South Korean leading wind tower manufacturer CS Wind will add offshore wind tower production to the company’s portfolio in Turkiye with the help of the country's Presidential Investment Office, according to Gim Seong-gon, the CEO and chairman of CS Wind, on Friday.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the company's tower production plant in Turkiye's western city of Izmir, Seong-gon expressed his gratitude for the opening of the company’s second factory in the country.
He stressed the longtime cooperation between the two countries, which has contributed to the growth of the wind sector and economy in Turkiye and the expansion of the company’s trade since 2018.
CS Wind in Turkiye employed 82 people and produced two tower sections per week in its first plant back in 2018, and the company has seen exponential growth in the past four years to now employ almost 500, producing 20 towers per week.
It targets further expansion by employing more to manufacture 50 tower sections per week in the coming years.
- 70% of wind plant components can now be produced locally
The Head of the Presidential Investment Office, Burak Daglioglu, hailed CS Wind as a success story in the country over the past four years since it started operations, noting its speedy development in terms of employment, exports and revenue.
Daglioglu also lauded governmental reforms under Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which have contributed to nearly $240 billion in investments over the past 19 years.
Out of this investment total, 400 South Korean companies have shares worth more than $3 billion, Daglioglu said.
'The sector that CS Wind invests in is a very special one. Considering the current global developments where the importance of sustainability and green energy gains importance each day, Turkiye has developed a strong renewable energy equipment production capacity,' he said.
He also stressed the influence of renewable energy production in the country, representing a 55% share out of total power production of 100 gigawatts (GW) and with wind generation contributing 11 GW.
'We know that 70% of a wind plant can now be produced domestically. Another important issue that makes us happy is to see that this production is not only for the domestic market. Turkiye has become a country that can produce and export this equipment for other markets,' he said.
By Ebru Sengul Cevrioglu
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr