Wind power supply chain disruption not a short-term affair-Siemens Gamesa CEO

A model of a wind turbine with the Siemens Gamesa logo in Zamudio, Spain, June 20, 2017. REUTERS/Vincent West

MADRID, Jan 28 (Reuters) – Siemens Gamesa (SGREN.MC), the world’s largest maker of offshore wind turbines, expects current supply chain problems that have hit the global wind power sector to persist for a while, its chief executive said on Friday.

“We are battling with raw material price increases, we see a severe crisis at the moment with big disruption in our supply chain,” Andreas Nauen told an event organised by ESADE business school in Spain.

Supply chain issues were one factor triggering a profit warning at Siemens Gamesa, in which Germany’s Siemens Energy (ENR1n.DE) owns 67%, last week.

Denmark’s Vestas (VWS.CO), too, warned on Wednesday it would have to raise prices for its wind turbines due to higher raw material and transport costs. read more

“I also believe this is not a short term situation we are in,” Nauen said, adding there was a risk that sector players might not be able to make all their planned investments as a result of the current supply bottlenecks.

“We don’t see that at the moment but I am nervous the current situation we currently see lasts too long and might get very difficult.”

Reporting by Isla Binnie; Writing by Christoph Steitz

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