Turkey's first wind turbine factory will become operational to manufacture components at the end of November, according to Ebru Cicekliyurt, CEO and executive board member at Siemens Gamesa Turkey on Wednesday.
As part of Turkey's renewable energy resource zones (YEKA) project, construction of the first turbine factory was completed in Izmir Aliaga Organized Industrial Site, located in western Turkey, Cicekliyurt said during her speech at the 8th Turkish Wind Energy Congress in Ankara.
'Domestic and foreign equipment has arrived at our factory, which will be ready for manufacturing by the end of November. It is located on a compound of 40,000 square meters, and once completed, will provide employment for 500 people,' Cicekliyurt confirmed.
She said that 100 nacelles per year would be manufactured in the factory -- the part of a turbine that includes all of the energy-generating components including the generator, gearbox, drive train and brake assembly.
'This factory is an important step for the industrialization of wind energy sector in Turkey,' as these 100 nacelles will have the potential to produce a total of 500 megawatts of electricity, she explained.
Local production at the factory is not limited to the manufacture of components but also the engineers employed at the factory are Turkish, most of which have returned back from abroad.
Apart from being the first and only wind turbine factory in Turkey, the facility will also contribute to the development of the wind and renewable energy industry, she said.
Reporting by Gulsen Cagatay, Gokce Kucuk
Writing by Ovunc Kutlu
Anadolu Agency
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