Michigan Wind Energy Manufacturing Working Group

Mark TomkinsDirector, Consulting ServicesDirect phone: 1-312-494-2172Email: tomkins@gaccom.orgGerman American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, Inc. - GACCoMDEinternational / AHK Chicago401 N Michigan Ave, Suite 3330, Chicago, IL 60611Phone: 1-312-644-2662, Fax: 1-312-644-0738www.gaccom.org, www.ahk-usa.com, www.ahk.deOpportunity for Alternative Energy Companies – Hannover FairHannover Fair to be held April 20-24, 2009. The Alternative Energy sector throughout Europe(and around the World) is burgeoning as evidenced by the more than 100,000 attendees at the2008 Hannover Fair and that’s just for the Energy section of the program alone! Opportunitiesfor US companies abound.Special arrangements are being negotiated for Michigan companies to attend the 2009 HannoverFair, some of which include:Special rates for exhibitors.Special travel packages (air, ground transportation & hotel).Advanced marketing and matchmaking services with attendees representing globalcompanies.Special forum to Feature Michigan’s presence.Special guided tours customized to individual companies’ interests.Targeted meetings with other interested partiesInterpreter servicesIf you are interested in attending or have questions about this event, please contact: MikeShapiro: 313-596-0438 mshapiro@detroitchamber.com or, Dean Johnson: 313NEWSNextEnergy gets new CEOKeith Cooley, most recently director of Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Growth,sees unmatched opportunities for state’s work force in alternative and renewable energytechnology development. The NextEnergy Center board Monday named Keith W. Cooley as thesecond president and CEO of the state's renewable energy industry accelerator. Also, Gov.Jennifer Granholm will also issue an Executive Order adding a new energy department to theMichigan Department of Labor and Economic 3210234Department of Labor and Economic Growth adds “Energy” to its TitleGovernor Granholm announced on Oct. 27 a reorganization of state government that aligns allactivities related to renewable energy and energy efficiency in one department. By executiveorder, all activities related to the energy sector will be consolidated into the Department of Laborand Economic Growth which will be renamed the Department of Energy, Labor and EconomicGrowth (DELEG). Granholm announced the appointment of her special advisor on renewableenergy, Stanley ―Skip‖ Pruss, to serve as the CEO and director of DELEG. Pruss will beresponsible for promoting the use of renewable energy, the development of advanced energytechnologies, and the implementation of energy efficiency measures in the state. He replacesKeith Cooley who has accepted a position as CEO of NextEnergy in Detroit.Federal Support of Renewable InstallationsFederal Energy Tax Credits have been extended as part of the financial rescue legislation thatwas recently passed by Congress. The new law contains a 1-year extension of the productiontax credit for wind energy, a 2-year extension of the production tax credit for other renewables, an8-year extension of the tax credits for investment in commercial and residential solar projects,including the removal of the 2,000 cap on residential solar electric installations, the addition of

small wind energy and geothermal heat pump projects as qualifying for tax credits, a 5-yearextension of the tax deduction for energy-efficient commercial buildings, a 1-year extension of thetax credit for the construction of new energy-efficient homes, and tax credits for qualified edfor2009.http://www.energytaxincentives.org/ & http://www.dsireusa.org/Danotek Motion Technologies Receives FundingAnn Arbor, Mich.-based Danotek Motion Technologies, a manufacturer of high-efficiency windturbine generators, has raised 14.5 million from CMEA Ventures, StatoilHydro Venture and GEEnergy Financial Services. Danotek's generators can increase wind turbines' efficiency, whilereducing maintenance and operating costs, according to the company. The initial funding round of 7.25 million was led by CMEA Ventures and StatoilHydro Venture. The balance of the funds is tobe provided in a subsequent round. Additional details of the funding were not disclosed.http://www.nawindpower.com/e107 plugins/content/content lt.php?content.3157Grand Rapids Company Starts Selling Small Wind TurbinesSWIFT Wind Turbine’s first customer installation in Michigan is at the Frauenthal Center for thePerforming Arts, owned and operated by the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. The1.5 kW wind turbines are built by Cascade Engineering in Grand Rapids. The Swift turbineoperation currently employs 15 people. The North American units are assembled here along withall of the rotor blades for the units sold worldwide. Cascade hopes to sell up to 2,000 Swift unitsin 2009. www.SwiftWindTurbine.comWind Turbine With Hybrid Tower Could Produce More EnergyOne of the world's biggest wind turbines with a hybrid tower is being built at the wind test site inGrevenbroich, Germany. The tower combines a lower segment consisting of long, narrow pre-castconcrete components made by Netherlands-based tower specialists Advanced Tower Systems(ATS) and an upper segment made of conventional steel elements. The turbine will measure 180meters, with a hub height of 133 meters. The tower is being installed and will be operated by theATS Projekt Grevenbroich company, in which juwi Netzwerk GmbH & Co. KG, Mecal ProjectsGmbH, HB Bau GmbH and Siemens Project Ventures are equal partners. "This innovative towerenables a higher hub height to produce more energy at comparatively low overall cost. It's alsolight cargo," says ATS' managing director Frans Brughuis. Compared to widespread hub heightsof 100 meters, ATS' system yields about 20% more energy. The higher expense incurred duringinstallation is recuperated within about four years, and maintenance costs are very low. At inlandlocations with lower wind speed, that is particularly important, and it opens up new developmentpotential for clean wind-generated power. The various elements of the hybrid tower are designedto be easily transportable even to difficult locations, such as forests. The tower also stands out forits quick installation time and can be combined with different brands of components.AMSC Partners With Chinese ManufacturerAmerican Superconductor Corp. (AMSC), an energy technologies company, and ShenyangBlower Works Co. Ltd. (SBW), a Chinese industrial equipment manufacturer, have signed anagreement for co-development work that positions SBW to become a supplier of wind turbines forthe Chinese marketplace and, eventually, globally. Under the terms of the agreement, AMSC'swholly owned AMSC WindtecTM subsidiary will provide SBW with designs for its 2 MW doubly fedinduction wind turbine. AMSC will also help SBW localize the supply of all core components forthe wind turbines, establish its wind turbine manufacturing line, and build and test SBW's firstprototype wind turbines. After receiving certification, SBW will manufacture the turbines and sellthem primarily into the Chinese market. AMSC will provide the full electrical systems for all ofSBW's wind turbines. This co-development agreement provides SBW with the right tomanufacture its 2 MW wind turbines in China and sell the systems globally. The company plans tohave its first prototype turbines installed and commissioned in 2009 and expects to begin seriesproduction in 2010.

New COO At Nordic WindpowerBerkeley Calif.-based Nordic Windpower, a manufacturer of utility-scale wind turbines, hasannounced that Jeffrey Brown has joined the company as chief operations officer (COO). He willmanage the company's operations team which includes a manufacturing facility in Pocatello,Idaho, and a service team in Berkeley.http://www.nawindpower.com/e107 plugins/content/content lt.php?content.3062NRG Wind Measurement Equipment Mfg ExpansionHinesburg, Vt.-based NRG Systems, a manufacturer of wind measurement equipment for theglobal wind energy industry, celebrated the grand opening of its 60 Riggs Road facility, the newestaddition to its green campus.http://www.nawindpower.com/e107 plugins/content/content lt.php?content.3076Vestas Projects Growth for 2009World-leading wind turbine manufacturer Vestas projects 25%-plus revenue growth in 2009 inspite of the credit crisis, which it says will alleviate demand pressure on the wind power industry,the company said in its latest financial report. In the report Vestas said it has no plans to cut itswork force, particularly given strong long-term growth prospects, but that it will postpone thehiring of a number of additional employees as a result of the ―lower-than-planned rate ofutilization of the organization in 2009.‖ Vestas expects to resume its staffing growth ―as soon asthe present credit squeeze decreases.‖ As for supply chain issues, the prices for several of itscomponents have peaked, according to Vestas, with the company recovering that cost withhigher prices for its product. In 2009, the company anticipates, the number of suppliers,especially from China, will grow, leading to increased competition across the value chain. Vestasexpects annual revenue to be nearly 7.3 billion for 2008 and 9.2 billion for 2009.GE Ships Turbine No. 10,000GE Energy recently shipped its 10,000th 1.5-MW wind turbine, the company announced. Overthe past decade, GE's 1.5-MW machines have been installed in 19 countries and haveaccumulated more than 130 million operating hours, producing more than 78,000 gigawatt-hoursof clean, wind-generated electricity. The 10,000th unit was shipped to FPL Energy, the largestU.S. generator of wind power, for the Ashtabula Wind Energy Center located in North Dakota.Iowa City To Develop Wind Energy Supply Chain CampusThe city of Iowa City, Iowa, has begun the process of acquiring, annexing and zoning the first 173acres of land that will comprise the initial parcel of a dedicated wind energy supply chain campus.Located minutes between Acciona North America's operations in West Branch, Iowa, andClipper's North American nacelle manufacturing plants in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, this rail-servedcampus will allow current and future suppliers easy access to their customers and the growingnumber of wind projects in the upper Midwest. Iowa City plans to coordinate with utility partnersand transportation officials to expedite infrastructure projects. City leaders envision a variety ofuses on the wind energy supply chain campus, including forging and casting, manufacturing, lightassembly, warehousing and distribution.SKF Announces Two New Energy-Efficient Bearing TypesSKF, a global supplier of bearings, seals and lubrication systems, has developed spherical andcylindrical roller bearings. Extensive testing results verify significant friction reduction compared toSKF standard bearings. SKF energy-efficient spherical roller bearings exhibit at least 30% lessfriction and corresponding reduced energy consumption, considerably lower bearing temperature,extended grease life and extended relubrication intervals. Five sizes of open bearings are the firstto be introduced for industrial ventilation fan applications as part of the total SKF energy-efficientsolution for fans. Additional sizes will be offered based on customer demand.http://www.nawindpower.com/e107 plugins/content/content lt.php?content.3117

Magnetech Industrial Services Expands Wind ServicesMassillon, Ohio based-Magnetech Industrial Services has acquired the business and assets ofCalifornia-based Visalia Electric Motor Shop Inc., a repair, maintenance and overhaul provider formission-critical motors and generators. Visalia serves an extensive roster of industry-leadingcustomers in 14 Western states. Magnetech says the addition of Visalia will significantly expandits wind generation repair and maintenance capabilities on the West Coast. The Visalia facility willnow support all field service and in-shop repairs in the western U.S. With this acquisition,Magnetech now has nine locations nationwide.http://www.nawindpower.com/e107 plugins/content/content lt.php?content.3068GridPoint to Manage Wind Power Battery StorageThe smart grid technology startup has inked a deal with Xcel Energy to manage storing windpower in batteries when demand is low and drawing on it when it's needed anada Targeting 20% Electricity from Wind by 2025Obtaining 20% of the country's electricity supply from wind by 2025 would generate CAN 79billion [US 64 billion] of investment in Canada and would make the Canadian wind-power sectora major player in the global wind energy s/story?id 53972Mariah Power's Windspire(R), Receives 'Best Of What's New' Award in Popular ScienceMariah Power ( www.mariahpower.com), manufacturer of the Windspire(R), a residential andcommercial wind power appliance, was recognized in "Best of What's New" in the green techcategory by Popular Science in its December 2008 issue. The Windspire is a 30-foot-tall,propeller-free, vertical-axis wind turbine designed for harnessing wind power in urban, suburbanand rural locations for residential and commercial use. Each year, Popular Science reviewsthousands of new products and innovations and chooses the top 100 winners across 11categories for inclusion in its annual "Best of What's New" issue, the most-read issue of the Powers-WindspireR-VerticalAxis/story.aspx?guid %7B199C6169-B531-4288-91F2-9CB6E51441D0%7DReport: Massive Investment Will Be Needed To Maintain Reliable EnergyThe U.S. utility industry will have to invest between 1.5 trillion and 2 trillion between 2010 and2030 to maintain current levels of reliable energy service for customers throughout the country,according to a new report issued today by the Brattle Group, which provides consulting and experttestimony in economics, finance and regulation. The findings are detailed in "TransformingAmerica's Power Industry: The Investment Challenge 2010-2030." The report was presented byPeter Fox-Penner, a principal of the Brattle Group, at the Edison Electric Institute's 43rd FinancialConference. The report was sponsored by the Edison Foundation. For more information, visitwww.brattle.comFEDERAL AND OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIESNotice of Upcoming Funding Opportunity Announcement and ProgramAnnouncement: 20% Wind by 2030: Overcoming the ChallengesThis is a Notice of an Upcoming Funding Opportunity Announcement and ProgramAnnouncement- NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THIS TIME. ThisNotice of Intent is to inform the public of an upcoming Funding OpportunityAnnouncement (FOA) and Program Announcement (PA). The Department of Energy(DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Wind andHydropower Technologies Program (WHTP) intends to issue a parallel FOA directed atindustry partners and a PA directed at Department of Energy Laboratories to addresswind development technical challenges as well as market acceptance barriers. The

proposed Title for the Announcements is ―20% Wind by 2030: Overcoming theChallenges‖. The parallel Announcements target support for the following five topicareas: Turbine research, development and testing; Market acceptance efforts;Environmental research and siting strategies; Transmission analysis, planning andassessments; and Workforce development. These funding efforts support the 20%Wind Energy by 2030 report which outlines the feasibility of using wind energy togenerate 20% of the nation's electricity demand by 2030. The report can be found athttp://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro.Xcel Energy RFPXcel Energy's Southwestern Public Service Co. (SPS) is seeking a request forproposals (RFP) for more than 1,000 MW of additional power for its Texas-New Mexicoelectrical system to meet growing demands for electricity across the region. In the lastthree months, the company has issued three separate RFPs, seeking up to 800 MW ofdispatchable power, which could come from various fuel types, and up to 250 MW ofadditional wind power. In addition, proposals for an additional 600 MW of dispatchablepower are being sought for delivery beginning in 2012 and 2013. The company isrequesting that the wind resources be available between 2010 and 2012 at the latest,and that they be located in the Texas portion of the SPS service area. Any new powerpurchase agreements would be subject to all necessary regulatory approvals, includingregulatory approval in the states SPS serves. Deadline: Dec. 15For more information: xcelenergy.comRequest for Proposal (RFP) for Wind-Powered Energy Generation Project for NebraskaThe Nebraska Public Power District (District) intends to expand its power supply by addingadditional wind-powered resources to its generation resource portfolio and the District is solicitingproposals for from Community-Based Energy Development (C-BED) or other privately ownedWind-Powered Energy Generation Project(s). We are hereby requesting that if your firm isinterested, to submit a proposal to perform the work scope described in the attached RFP. AnyRespondent questions pertaining to this RFP must be submitted electronically to the District byWednesday, February 13, 2009, in accordance with Section 5.0 of the RFP. Electronic proposalsmust be received no later than 5:00 p.m. CDT, on Tuesday, April 15, 2009, and should bedelivered in accordance with Section 6.2 of the RFP. If interested, please contact:Brent L. HofferberProcurement SpecialistNebraska Public Power District1414 15th St.Columbus, NE 68601Ph: (402) 563-5896Fax: (402) 563-5034blhoffe@nppd.comThe Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (MEAN) is requesting proposals for a long termwind energy purchase power agreement (PPA).The joint action agency seeks proposals for up to 30 MW of nameplate capacity that MEAN canpurchase by the end of 2009, but will also consider projects available in 2010. The wind projectmust interconnect on the Public Service Co. of Colorado transmission syst

Direct phone: 1-312-494-2172 Email: tomkins@gaccom.org German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, Inc. - GACCoM DEinternational / AHK Chicago 401 N Michigan Ave, Suite 3330, Chicago, IL 60611 Phone: 1-312-644-2662, Fax: 1-312-644-0738 www.gaccom.org, www.ahk-usa.co