http://spectrum.ieee.org/green-tech/wind august 11, 2011This includes an earlier secured order to supply wind turbines with a total capacity of 90 MW for three wind farm plants in Bahia, Brazil Sao Pedro do Lago, Pedra Branca, and Sete Gameleiras.Vestas officially announces the establishment of its first assembly wind turbines facility and a new operations cluster in Brazil, both to be located in a brand-new facility of 10,000 square meters, including building and land, in Fortaleza in the State of Ceara. The investment is included in Vestas CAPEX program for 2011.The new assembly facility will be dedicated to assembly of nacelles. The wind power assembly facility is expected to start operations in Q4 2011 to satisfy the needs of the wind farm project pipeline in Brazil. When fully operational, the wind turbines facility will have an annual production capacity of approx 400 nacelles of the V90 and V100 wind turbine type representing an initially estimated annual capacity of 800 MW.Vestas will also establish a new operations cluster consisting of three centres dedicated to service and maintenance activities, training, as well as spare parts and supply chain activities.The new Service Centre will manage all service and maintenance operations to ensure optimal performance of the companys installed wind power plants in the region.At the new Training Centre, Vestas technicians will undergo continuous rigorous training in all wind turbines types commercialized in the Brazilian wind farm market to ensure that they have the most advanced knowledge and experience of Vestas latest products, solutions and working procedures. Moreover, technicians will be regularly updated on how to operate under the Safety First principles followed in Vestas.The new Supply Chain and Spare Parts Centre will house and handle all spare part deliveries to the wind farms in the region to ensure smooth and on-time service and maintenance of our turbines.Vestas in Brazil is developing a strong network of local suppliers which can deliver main components, products, spare parts and services for the manufacturing and operations of the companys wind turbines in the country. This is the first major milestone of a larger industrial plan which Vestas is working on to develop a top-class local value chain in Brazil. Vestas overall industrial plan in Brazil goes in line with the companys in the region for the region approach helping to develop strong local competencies and creating new local jobs, while being closer to the customers and offering them a better service and support.Having been operating in Brazil for a decade, Vestas established a new sales office in Sao Paulo in 2008 to handle all sales, construction and service operations in the country. As of 31 December 2010, Vestas has delivered to the Brazilian wind farm market a total capacity of 204 MW and since 1 January 2011 until now, Vestas has announced orders for new capacity for 380 MW taking the current total capacity of announced firm and unconditional orders in Brazil to more than 600 MW.The establishment of the first Vestas nacelle assembly facility in Brazil and the new operations cluster is a strategic decision to directly support the development of