A number of German wind turbine manufacturers and service providers are now focusing on the South African wind energy market. They are keen to establish affiliations with a number of contacts in South Africa. These include local municipalities, bigger energy users and wind turbine component manufacturers in an offer to roll out German technology locally and advance the use of green energy in Africa.

Five  wind turbine original-equipment manufacturers based in Germany plus German-based service providers –Deutsche Windtechnik Repowering, Asmus, Dehn & Söhn and Turbina Energy are  now on a week-long trade mission to South Africa to meet with South African companies and players in the energy business.

Germany Wind Turbine Manufacturers Setting Sights on South Africa

German Energy Agency (DENA) CEO Stephan Kohler (pictured below)  said at a wind energy seminar in Johannesburg:

 “Germany would like to support foreign markets in the exploitation of renewable energies, as German companies in the renewable energy industry stand out internationally by virtue of their lengthy experience, high product quality and capacity for innovation. I would like to share this comprehensive experience in the field of renewable energies with you, and thereby ensure that the international dialogue concerning environmental protection is intensified.”
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The seminar’s aim was to explore  possible relationships and synergies between German OEMS, their South African counterparts and potential large-scale wind energy users.

It is anticipated that wind power will play an increasingly important role in South Africa’s energy production over the next decades and the trade mission hopes that Germany’s experience and expertise in wind power will prove mutually beneficial.

According to Cobbs Pillay, the Department of Trade and Industry green economy director, the first two rounds of talks had led to a total investment of R75-billion, while the third round saw capital inflow of a further R33-billion:

“The South African government works closely with industry associations to develop policies and initiatives that will enable further investment. Among these are the Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement Programme, foreign investment shipping grants and tax incentives.” 

Last year saw a German-South African energy partnership agreement which looked to bring together government and the private sector to establish a more coherent approach to South Africa’s power challenges and provide a forum for consultation and integration between various stakeholders in the renewable energy field.

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Among the companies attending last week’s trade mission was  Deutsche Windtechnik Repowering who were  looking to establish a pilot project in the country to test the viability of using refurbished, rather than new,  wind turbines.

Jan Busing, a representative of the company said:

“We want to be co-investors on the project, but we need a local partner to test the concept of using second-hand wind turbines at a South African wind farm. We want to prove that it can work.”

It is becoming increasingly common for energy producers to look for re-conditioned wind turbines to stock their wind farms. Tried and tested older models are cheaper and often more reliable.

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