September 17, 2009 08:49 PM Eastern Time 

Simultaneous Global Launch Announced for Zephyr Airdolphin GTO(TM)

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zephyr Corporation (Ryosuke Ito, President) announced the world's highest power-to-weight ratio small wind turbine specialized for grid-connection, the Airdolphin GTO™.

Designed for a utility grid connection ("GTO" = "Grid-Tie Optimized"), the Airdolphin GTO™ provides a peak power output exceeding 4 kilowatts, with a total weight of only 17.5 kilograms.

"We are impressed with our field test results," said Mats Vilander, Zephyr's European General Manager," and will commence sales October 1, simultaneously with U.S. and Japan. The Airdolphin GTO™ uses PV inverters for grid-connections, so we expect quick sales success."

Zephyr CEO Ryosuke Ito added, "The Airdolphin GTO™ is the culmination of a multi-million dollar R&D investment. Our research partners include the Japanese government and dozens of Japan's top industrial organizations. We are proud to be part of the solution to the world's energy problem."

About the Airdolphin GTO™:

• Specifically designed for utility grid connections
• Peak (instantaneous) power output of 4kW at 20 meter/second average wind speed
• Rated power of 1.1kW at 12.5 m/s AWS
• Daily production of 3kWh at AWS of 5 m/s, and 5kWh at 6 m/s AWS
• Extremely high daily production of 19 kWh at 11m/s AWS
• Uses PV power inverters for lower cost, easier connection approvals.
• Incorporates new rotor/turbine control mechanisms (including instantaneous braking) as required by utilities.
• New turbine control system software and high-density windings allow unprecedented high performance
• Continues the acclaimed features of the legendary Airdolphin™ series: silent operation, ultra-light yet sturdy carbon-fiber blades, unique boltless nacelle casing, and start-up assist mechanism.

About Zephyr Corporation:

Zephyr Corporation was established in 1997 as a specialist manufacturer of small wind turbines (SWT). Comprised of industry, academia and government, the consortium's efforts resulted in the Airdolphin series, of which the Airdolphin GTO™ is the first specific grid-connect model.

The Airdolphin series is currently distributed in more than 30 countries. In 2009, Zephyr Corporation expanded its global marketing efforts by establishing marketing subsidiaries in the U.S. (American Zephyr Corporation, July 2009) as well as in Europe (Zephyr EMEA, September 2009). Zephyr Corporation is focused on using its technology achievements to make a major contribution towards preserving the global environment.

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