Page 13 - Internationalist Magazine 2013 66
P. 13
LINES
transport and erect; and are reliable and easy Development costs are roughly in line with
to maintain. Vestas utilizes its huge data the cost of a regular media campaign. Wind
processing capabilities to identify energy- for Prosperity constitutes a relatively small
deprived but wind-rich areas where the hybrid share of Vestas’ annual marketing budget.
power generation solution can be installed.
We expect this to be a successful investment
commercially – adding to the bottom line
Where will the irst projects be built?
in the near-term and helping to open new
The irst Wind for Prosperity projects will markets to wind energy further down the line.
center on up to 13 Kenyan communities that are
home to more than 200,000 people. Work is Vestas is just beginning to show positive
progressing with the Kenyan Ministry of Energy results from the two-year turn-around.
and Kenya Power and Light Company to inalize Shouldn’t you concentrate on your core
the plans for deploying the irst sites in 2014. business instead of saving poor people
The projects will supply electricity at least 30% around the world?
below the current cost of diesel generation; and Wind for Prosperity is a cornerstone of Vestas’
when fully implemented, will reduce diesel fuel strategy to open and develop new markets,
use by more than 2,000 tons per year.
and the project itself will generate small but
proitable sales for Vestas, primarily through
Additional opportunities are being explored in selling our combined wind-diesel solution and
countries such as Ethiopia, Tanzania, Yemen, wind data. The concept is commercially-based
Pakistan, Vietnam, and Nicaragua.
and thus more sustainable than efforts based
on philanthropy, traditional development
Are Vestas and Masdar doing this for assistance or CSR motivations. It creates
business reasons or charity?
an opportunity for business, government,
Vestas and Masdar expect Wind for Prosperity and inancial institutions to combine their
to be a sound business activity for our talents to improve people’s lives and generate
companies, as it will succeed only if it rests on risk-adjusted returns for private investors.
a sound commercial basis. Vestas and Masdar That we provide a solution with the potential
expect to earn a return on their investments; to improve the lives of millions of people in
and investors and suppliers should also expect developing countries is something we are
proud of.
to earn a reasonable return that motivates
them to work towards long-term success of
How much will Vestas earn on Wind for
the initiative. Of course, Vestas and Masdar
Prosperity?
are also motivated by the positive social and
economic impact of the projects.
The agreement with Wind for Prosperity’s
investors is that Vestas will sell its wind-diesel
How much has Vestas invested in bringing solution and wind data on market conditions
Wind for Prosperity to life?
with an expected proit margin in line with
The initiative has been funded out of
what we normally see in our business.
Vestas’ marketing budget for new markets.
www.internationalistmagazine.com 11