Siemens Gamesa mulls South Korea offshore wind turbine plant with Doosan

Sector giant Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) has teamed up with Doosan Enerbility (formerly Doosan Heavy Industries) for a possible collaboration on large-scale offshore wind turbines and the construction of new South Korean production facilities.

Still at the level of a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU), the deal signed in Copenhagen, Denmark, also covers the sharing of major services, the supply of wind turbine parts, offshore wind installation and turbine maintenance.

“By combining SGRE’s global business know-how with our own technological capabilities accumulated over the years, we will be able to improve more rapidly our competitiveness in the offshore wind power business,” said Seung-woo Sohn, Doosan Enerbility’s executive vice president for power service sales and marketing.

“The cooperation between the two companies will also contribute to revitalising the offshore wind power ecosystem in Korea.”

“Leading the offshore revolution in the years to come requires strong partnerships, based on solid, mutual commitments,” Siemens Gamesa offshore chief executive Marc Becker said.

“We envision an excellent alliance between our two companies, fostering the Korean offshore wind industry and contributing to its expansion.”

A growing number of Western developers (Ocean Winds, Aker Offshore, Equinor) and OEMs are currently pushing into the South Korean offshore wind market as the country is trying to lessen its dependence on foreign energy imports and build up 12GW of wind at sea by 2030.

SGRE rival Vestas earlier this year had said it may Vestas open factories in South Korea after forming a joint venture with tower manufacturer CS Wind.

Doosan Enerbility already has a track record in the emerging Korean offshore wind sector, and has provided turbines to the 30MW Tamra and the 60MW Southwest phase 1 offshore wind pilot arrays.