Chinese firm acquires two 10mW US wind projects

BEIJING - Goldwind, a leading Chinese wind turbine maker, has acquired two 10 megawatt (mW) wind farms from Volkswind USA, Goldwind said Friday in Beijing.

The wind farms, known as the Musselshell Project, are based in Shawmut, Montana.

Volkswind USA, the developer of the Musselshell Project, has obtained all of the necessary permits for construction and secured power purchase and interconnection agreements with NorthWestern Energy, said Jeffrey Wagner, president of Volkswind USA.

The terms of the deal between Chicago-based Goldwind USA and Volkswind USA were not disclosed.

This project marks Goldwind's third acquisition in the United States, accompanied by a project in Pipestone, Minnesota, and the 109.5 mW Shady Oaks project in Lee County, Illinois.

The project is expected to begin construction soon, with commercial operations to start as early as the third quarter of 2012.

"Goldwind's gearless technology is relatively unique in the US market. Its megawatt size, efficiency and reliability perfectly matches the requirements of the wind farm," Wagner said.

Goldwind USA's Vice President of Sales Matthew Olive said that this sale marks Goldwind's 14th deal in the Americas since it entered the market in June 2010.

"Montana is becoming a leader in wind energy, and partnerships with innovative, world-class companies like Goldwind are going a long way toward putting us on the map. I'm pleased to welcome Goldwind and the local tax revenue and jobs this project will bring to Montana," senior US Senator from Montana Max Baucus said.

In the United States, Goldwind turbines are in operation or due to be operational in Minnesota, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Ohio, Iowa, and Montana. Goldwind also recently announced 34.5 mW and 15 mW deals in Chile and Ecuador, respectively.

In recent years, the Chinese wind turbine-manufacturing sector has suffered from surplus production capacity. Going global has become a priority among leading Chinese wind turbine makers for the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015), industry officials say.

Han Junliang, chairman of Sinovel, China's largest wind turbine maker, says that worldwide, Chinese wind turbines are competitive in production costs. The Chinese wind turbine-manufacturing sector has also been increasingly recognized for its technology development, product quality and client service across the world.