Southwest Windpower
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Wind turbine manufacturing |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Fate | Operations ended in early 2013; assets acquired by Xzeres Wind in July 2013 |
| Headquarters | Flagstaff, Arizona , United States |
| Products | Wind turbines (AIR series, Skystream 3.7) |
Southwest Windpower (SWWP) was established in 1987 and operated out of Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, focusing on manufacturing wind turbines. The firm specialized in producing compact, dependable wind generators intended for battery charging, designed to work alongside photovoltaic systems for providing energy in rural areas.
Operations at SWWP ended in early 2013. Subsequently, in July 2013, Xzeres Wind acquired the remaining assets related to the Skystream product line; notably, Xzeres’ CEO Frank Greco had previously served as the head of Southwest Windpower.
Certifications
In the year 2000, SWWP achieved a milestone by becoming the first wind turbine producer to obtain certification from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) as well as the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for its AIR series turbines. The company’s most recent offering, the Skystream 3.7, is equipped with a rotor diameter measuring approximately , capable of generating up to fifty percent of the electricity required by an average American household under favorable wind conditions. This model was pioneering as the first turbine specifically engineered for residential use connected to the electrical grid or for small commercial applications.
The Skystream project originated through support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Program and included development efforts at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Wind Technology Center. Andrew Kruse, the founder, projected that each Skystream unit would deliver roughly 100 MWh of electricity over a two-decade operational period. With installation costs around $15,000, this equates to an average cost of energy close to nine cents per kilowatt-hour.
In 2011, Southwest Windpower earned a Statement of Compliance from Germanischer Lloyd confirming that the Skystream 3.7 conformed to IEC Standard 61400-2:2006 Edition 2, which covers safety protocols, quality assurance measures, and engineering standards. That same year, the Small Wind Certification Council granted a consumer label endorsing Skystream 3.7’s claims regarding its performance, dependability, and safety features.
Additionally, a Skystream 3.7 turbine underwent testing as part of an airborne wind energy system when installed on an Altaeros helium-filled balloon platform.