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Mr Rakesh Bakshi, MD, Vestas RRB India, explaining the model of the wind turbine blade manufacturing facility to Mr Ulrik Federspiel, Danish Permanent Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, as Mr Michael Sternberg, Ambassador of Denmark, looks on at the foundation stone laying ceremony in Chennai on Monday. — K. Pichumani
Chennai , Nov. 14
VESTAS RRB India Pvt Ltd today laid the foundation stone for a facility to manufacture blades for its wind turbines.
The facility, being set up with an initial investment of Rs 35 crore, will begin production in six months and is coming up at Poonamallee Bypass Road, on Chennai's western outskirts.
The facility will manufacture 350 sets of blades in the first year and 700 in the second, according to Mr Rakesh Bakshi, Managing Director, Vestas RRB.
He said that there would be a 10 to 15 per cent cost reduction in the blades as a result of them being manufactured locally, but more significantly, it would lead to savings in terms of time and transportation. The lead-time of getting the blades from the time of placing the order would be reduced from 120 days to 40 days, he said.
Vestas Wind Systems, based in Denmark, is the technology provider for the facility, and is one of the best technology providers in the world, according to Mr Bakshi. This is the first time the Denmark-based company is allowing its proprietary technology to be used outside of Europe, he added.
Vestas RRB India plans to invest about Rs 65 crore on the second phase of the facility to cater to production of higher capacity wind turbines. Furthermore, a turbine has been set up in the facility itself to provide captive power to run the facility. This will be integrated with other renewable energy devices such as solar panels.
Mr Ulrik Federspiel, Danish Permanent Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, laid the foundation stone for the blade manufacturing facility.
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