5 Wind Energy Companies Innovating the Renewable Energy Industry

The Wind Power industry is booming. According to the Global Wind Energy Council’s 2023 report, 2022 was the third-best year in history for the global wind energy sector, with a capacity of 78 GW of new energy added. In 2022, the total new capacity installed increased to 906 GW, resulting in a 9% year-on-year increase. 

By the end of 2023, the wind energy industry is forecasted to exceed 100 GW of newly added capacity and a 15% year-on-year growth, which would be an industry first.

Exponential growth within the sector is not expected to slow down any time soon as renewable wind energy companies across the sector research, invest and innovate new turbine technologies to reach net-zero targets. With that said, who are the major players within the wind energy industry contributing to the sector's astounding growth?

In this guide, we will explore 5 wind energy companies pioneering the above-mentioned growth within the sector and who are ultimately innovating the renewable energy industry.

We will delve into the wind energy companies listed below:

1. GE Renewable Energy
2. Siemens Gamesa
3. Vestas
4. Goldwind
5. Suzlon

1. GE Renewable Energy

Our first of the 5 wind energy companies innovating the renewable energy industry is GE Renewable Energy. Headquartered in Paris, France, GE Renewable Energy is a division of General Electric which focuses on producing energy from renewable sources. Not only do they work to find solutions within wind, both onshore and offshore, but they also have operations within hydroelectric and solar.

The company was established in 2015 when GE bought Alstom's wind power assets and combined them with its own assets operated under its Power & Water division.

GE Wind Energy is GE Renewable Energy's subdivision, which focuses on manufacturing wind turbines for global supply.

Additionally, GE Renewable Energy has over 400 GW of renewable energy installed worldwide. They have 49,000 onshore wind turbines installed with a total onshore wind energy capacity of 62 GW over 35 countries. GE Renewable Energy has also invested over $400 million to develop the most powerful offshore wind turbine.

The Haliade-X, a feat of engineering and innovation, is GE's flagship offshore wind turbine. It features a wind capacity factor of 63% and produces more energy than any other offshore wind turbine on the market. It has a rotor diameter of 220 metres and a height of 260 metres.

2. Siemens Gamesa

Next on our list of 5 renewable wind energy companies innovating the renewable energy industry is Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. The Spanish-German wind engineering business based in Spain was created in 2017 through the merger of Siemens Wind Power and Gamesa. It both manufactures wind turbines and provides offshore and onshore wind services.

The company is the second largest turbine manufacturer in the world and is best known for its SG 14.0-222 DD wind turbine, the largest in the world with a capacity of 14 MW and up to 15 MW with Power Boost, a rotor diameter of 222 metres and a blade length of 108 metres. Serial production is planned for 2024.

Siemens Gamesa has installed over 107 GW in 75 countries worldwide. Within offshore wind power, Siemens Gamesa is one of the most prominent players in the market, with a 70% market share.

Additionally, Siemens has invested a lot into digital R&D and innovation, making great efforts to develop their wind turbines, factories, services, and system integration solutions so that their renewable energy technologies also allow for data collection and interpretation, automatisation, optimisation, and remote decision making.

They are also keen on collaborating with academics, policymakers, and other industry leaders to bring wind energy forward and make it even more efficient. Recently, they have been collaborating with Oersted and three UK universities, looking at how renewable energy research can lower the costs of offshore wind power.

They have also partnered with the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology to develop a method for measuring turbulent wind fields with Multi-LiDAR systems.

3. Vestas

Vestas Wind Systems is another of the top 5 wind energy companies innovating the renewable energy industry. They manufacture, sell, install, and maintain wind turbines worldwide. Vestas was founded in 1945 and are headquartered in Denmark; it is one of the largest wind turbine company in the world.

They've installed more than 136 GW of wind turbines in 84 countries, more than any other company. They currently have more than 117 GW of capacity under service and hold more than 18% of the global installed base.

Vestas have a long history of innovation. In the 1990s, they had already connected individual turbines to a central server and had invested in the world's most powerful supercomputer. In 1998, they connected a turbine to the internet for the first time ever, then established the first online service centres, SCADA systems, Data Centre and cloud servers.

Nowadays, they have managed to create the V236-15.0 MW turbine, the biggest in their portfolio, with a swept area of 43,742 square metres, the largest in the industry.

4. Goldwind

Goldwind, founded in 1998, is a Chinese state-owned wind turbine manufacturer and service provider headquartered in Beijing. They're present in 29 countries across six continents and have eight Research and Development centres worldwide.

Up until now, Goldwind has delivered more than 40,000 wind turbines worldwide with an overall capacity of over 73 GW. Their operations and maintenance service capacity exceeds 47 GW.

Goldwind's global installation of wind turbines has saved the equivalent of 45.53 million tons of standard coal, 149.44 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions or reforestation of an 81.66 million cubic metres area every year.

Their largest turbine is the GW175-8.0MW, with a rotor diameter of 175m and a hub height of 110m.

They hold over 3,500 Chinese patent applications (including 2,000 invention patents), over 650 software copyright registrations, and over 400 overseas patent applications. They were also the first company in China to develop and test a grid-connected prototype and mass-produce wind turbine towers using a hybrid steel and concrete design. This technology won the second prize at the Power Construction Science and Technology Progress Awards in 2016.

5. Suzlon

Suzlon Energy Limited is our final entry to our list of 5 renewable wind energy companies innovating the renewable energy industry. Established in 1995, Suzlon is an Indian wind turbine manufacturer and service provider based in Pune, India.

It currently has over twelve thousand turbines, nearly 19,000 MW installed worldwide, and active operations in 18 different countries spanning the entire globe.

Suzlon's 18,800+ MW wind energy installations are equivalent to 3 billion trees reforested, energy for 10 million homes, or 39 million tonnes of C02 emissions prevented yearly.

Their largest wind turbine is the S128 2.6 MW and is India's largest wind turbine, with a hub height of 140 metres, a swept area of over 13,000 square metres, a blade length of 63 metres and a rotor diameter of 128 metres.

Recently, Suzlon won a Digital Transformer Award, an Operating Model Master Award and a Talent Accelerator Award at the third Annual 2019 International Data Corporation (IDC) Digital Transformation Awards (DXa).

If you enjoyed this piece, read our guide on 5 of the biggest renewable energy projects in 2023. 

Our final thoughts on these 5 wind energy companies

Today, the global wind energy industry is experiencing a remarkable era of growth and innovation, driven by a collective commitment to achieving renewable energy goals and combatting climate change. The 5 wind energy companies explored in this guide - GE Renewable Energy, Siemens Gamesa, Vestas, Goldwind, and Suzlon - stand at the forefront of this transformative journey.

These companies have contributed significantly to the impressive expansion of the wind energy sector and demonstrated their unwavering dedication to pushing the boundaries of technology and sustainability. Their efforts have led to the development of groundbreaking wind turbine solutions, each with unique features and capacities.

From GE Renewable Energy's impressive Haliade-X offshore wind turbine, setting new standards in offshore energy production, to Siemens Gamesa's commitment to digital innovation and their colossal SG 14.0-222 DD turbine, these companies are shaping the future of renewable energy.

As the largest wind turbine manufacturer globally, Vestas boasts a rich history of innovation and continues to push the envelope with their V236-15.0 MW turbine, a testament to their commitment to progress. Goldwind, a Chinese industry leader, has revolutionised wind power in China and significantly reduced carbon emissions worldwide.

Lastly, Suzlon, an Indian wind turbine manufacturer, has made significant contributions to the global wind energy landscape, demonstrating that innovation knows no boundaries.

These 5 wind energy companies collectively symbolise the immense potential of the renewable energy industry. Their pioneering technologies and unwavering dedication to sustainability have propelled wind power to new heights, paving the way for a more environmentally conscious and energy-efficient future. 

As the world looks to transition to clean and sustainable energy sources, these companies will undoubtedly continue to play a pivotal role in reshaping the energy landscape and addressing the challenges of the 21st century.

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