NEWS PRESS RELEASE 5.5.09
Northern Power Systems Names Troy Patton President, Utility Scale Wind
Company Taps Industry Veteran to Lead Multi-Megawatt Turbine Development
BARRE, VT and CHICAGO – May 5, 2009 – Northern Power Systems, Inc.
(www.northernpower.com), a next-generation wind energy company and
leading manufacturer of community wind turbines, today announced at
WINDPOWER 2009 that industry veteran Troy Patton has been appointed
President, Utility Scale Wind. The combination of Mr. Patton’s deep
experience in megawatt-scale wind power and the company’s plans to
introduce a 2.2 megawatt wind turbine that uses breakthrough gearless
wind turbine technology positions Northern Power Systems for rapid growth
in the utility sector.
Leveraging 17 years experience in the power generation industry, Mr.
Patton comes to Northern Power Systems from Vestas (VWS.CO) where he was Senior Vice President and head of the engineering and products function within Vestas Technology R&D. Prior to that role, he helped facilitate General Electric’s (NYSE: GE) integration of Enron’s wind energy business in 2003. He served in numerous technical and leadership roles for GE’s Wind Technology division. Prior to working in the wind business at GE, Mr. Patton led the prototyping of gas turbine power plants up to 500 MW.
“As we scale our groundbreaking technology into a megawatt-class wind turbine offering, it is critical that we build a world-class team dedicated to serving the needs of utility-scale customers,” said John P. Danner, President and CEO of Northern Power Systems. “With deep technical experience in the wind power industry and a proven track record for strong leadership, Troy brings the credibility, intelligence and passion that will drive our success in a rapidly expanding and technically demanding market.”
“The right technology has the potential to change the face of the wind power industry, and I believe Northern Power Systems is well positioned to compete in this increasingly demanding marketplace,” said Mr. Patton. “I’m confident the company has what it takes to commercialize world-class power plant solutions and I am delighted to join the Northern team.”
Mr. Patton will be wholly responsible for Northern Power Systems’ entry into the utility scale marketplace, leading business development as well as Northwind 2.2 engineering, design and manufacturing functions. The Northwind 2.2 breakthrough architecture is a vastly-improved alternative to traditional MW-scale wind turbine designs because it increases energy capture, improves reliability, substantially reduces operating and maintenance costs, and dramatically enhances grid power quality. The company is currently finalizing manufacturing partnerships and pursuing prototype sponsor agreements in preparation for next year’s Northwind 2.2 launch.
About Northern Power Systems
Northern Power Systems has over 30 years of experience in developing advanced, innovative wind turbines. In August 2008, Northern was established as stand-alone wind energy company when private investors acquired the business from Distributed Energy Systems (NASDAQ: DESCQ). A subsequent funding round in September 2008 brought the total available working capital to more than $40 million.
The company’s next generation wind turbine technology is based on a vastly simplified architecture that utilizes a unique combination of permanent magnet generators and direct-drive design. This revolutionary new approach delivers higher energy capture, eliminates drive-train noise, and significantly reduces maintenance and downtime costs. The company currently manufactures the Northwind 100 turbine, designed specifically for community wind applications such as schools/universities, businesses, commercial farms, and municipalities. Next year, the company plans to launch a 2.2MW turbine into the utility-scale marketplace for wind farm applications. Northern Power Systems is a fully integrated company that designs, manufactures, and sells wind turbines into the global marketplace from its headquarters in Vermont, USA. For additional information visit www.northernpower.com.
