Aeronautica Windpower has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Norwin A/S of Denmark to manufacture new, commercial-size wind turbines in the US for the North American and Caribbean markets. The Plymouth, MA company expects to ship its first turbines later this year.

In an industry dominated by foreign manufacturers, this positions Aeronautica as the first US owned company that will build 'sub-megawatt' class (101 to 1000 kilowatts) wind turbines in the states.

Aeronautica is actively seeking a site for a new factory, within New England, to supplement their existing refurbishing facilities in Plymouth, MA. The new plant will directly employ between 80 and 100 people. Hundreds of additional jobs will be created from the manufacture of subcomponents and assemblies, which the company plans to source from across the country.

Training, testing and research and development efforts will involve US colleges and universities. The company will erect one of the 750 kW turbines at its manufacturing facility to generate its own power, creating a green energy 'breeder' manufacturing facility. Aeronautica is currently raising expansion capital and negotiating for space.

Company officials hope that a portion of the Economic Stimulus money distributed from the Federal government may be obtained for this purpose.

The new plant will manufacture 225 and 750 kilowatt turbines, the size used by schools and other municipal facilities, shopping centers, industrial parks, and 'community wind' projects.

Unlike the massive wind turbines used at wind farms in the Midwest, these 'Queen-sized' machines are designed to fit on smaller land parcels in more populated areas, thereby powering the facility directly (Distributed Generation).

A select number of these machines will be made available at discounts to schools and colleges across the nation under a unique program specifically for facilities with good wind resources. For each 750kW turbine made and installed in the states, over 1.6million gallons of foreign oil is displaced - the equivalent of a line of oil tank trucks more than three miles long.