Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy
Offshore wind specialist: 130 GW installed capacity and 21.5 MW turbines demonstrate R-selection innovation, but execution failures enabled competitive displacement.
Siemens Gamesa installed 130 GW of wind capacity globally—enough to power 140 million homes—yet the business struggled with losses until parent Siemens Energy absorbed it fully in 2023 to execute operational restructuring. The engineering achievement is undeniable: a 21.5 MW offshore turbine with 276-meter rotor diameter, installed in Denmark during 2024, ranks among the world's largest rotating machines. But technological sophistication doesn't guarantee fitness. The organism excelled at R-selection innovation (rapid prototyping, first-mover advantage in offshore wind) while failing at K-selection execution (cost control, warranty management, supply chain stability).
Wind turbine manufacturing exhibits brutal exploitative competition. Chinese manufacturers (Goldwind, Envision, Ming Yang) undercut European prices by 20-30% while scaling production faster. Vestas commands similar market share with better profitability. Siemens Gamesa faced quality issues on early turbine models, triggering €1+ billion in warranty provisions that eroded margins. This demonstrates how even keystone technologies (offshore wind enabling energy transition) don't protect organisms from competitive displacement if execution falters.
The company's RecyclableBlade technology—turbine blades that can be chemically broken down rather than landfilled—represents niche construction. By 2040, Siemens Gamesa commits to 100% recyclable turbines, anticipating regulatory mandates on end-of-life disposal. This forward investment modifies the competitive environment to favor companies with circular economy capabilities, but only if regulations actually require recyclability. Otherwise, it's costly signaling without fitness benefit.
Current focus: offshore wind projects in Germany, UK, US (Vineyard Wind), and Taiwan, leveraging the 14-22 MW turbine portfolio. Integration of electrolyzers directly into offshore turbines to produce green hydrogen demonstrates platform expansion—but adds technological risk. Ecology teaches that generalists outcompete specialists during environmental stability, while specialists dominate during niche abundance. Siemens Gamesa bets that offshore wind and hydrogen represent stable, growing niches. If regulations shift or subsidies vanish, specialization becomes a trap.