WindSupply
The WindSupply project is funded by Advantage West Midlands and operated by the Midlands Environmental Business Company. It aims to encourage the involvement of West Midlands suppliers in the wind turbine industry.
WindSupply supports businesses in the supply chain for wind energy
The project has involved the following stages:
- A study into how the wind turbine industry works.
- Provision of support for business and network activities such as visits to buyers events where component suppliers can meet manufacturers; and to attend trade fairs.
- Skills and innovation support, involving R&D activities by Universities within the West Midlands
- Expansion of activities across the UK and unto other aspects of renewable energy in the future.
The initiative is particularly important to the West Midlands as many components in wind turbines, such as castings, fasteners and gears, are exactly the sort of components that regional companies make but for other markets. 800 companies have already registered with the project.
The project has already helped SERCK Controls, based in Coventry and Rugby-based ALSTOM Power Conversion Ltd (APC) to win significant contracts with European wind turbine builders.
The wind energy market was a natural choice for expansion by both companies given their skill and background. Also, as one of the fastest growing world markets and Government plans for renewable energy also mean that this rate of growth is likely to continue.