Speaking about the move Nordex CEO Thomas Richterich said it was looking for a large Chinese engineering company with country-wide activities and experience in the electricity generation sector but as yet no wind activities.
In the Chinese wind market, international players accounted for just 11% of the 16.5GW installed in 2010. Cooperation with Chinese partners is a possible road to a bigger market share, a route that has already been taken by Siemens and GE, he said.
Nordex is already manufacturing in China. The company has a joint venture with Ningxia Electric Power Group and Ningxia Tianjing Electric Energy Development Group.
The German company opened production facilities for 1.5MW turbines in Yinchuan in 2006, and began rotor blade production in Dongying in 2007.
Meanwhile, Nordex continues pushing ahead with new turbine designs. It expects to install the prototype of a 6MW gearless offshore turbine on land in 2012, with tests in the water to follow a year later and series production slated for 2014 or 2015.
The company said the offshore machine will be 30% lighter and generate 40% more electricity than comparable turbines used today
The prototype of a 3-4MW onshore turbine is due for commissioning in the second half of 2013, with series production planned for the second half of 2014.
In parallel, Nordex is working to reduce the cost of its workhorse 2.5MW turbine family by 15% by the end of 2012, at the same time increasing output by up to 20%.
Further, it will start series production of 2.4MW turbine with a rotor diameter of 117 metres. It is designed for low wind-speed areas. It is targeting the turbine at the German market. Nordex market share in Germany was 4.5% in 2010, up from 2% in 2009.
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