Chinese Wind Turbine Makers Mull Partners to Break Into Europe

Some of China's biggest wind turbine makers are considering partnerships with local companies to break into a European power market that's proving difficult to crack. After coming to dominate solar power and batteries, wind is the last renewable energy technology where China still faces major competition from western equipment manufacturers. But Chinese companies are ramping up efforts to sell their machines in Europe, one of the world's largest and fastest-growing regions for wind power.

So far, Chinese turbine makers have struggled. All major projects in western Europe continue to source turbines from local players like Denmark's Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Germany's Siemens Energy AG and Nordex AG. Now, China's Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Ltd. and Envision Group are considering partnerships with European companies to build a manufacturing base in the region, according to interviews with company executives.

"We are prepared and willing to do those kinds of partnerships," Yimin Lou, chief product officer at Envision Energy, said in an interview at the Wind Energy Hamburg industry fair. "How to do it is a different story. Joint venture is an option."

Earlier this year, the UK blocked plans by Ming Yang to invest £1.5 billion ($2 billion) in a turbine factory in Scotland on security grounds, barring the company from the world's largest market for offshore wind outside of China.