Alstom to set up hydro global technology centre in China

Alstom Renewable Power has announced its plan to set up a global technology centre (GTC) in Tianjin as a part of its €100m ($122.3m) investment to upgrade its hydro industrial facility and support its hydro business in the country.

The new GTC will make Alstom Hydro China a full value chain facility with research and development (R&D), sales and marketing, engineering design, sourcing, manufacturing, project management, installation maintenance and service activities.

The technology centre is using the knowledge and experience of local engineers and global experts for the R&D activities which include hydraulic, mechanic and electric research and development and turbine scale model tests.

Alstom executive vice-president and Alstom Renewable Power Sector president Jérôme Pécresse said, "The initiative to establish a
Global Technology Centre in Tianjin illustrates Alstom’s commitment to accelerate competence and R&D capabilities in China, bring our technology to local customers and support the clean energy growth in China and the global market as well."

The technology centre will also adopt the same platform to develop products that Alstom uses in all of its hydro R&D facilities across the world.

The GTC with an additional laboratory with a test stand to model test the hydraulic designs for Francis and Kaplan turbines is expected to start operating by the end of August 2013.

The Tianjin hydro GTC is the sixth centre Alstom is planning to set up with four established technology centres in France, Switzerland, Canada, India and one under construction in Brazil.

Image: Alstom to establish GTC in China. Photo: Alstom.