Clipper Windpower
Encyclopedia
Clipper Windpower is a wind turbine
manufacturing company formed in 2001 by James G.P. Dehlsen, who also formed Zond
in 1980. In December 2010 Clipper Windpower was acquired by United Technologies Corporation
.
, one of the largest wind turbines manufactured in the U.S. The turbine was developed under a partnership with DOE and its National Renewable Energy Laboratory
(NREL). Commercial sales started in June 2006 for the new Liberty turbine and now amount to more than 5,600 MW (2,240 units) of firm and contingent orders for deliveries in 2007 through 2011. Clipper Windpower has an agreement with BP Energy
to supply the 2.5 MW turbines for the proposed 5,050 MW Titan Wind Project
in South Dakota.
would acquire a 49.5% stake in Clipper Windpower by purchasing 84.3 million new shares and 21.8 million shares from current shareholders for £126.5 million. Clipper has stated that this equity purchase "will significantly strengthen its balance sheet and enable it to enhance its operations and pursue its strategic initiatives". On Monday 18 October 2010, UTC agreed with Clipper to acquire the rest of the company, a transaction that was completed in December 2010 for a total cost of approximately $385 million.
, Northumberland
in the United Kingdom
. Being developed for offshore use, each turbine would be rated at around 7.5 MW and would be roughly double the size of the largest turbines used in commercial offshore wind farms today (Siemens
3.6 MW turbine).According to the British Wind Energy Association, electrical power for a city the size of Newcastle upon Tyne
could be supplied by as few as 20 of the turbines.
On February 18, 2010, Clipper Windpower Marine announced construction of a 4000 sqm offshore wind turbine blade manufacturing facility in Neptune Estate, Tyne. The factory would have been used to develop and build blades for the Britannia project, a 10 MW offshore wind turbine prototype under development by Clipper and scheduled for deployment in late 2012. However, Clipper stopped development of the 10 MW in August 2011 after parent United Technologies deemed the financial crisis as too severe, and has paid £1.6 million of aid back to The Crown Estate.
, in the United States
.
James Dehlsen was inducted into the National Environmental Hall of Fame in 2008, and has received the Prince Henri Monpezat
Medal of Honor in 1985.
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
manufacturing company formed in 2001 by James G.P. Dehlsen, who also formed Zond
Enron Wind
Enron Wind Systems, part of the Enron group, were manufacturers of wind turbines. The group was formed after the acquisition in January 1997 of Zond Corporation of California, the largest US developer of wind-powered electricity at the time....
in 1980. In December 2010 Clipper Windpower was acquired by United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation is an American multinational conglomerate headquartered in the United Technologies Building in Hartford, Connecticut...
.
History
In September, 2007 Clipper Windpower, based in California, received an Outstanding Research and Development Partnership Award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the design and development of its 2.5 MW Liberty Wind TurbineLiberty Wind Turbine
The 2.5 MW Liberty Wind Turbine is the largest wind turbine manufactured in the United States. The turbine was developed through a partnership with U.S. Department of Energy and its National Renewable Energy Laboratory for Clipper Windpower....
, one of the largest wind turbines manufactured in the U.S. The turbine was developed under a partnership with DOE and its National Renewable Energy Laboratory
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory , located in Golden, Colorado, is the United States' primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is a government-owned, contractor-operated facility; it is funded through...
(NREL). Commercial sales started in June 2006 for the new Liberty turbine and now amount to more than 5,600 MW (2,240 units) of firm and contingent orders for deliveries in 2007 through 2011. Clipper Windpower has an agreement with BP Energy
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
to supply the 2.5 MW turbines for the proposed 5,050 MW Titan Wind Project
Titan Wind Project
The Titan Wind Project is a proposed 5,050 MW wind farm project, formerly known as Rolling Thunder, based in South Dakota. The project developers, Clipper Windpower and BP Alternative Energy, expect to build Titan in several phases and, when completed, it will be one of the largest wind farms in...
in South Dakota.
Acquisition by United Technologies
On December 10, 2009, it was announced that Connecticut-based United Technologies CorporationUnited Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation is an American multinational conglomerate headquartered in the United Technologies Building in Hartford, Connecticut...
would acquire a 49.5% stake in Clipper Windpower by purchasing 84.3 million new shares and 21.8 million shares from current shareholders for £126.5 million. Clipper has stated that this equity purchase "will significantly strengthen its balance sheet and enable it to enhance its operations and pursue its strategic initiatives". On Monday 18 October 2010, UTC agreed with Clipper to acquire the rest of the company, a transaction that was completed in December 2010 for a total cost of approximately $385 million.
Offshore wind energy turbine
In April, 2008 Clipper Windpower announced plans to develop a large wind energy turbine in BlythBlyth, Northumberland
Blyth is a town and civil parish in southeast Northumberland, England. It lies on the coast, to the south of the River Blyth and is approximately 21 kilometres northeast of Newcastle upon Tyne...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Being developed for offshore use, each turbine would be rated at around 7.5 MW and would be roughly double the size of the largest turbines used in commercial offshore wind farms today (Siemens
Siemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
3.6 MW turbine).According to the British Wind Energy Association, electrical power for a city the size of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
could be supplied by as few as 20 of the turbines.
On February 18, 2010, Clipper Windpower Marine announced construction of a 4000 sqm offshore wind turbine blade manufacturing facility in Neptune Estate, Tyne. The factory would have been used to develop and build blades for the Britannia project, a 10 MW offshore wind turbine prototype under development by Clipper and scheduled for deployment in late 2012. However, Clipper stopped development of the 10 MW in August 2011 after parent United Technologies deemed the financial crisis as too severe, and has paid £1.6 million of aid back to The Crown Estate.
Other
Clipper also has a wind turbine manufacturing facility in Cedar Rapids, IowaCedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
James Dehlsen was inducted into the National Environmental Hall of Fame in 2008, and has received the Prince Henri Monpezat
Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark
Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark , is the husband of the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II.-Early life:Henrik was born in Talence, Gironde, France...
Medal of Honor in 1985.