Broadwind to supply towers for Gamesa wind farms

July 6, 2010

Spanish-owned wind developer Gamesa Technology Corporation is to use towers made by US company Broadwind Energy, Inc., for its wind projects in the second half of the year.

The company, part of wind manufacturing giant Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica, said it expected deliveries of structural wind towers from Broadwind’s Tower Tech, Inc., subsidiary in the fourth quarter of 2010.

The deal was a boost for Broadwind Energy and workers at its tower factories in Abilene, Texas, in Brandon, South Dakota and in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

It represented further promise following the “low point” in Broadwind’s performance seen in the first quarter of this year.

Broadwind, which has its headquarters in Naperville, Illinois, said two months ago it was starting to hire back workers laid off during the worst period of the economic recession, as its order books start to fill (see this BrighterEnergy.org story).

“Proven experience”

Tower Tech has made more than 200 towers for megawatt-scale wind turbines since 2004, with a capacity now to produce enough towers to support 1,800-2,000MW of wind generating capacity each year.

Jim Buddelmeyer, vice president of purchasing at Gamesa, said: “Proven experience, flexibility and well-established competencies were key elements in our decision to select Broadwind’s Tower Tech subsidiary to construct our next-generation towers for these projects.”

“Tower Tech specializes in the production of heavier and more complex wind towers, with which turbine manufactures like Gamesa seek to expand the geographic footprint of wind power,” said Jess Collins, group president at Broadwind Energy. “We are delighted to extend our long, successful supply relationship with Gamesa through this project.”