On 26 December 2024, the first plant for the manufacturing of Russian composite wind turbine blades began operating at Rusatom Vetrolopasti JSC in Ulyanovsk (belongs to Rosatom’s Composite division). Alexey Likhachev, Rosatom Director General; Alexey Russkikh, Governor of Ulyanovsk Oblast; Alexander Tyunin, Director General of Rosatom’s Composite division and other officials attended the startup ceremony.
With the launch of production, Rosatom now has a comprehensive technological chain for the production of fiberglass covering the entire process from raw materials production to finished products manufacturing. The facility is devoted to the production of wind turbine blades measuring 51 meters in length and weighing 8.5 tons. This is achieved through the use of Russian composites consisting of 90% glass and 10% carbon fibers. The applied technology guarantees 25-year service life for the blades. The production was initiated with financial backing of the Industrial Development Fund.
Once the plant reaches its designed capacity, it will be capable of producing up to 450 blades annually. This will allow the assembly of up to 150 turbines each year. The products manufactured at the Ulyanovsk plant will primarily cater to the needs of the largest wind farm in Russia, the Novolakskaya WPP, which is currently under construction in the Republic of Dagestan.
“Today, we are not only starting up a new company, but also witnessing and participating in the creation of a fully domestic production cycle including composite materials. The launch of wind blade production will allow us to meet the needs of our wind energy projects and raise the localization of equipment from 68% to 85%. This implies not only the creation of new companies and jobs, but also our contribution to strengthening Russia’s technological independence”, stated Alexey Likhachev, Rosatom Director General.
“The launch of a domestic wind blade production is a highly anticipated event this year. The new facility will create more than 400 high-tech jobs for local residents. We are actively pursuing new promising initiatives to strengthen the economy of the state. Through our cooperation with Rosatom, the Ulyanovsk Oblast plays a significant role in the advancement of wind energy and composite industry, contributing to the achievement of technological independence, a goal set by the president”, said Alexey Russkikh, Governor of Ulyanovsk Oblast.
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Rosatom’s composite division is the major producer of composites in Russia. It offers a comprehensive range of services, from the production of raw materials to manufacturing of finished products. The division includes a state-of-the-art research center, a facility for producing precursor materials such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN), carbon fiber, and glass fiber, as well as companies for fabric and prepreg production. It also manufactures finished products made of composite materials. This division operates 17 manufacturing facilities across 15 regions of the Russian Federation.
