06.12.08

US Dept of Energy Cites Innovative Blade Project
Knight & Carver's STAR Blade Ranked as Top 10 Accomplishment

NATIONAL CITY, CALIFORNIA - The U.S. Department of Energy's Wind and Hydropower Technologies division has named the innovative "STAR" wind blade, which has been developed in partnership with Knight & Carver Wind Group, as one of the agency's Top 10 Program Accomplishments.

Starting in 2006, Knight & Carver has partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy for the $2.8 million shared cost research and development project. As planned, the project will soon lead to full-scale production of an innovative wind blade that produces energy in low-wind speed regions.

The STAR project features an innovative curved wind blade that maximizes performance at all wind speeds. It automatically twists during high wind to reduce loads on the machine, thus producing a maximized amount of wind energy. As a result, the blade can be utilized in regions regarded as lower-wind production areas where average wind speed ranges from 10 mph to 15 mph.

Sized at 27.2 meters x 2.4 meters, the blade Ð technically referred to as the Sweep Twist Adaptive Rotor blade -- is now being produced at Knight & Carver's facility in Howard, South Dakota. A set of three STAR blades is now operating at a wind farm in Tehachapi, California. Full-scale production is expected by year-end.

In praising the project, the U.S. Department of Energy stated: "The STAR design sets the stage for the next major evolution in wind turbine blade design."

The project is a cooperative effort with the U.S. Department of Energy, the University of California at Davis and the Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Knight & Carver's Gary Kanaby serves as project manager, with Leo Martinez as production manager and consultant Kevin Jackson as principal engineer/investigator.

About Knight & Carver Wind Group:
Founded in 1997, Knight & Carver Wind Group is dedicated to the repair, service and manufacture of wind-turbine blades, utilized world-wide for the cost-efficient renewable energy production. The company provides wind-turbine blade repair and maintenance services to customers throughout the U.S., Latin American, Canada and Europe. The company also operates blade production and repair facilities in National City, CA and Howard, South Dakota.