The wind is definitely blowing these days and this is one of the reasons that wind energy is a great alternative energy source. Today Northern Power Systems is celebrating a milestone: its NPS 100 permanent magnet direct drive (PM/DD) wind turbine fleet has surpassed two million hours of operation. The company’s 100 kW fleet began operating in 2008 at nearly 98% demonstrating high energy production and little downtime. Currently, more than 175 NPS 100 wind turbines are installed and operating in the 25 U.S. states as well as in the Bahamas, Canada, Italy, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.

“We are very proud to have achieved the two million hour milestone while maintaining high fleet availability,” said Troy Patton, President and CEO at Northern Power Systems. “Northern Power’s PM/DD technology delivers the performance and reliability that are fundamental to the long term success of distributed power generation around the world.”

With hurricane season upon us, wind turbines can help detect wind speeds. Last year when Hurricane Irene, a Class III hurricane, hit the Bahamas directly, the turbines detected high winds of up to 107.1 miles per hour (mph) and automatically entered safe mode. The next morning, the winds died down and the NPS 100 turbines began operating normally with no need for any maintenance or repair. NPS turbines are designed to stand up to winds up to 133 mph (59.5 m/s).

A little wind fact: if wind speeds are to high, usually during major storms, wind turbines are shut down for safety.

“Our NPS 100 customers get clean, cost effective renewable energy from turbines that fit perfectly in remote locations as well as industrial areas and communities. The turbine’s reliable, safe and simple operation gives owners peace of mind and delivers the highest energy output in its class for the best return on their investment,” said Reinout Oussoren, Vice President of Global Sales at Northern Power Systems.

With the proof in the wind of the success of NPS 100 wind turbines, Northern Power Systems is expanding its turbine portfolio citing several key benefits of the turbines including the the need for only minimal infrastructure, provide easy installation and maintenance, and eliminate the need for transmission lines for grid connectivity.