Siemens receives largest wind order to date
IOWA - Siemens has received its largest onshore wind turbine order to date, for 258 of its SWT-2.3-101 units, which will be installed at three MidAmerican Energy Company wind projects in Iowa for a combined capacity of 593 megawatts.
This major order provides further evidence of the long-term future of the U.S. renewable energy market and positions Siemens for ongoing growth in the U.S. Most recently, Siemens Energy celebrated the official opening of its new wind turbine nacelle assembly facility in Hutchinson, Kansas, and the company has committed to further production expansion as the U.S. market continues to grow.
"MidAmerican Energy is a leader in Iowa's clean energy efforts, and we are proud to partner with them as they continue to install generating capacity using the wind resources of Iowa, the state with the highest percentage of wind energy generation in its mix," said Rene Umlauft, CEO of Siemens Renewable Energy Division. "These wind turbines will be produced in our factories in Fort Madison, Iowa, and in Hutchinson, Kansas, and will supply secure and environmentally friendly energy to 190,000 average U.S. households," added Umlauft. "As the U.S. market for wind power continues to develop even further, Siemens will continue to create clean energy jobs in America's heartland."
The scope of the MidAmerican Energy order includes the supply and commissioning of 258 Siemens 2.3-megawatt wind turbines with a rotor diameter of 101 meters, as well as a service, maintenance and warranty agreement for the Laurel, Rolling Hills and Pomeroy wind projects in Iowa. Delivery and commissioning of the turbines is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2011 and be completed by early 2012. Siemens and MidAmerican Energy first partnered on a wind power project in 2008 when Siemens delivered 76 of its 2.3-megawatt wind turbines with a rotor diameter of 93 meters for the Adair project in Iowa. In addition to the wind turbine order, Siemens signed a long-term service contract with MidAmerican Energy for its natural gas-fueled, combined-cycle Greater Des Moines Energy Center.
"We are pleased to move forward with these wind energy projects in Iowa. The projects make good economic sense for Iowa and our customers as the state continues to benefit from the construction of additional renewable energy generating capacity," said Bill Fehrman, president of MidAmerican Energy.
"In addition to being one of the most forward looking utilities in the U.S. and already the leader among regulated utilities in terms of wind generation ownership, MidAmerican Energy is one of our largest U.S. utility customers, crossing the full scope of our integrated energy business. We are proud to be selected by them to supply both wind turbines for three wind farms and long-term service for its Greater Des Moines Energy Center," said Randy Zwirn, President and CEO of Siemens Energy, Inc. "Orders of this magnitude create the environment for continued investment in the infrastructure America needs to meet the strong demand for clean energy right where it's used."
Siemens Energy provides power systems that generate more than one-third of the electricity used in the U.S. In addition to its wind power production facilities, Siemens broke ground in October of this year on a new 400,000-square-foot, 60-Hz gas turbine production plant adjacent to its existing Siemens Steam Turbine-Generator Manufacturing Plant in Charlotte, N.C.
Since 2005, Siemens has made significant strides to grow its presence in the wind energy industry in the U.S., and is on track to become number two in the market. In addition to its new 300,000-square-foot nacelle assembly plant in Hutchinson, Kansas, Siemens opened in 2007 and subsequently expanded its 600,000-square-foot wind turbine blade manufacturing facility in Fort Madison, Iowa.
Other U.S. wind power operations include a Houston-based wind turbine service operation, an R&D center in Boulder, Colorado, two gearbox factories in Elgin, Illinois, and the company's Americas headquarters in Orlando, Fla. In the U.S., Siemens employs close to 1,500 people in the wind business and has installed wind turbines with a combined capacity of more than 3,600 megawatts in the U.S., which is enough to supply power to more than one million average homes.
Wind Power is an important part of Siemens' Environmental Portfolio. In fiscal 2010, revenue from the Portfolio totaled about euro 28 billion, making Siemens the world's largest supplier of environmentally friendly technologies.
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