World’s Largest Shipbuilder Dives Deep into Wind Industry

Hyundai Heavy Industries recently ordered 17 full sets of wind turbine equipment for a 1.65 MW equipment project. The South Korean company placed the order with American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC). Hyundai is well known for their involvement in the offshore wind industry, as well as development of turnkey power plants. The company is also one of Korean’s biggest suppliers of high voltage electrical technology.

The company plans to use the electrical sets to install into their 1.65 MW wind turbines currently undergoing development in Ulsan, South Korea. In a license agreement with AMSC, the company has secured the rights to use the electrical equipment to help power their dual fed induction turbines which have a capacity of 1.65 MW. The two companies also have an agreement for 2 MW turbines being built by Hyundai.

Hyundai is also the largest shipbuilder in the world, but has been getting more and more involved in renewable energy ventures. The company just began an aggressive $1 billion campaign to expand their interests in renewables. The company focuses most heavily on wind power, but has just begun gearing up towards producing solar modules as well.

Hyundai announced that they had already installed and commissioned the first round of turbines near a manufacturing plant also owned by the company in Ulsan. The company plans to begin shipping the new turbines with AMSC technology by the end of 2009.