Suzlon Opens State-of-the-Art Training Center for Wind Power Technicians

‘People want to see more green jobs, and I’m proud to say that Suzlon plans to train 300 wind power technicians this year who work at our wind farms in North America,’ said Andris Cukurs, CEO of Suzlon Wind Energy Corp. ‘This is valuable training and knowledge that our employees will bring to maintaining more than 1,200 turbines in 16 U.S. states and in Canada. Investing in our workforce is a key reason that our North American fleet frequently exceeds 98 percent availability.’

Suzlon’s eco-friendly training facility will feature a 4,000-square-foot lab, an 8,000-square-foot wind-turbine training center and North America’s only fully operational wind turbine dedicated exclusively for training purposes. The center also is equipped with a fully powered independent hub and pitch system to allow for simultaneous training in the nacelle and in the hub. In addition, Suzlon installed a unique ‘working-at-heights’ training area to simulate on-the-job experiences working atop wind turbines. Suzlon has also designed the facility to allow room for a second turbine to accommodate growth.

Environmentally friendly features of the center include energy-efficient LED lighting, LED televisions and sound-proofing technology that converts sound to heat. The HVAC system operates at better than 98 percent efficiency, and the building materials were made with recycled or eco-friendly products.

The training center is a new addition to Suzlon’s 64,000-square-foot central distribution center in Elgin, Ill., which opened in October 2010.

Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation focuses on the North American market and is a subsidiary of Suzlon Energy Limited, India. The headquarters for North America is based in Chicago, Illinois. Sales and service offices are located throughout the U.S.

The Suzlon Group is ranked as the world’s fifth largest* wind turbine supplier, in terms of cumulative installed capacity, at the end of 2010. The company’s global spread extends across Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa and North and South America with over 17,000 MW of wind energy capacity installed in 25 countries, operations across 32 countries, a workforce of over 13,000 and revenues of approximately US$ 4 billion.

The Group offers one of the most comprehensive product portfolios – ranging from sub-megawatt on-shore turbines at 600 Kilowatts (KW), to the world’s largest commercial 6.15 MW offshore turbine – built on a vertically integrated, low-cost, manufacturing base. The Group – headquartered at Suzlon One Earth on Pune, India – comprises Suzlon Energy Limited and its subsidiaries, including REpower Systems AG in which the company holds ~95 per cent share. 

www.suzlon.com