Finnish turbine maker wind French order

Finnish wind turbine maker WinWind Oy has won an order from French wind project developer InnoVent Sarl for two of its 1 MW, WWD-1 machines. The turbines are for a site near Lille, in northern France, and will generate enough electricity for two hundred electrically heated homes. The EUR 2 million wind station is due online in the first part of next year. InnoVent is the sole distributor of WinWind turbines in France. The sale marks a notable breakthrough for WinWind and is the company's first delivery outside its Finnish home-market. The WWD-1 turbines are built around a single-stage planetary gear and a low-speed synchronous generator, using parts and technology delivered in collaboration with Finnish partners Metso Drives and ABB. "This delivery contract is a significant growth step for WinWind. Until now our wind turbine references have been in Finland. Our first exports are the result of our aim to internationalise our business," says WinWind boss Veli-Matti Jaaskelinen. WinWind has identified France and Portugal as important future markets for its turbines. A new company, WinWind Iberica, has been established to market the company's technology on the Iberian Peninsula. "France and Portugal have strong goals for increasing the number of wind power plants, and they are engaged in an extensive plant building process. Already in 2005 France will build 500 MW of new capacity, and we hope to take our share of new orders," says Jaaskelinen.