20 wind turbines for Indonesia: Siemens Gamesa will supply the direct-drive SWT-3.6-130 for the Tolo 1 project on Sulawesi island (photo: Siemens Gamesa)

With the Tolo 1 onshore wind project, Siemens Gamesa has secured its first order in Indonesia for the gearless SWT-3.6-130 wind turbines. The wind power plant developed by Equis Energy, the largest renewable energy IPP (independent power producer) in the Asia-Pacific region, will be installed by late 2017. Commissioning is planned for early 2018.

Equis Energy has signed 5-year contracts with Siemens Gamesa for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) as well as operations and maintenance (O&M). The ‘Tolo 1’ wind power plant will be installed in Jeneponto on the south-coast of the central Indonesian island Sulawesi. For the installation work, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy is working in consortium with one of the largest Indonesian construction companies PT PP (Persero) Tbk.

The wind project will be connected to the Indonesian energy grid via a local substation and a purpose-built 150 kilovolt (kV) transmission line. The type SWT-3.6-130 direct-drive turbines –each with a rating of 3.6 megawatts and a rotor-diameter of 130 meters –will be installed on steel towers with hub heights of 135 meters.

David Russell, CEO of Equis Energy, says, “Indonesia is set for a period of rapid, sustained growth in energy demand. Equis is committed to leveraging our experience and expertise in Indonesia to support these government initiatives and local community development.”

“We are proud to be awarded with this order since Equis Energy is an important and very dynamic player in the Indonesian energy market,” says Alvaro Bilbao Moran, head of the Asia Pacific region in Siemens Gamesa’s Onshore business unit. “With a number of innovative renewable energy projects in Indonesia, Equis Energy is really a great contributor to the country’s climate protection. We are looking forward to further cooperation with Equis Energy in Indonesia and throughout Asia in the near future.”

Indonesia has set ambitious energy targets with a renewable share of 23% by 2019. For Siemens Gamesa, Tolo 1 is the second order in Indonesia after the 75 megawatts (MW) Sidrap wind farm, announced earlier this year. Besides these two Indonesian projects, Siemens Gamesa's footprint in the Asia Pacific region extends to Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Sri Lanka, China, India, Australia and New Zealand having installed roughly nine gigawatts in these markets.

Tags: Equis Energy, Siemens Gamesa