Vestas is an indisputable wind energy giant that has dominated the wind industry for the past years. Headquartered in Denmark, this giant company isn’t just massive in the country or Europe. It is currently the largest wind turbine supplier with a steady reach in 85 countries worldwide.
Read on to know more about this monster company.
What Is Vestas?
Vestas Wind Systems A/S is a big-name Danish supplier, manufacturer, installer, and servicer of wind turbines. The company manufactures and develops its own proprietary wind turbine technologies and systems, distributing various products from the raw turbine components to complete turnkey systems, even whole wind farms!
Vestas has been riding the winds of development and change since the end of the 20th century, as the need for solutions to global-wide pollution took on greater urgency and importance. Governments from all around the world began mandating and requiring new and more renewable energy sources. Vestas stepped up and took on the challenge.
It has more than four decades of experience in wind energy. It is also technically the first-ever company to attain the 100 GW landmarks for the service and installation of wind turbines.
It is not far-fetched to declare that they play a crucial role in laying the foundations for a new and more sustainable era. They are also in the honorable position to claim they can show the journey and path towards a better and cleaner planet.
What Does Vestas Do?
Vestas is a renewable energy company that designs, manufactures, sells, installs, and provides services to offshore and onshore turbines, power converters, towers, and blades. The company’s solutions include parts and optimization to advanced repairs and preventive inspections. Vestas partners with their customers to monitor wind energy performance and production of the wind power plant throughout a lifetime.
With a clear vision to become a global leader in renewable and sustainable energy solutions and technology, Vestas worked on creating a better and cleaner world by manufacturing, designing, and developing wind energy and hybrid projects all over the globe.
Currently, it has +145 GW of wind turbines installed in about 85 countries. Vestas has effectively prevented 1.5 billion tonnes of CO2 from being emitted worldwide.
How Did Vestas Come To Be?
If someone were to trace back the roots and history of Vestas, they could go back as far as 1898. That means that Vestas has an impressive 124 years of rich history.
The company started as a small, humble blacksmith shop in Lem, Denmark, owned by Hans Smith Hansen. In 1928, together with his son, Peter, they made test window frames for industrial buildings and factories. Shortly after, they founded the Dansk Staalvindue Industri.
By the end of World War II, Peter and his father, alongside a handful of colleagues, established a business that produces household appliances — Vestjysk Stålteknik A/S. The company moved its focus more than once; to agricultural equipment in the 50s, intercoolers in 1956, and hydraulic cranes in 1968. The name was shortened to Vestas not long after.
By the end of the 70s, Vestas hit on a new product that marked its new era. As a colossal oil crisis plunged Denmark and parts of Europe into recession, Vestas set its eyes on a future with more renewable energy sources, especially harnessing wind power.
In 1979, Vestas introduced its first successful wind turbine, a 3-blade, 10-meter rotor diameter, and 30 KW capacity wind turbine. Vestas Wind Turbine became a standard in the wind industry. It helped push Europe to a more sustainable era, stimulating the start of the early wind turbine market.
Vestas began its full-scale production of turbines in 1980 as the wind energy market entered its first phase. Demand for wind turbines grew significantly as governments around the globe started to mandate them. In 1983, Vestas established its first-ever subsidiary overseas in the US.
Throughout the years, Vestas faced several successes and hardships. From hitting breakthroughs to needing to file for bankruptcy in 1986 to its reorganization in 1987. Over time, it also opened several other overseas subsidiaries. Vestas went through a lot to reach its current status and global success.
Among the significant milestones of Vestas is entering the offshore wind turbine market and being chosen to supply wind turbines for the world’s first major offshore wind farm in Horns Reef in the North Sea just off the Danish Coast in 2001.
Another one is the big merger and new management in 2004 when Vestas and NEG Micon joined forces and became an undisputed world leader in the wind power industry with a 32% market share.
In 2013, Vestas implemented management and organizational setup changes to maximize consumer focus and earnings and minimize investment for future growth. Vestas then appointed a new Group President and CEO, Anders Runevad. The company is now entering its new phase and is expected to see revenue, deliveries, and more success.
What Products Does Vestas Offer?
Vestas offers a wide range of products across more than one wind turbine platform. Here is a brief preview of the company’s impressive product portfolio:
Onshore Wind Turbines
With Vestas as a business partner or supplier, one can expect only high-quality service and experience. They can, after all, base their investment on a well-documented process; More than four decades of experience, knowledge, insights, and practice.
One of Vestas’ pride is its EnVentus Platform, which is part of their onshore wind turbine collections. EnVentus signifies the next generation in the evolution of turbines, which can play a massive role in green energy innovation.
The EnVentus platform resulted from the careful evaluation of the unbroken product line of the company’s technology solutions.
Offshore Wind Turbines
Since the company’s oldest commercial offshore installation is still in operation (from 1995), Vestas has committed to using the full potential of offshore wind turbines. The company has been continuously setting new standards with cutting-edge and game-changing turbine technology to help lower the cost of renewable energy and meet the planet’s sustainable energy needs.
With more than 25 years of experience in offshore wind, Vestas has a track record of +7 GW and +1500 turbines installed in 45 projects, covering markets in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, UK, Belgium, and Denmark.
Services
Vestas knows how to take care of its consumers; that is proven. They offer onshore and offshore performance optimization and service solutions worldwide for Vestas and non-vestas turbines. Currently, they have more than 53,000 wind turbines under their service in 72 countries.
Vestas offers its consumers worldwide maintenance, parts and repair, fleet optimization, and digital services.
Who Are Vestas’ Known Partners?
Being the largest wind turbine company and supplier in the world, Vestas is the king that every other business in the same market needs to overthrow. This company set up the standard for traditional wind turbines and has built a strong reputation that made big brands trust them. Here are some of the more known partners of Vestas:
LEGO
Vestas partnered with LEGO, the famous toy company from Denmark, to create a mini LEGO model to help celebrate renewable energy. The detailed and meticulous monetized LEGO model captures the graceful movement and elegance of a traditional wind turbine model from Vestas. Along with the model is a new-for-January 2019 spruce tree made from plant-based plastic.
The structure towers, which stood about 1 meter high, are positioned above the wooded hill and house with a furnished patio, flowers, mailbox, and a white picket fence. This fun LEGO model comes with adjustable wind turbine blades and an illuminating cottage porch light. These additional functions are controlled by turning the nacelle left or right and clicking the switch on the included power functions motor.
It also has three mini-figures, a dog figure, and a Vestas service vehicle to add more character. LEGO and Vestas did not hold back in designing this extensive LEGO set. This collectible LEGO model is undoubtedly a rewarding building experience that makes a great display piece for any home and office.
Lenovo
LEGO is not the only recognizable name that partnered with Vestas. Lenovo is another global company that placed its trust and faith in the company. Together, Vestas and Lenovo created an incredible 360 degrees of Virtual Reality video for consumers to experience the company’s journey to improve performance and lower the cost of renewable energy.
SAP
Vestas, the largest wind turbine company, meets the world’s demand for clean energy by simplifying and automating procurement with SAP Ariba solutions. In particular, Vestas uses SAP Ariba solutions to help automate the source-to-pay process and simplify supplier relationships. It resulted in enhanced quality, lower costs, better supplier collaboration, and greater compliance.
Formula E
Vestas has a partnership with Formula E. They drive critical changes in their respective sectors and share their message about electrification as the future. Both companies believe that power and performance come hand-in-hand with renewable energy.
Conclusion
Vestas was already here even before the establishment of Siemens Gamesa or GE Renewable Energy. This company has been long on top of the wind industry food chain, following through with its goal of bettering the world through renewable and sustainable energy. Vestas always had been a golden standard set in the wind power industry that competitors aspired to meet and overcome.