Company History of Southwest Windpower

March 1987:

Southwest Windpower, an Arizona corporation, is established by David Calley and Andy Kruse, who saw a need for a small, reliable battery charging wind generator that complements photovoltaics (solar energy or PV) in supplying energy to rural areas of the world.

The first product the company develops is a 300 watt wind generator called the WINDSEEKER®. This was a simple design made from a modified Ford alternator.

June 1994:

The AIR series wind turbine is introduced to the public. Approximately 18,000 Air Marine™, Air Wind Module™, and Air Industrial™ wind turbines are produced and shipped to over 100 countries, making it the best selling battery charging wind turbine in history.

October 1998:

The Company introduces a more refined version called the Air 403, a more robust 400-watt design. During 1999, more than 12,000 Air wind turbines are shipped, about double the production of its nearest competitor.

April 2000:

Southwest Windpower acquired the operations of World Power Technologies of Duluth, Minnesota, a manufacturer of wind turbines ranging from 900 to 3000 watts. The company sees this acquisition as vital to address sudden market changes towards larger machines for the grid-connected market. Sales decrease significantly for the first three quarters of 2000 after the “Y2K” concern never materialized and management focuses on the acquisition.

June 2000:

The Company purchases a new manufacturing facility located at 1519 N. Main Street in Flagstaff. The 11,500 sq. ft. building is expanded to 19,000 sq. ft. in 2003. As part of a consolidation plan, all offices, Air, Whisper H40, H89 and 175 production lines are relocated to the new facility.

September 2000:

Southwest Windpower becomes the first wind turbine manufacturer to receive UL and IEC certification for its AIR series wind turbines. AIR is the first wind turbine to receive these important certifications for safety and reliability. This approval boosted sales of its industrial turbine into the telecom market and its land series into commercial areas where insurance and zoning restrictions have previously prevented the use of similar products.

January 2002:

The Company introduced the Air X, the first microprocessor based micro-wind turbine. This breakthrough in design improves performance by more than 20% and significantly reduces noise in high winds. AIR continues to be the best selling small wind turbine in every market segment worldwide.

April 2002:

The United States Export Import bank nominates the company as the “Small Business Exporter of the Year.” This is due to the company’s continuous effort to expand its international marketing objectives. In 2002, more than 50% of its product shipped abroad to 62 countries. Southwest Windpower is also elected to the Ex-Im Bank’s renewable energy advisory board that is designed to assist the Bank in expanding its portfolio of renewable energy loans as mandated by Congress in 1988.

February 2005:

Southwest Windpower relocates to its new production facility in West Flagstaff, doubling production space. The new facility opened with 60 employees. By 2006 the facility was expanded to a total of 34,000 sq. ft. and employed 83 people.

April 2006:

Southwest Windpower announces completion of an $8 million Series-B equity investment led by RockPort Capital Partners, a venture capital firm in Boston. CTTV Investments LLC, the venture capital arm of Chevron Technology Ventures and existing shareholder Altira Technology Fund IV LP of Denver also participated in the financing. This funding follows two years of solid growth by Southwest Windpower, as sales of small wind generators increased 50 percent per year in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

October 2006:

Skystream 3.7® begins shipping to North American customers. Skystream offers a simple, all-in-one solution to harnessing wind energy on a residential scale. Different from all other technologies, Skystream is the first all-inclusive small wind generator with the controls and inverter built in. Skystream 3.7 was awarded Best of What's New by Popular Science magazine and received national media attention in 2006.

June 2007:

Southwest Windpower is  named a wind power Company to Watch by authors of The Clean Tech Revolution. In their book, authors Ron Pernick and Clint Wilder identify ten companies in eight clean-technology industry sectors that bear watching for future growth and industry influence. Southwest Windpower was the only small-scale (under 10 kW) wind power company named in the chapter devoted to primarily to large-scale wind power.

September 2007:

November 2007:

Article appears in the Portland (Maine) Press Herald announcing that ex-President, George H.W. Bush decided to install a Skystream 3.7 at his Kennebunkport home. Written by Anne Gleason, the article mentions Southwest Windpower and its dealer, All Season Home Improvement Co. in Augusta, Maine.

Also this month, Southwest Windpower is named one of 2007’s top 100 fastest-growing energy companies in Inc.com’s Inc. 5000, a survey of the fastest growing private companies in America. As the only small-wind energy company on the list of 5,000, Inc.com identified Southwest Windpower as a company to watch in the rapidly growing alternative energy market.

April 2008:

Southwest Windpower introduces the Air Breeze™, the latest generation of AIR – the world’s most popular small wind generator. New, quieter blades, advanced electronics for optimized energy output, and more durable body castings, make the Air Breeze well-suited for remote homes and cabins, rural communication towers, monitoring stations, boats and RVs.

June 2008:

The Arizona Manufacturers Council names Southwest Windpower the outstanding small manufacturer of the year, alongside Intel, who is named manufacturer of the year.

July 2008:

The American Business “Stevie” Awards selects Southwest Windpower as a 2008 finalist for the Most Innovative Company award. Known as the business world’s version of the Oscars, the Stevie’s are the only national, all-encompassing awards program honoring great performances in business. Southwest Windpower is among only 29 other finalists, selected from more than 2,600 entries.

August 2008:

Skystream 3.7 achieves European certifications in five key countries.

October 2008:

Southwest Windpower plays a leadership role in the passage of new legislation creating a federal-level tax credit for qualified small wind turbines – a significant leap for the small wind industry as a whole. The legislation gives with tax credit up to $4,000 to consumers who purchase Southwest Windpower’s Skystream 3.7. This legislation marks the first federal incentive for small wind systems since 1985.