The wind power industry has long faced its "heart disease" challenge—the gearbox, a core component with such high technical barriers that it remained monopolized by foreign brands for decades. As the world's largest wind power installation market, China's wind industry urgently needed independent intellectual property rights over this critical component. On September 16, Vision Energy marked a significant milestone as its 10,000th self-developed gearbox rolled off the production line at its Jiangyin transmission chain factory, signaling a major breakthrough in China's wind equipment manufacturing capabilities.
From Follower to Leader: A Historic Transition
Lou Yimin, Vision Energy's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Officer, emphasized that after seven years of development, the company's self-developed gearbox (EnG) has joined the ranks of global top-tier manufacturers. This achievement represents not only a manufacturing milestone for Vision Energy but also demonstrates China's growing confidence in high-end equipment manufacturing, laying solid groundwork for Chinese advanced equipment to compete globally. This success resulted from Vision Energy's long-term commitment to independent R&D and continuous innovation investment.
Technical Breakthroughs: Solving the "Toughest Nut"
As the "heart" of wind turbines, gearboxes must withstand hundreds of millions of stable operation cycles throughout their lifespan—a formidable technical challenge. Vision Energy tackled this challenge through meticulous optimization at every stage, from design improvements and material purification for its first 2MW gearbox to comprehensive load testing and extreme condition evaluations. The journey began with the first self-developed gearbox in November 2018, reached 100 units by July 2020, and now celebrates the 10,000th unit—marking a historic transition from follower to leader in the field.
Market Performance: Exceptional Quality and Reliability
Vision's gearboxes now operate in 520 wind farms across 12 countries, with over 8,000 units installed—6,500 grid-connected onshore and more than 100 offshore. Domestic units have achieved 6.5 years of continuous operation, international units over 3.8 years, and offshore installations surpassing 2.3 years. Notably, zero field failures have occurred due to material defects, with overall failure rates significantly below industry benchmarks. These performance metrics demonstrate the gearboxes' exceptional reliability while enhancing China's reputation in global wind equipment markets.
Product Innovation: Pushing Industry Boundaries
Huang Hu, Vision's Assistant System Director for Turbine and Equipment Products, explained that since introducing its first 2MW gearbox in 2018, the company has continuously improved torque and power density. Sliding-shaft gearboxes now support 5MW to 18MW turbines, while product configurations have expanded from standalone gearboxes to comprehensive transmission solutions including low-speed, high-speed, and fully integrated systems. "We deliver not just equipment, but twenty years of maintenance-free operation and stable power generation confidence," Huang noted.
Capacity Expansion and Future Prospects
Zhou Ping, Assistant System Director of Vision's Transmission Chain Division, highlighted that Vision remains China's only wind turbine manufacturer with self-owned gearbox production facilities, covering 3MW to 18MW land and offshore models. With projected annual output exceeding 4,000 units by 2025, this capacity will strengthen Vision's leadership position. Multiple high-capacity gearbox models have received DNV Type A certification, validating comprehensive capabilities across development, manufacturing, quality control, and maintenance. Vision continues advancing through technological innovation.
Government Support: Building Industrial Ecosystems
Jiangyin Vice Mayor Wei Feng commended Vision for solving critical technical challenges including gear tooth fractures and bearing raceway spalling. The local government pledged full support for Vision's international expansion, leveraging regional industrial advantages and port integration. Such governmental backing provides strong foundations for Vision's continued growth.
Vision Energy's gearbox achievement exemplifies China's wind power innovation capabilities. By breaking foreign monopolies and establishing independent supply chains, this development injects new momentum into China's wind industry. As technology progresses and the industry matures, Chinese wind equipment manufacturing is poised to assume greater global significance.