Media Releases

ST. CATHARINES, September 29, 2011 – Niagara is celebrating another win in its burgeoning green energy sector – a partnership that will bring two wind energy manufacturing plants to the Region.

Niagara Region Wind Corporation has selected ENERCON to supply and maintain 230 MW of wind turbines for its Niagara wind farm. A key component of the agreement is ENERCON’s commitment to build a manufacturing facility in the Niagara Region. The company will supply and maintain 77 3.0 MW wind turbines for the project, allowing NRWC to fulfill its domestic content requirements, as required by the Ontario Power Authority.

This international company’s confidence in Niagara as a future hub of the wind energy sector, combined with the valuable assistance of Niagara Economic Development Corporation (NEDC), has resulted in a strategic investment that will strengthen the Region’s position as a leader in renewable energy in North America and bring further opportunities to this growing market.

“Enercon has capitalized on the many benefits Niagara Canada offers companies in the wind energy sector. As this company expands its business into North American wind energy markets, they will be able to leverage our region’s central location between the Toronto and U.S. borders. Our location along the Welland Canal is also a significant asset in that it is already transporting towers and blades used in wind energy production,” said Valerie Kuhns, Vice President, Market and Sector Development, Niagara Economic Development Corporation.

To meet the demands of this order and to be available to service other Ontario demands, ENERCON will open a converter and control panel factory in the Niagara Region, servicing both the wind and solar industries. Due to the high demand of ENERCON wind turbines a concrete tower manufacturing site will also be established in the Region.

“The Niagara area offers a strategic location for the logistics and supply chain of various components for our projects in Ontario and across Canada,” said ENERCON Canada’s Executive Vice President Michael Weidemann. “The factory would be the first of its kind in the North American market and for ENERCON outside of its home market of Germany,” he continued.

NEDC has been working with both the Niagara Region Wind Corporation and ENERCON for the past two years and will continue to work closely with ENERCON as the company establishes its manufacturing facility.

Guy Graveline, Director of Marketing and Economic Development
Niagara Economic Development Corporation
ggraveline@niagaracanada.com