Flender Launches India’s Largest 13.5 MW Wind Gearbox Test Rig in Tamil Nadu

Flender has inaugurated India’s largest wind turbine gearbox test rig with a capacity of 13.5 MW at its facility in Walajabad,near Chennai, Tamil Nadu, strengthening the country’s capabilities in wind power technology and testing infrastructure.

The advanced electric series back-to-back test rig is designed to validate next-generation wind turbine gearboxes under demanding operating conditions. The facility can test gearboxes for turbines of up to 13.5 MW capacity and transmit torque of up to 18,000 km, while the plate field can withstand tensile and compressive forces of up to 500 tonnes, setting new benchmarks for wind gearbox testing in India.

The project began in January 2025 at the company’s development site in Voerde and was completed within 13 months, reflecting strong coordination among the global engineering teams of Flender.

The development involved international collaboration, with key components such as converters, motors and centre blocks manufactured in China, while transformers, cooling systems and steel structures were supplied from India. The final assembly and commissioning were completed within three months through joint efforts of the German assembly team, Indian contractors and engineers.

Flender GmbH Group CEO Andreas Evertz, "Inaugurating India’s largest wind gearbox Test Rig underscores our commitment to advancing renewable energy solutions globally.”

Meanwhile, the company's India CEO Vinod Shetty said, “With the inauguration of India’s largest test rig for wind gearbox, we reinforce our commitment towards sustainable energy transition.”

The new testing infrastructure is expected to accelerate the development and validation of next-generation wind turbine gearboxes while strengthening India’s position as a manufacturing and innovation hub for the global wind energy sector.