Wind Power in the United States – 10 Companies to Watch
America has become one of the world's fastest-growing wind energy market. Here are some of the beneficiaries.

US wind power generating capacity surged 45% in 2007, with the installation of 5,244MW, according to the American Wind Energy Association. This accounted for nearly a third of the country’s entire new power-producing capacity added during the year. It has established wind power as one of the largest sources of new electricity supply in the US, and it also makes America one of the fastest-growing wind energy markets in the world.

Here are 10 companies that are involved:

American Superconductor has developed a variety of high-tech applications for the energy industry, and it has achieved particular success with its D-VAR technology for connecting wind farms to power grids. It achieved $52.2 million in sales in the year to March 2007, though with a big loss. It is forecasting sales of $100 million to $110 million in March 2008 and more than $150 million the following year.

Clipper Windpower has its headquarters in the US, though is listed on the London Stock Exchange. It manufactures wind turbines in Iowa and is also involved in promoting wind energy projects in Europe and America.

Composite Technology Corporation manufactures wind power turbines through its subsidiary DeWind Inc. Despite company revenues of $40 million in the year to September 2007, this business recorded a big loss.

FPL Group is a giant, very profitable Florida-based power utility. Its activities include the operation of 49 wind energy facilities in 15 states. It is the US leader in wind energy generation, with 956MW of new developments in 2007 alone.

General Electric is a world leader in the manufacture of wind power systems, through its GE Energy division. It was responsible for the turbines for 45% of the US market in 2007, in terms of new capacity installed. It expected its worldwide 2007 wind power revenues to exceed $4 billion, an eight-fold increase since 2002.

Kaydon Corporation, a manufacturer of specialised components for a variety of industries, is spending $78 million to expand its custom bearing assemblies business to meet fast-growing demand from wind turbine companies.

Mass Megawatts Wind Power manufactures the MultiAxis Turbosystem, a wind power system that it claims enables power output at relatively low wind speeds. It is targeting sales in California.

McKenzie Bay International, formerly involved in vanadium/titanium exploration in Quebec, has developed the WindStor wind power system and is promoting it through its Michigan subsidiary WindStor Power Company.

Tower Tech Systems, based in Wisconsin, manufactures components and equipment for the wind power industry. Its Tower Tech Systems subsidiary makes tower support structures, its Brad Foote Gear Works subsidiary makes gearing systems and its newly acquired Energy Maintenance Service provides operations and maintenance services to wind power companies.

Western Wind Energy is a Canadian company with wind farm operations in California and Arizona, and claims to be the largest publicly traded producing pure wind energy company in North America.

* Learn more on the attractions of the US wind sector in the ebook Investing in US Wind Energy.

January 28th, 2008

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Wind Power in the United States – 10 Companies to Watch America has become one of the world's fastest-growing wind energy market. Here are some of the beneficiaries.

Wind Power in the United States – 10 Companies to Watch
America has become one of the world's fastest-growing wind energy market. Here are some of the beneficiaries.