On April 17, NGC and Shell (Shanghai) Technology Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Shell) signed a technology cooperation agreement in Nanjing. The two companies will work together closely in the fields of R&D for renewable energy technology, promotion of lubrication solutions for wind power gearboxes and power transmission systems, energy efficient solutions, and intelligent equipment management. This win-win deal was achieved thanks to the full cooperation of both parties, and includes mutual resource investment, technical exchanges and joint technical development.
In a productive meeting, Mr. Gary Sun, R&D Director at NGC, and Dr. Cameron Watson, General Manager for Lubricant Technology-AP at the Shell (Shanghai) Technology Center, reached an agreement on technical cooperation on behalf of the two companies.
From left to right: Dr. Cameron Watson, General Manager, Lubricant Technology- AP, Shell (Shanghai) Technology Center; Gary Sun, R&D Director at NGC; Karen Lee, Global Technology and OEM Manager at Shell
NGC and Shell have had an excellent foundation for cooperation within the industry for many years. Since 2008, Shell has been providing high quality gear oil for NGC's yaw and pitch gearboxes. Over the past ten years, NGC and Shell have conducted a number of joint technical seminars and product trials to promote lubrication management within the industry, and to generate high efficiency solutions for wind power drives. By the end of 2018, the cumulative number of yaw/pitch gearboxes in field filled with Shell lubricants has reached 90,000 units. In 2015, NGC and Shell started field trials for Omala S5 Wind, an advanced, fully synthetic gear oil with conditional ten-year warranty terms - this was the first of its kind worldwide. The outcome of the trials proved the overall performance and efficacy of Omala S5 Wind, and ensured that the next generation product, Omala S5 Wind 320, provided even more outstanding performances to meet the rapidly developing gearbox design requirements within the wind power industry.
At the meeting, Mr. Sun indicated that in the current renewable energy environment, NGC has oriented itself towards clean energy, energy-savings and energy efficient technologies as its fundamental goal. The company mission statement and vision of being "Geared for a Better Future" is a perfect match with Shell's renewable energy development strategy. In the future, the two companies will complement each others' strengths to enhance their cooperation in renewable energy technology. This will include joint efforts and engineering development in transmission technology and system applications, in order to make the most of the green development potential of Made-in-China 2025. In this way, the two parties will realize the combined innovation and mutual benefits of new markets and technologies.
Troy Chapman, Vice President of Shell's Global B2B Marketing Division, also said that the partnership with NGC is the "blossom and fruit" of years of sincere cooperation between the two companies, and part of Shells strategy to deliver more and cleaner energy. In the future, both parties will continue to strengthen the cooperation in transmission technology, gearbox lubrication, renewable energy and comprehensive utilization of energy resources, in order to share expertise and reap mutual benefits. Together, we will help the wind power industry generate safer and more reliable clean power and related services, while lowering the Total Cost of Ownership for wind farm operators.
The development of China's wind power industry has now entered a phase of steady growth. After a period of fierce competition and expansion within the market, the once overheated investment in the wind power industry has been curbed to a much healthier level. The wind power industry development model has been constantly improved and transformed. With increasing demand for wind power investment in China, there are significant business opportunities for growth, which have also been stimulated by the "One Belt One Road" initiative, improvements in the wind power market environment and central government policies, as well as further developments in distributed and offshore wind power.
As one of the world's leading OEM manufacturers of wind power gearboxes, NGC now has a full range of products covering the range from 750 kW to 7 MW. The company's footprint covers more than 30 countries and regions in the global market. For a long time now, NGC has been closely monitoring China's development strategies, and has independently developed wind power gearboxes for various types of wind turbines.
In the future, NGC and Shell will cooperate extensively in the field of renewable energy development. Together, we will enhance mutual system solutions and advocate the use of new energy technology, with an aim to helping the wind power industry reach new heights in terms of equipment manufacturing, after-sales maintenance.