FollowSiemens is gearing up for further growth in renewables. Effective October 1st, 2011, the company wants to realign its renewables business into two independent units. The existing Renewable Energy Division shall be divided into two new divisions: Wind Power and Solar & Hydro.
Dr. Felix Ferlemann, to date head of the Chassis Systems Division of Benteler Automotive, is to be appointed CEO of the Wind Power Division. “We want to continue our success story in wind power business and establish the basis for further growth,” said Michael Suess, CEO of the Siemens Energy Sector.
Siemens also intends to bundle its solar and hydro power business activities in a new division Solar & Hydro. “We’re separating solar and wind power because these two markets are at very different stages of development. In the new unit Solar & Hydro we’ll be moving forward with research and development in the field of solar power to further increase our competitiveness. In our established wind power business we’ll be forging ahead with industrialization and internationalization. Germany, the rest of Europe and the whole world need power storage systems for the integration of renewables. Our Solar & Hydro Division will therefore also be handling the strategic issue of power storage,” Suess added. The future CEO of this division has not yet been appointed.
Acquisition of a minority stake in HCPV producer Semprius
Siemens will bundle its activities in the fields of solar and hydro power in the Solar & Hydro Division. In this field Siemens acts as general contractor for large-area photovoltaic (PV) installations in the megawatt capacity range. Only recently, the company also acquired a minority stake in Semprius, a developer of high concentrating PV modules (HCPV).
In the field of solar thermal power the range of products offered extends from components such as solar receivers and solar fields to complete solar thermal power plants. In addition to business with small hydro power plants the new Division will also encompass the Siemens stakes in Voith Hydro (35 percent), one of the leading vendors in the hydro sector, and in Marine Current Turbines (approximately 10 percent), a pioneer in tidal current energy turbines. The new unit will also be a center of competence for the development of power storage technologies.
Source: solarserver
