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. In August 2006 the first 5M model was erected within the project Beatrice Wind FarmBeatrice Wind Farm
The Beatrice Wind Farm is a wind farm close to the Beatrice oil field in the Moray Firth, part of the North Sea off the east coast of Scotland.-Evaluation project:...
. Meanwhile a 6 MW version with the same rotor diameter is operational in Elhöft, Germany.
Through subsidiaries and associates as well as licensing agreements, REpower is present in all major growth markets for wind energy in Europe: France, Portugal, Italy, Spain, the UK and Greece, in addition to promising overseas markets such as Japan, China, India and Australia.
Recently Repower has developed the 3.4MW and 3.2MW wind turbine for onshore market.
Together with the North German wind farm project developer Denker & Wulf AG, REpower Systems has signed a contract for the delivery of 22 wind turbines to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The REpower 3.4M104 turbines are planned for the Hohen Luckow project southwest of Rostock and are to be constructed by summer 2012.
Locations in Germany
REpower maintain their global operating headquarters and administrative centre at Hamburg. Research and Design facilities are located at RendsburgRendsburg
Rendsburg is a town on the River Eider and the Kiel Canal in the northeastern part of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is the capital of the Kreis of Rendsburg-Eckernförde. As of 2006, it had a population of 28,476.-History:...
, Schleswig Holstein, close to the original manufacturing plant and test centre in Husum. A new assembly hall was opened in Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
in 2008 specifically aimed at the future offshore market. This facility was built adjacent to a new 460m long joint venture blade assembly plant, where REpower has a majority holding. A further manufacturing and service centre exists at Trampe near Berlin, and a secondary design office at Osnabrück.
Offshore wind
REpower have ambitions to become a major supplier to the offshore wind industry. As well as the two units installed in the Beatrice demonstrator project in the Moray FirthMoray Firth
The Moray Firth is a roughly triangular inlet of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotland...
, the 5M unit is currently being used for Phase I of the Thornton Bank
Thorntonbank Wind Farm
The Thorntonbank Wind Farm is an offshore wind farm, off the Belgian coast, in water ranging from deep. Electricity production started in early 2009, with a capacity of 30 MW...
project off the Belgian coast, where the first six of a proposed 60 units are being installed in the summer of 2008. Further projects include Nordergründe in the Weser estuary off the coast of Bremerhaven, where a turbine supply agreement has been signed to supply 18 5M units. The 5M is also deployed as part of the Alpha Ventus demonstrator in the German North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
, where six 5M units were installed in 2009. In anticipation of future turbine supply shortages, RWE Innogy
RWE
RWE AG , is a German electric power and natural gas public utility company based in Essen. Through its various subsidiaries, the energy company contributes electricity and gas to more than 20 million electricity customers and 10 million gas customers, principally in Europe...
signed a memorandum of understanding with REpower for supply of 250 offshore units up to 2016.
See also
- Gamesa Corporación TecnológicaGamesa Corporación TecnológicaGamesa Corporación Tecnológica , is a manufacturing company principally involved in the fabrication of wind turbines and the construction of wind farms....
- Hallett Wind Farm
- Hoosier Wind FarmHoosier Wind FarmHoosier Wind Farm is a wind farm in Benton County, Indiana. It consists of 53 REpower 2 MW wind turbines, for a total nameplate capacity of 106 MW. The enXco subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles built the wind farm, with Mortenson Construction's Renewable Energy Group as the subcontractor...
- List of offshore wind farms
- List of wind turbine manufacturers
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- Wind power in GermanyWind power in GermanyIn 2010, the installed capacity of wind power in Germany was 27.2 GW. Wind power currently produces about seven percent of Germany’s total electrical power. More than 21,607 wind turbines are located in the German federal area and the country has plans to build more wind turbines...
- Wind power in IndiaWind power in IndiaThe development of wind power in India began in the 1990s, and has significantly increased in the last few years. Although a relative newcomer to the wind industry compared with Denmark or the US, India has the fifth largest installed wind power capacity in the world...
- Wind ProspectWind ProspectWind Prospect group undertakes all aspects of wind energy development, including design, construction, operation and commercial services ....
- Wind TurbineWind turbineA wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...