Japan's Ebara Corp seeks licence deal to produce component parts

Japan's Ebara Corp is considering a new license deal with a foreign wind turbine manufacturer to produce component parts. Ebara will also supply its own in-house technology having recently produced its first towers for 12 DeWind 1.25 MW turbines for the Hasaki Wind Farm in Ibaraki prefecture. The 15 MW project is developed and owned by Ecopower, a subsidiary of Ebara. Ebara formerly had a non-exclusive sales agreement with NEG Micon of Denmark, which ended last year. NEG Micon, meanwhile, has established its own in-house maintenance and repair division in Japan -- and has scaled down its involvement in its joint venture with Ebara from 60% to 19%. Ebara previously provided maintenance for NEG Micon customers in Japan, but its ownership of Ecopower was seen as a potential conflict of interests.