Shooting the breeze with an advocate for wind power

According to an inside source, China’s Ming Yang Wind Power Group Ltd has plans to offer $1.72 - $1.97 billion to buy the Danish based Vestas Wind Systems A/S, the largest wind turbine manufacturing company in the world. It is likely that this takeover is part of a plan to diversify into other markets due to the decline of wind power in China.Growth in China’s wind sector has started to slow this year, and as a result revenues have also started to drop.

Finally, a sleeping giant awakens! After many months of eerie calm, or even headwinds for some of the companies involved in wind energy, there are some promising developments.

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish wind turbine

Solar panels were cheaper than wind turbines for the first time last year in certain markets, per unit of capacity, and are rapidly closing a remaining gap in the full cost of power generation. Until now, wind power has been the leading low-carbon alternative to oil, coal and gas, outside large niche markets such as Germany, which has seen a huge ramp-up in installed solar. But that could change, with deep implications for the health of both industries if one substitutes the other.

Joseph L. Shaefer submits: I wrote my first recommendation for Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWDRY.PK) back in October of 2004. That may come as a shock to those 6-sigma commenters on SA who believe that anyone who wants to use all energy sources available, including fossil fuels, must be in the employ of the oil industry.

Shares in Vestas slumped on Wednesday after the Danish wind power group cut this year's earnings and sales targets following a second quarter loss.The company, the world leader in the wind turbine industry, a key component in efforts to combat carbon emissions, said 2010 sales would now come in at six billion euros (7.7 billion dollars), rather than seven billion euros.The operating profit margin would be in a range of five to six percent, down from the 10-11 percent given previously, it said.

Vestas Wind Systems said it is in talks with Japanese industrial conglomerate Mitsubishi Heavy Industries about a strategic tie-up that could secure the long-term future of the financially troubled Danish wind-turbine maker.

Vestas Wind Systems said it is in talks with Japanese industrial conglomerate Mitsubishi Heavy Industries about a strategic tie-up that could secure the long-term future of the financially troubled Danish wind-turbine maker.