At the 2021 COP26 climate summit, India’s Prime Minister laid out his country’s plans for an additional 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.
Solidifying its position as a leader in renewable energy, in 2022 India produced 163 gigawatts of installed renewable energy capacity, making it the fourth-leading nation in renewable power capacity worldwide.
Supporting the country’s renewable energy growth is award-winning pioneer of wind energy, Suzlon.
Boasting nearly 30 years in the renewable energy space, Suzlon has been recognised internationally, receiving awards such as the Economic Times ‘Energy Company of the Year 2023’. The recognition highlights Suzlon’s significant contributions to the development and promotion of the renewable energy industry in the country.
Additionally, The Economic Times awarded Suzlon ‘Sustainable Organizations 2023’, which identifies that Suzlon has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to integrated planning, development, and monitoring of sustainability in order to achieve sustainable development goals.
An award winning organisation, it is only appropriate then that it’s driven by award-winning leadership. CFO, Marshal Fernandes, has most recently been recognised by Acquisition International as Global CFO Excellence Award Winner 2023 and Most Innovative International Renewable Energy Solutions CFO 2023.
Marshal spoke with Business Enquirer about Suzlon’s international expertise, and how its working towards its vision of becoming the best renewable energy company in the world.
Innovating Efficiencies
Suzlon offers a 360-degree solutions package to its customers, covering the entire spectrum of wind energy projects. With over 12,780 wind turbines installed across six continents and 14 world-class manufacturing units in India, Suzlon wind energy solutions have become the byword for innovation and competitive advantage.
In 2023, Suzlon became the first Indian multinational business to produce 20 gigawatts of wind energy and is number four in the world in terms of installed capacity.
Suzlon provides its customers with an all-encompassing solution to wind energy projects in the form of its Wind Turbine Generators (WTGs). Its innovative WTGs features state-of-the-art technology across their blades, nacelle, towers and foundations.
“Customers choose Suzlon because our WTGs carry the hallmark of reliability and sustainability, and have a proven track record of enabling customers to maximise their return on investments by focussing on innovation and improvements,” explained Marshal.
Suzlon prides itself on working closely with its customers to find the best solution for their needs, whilst incorporating value added products to increase efficiencies.
Recently, Suzlon has implemented such innovations for clients in Australia, implementing drones for blade inspection and establishing local repair shops.
Suzlon implements Periodic Software Upgrades which ensures the best HSE practices are maintained in operating the turbines. These upgrades boost an Increase of 3% – 5% Annualised Energy Production (AEP) for its clients.
Additionally, it offers Innovative Engineering Solutions to optimise cost and down time for the customer. This includes Uptower repairs of turbine components, eliminating the need for the traditional cranes that are very expensive.
“Expanding the business offering in this way means that we can help our customers to become more efficient,” shared Marshal.
Its local refurbishment of major and critical components such as generators, gear boxes, and main bearings as opposed to replacing with new components reduces lead times and cost. At the same time, this exercise aids the development of local businesses and creates local job opportunities.
“Expanding the business offering in this way means that we can help our customers to become more efficient,” shared Marshal.
Building a Better World
In December 2023, Suzlon announced that it was adding another award to its trophy cabinet, receiving the Great Place To Work® Certification.
“This prestigious recognition underlines the company’s commitment to fostering a culture of trust, respect, and employee well-being, further solidifying its position as an employer of choice,” said Marshal.
Suzlon is dedicated to investing in its employee growth, as it strives to “build a better world with exceptional individuals,” doing so from one of the world’s greenest campuses.
The company’s Global Learning & Development Centre (GLD) aims to develop the business’ competency capital by creating world class wind energy professionals.
The Suzlon Excellence Academy (SEA), is a 100,000 sq. ft. learning centre located inside the Suzlon One Earth campus, and features state-of-the-art facilities and learning spaces, including a wind centre.
“The company has an in-house team of highly qualified trainers who conduct regular training on a range of topics like becoming an effective facilitator, training the trainer, technical simulation and more,” said Marshal, “Through its Executive Leadership Development Program, the company supports employees to become future leaders”.
Ensuring a holistic approach to the future of wind energy, Suzlon’s eco-friendly and self-sufficient headquarters is the embodiment of its aim to create and maintain a positive environment.
The LEED Platinum and GRIHA 5 – star certified campus is spread across 10 acres and is powered entirely by renewable energy, including hybrid wind turbines, solar panels and photovoltaic cells.
Suzlon’s implementation of rainwater harvesting, on-site waste conversion and an ‘Office in Garden’ design to maximise daylight use, has helped the renewable energy solutions company to reduce its operating cost by 35%.
“The money we’ve saved through these initiatives has been passed on to our customers through increased investment in technology,” explained Marshal.
Bolstering a Thriving Sector
An increasing demand for renewable energy is expected to see the wind power market size grow at a CAGR of 13.67% from 2023 to 2030, reaching a projected value of $278.43 billion in that time frame.
Considering this, the outlook is strong for Suzlon, which is experiencing a 3-4 gigawatt growth per year, and growing.
“We closed the last quarter with an order book of 1.6 gigawatt, and subsequently we have announced several orders, 50% of which are from the commercial or industrial segment,” shared Marshal.
Recognising the value of wind energy to the future of a healthy planet, Suzlon is now on a mission to ensure wind energy is accessible across the world, by transmitting wind energy from areas where it is plentiful to areas in which it is scarce.
“To be able to push renewable energy forward I do believe strong policy needs to be implemented by governments across the world which also supports cost effective supply chains,” stated Marshal.