GE Renewable Energy has confirmed plans to open a factory in China to build its 12MW Haliade-X offshore wind turbine.
The company will open the plant at Jieyang’s offshore wind cluster in the province of Guangdong and will also establish a new operation and development centre in the city of Guangzhou.
GE said the Chinese factory will serve regional projects, while the Saint-Nazaire assembly site in France, currently manufacturing the Haliade-X 12MW prototype, will continue to serve all other international projects.
Site construction in China is expected to start at the end of this year and be completed in 2021, with assembly production beginning in the second half of 2021.
GE said the offshore wind factory will be part of a dedicated offshore wind industrial park in Jieyang, which aims to develop a cluster with a marshalling harbour and industry-related suppliers to serve local and regional projects.
The operation and development centre will carry out research and development activities focused on regional needs.
It will also support customers in optimising project costs, training, data management and operation and maintenance services, as well as being the regional sales and project management office for the company.
GE Renewable Energy offshore wind business chief executive John Lavelle said: “China is poised to become one of the largest offshore wind markets in the world, and according to Guangdong’s offshore development master plan, 66GW will come from the Guangdong region alone towards 2030.
“The cutting-edge technology of our Haliade-X 12MW, the world’s most powerful offshore wind turbine, will bring value to our customers in the region.
“Our new factory in Jieyang and the operation and development centre in Guangzhou will put us in a better position to meet our customer’s demands in this fast-growing industry, while contributing to meet China’s growing offshore wind ambitions.”
GE president and chief executive of global growth markets Rachel Duan said: “As one of China’s strategic offshore wind development centers and a key growth region for GE in China, Guangdong is an ideal place to develop our offshore wind business.
“The agreements we signed today represent not only GE’s continued investment in China but also a significant milestone as we accelerate GE’s growth strategies in the market through the three pillars of ‘localization, partnership and digital’.
“GE’s investments in Guangdong will bring together advanced manufacturing, operations and development, services and digital applications, together with relevant suppliers, to form an offshore wind business ecosystem that closely and effectively serves the needs of customers in China and the rest of Asia, while pushing forward China’s clean energy ambitions.”