American Superconductor Corporation has added a news release to its Investor Relations website.

Date: 10/1/2007 7:34:00 AM

For a complete listing of our news releases, please click here

    --  AMSC's HTS Wire, Motor and Wind Turbine Design Strengths to be
        Coupled with Advanced Stator Technology and Manufacturing
        Expertise from TECO-Westinghouse
    --  National Institute of Science and Technology to Fund
        Development of Technologies for 10 Megawatt-Class, Direct
        Drive Offshore Wind Generators Powered by HTS Wire

    WESTBOROUGH, Mass. & ROUND ROCK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 1,
2007--American Superconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: AMSC), a leading
energy technologies company, and TECO-Westinghouse Motor Company
(TWMC), a leading manufacturer of motors and generators, announced
today that they have formed a research joint venture to develop high
temperature superconductor (HTS) and related technologies for
high-power, direct drive wind generators for offshore wind farms.
    Direct drive wind generator systems utilizing HTS wire instead of
copper wire for the generator's rotor are expected to be much smaller,
lighter and more efficient than conventional generators and gearboxes.
The net effect is expected to be a lower cost of wind generated
electricity, particularly for offshore wind farms. AMSC and TWMC also
announced that they have received an award from the National Institute
of Science and Technology's (NIST) Advanced Technology Program (ATP),
which is providing $3.4 million in funding toward the $6.8 million
research project to be conducted under the joint venture.
    "The objective of the TWMC-AMSC research joint venture is to
develop technologies that will enable the deployment of offshore 10
megawatt class, direct drive wind generators - double the power
capacity of conventional systems," said AMSC founder and chief
executive officer Greg Yurek. "The result will be more power delivered
from each offshore wind turbine, which would significantly reduce the
total costs of offshore wind farms. This advanced system will provide
a powerful option for our Windtec customers and others who want to
capitalize on the rapid growth of the offshore wind market."
    According to BTM Consult ApS, the installed base of offshore wind
generated electricity at the end of 2006 was approximately 877
megawatts (MW), representing approximately one percent of the world's
wind power capacity. By 2011, BTM predicts this figure will increase
to 7,606 MW, representing eight percent of wind power capacity
worldwide. Research firm Douglas-Westwood expects there will be $11.8
billion in offshore wind power capital expenditure over the next five
years.
    "HTS technology provides a new, powerful option for enabling
large-scale offshore wind farms," said Dr. H.C. Meng, President, TWMC.
"Our wind generator business is growing rapidly, and today's turbine
manufacturers are increasingly focusing on offshore locations and
higher power systems. Our research joint venture with AMSC gives us
the opportunity to expand our product offerings in the global wind
energy market."
    Wind generators up to 5 MW are now being sold commercially on the
market. However, higher power systems have not been introduced due
primarily to generator weight and cost limits.
    Lower weight HTS direct drive generator systems are expected to
provide more power in a smaller package for about the same cost as
conventional direct drive generators. By replacing copper with HTS on
the generator's rotor and utilizing a new high-efficiency stator
design to be developed under this project, AMSC and TWMC estimate that
they could produce 10 MW class direct drive generator systems that
would weigh approximately 120 metric tons, or about one-third the
weight of conventional direct drive generators with this power rating.
Technically, weight reductions could be greater, albeit at a higher
cost, giving wind energy system manufacturers and developers new
options to design and deploy cost-effective offshore wind farms.
    The 30-month cost-shared research project to be conducted by the
joint venture with NIST funding calls for the development of new HTS
wire and coil technologies that will help enable the design and
manufacture of 10 MW class, direct drive AC synchronous generators for
off-shore wind turbines. The targeted ultra-low-speed, high torque
generators are expected to produce full power at 6 kilovolts at 11
revolutions per minute.
    About the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST)
    Founded in 1901, NIST is a non-regulatory federal agency within
the U.S. Commerce Department's Technology Administration. NIST's
mission is to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness
by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways
that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. More
information is available at www.nist.gov.
    About TECO-Westinghouse Motor Company
    TECO-Westinghouse Motor Company is a leading manufacturer of
electric motors and generators, with a broad selection ranging from
1/4 HP to 100,000 HP. The company also manufactures and supplies motor
controls, engineering services, renewal motor parts, and large motor
repairs. Headquartered in Round Rock, Texas, TECO-Westinghouse serves
the petrochemical, electric utility, pulp and paper, water, mining and
metals industries in applications that include pumps, fans,
compressors, wound rotor generators for wind turbines, conveyors,
rolling mills, grinders and crushers. More information is available at
www.tecowestinghouse.com.
    About American Superconductor (NASDAQ: AMSC)
    AMSC is a leading energy technologies company offering an array of
solutions based on two proprietary technologies: programmable power
electronic converters and high temperature superconductor (HTS) wires.
The company's products, services and system-level solutions enable
cleaner, more efficient and more reliable generation, delivery and use
of electric power. AMSC is a leader in alternative energy, offering
grid interconnection solutions as well as licensed wind energy designs
and electrical systems. As the world's principal supplier of HTS wire,
the company is enabling a new generation of compact, high-power
electrical products, including power cables, grid-level surge
protectors, Secure Super Grids(TM), motors, generators, and advanced
transportation and defense systems. AMSC also provides utility and
industrial customers worldwide with voltage regulation systems that
dramatically enhance power grid capacity, reliability and security, as
well as industrial productivity. The company's technologies are
protected by a broad and deep intellectual property portfolio
consisting of hundreds of patents and licenses worldwide. More
information is available at www.amsc.com.
    American Superconductor and design, Revolutionizing the Way the
World Uses Electricity, AMSC, Powered by AMSC, SuperVAR, D-VAR, DVC,
PQ-IVR, PowerModule, PQ-SVC, Secure Super Grids, Windtec and SuperGEAR
are trademarks or registered trademarks of American Superconductor
Corporation or its subsidiaries.
    Any statements in this release about future expectations, plans
and prospects for the company, including our expectations regarding
the future financial performance of the company and other statements
containing the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects,"
"will" and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those indicated by such
forward-looking statements. Such factors include: uncertainties
regarding the company's ability to obtain anticipated funding from
corporate and government contracts, to successfully develop,
manufacture and market commercial products, and to secure anticipated
orders; the risk that a robust market may not develop for the
company's products; the risk that strategic alliances and other
contracts may be terminated; the risk that certain technologies
utilized by the company will infringe intellectual property rights of
others; and the competition encountered by the company. Reference is
made to these and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors"
section of the company's most recent quarterly or annual report filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the
forward-looking statements included in this press release represent
the company's views as of the date of this release. While the company
anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause the
company's views to change, the company specifically disclaims any
obligation to update these forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing
the company's views as of any date subsequent to the date this press
release is issued.
    CONTACT: American Superconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: AMSC)
             Jason Fredette, 508-621-4177
             Director of Investor & Media Relations
             jfredette@amsc.com
    SOURCE: American Superconductor Corporation