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RUSNANO AND ULNANOTECH EXIT FROM WIND TURBINE BLADE PRODUCTION

25 Jun 2021

According to Alisher Kalanov, Head of Investment Division of RUSNANO Management Company, the company succeeded in transfer of technologies to Russia in three years, it managed to fully establish the blade production process and start export deliveries



RUSNANO Group and Ulyanovsk Nanocenter ULNANOTECH, which is part of the investment network of the Fund for Infrastructure and Educational Programs, are selling their shares in Vestas Manufacturing Rus that produces composite wind turbine blades. This was reported on Friday in the RUSNANO Management Company Press Centre.

Vestas Manufacturing Rus is one of the key enterprises within the wind power equipment localization program in Russia. Maximum capacity of the plant is 500 blades per year. The implementation of this project, taking into account the plants established in Russia for wind turbine tower production in the Rostov Region and for wind turbine nacelle assembly in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, made it possible to fully fulfill the localization requirements established within the framework of the Capacity Supply Agreement RES 1.0 program for projects with the participation of Vestas (stimulating generation from renewable energy sources due to guaranteed payment for capacity under a power supply agreement) with an achieved level of more than 65%.

“We are completing the investment phase in the project that is significant not only for our company, but also for the industry as a whole. In three years, we have managed to transfer technologies to Russia, fully debug the blade production process and even start export deliveries. It is safe to say that the mission within the framework of the CSA RES 1.0 program has been successfully completed. Together with Vestas (a Danish manufacturer of wind turbines, one of the founders of Vestas Manufacturing Rus) we have new projects ahead of us: now we are in the process of determining joint investments within the framework of the CSA RES 2.0, we are considering the possibilities of joint cooperation in the field of venture investments, on projects for creating “green” hydrogen production, as well as on offshore wind energy projects,” the press service quotes Alisher Kalanov, Head of Investment Division of RUSNANO Management Company.

The wind turbine composite blade production was created by RUSNANO and Aquilon (the Ulyanovsk region consortium of investors, which includes Ulyanovsk Nanocenter ULNANOTECH) together with Vestas in 2018. The total investment amounted to more than 2 billion rubles. The technology used in the production of blades was transferred by Vestas. According to the obligations assumed, the parties sold their shares (24.5% for each of the party) to Vestas Manufacturing Rus LLC, the majority participant of the company. Thus, the strategic partner Vestas consolidated 100% of the shares of the composite blade manufacturer.

“In 2017, Vestas and RUSNANO jointly developed an extensive localization program, including modern blade production in Ulyanovsk. RUSNANO’s investment strategy and knowledge of the local market conditions allowed the Ulyanovsk plant to successfully complete all production goals, ensure timely delivery of high-quality Russian blades to the Wind Energy Development Fund wind farms with over 650 MW capacity Vestas equipment and export 50 blades to projects in Europe. Today, after the successful achievement of the initially agreed conditions, RUSNANO exits the project on the basis of previously reached agreements. Vestas expects to continue close cooperation with RUSNANO in the future, within the framework of the Capacity Supply Agreement Renewable Energy 1.0 and Capacity Supply Agreement Renewable Energy 2.0, as well as in other areas of mutual interest,” said Tommy Rahbek Nielsen, Chief Operating Officer of VESTAS.

The products of Vestas Manufacturing Rus are used both in Russia and abroad. The company’s blades were used on wind turbines in the Kalmykia, Rostov and Astrakhan regions. Wind turbines can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by hundreds of thousands of tons annually, and the energy generated by them covers the consumption of more than 300 thousand private households. In 2020, Vestas Manufacturing Rus shipped an export batch to Denmark.


About the Companies

The RUSNANO Group includes the RUSNANO Joint Stock Company, the RUSNANO Management Company and the Fund for Infrastructure and Educational Programs. Thanks to RUSNANO’s investments, there are currently 138 factories and R&D Centers opened in 37 regions in Russia. 

Ulyanovsk Nanocenter ULNANOTECH has been part of the Fund for Infrastructure and Educational Programs (RUSNANO Group) nanotechnology centres network since 2011, engaged in creation, development and sale of technological start-ups (projects). According to the results of 2020, it entered the top 5 large high-tech companies of the national rating “TECHUP”, has the status of a high-tech technopark. 

Source: TASS

 


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