Envision Energy
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Wind turbines, Energy management software, Battery manufacturing |
| Founded | 2007 in Jiangyin, Jiangsu, China |
| Founder | Lei Zhang |
| Headquarters | Shanghai , China |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Lei Zhang (Founder) |
| Products | Wind turbines, Energy management software, Battery technology |
Envision Energy () is a global Chinese corporation based in Shanghai, specializing in the provision of wind turbines and energy management software. The company maintains strategic collaborations in battery manufacturing with automotive giants Renault, Nissan, Daimler, and Honda.
History
Established in 2007 by Lei Zhang in Jiangyin, Jiangsu province, Envision commenced full-scale operations by 2009. In 2014, Zhang was honored as one of China’s Top 10 innovators. By 2013, the company had installed five turbines with a capacity of 2.1 MW each at the Ucuquer wind farm in Chile, alongside securing software contracts for wind farms across the United States and Canada.
In 2014, Envision formed a partnership with New Zealand’s Infratil to advance smart infrastructure projects in Christchurch. The following year, it inaugurated a London office to oversee activities throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. During this period, Envision acquired a 25 MW onshore wind project near Eskilstuna in Sweden as well as 600 MW of wind developments in Mexico.
The beginning of 2016 saw Envision establish its European operational headquarters in Hamburg to better serve its clients on the continent. Concurrently, it launched the Global Blade Innovation Center located in Boulder, Colorado, dedicated to research and development of turbine blades. The Ucuquer wind project in Chile was recognized as a finalist for the Inter-American Development Bank’s 360 Infrastructure Awards. Additionally, Envision invested jointly with Enemalta and Shanghai Electric Power in a renewable energy initiative in Montenegro and expanded its turbine installations at Chile’s La Esperanza Wind Farm.
In 2018, Envision acquired a controlling interest in Nissan’s Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC), creating Envision AESC. This venture maintained its headquarters and R&D facilities in Japan while continuing operations in Smyrna, Tennessee, and Sunderland.
By 2022, the company entered into agreements with Spanish authorities for four distinct projects: an electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant in Navalmoral de la Mata (initially anticipated to receive government subsidies but later excluded), a renewable hydrogen facility in Alcázar de San Juan, a wind energy park coupled with a turbine assembly factory in Navas del Marques, and a center focused on digital product development. Despite the withdrawal of expected funding support for the battery gigafactory, Envision proceeded with its construction.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 proposed prohibiting US defense contracts involving Envision batteries due to concerns over national security.
Operations
Envision's research and development activities related to wind technology are centralized in Shanghai, supported by additional facilities in Jiangyin and an innovation hub located in Silkeborg, Denmark, where a team of 40 engineers concentrates on cutting-edge turbine advancements. Other R&D centers include battery storage technology based in Osaka, Japan, cloud computing services operating out of Houston, and digital innovation efforts headquartered in Silicon Valley, California. In 2022, the company inaugurated its inaugural green hydrogen research center in Boston. Globally, Envision has deployed wind capacity exceeding 30 GWh (108 TJ).
In 2020, Envision achieved the rank of fourth largest supplier among worldwide wind turbine manufacturers.