Suzlon gets 21 MW order from GACL in Gujarat

The wind power project will consist of 14 units of Suzlon’s S82-1.5 MW wind turbines, the Pune-based company said in a press release.

According to the release, the project – GACL’s third with Suzlon, is scheduled for completion and commissioning by the end of March, 2010 and would capitalise on the subsequent high wind season.

The power generated from this project will be wheeled for GACL’s captive consumption. The project increases GACL’s total wind power capacity to 83.75 MW – adding 21 MW to the 62.75 MW already operational in two wind farms in the Kutch district of Gujarat, the release said.

GACL’s existing wind projects have been under the process of registration under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) with UN Framework for Climate Change (UNFCC). The company has already earned 85,493 Carbon Emission Reductions (CERs) certificates in FY 2008-09 from other green power initiatives. GACL also plans to register this new project under the CDM, the release said.

"We are an organization with a ‘green attitude’ and have an undying commitment towards the environment. We recognize that conventional power generated from fossil fuel has been the major source of CO2 emissions causing climate change – and have decided to gradually replace conventional ‘black’ power with the green alternatives such as wind in all our operations, as a step towards the reduction of carbon emissions and mitigating global warming," Mr. Guruprasad Mohapatra, Managing Director, GACL, said.

GACL, promoted by the Government of Gujarat, is India’s leading producer of caustic soda and chlorine with a diversified basket of 26 products and two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Vadodara and Dahej in Gujarat.

"This project builds on the success of our existing wind energy project executed by Suzlon. We have experienced first-hand Suzlon’s reliable products, their efficient execution, operations and maintenance capabilities and close collaborative approach in working with us. We look forward to making the new project a complete success," he said.

"We take pride in our association with GACL and look forward to strengthening this relationship in future. Suzlon has been a market leader in India for the past 11 years in a row which is a testimony of the trust shown by eminent customers like GACL," Mr. I. C. Mangal, President, Business Development (India), Suzlon, said.

Suzlon said it had more than 50 per cent market share in India, with more than 40 sites across eight states, and an installed base of over 4,800 MW.

In Gujarat, it has a cumulative market share of more than 56 per cent, and more than 930 MW across the state. Suzlon’s Kutch wind farm in Gujarat is the largest in Asia with over 800 MW of wind power capacity installed, the release added.

www.suzlon.com/