Wind Turbines Manufacturers and Dealers
Small,
micro and large
wind turbines are different realities with different
manufacturers.
Large wind turbines are manufactured by ten large companies,
mostly Europeans, which doesn’t happen in the wind
micro-systems, where there is a considerable number of
manufacturers offering a large set of products. As to the small
wind systems, the manufacturers are several dozens, scattered
worldwide and often operating in a regional basis.
See:
Choosing a Wind Turbine Manufacturer
Choosing a Local Wind Turbine Dealer
Large wind turbines manufacturers
Danish manufacturer
Vestas
is dominant worldwide.
Enercon,
a German manufacturer, is also a dominant player, mainly in the
German market.
GE Wind
and
Gamesa
(a Spanish manufacturer) are also major wind turbine producers.
The market is also disputed by other three German manufacturers:
Siemens (Bonus),
RePower
and
Nordex.
The Indian manufacturer
Suzlon
is a recent and ascending player.
Ecotecnia
(a Spanish manufacturer) is also an important
manufacturer, followed by other smaller players:
Fuhrländer
(Germany),
Mitsubishi
(Japan),
Clipper Windpower
(USA)...
Small wind
manufacturers
The links above, will give you access to rather complete
lists of small (and micro) wind turbine manufacturers.
USA:
American Small Wind Organization list
Canada:
Canadian Small Wind Organization list
Europe:
Small wind Organization (supported by EU Commission) list for
European manufacturers
Others:
Small wind Organization list for non-European manufacturers
Micro wind manufacturers
Micro-wind systems are usually cheap systems sold in on-line
sites and retail stores. The variety of lines of products and
their inexpensive prices explain the high number of
manufacturers. There are thousands of small manufacturers of
micro wind applications.
See: Micro wind turbines and their
applications
There is also a new kind of wind applications in development,
rather untested, involving urban wind turbines. See, on this
issue and the correspondent manufacturers:
Urban Wind Systems
Choosing
a Wind Turbine Manufacturer
When purchasing a wind system, a
long established and experienced manufacturer is preferable to a
new established one, but there are other issues that you should
take into account.
Here are some of them (especially valid when purchasing a small
wind system):
- Do the components of the wind system meet institutional
standards (UL/Underwriters
Laboratories or
CSA
standards, in the case of USA and Canada)?
- What does the price include? The tower, the electronics, the
wiring and smaller elements, the installation…?
- Which services are offered with the turbine? What about
assistance, maintenance, and technical support?
- Is the model available nationally, or just locally?
- Will the replacement parts be easy to get in the medium or
long time (10 years or more)?
- What’s the warranty period, and what does it cover (Which
parts? Does is cover the labor costs?)
Choosing a local
wind turbine dealer
Manufacturers are important, but dealers – local dealers, most
of the times – are also very important, in the case of small and
micro wind systems. Local dealers are
familiar with local wind conditions and an experienced dealer is
in a good position to provide valuable information and services.
And since they may also offer systems from different
manufacturers, they may be excellent advisers when choosing a
particular model, trade-mark or manufacturer.
Obviously, you may request information about…
- their experience;
- their belonging to professional associations;
- their qualifications and eventually their particular known-how
on specific issues that your wind project may involve: stand
alone systems in remote locations, or in possibly harsh sites,
for instance…
You may also …
- demand a list of customers for reference;
- inquire the dealer about his know-how concerning wind local
regulations and legal requirements, and payment options, and
prices;
- ask for the services they offer: wind systems installation,
maintenance, technical support, warranties;
- ask for the possibility of a written contract detailing
responsibilities and the services provided.
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