Under the terms of the alliance, the 5MW wind turbine design will be jointly developed by HHI and AMSC’s wholly-owned AMSC Windtec subsidiary. Once HHI begins volume production of the wind turbines, which is expected to commence by the end of 2011, HHI will purchase power electronic components for the 5MW wind turbines from AMSC.
In October 2008, AMSC Windtec licensed 1.65 and 2MW doubly-fed induction wind turbine designs to HHI.
HHI already has begun volume production of the 1.65MW wind turbines and has ordered nearly 80 sets of electrical control systems and power electronic components from AMSC for this platform. HHI also has ordered an initial 10 wind turbine electrical control systems from AMSC for use in its first 2MW wind turbines.
HHI plans to commission its first 2MW wind turbines by June 12, 2010 and plans to enter volume production of these wind turbines by the end of this year.
Keh-Sik Min, chairman and chief executive officer of HHI, said: “With sales of our 1.65MW wind turbines increasing according to plan and production of our 2MW wind turbine set to begin, we are ready to add another advanced system to our renewable energy portfolio.
“While we expect our 1.65 and 2MW wind turbines to be our onshore ‘workhorses,’ the global offshore wind market holds tremendous growth potential for HHI. We are pleased to expand our strategic alliance with AMSC and broaden our portfolio with an advanced 5 MW platform for this emerging opportunity.”
Under the terms of the new development contract, HHI will have the ability to market, manufacture and sell 5MW wind turbines globally.
AMSC’s wind turbine electrical control systems and electrical components include the company’s proprietary PowerModule power converters, pitch and yaw converters and Scada systems.
