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It has been an uphill battle for Flovel Tacke India Ltd to sell its 600 kW wind turbine in India, but following hard sell marketing on the technical capability of the machine the company has landed its first order. A 25 MW wind farm of the German wind turbines is to be developed by private industry in Kethanur in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. It is the first time that machines as large as 600 kW are being used in India.

By March Tacke expects to have installed 35 of the turbines, with the remainder to be commissioned by the autumn. They will be imported from Germany as the Indian production plant is not yet ready.

Tacke is convinced that large turbines are the way forward in Tamil Nadu. A jubilant Maharaj Kar, joint managing director of Flovel Tacke, says: "The 600 kW turbine was difficult to sell to the customer initially because of its high cost compared with the 250 kW, but we persuaded the client that in the long run the 600 kW is cheaper in terms of energy generation per hectare. Also it has fewer logistics problems."

Flovel Tacke India Ltd's parent company is the leading manufacturer of water turbines in India. Wind turbine testing facilities and an assembly shop should be set up by June. Kar says that by the end of the year Flovel Tacke will have manufactured at least 150 turbines with 30% local content. "Flovel is the only company offering the latest generation of wind technology in India," adds Kar. Tacke is also expecting orders from the private sector for a 20 MW wind farm in Gujarat and for 5 MW in Karnataka, but these projects are currently held up. Kar says the Tacke 600 kW will compete with 400 kW turbines being offered by competitors.