The U.S. DOE recently approved funding of a proposal submitted by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and Empire Magnetics Inc., Rohnert Park,Calif. (www.empiremagnetics.com). The program, LBNL-T2-0203-RU Low Maintenance Wind Power System, is an outgrowth of collaboration between scientists and engineers at Lawrence Berkeley Labs, the Makeyev Design Bureau of the State Rocket Center in Miass, Russia, and Empire Magnetics. The wind power industry is said to be the world's fastest-growing energy source. It is growing in popularity in an effort to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions and to generate cost-effective electricity in remote areas. Empire Magnetics will be providing the alternators for the program's windmills.
