MHI to Triple Output of Wind Power Generator

Tokyo, April 10 (Jiji Press)–Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said Tuesday it will triple its production capacity of wind turbine generators to meet growing demand, especially in the United States.

Investment will total 4 billion yen, it said.

The company intends to produce wind turbine generators with a total generation capacity of 1,200 megawatts per year by the end of March 2009, up from the current 400 megawatts.

The company hopes to achieve its target by raising the output of large wind turbine generators with a power generation capacity of 2.4 megawatts, it said.

Specifically, the company will improve and expand production facilities for wind turbine nacelles, which house generators, speed- up gears and control systems, at its plants in Nagasaki, in southern Japan, and Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo.

Mitsubishi Heavy will also increase production of wind turbine blades at VienTek LLC, its Mexican joint venture, mainly for shipment to the U.S. market, it said.

Demand for wind turbine generators is growing as governments around the world increasingly promote wind power as a renewable energy source. Mitsubishi Heavy expects global demand for wind turbine generators to grow 3.7-fold to 56,000 megawatts by 2015.END

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