Cannon produces six lightweight turbines

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Cannon Power Corp has manufactured the first six production units of its 300 kW light weight wind turbine, based on the concept once pioneered in Texas by the family owned Carter wind company. One of Cannon's 300 kW units will be shipped for installation in Tehachapi and the other to a test facility, said the company's co-owner, Brian O'Sullivan. These two turbines have a 96 foot rotor diameter, while the others have an 88 foot diameter. All six Wind Eagle turbines, two bladed and downwind, were made at the old Carter manufacturing facility in Burkburnett in northern Texas. A test version of the design, which is by Jay Carter Sr, had finished six months of testing in Tehachapi several weeks ago. O'Sullivan also notes that well known wind engineer Jamie Chapman, of OEM Development Corp and formerly of US Wind Power, has been hired as director of engineering for the company's Wind Eagle unit. The design of the Wind Eagle is a dramatic change from the Cannon 250 much heavier Danish style machine that the company developed -- but never deployed -- some time ago. "We just determined the [Cannon 250] was too expensive to manufacture in the world market," says O'Sullivan. "If weight wasn't an issue we'd be building them right now."