SPANISH WIND SLOWS IN U.S., PICKS UP IN BRAZIL

Acciona Windpower Lays Off Workers At North American Facilities and Acciona Opens Wind Turbine Hub Assembly Plant In Brazil

12 and 13 March 2013 (North American Windpower)

“Acciona Windpower has opened a new wind turbine hub assembly plant in Simoes Filho, Brazil…The plant will produce 135 hubs a year for the company's 3 MW AW-3000 wind turbine…[and] employee 30 people…180 indirect jobs will also be created as a result of other companies supplying components to the plant. Acciona will also source blades and towers from Brazilian manufacturers, leading to the creation of an estimated 500 additional jobs…

“Acciona hopes the new initiative will help the company expand its presence in the Brazilian wind energy market. The company recently signed its first contract with CPFL Renovaveis to supply 40 3 MW wind turbines for the Atlantica wind farm in Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil…[and] already signed a contract with a company in Fortaleza to produce blades for the wind turbines that will be installed in Brazil.”

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“Acciona has laid off approximately 50 workers across its North American operations, which include the company's West Branch, Iowa, wind turbine assembly facility…Despite the workforce reductions, the Spain-based company will continue to operate in the North American market…

“…Acciona owns and operates over 800 MW of U.S. and Canadian wind and solar projects, and supports 630 MW of projects sold or contracted to third parties…[It] plans to maintain its current production capacity at its Iowa turbine assembly plant and…ramp up production in the future.”

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