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Wind-blade plant opens in Windsor

Company's first facility in U.S. expected to be at full production in May

By Gargi Chakrabarty, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published March 5, 2008 at 4:46 p.m.

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A wind turbine blade is unveiled during the opening of the Vestas blade factory in Windsor Wednesday.

Photo by Jack Dempsey © AP

A wind turbine blade is unveiled during the opening of the Vestas blade factory in Windsor Wednesday.

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Vestas Wind Systems opened the doors of its first wind-blade manufacturing facility in the U.S. on Wednesday, bolstering Colorado's efforts to develop a "new-energy economy" based on wind, solar and biofuels energy.

The plant, 60 miles north of Denver, will employ about 650 workers at full capacity this summer. It currently has 200 workers and is hiring about 20 people each week.

Ditlev Engel, Vestas' president and chief executive officer, said the company chose to locate the plant in Windsor because of the cooperation from local officials and partners and the availability of skilled labor in northern Colorado.

"We understand the cost of construction, but it's difficult to assess the cooperation and human capital at the site . . . these are things that you cannot put on a spreadsheet," Engel said. "The cooperation we have had here is exceptional . . . we are sure we made the right choice in coming to the state of Colorado."

The plant's price tag is estimated at $65 million, although local, state and county officials have offered $4 million in incentives.

Gov. Bill Ritter said Vestas will help attract other renewable-energy companies to Colorado. Ritter, who attended the opening, has set a goal of attracting renewable-energy research and manufacturing operations to the state for what he calls the "New Energy Economy."

"We now have in-state manufacturing capacity to supply wind farms not just in Colorado but across North America," he said.

Vestas spokeswoman Lone Mortensen said the factory expects to reach full production by Summer 2009. It finished its first blade on Jan. 31.

The plant will make 130- and 144-foot-long blades weighing about 6 tons each. They will be used on two turbine sizes, producing either 1.65 megawatts or 3 megawatts. One 3-megawatt wind turbine can supply more than 1,000 American homes with electricity for one year, Vestas said.

Vestas has installed more than 33,500 wind turbines in 63 countries and employs more than 15,000 people worldwide.

The town and Weld County offered Vestas incentives worth a total of about $1.1 million in deferred development fees and tax breaks, interim Town Manager Kelly Arnold said.

Rocky wire services contributed to this article.

Company profile

* Location: Windsor

* Investment: About $65 million

* Government incentives: About $4 million in grants, tax rebates and job- training funds

* Employment: 650 workers

* Manufacturing capacity: 1,800 wind blades a year, each weighing about 6 tons * More online: vestas.com

Comments

  • March 6, 2008

    4:24 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    NOT_SASQUATCH writes:

    Sasquatch,

    Ever heard of Acid Rain? It's not so much about your out-of-pocket burden as it is about survival of a species. Clean energy is not just an alternative; it's the only alternative in the 20-50 year time frame. The question is how quickly towns, states, regions, and countries come to terms with integrating clean energy into their economy. These technologies will become cost effective as demand increases, and will enjoy the same economic economy of scale as that of traditional energy producers. Together, wind, solar, nuclear (clean unless a boo-boo occurs), and hydro power will make coal burning power plants a relic of the past. Sasquatch, I hope you are still around to enjoy the approaching Hydrogen Economy.

    Cheers,

    Not_Sasquatch

  • March 6, 2008

    9:16 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Francesca writes:

    Count on using your demand-side savings all through the night, because according to studies across the west, the most affective periods for optimum wind generation over the long haul occur during the evening and early morning hours. Wind is just a patch really, PVs (that's photo voltaics) are really making a move soon.

    This is good news for Windsor though there is better news on the horizon for northern Colo. Just wait and see.