Vestas 4 MW wind turbines debuts China’s distributed wind power market

Vestas has secured its first 4 MW platform order in China’s distributed wind energy market, leveraging its extensive global experience in developing small-sized wind farm projects connected to local grids.

We intend to bring our global expertise in developing wind energy solutions for local power grids to China to support our customers business case in distributed wind projects, demonstrating our long-term commitment to the market.” Says Thomas Keller, President of Vestas China. “This order underlines the strong fit and versatility of Vestas’ powerful 4 MW platform and how Vestas’ flexible product portfolio enables new wind projects”.

The order comes as the world’s biggest market for onshore wind is seeing a demand shift from predominantly large and centralised wind parks in remote areas to smaller distributed wind projects. While China’s increasing number of distributed wind energy projects are favoured by state policies and subsidies, they also pose stricter land constraint and increasingly complex grid and environmental requirements.

For the 11 MW order, Vestas will deploy a wind energy solution that leverages its 4 MW platform’s full-scale converter and low sound power levels, making it highly suitable for China’s distributed wind projects primarily located in densely populated areas with strict grid and environmental regulations.

Distributed wind projects are mainly installed in more populated areas with a huge power demand, and as the electricity is consumed locally, rather than transmitted over long distances, it reduces natural power loss and increases efficiency. According to Wood Mackenzie, China’s distributed wind energy market is expected to see an average of 1.5 GW in annual addition in installed capacity until 2027.

The order includes a 2-year Active Output Management 4000 (AOM 4000) service agreement. Delivery and commissioning are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2019.