The Cardinal Question: Is small beautiful, are Large Wind Turbine Manufacturers like Suzlon Falling Behind

Implications: The news of the cancellation of the orders of 150 wind turbines, by an  Edison company in US, following blade failures, placed on Suzlon an Indian Wind Turbine has triggered a debate, 1.Is the company's  technology state of art ?And more significantly, 2. Has the management of Suzlon adopted state of art in the technology and processes in the entire value chain in the manufacture of large wind turbines including all critical components, while adopting technologies in Europe etc.(Does one see more in the recent spate of resignations of senior expatriate executives) 3.With the wind market growing apace around the world, opportunities are opening up for new turbine manufacturers and innovative machine concepts. Does not this pose insurmountable challenges to large manufacturers. 4.Above all the cardinal question is :Are the established players who can’t satisfy the demand on their own, are falling behind while adopting new technology?Is small beautiful.

Analysis: Wind turbine companies like Suzlon who were world leaders today face challenges from some very smart small manufacturers.This should be viewed in the backdrop of rapid growth of wind turbine manufacturers( 70 to date) of various capacities in the world.

China’s Sinovel is more than potent. The spin-off of machinery producer Dalian Heavy Industries has bought Fuhrländer licences and the design and development of 3-MW and 5-MW converters. The design and development order was placed with Austria’s Windtec, an engineering team with many years’ experience, owned since the start of the year by US electronic components manufacturer, American Superconductor (AMSC).

The adoption of state of art has not only remained confined to  the design and manufacture of blades, it is as important if not more for the drive trains and gearboxes.

Wind technology preferences on optimal drive train solutions continue to differ. Options range today from conventional geared drive, with around 85% of world market share, versus a gearbox with multiple generators such as Clipper, the slow-speed Multibrid type drive solution with a single-stage gearbox, and direct drive with no gearbox. Another ongoing wind industry debate focuses on the merits of heavy wind turbine concepts like some proven German 5–6 MW+ class designs set against prominent lightweight models like the Vestas V90-3 MW.