Indian turbine manufacturer forms new company for fresh start

As part of its restructuring program, Indian wind turbine manufacturer Natural Energy Processing Company (NEPC India), formerly with strong links to NEG Micon, has formed a new company -- Southern Windfarms. NEPC's entire wind business has been transferred to the new company, including the NEPC brand name, tower manufacturing and assembly facilities in Pondicherry, one wind farm and maintenance contracts for over 1000 turbines. NEPC India has installed 50 MW in the last six months and has debts totalling more than $30 million. "Restructuring is the fastest way of getting debt-free," says the company's Tirupathi Khemka, whose family is part of a group of key investors in Southern Windfarms. The new venture, he adds, hopes to set up its own design centre in Copenhagen within the next month as "Denmark has the best brains for design in wind energy." Having already designed a 225 kW machine for use in low wind regimes, for which a 25 MW order for a US client has already been secured, Khemka says the company will focus on "making our turbines site-specific to match the needs of clients." The company will offer turbine sizes up to 5 MW, he says, adding partnership talks with a German company are well underway with a co-operation agreement expected to be announced shortly. By the end of March 2006, Southern Windfarms hopes to have a total installed capacity of 150 MW.