EU-BRIC joint venture to start producing first wind turbines in Brazil this year

A BRIC firm born out of a joint venture between companies in the Netherlands and Brazil will start producing its first wind turbines this year, according to reports. GBT Brasil SA, a venture between Dutch wind firm Global Blade Technology and Brazil’s Feel Energia SA, has said it will start producing the turbines in the BRIC country by the end of 2013, Bloomberg reports.

The 900Kw power units, including the towers, blades and generation equipment, will be assembled at three factories in the state of Parana, Arthur Schuler da Igreja, managing director of Toledo, Brazil-based GBT Brasil, has said.

Wind farms in Brazil are able to produce energy at about 90 reais (USD 45.72) a MWh, and factories often buy power from the grid for more than twice that, according to Igreja. One of the buyers will be Notus SA, a company composed of several GBT Brasil investors that own factories in Parana.

 “The potential to reduce power bills is very attractive,” Igreja said in the Bloomberg report. “Industry here pay some of the highest electricity prices in the world. If you produce your own energy you’re saving money”

Blade mould production

GBT Brasil is also developing so-called plugs at a temporary facility in Parana to produce moulds used to make blades that may be sold to other wind-farm developers in Brazil, he said.

The news from Global Blade Technology follows a line of EU companies developing wind turbines in Brazil. This includes German wind turbine manufacturer Fuhrlander, which started construction on a turbine factory in the BRIC country in May 2012. Spanish manufacturer Acciona also opened its first wind turbine assembly plant in the country, earlier this month.