Gamesa and Areva no comment on offshore joint venture 'talks'

EUROPE: Gamesa and Areva have refused to comment over reports they are in talks over a possible joint venture for the development of offshore turbines.

by Patrick Smith 17 January 2014

A digital impression of Areva's 8MW turbine

News agency Reuters cited two sources for the story, but did not give any details about what turbine the JV would focus on.

While the companies are already individually manufacturing 5MW offshore turbines, they are also both working on machines around the 8MW mark designed for offshore use.

Areva is further along with the development of its 8MW turbine, which it announced in November, saying that it expects to have a prototype up in 2015. Serial production is due to begin in 2018.

Gamesa said in October that it is working on a 7-8MW machine, with a prototype due in 2017.

Both companies would take a 50% holding in the possible joint venture, Reuters reported.

In September, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Vestas formed a joint venture to work together on the development of large offshore turbines.

Both also entered the joint venture with machines under development — Vestas'' V168-8MW and MHI's 7MW SeaAngel.