MC EXCLUSIVE Wind turbine maker Envision Energy to open 3rd manufacturing unit in India

RPV Prasad, Managing Director, Envision Energy India.

Envision Energy India, a subsidiary of Envision Energy, a leading global wind turbine maker headquartered in China, has decided to set up its third manufacturing unit in India. It also plans to more than double its workforce by FY28 from the current strength of 3,000 as part of its expansion plans here, RPV Prasad, Managing Director of the company, told Moneycontrol in an exclusive interview.

Envision has been present in India for nine years and is now a leading original equipment manufacturer (OEM) with about 45 percent market share in the country’s wind energy sector. Its order book is of nearly 15 GW across 60 projects in six states.

“So far, we have invested Rs 500 crore in setting up a 3 GW per annum manufacturing capacity for blades at Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, and another for nacelles and hubs at Pune. Now we have decided to open a third unit for blades in Gujarat. It will be a 2 GW plant with scope for expansion in the future,” Prasad said.

A nacelle houses the wind turbine's generator and gearbox. The hub connects the blades and transmits their rotation to the nacelle.

Highlighting the delays in connecting renewable projects with the gird, Prasad said that some of its commissioned wind projects remain nonoperational due the lack of transmission lines. "Some of our capacity remains unconnected to the grid, which means there is no revenue generation for our customers at this stage. On a positive note, numerous substations are now being commissioned. Once operational, these will facilitate the integration of this capacity into the grid. They are expected to be completed by 2026," he said.

Also read: Guard The Grid: India to bar sharing wind project data with China, others for national security.

India expansion plan

Prasad said Envision’s Gujarat facility alone, once fully operational, will have a workforce of 6,000 by mid-2027. Another 1,000 are likely to be added at its Pune facility.

The company currently has 3,000 employees.

“We are also going to expand our nacelle and hub manufacturing unit in Pune from 3 to 4.5 GW within a year. Additionally, we are planning to establish our own gearbox manufacturing facility in Maharashtra, leveraging our expertise in gearboxes ranging from 3 MW to 14-15 MW,” he said.

The company currently procures generators from a Rajasthan-based company —Pioneer Power Gensets — which has significant capacity. “While we continue to rely on this supplier, we are also planning to establish our own generator manufacturing capabilities. This expansion is targeted for 2027, aligning with our broader growth strategy,” Prasad explained.

Localisation mandate

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in April this year released the draft criteria for the inclusion of wind turbine OEMs in the Revised List of Models and Manufacturers (RLMM). In that, the government has proposed that existing OEMs must localise manufacturing of wind turbine components such as gearboxes and generators within six months from the date of issue of the final notifications.

Also read: Amendments to nuclear laws still in the works, unlikely this monsoon session.

Prasad said the company has requested that the localisation mandate be made applicable within a year instead of six months. “The main issue is that we're not boosting domestic competitiveness. If we commit to making turbines in India, costs will initially be higher. But, as we build experience and scale, we should gradually become cost‑competitive. With our existing vendors, placing an order now means accepting those higher costs upfront. That’s why we’re planning to bring manufacturing — of generators and gearboxes — in-house,” he said.

Export plans

Prasad added that Envision is currently not exporting wind turbines, contrary to other OEMs.

“Right now, our strategy is ‘For India, By India, and Make in India.’ We are focussing on domestic production because demand within India is strong enough to support us. We’re not targeting exports for now. However, once we are fully established here — around 2027 — we plan to explore export markets,” he said.

In FY26, wind energy capacity addition in India is expected to be 5.5 GW, and Envision Energy plans to bag 50 percent of the projects, Prasad said.

Prasad further said the company has no IPO plans for now.