Northern Power Systems
Northern Power Systems is a direct-drive wind turbine manufacturer (6kW-1.5MW) using patented Permanent Magnet Direct Drive technology, serving agriculture, healthcare, commercial, government, and remote-island customers globally through hardware sales, turnkey EPC services, repowering, and zero-capex PPAs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersBarre, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Northern Power Systems does
Northern Power Systems (NPS) is a wind turbine manufacturer specializing in small and medium-scale distributed wind energy systems (6kW to 1.5MW). The company designs, manufactures, and deploys direct-drive wind turbines for behind-the-meter, microgrid, and remote-site applications rather than utility-scale wind farms. Operations are anchored in Italy (headquarters in Casalecchio di Reno and manufacturing in Bisaccia) with a U.S. manufacturing and services subsidiary in Flagstaff, Arizona; more than 900 turbines have been delivered across 30+ countries over 40+ years of heritage.
The core product line consists of the NPS 100 series (NPS 100C, 100B at 100kW) and NPS 60 (60kW), all built on the company's patented Permanent Magnet Direct Drive (PMDD) gearless architecture that eliminates gearbox failure modes and enables class-leading fleet availability of 98-99.5%. Supporting features include low cut-in speeds (3 m/s), hurricane-resistant reinforced structures proven in Caribbean and Sardinian deployments, and the SmartView SCADA platform for 24/7 remote performance monitoring. The NPS 100C power converter obtained UL 1741 Supplement B certification in February 2026, aligned with IEEE 1547-2018, enabling advanced grid-support functions and utility-ready interconnection in U.S. markets.
The company monetizes through four streams: (1) direct hardware sales of turbines, (2) turnkey EPC services covering feasibility through commissioning, (3) zero-capex Power Purchase Agreements that convert sales into recurring energy-as-a-service revenue, and (4) repowering and asset modernization services that extend productive life of legacy installations by 20-25 years. Customer segments span agriculture, healthcare, government, hospitality, industrial, retail, and education across the U.S., Canada, the UK, Italy, and Caribbean island markets. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales with a developer-partner network including Energica Srl (exclusive Sicily partner), AR Energy Solutions (UK), Scotian WindFields (Atlantic Canada), and Green Mountain Power (Vermont).
Northern Power Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Northern Power Systems
- Legal name
- Northern Power Systems
- Website
- https://northernpower.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Northern Power Systems is a direct-drive wind turbine manufacturer (6kW-1.5MW) using patented Permanent Magnet Direct Drive technology, serving agriculture, healthcare, commercial, government, and remote-island customers globally through hardware sales, turnkey EPC services, repowering, and zero-capex PPAs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Northern Power Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wind Turbine Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Turbine and Turbine Generator Set Units Manufacturing (333611), Wind Electric Power Generation (221115)
- SIC
- Engines & Turbines (3510)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community & Distributed Wind Power Generation (Behind-the-Meter/Small Wind) (EUACAFAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wind Power Plant EPC (Onshore/Offshore) (EUAEAAAF), Wind Grid Interconnection & Power Systems (Transformers, Reactive Power, SCADA) (EUAMACAK), Wind Farm Ownership & Operations (IPP/Utility-Owned Asset Operations) (EUACAFAF)
Keywords
Where Northern Power Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Barre
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Northern Power Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Wind Turbine Hardware Sales: Sale of advanced wind turbines ranging from 6kW to 1.5MW for small and medium distributed wind projects. Products include NPS 60-24 and NPS 100 series turbines. Direct sale model with custom configuration for site-specific requirements.
- Turnkey EPC Services: Complete engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning services for wind energy projects. Full lifecycle management from turbine supply through installation and ongoing support.
- Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs): Zero-capex PPA financing options eliminate upfront capital costs. Customers pay only for energy consumed, making projects cash-flow neutral from day one. Available for commercial, institutional, and industrial installations.
- Asset Modernization and Repowering: Repowering and refurbishment services for aging wind installations. Replaces aging turbines with modern NPS technology to increase energy yield, improve reliability, and extend asset life by 20-25 years.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | NPS 100C – 100kW turbine |
| Subscription | Annual | PPA / Zero-Capex Financing |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Wind Energy Project Economics (Canada) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
Northern Power Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Northern Power Systems designs, manufactures, and deploys direct-drive wind turbines ranging from 6 kW to 1.5 MW using Permanent Magnet Direct Drive (PMDD) gearless technology across the NPS 60, NPS 100B, and NPS 100C product lines. The company also delivers turnkey Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) services, hybrid energy systems, microgrid solutions, repowering services, and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) supported by its SmartView SCADA asset optimization suite. Customers span hospitals, schools, farms, islands, remote sites, manufacturers, developers, and government institutions across more than 30 countries.
Product overview
Northern Power Systems is a wind turbine manufacturer and project partner offering a portfolio of direct-drive wind turbines ranging from 6kW to 1.5MW, with primary focus on small and medium-scale distributed wind energy. The core product line includes the NPS 100 series (100kW turbines: NPS 100C, NPS 100B) and NPS 60 series (60kW turbines). The products integrate the proprietary Permanent Magnet Direct Drive (PMDD) gearless technology for reduced maintenance and enhanced reliability. The company delivers complete wind energy solutions comprising turnkey EPC project services, hybrid energy systems (wind + solar + storage), microgrid solutions, repowering services for aging assets, and PPAs for flexible financing. Supporting services include SmartView SCADA for 24/7 remote monitoring and performance tracking. The product portfolio serves diverse applications including agriculture, industrial, islands/remote sites, and commercial/institutional facilities across 30+ countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- NPS 60 Wind Turbine
- NPS 100B Wind Turbine
- NPS 100C Wind Turbine
- Turnkey Wind EPC Services
- Hybrid Energy Systems Engineered hybrid renewable systems that combine NPS wind turbines with complementary generation and storage technologies to displace diesel and grid power for institutional, island, and remote customers.
- Microgrid Solutions Wind-integrated microgrid solutions pairing NPS turbines with storage and control systems to deliver resilient, behind-the-meter or islanded power for hospitals, schools, islands, and remote industrial sites.
- Repowering Services Repowering services for legacy wind sites, replacing aging turbines with modern NPS direct-drive machines to improve output, availability, and grid compliance. Sold to existing wind asset owners and developers.
- Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) Financing structure under which Northern Power Systems owns and operates the wind asset on the customer's site and sells the generated electricity to the customer, removing upfront capex for institutional, agricultural, and behind-the-meter buyers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 40–60% reduction in grid electricity consumption for commercial and institutional facilities
- +11 more outcomes
Companies that use Northern Power Systems
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Northern Power Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Northern Power Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- AR Energy Solutions LtdcoreAR Energy Solutions Ltd performed feasibility and installation services for Blairmains Farm project in Scotland. Acts as a development and installation partner for NPS wind turbine projects in the UK market.
- DER SecuritycoreProvided technical and testing automation support for the UL 1741 SB certification project for the NPS 100C power converter. Key technical partner in achieving grid-code compliance certification.
- National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR / NREL)coreFormerly NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory). Provided significant funding support through its Competitiveness Improvement Project (CIP) program for the UL 1741 SB certification project. Key partner in product development and certification.
- Energica SrlflagshipItalian developer that installed 19 NPS wind turbines across Sicily and became NPS development partner for end users and private investors in Sicily. Purchased two turbines in 2015 and three additional units in 2016, reinforcing direct investment in NPS technology. Exclusive partnership negotiated for Sicily market.
- Green Mountain PowercorePartnered with Blue Spruce Farm (Vermont, USA) for net metering arrangement. Enables the farm to export surplus wind energy back to the grid through Green Mountain Power's utility infrastructure.
- Scotian WindFields, Inc.coreInstalled NPS 100-21 wind turbine at Atlantic Superstore (Loblaw Companies) in Porters Lake, Nova Scotia. Acts as installation and development partner for NPS wind projects in Atlantic Canada.
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC)minorProvided expert consultation during Newington Farm project to optimize turbine selection for the farm's specific wind and energy needs.
- RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds)minorConsulted during Girvan Community Hospital project for environmental impact assessment regarding local bat populations. Resulted in landscape design that attracts wildlife away from the turbine.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Northern Power Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bergey Windpower: U.S. manufacturer of small wind turbines (1kW–10kW range) for residential, agricultural, and remote applications. Comparable to NPS in the distributed wind segment, though operating at a smaller turbine scale.
- Vergnet: French manufacturer specializing in medium-scale wind turbines for distributed and island applications. Highly comparable to NPS given focus on small-to-medium wind for remote sites, islands, and tropical/climate-resilient deployments.
- Enercon: German manufacturer of direct-drive wind turbines with gearless technology across a range of sizes. Closely comparable to NPS through shared direct-drive PM generator architecture, though Enercon serves a much broader size range and larger markets.
- XZERES (now Skyven Technologies): U.S. manufacturer of small and medium wind turbines and hybrid systems targeting distributed generation and off-grid markets. Directly comparable product line and customer segments to NPS, though at smaller scale.
Broad incumbents
- Vestas: Global market leader in wind turbine manufacturing across utility-scale and onshore/offshore segments. Relevant as a broad incumbent whose scale and reach create competitive pressure on NPS's niche and as a benchmark for technology trends in direct-drive turbines.
- Siemens Gamesa (now Siemens Energy): Major global wind turbine manufacturer across onshore and offshore segments. Provides broad-incumbent competitive context for NPS's direct-drive technology choices and grid-integration capabilities.
Others
- Sungrow: Global leader in solar inverters and power conversion systems, increasingly active in wind and hybrid energy storage. Comparable as a grid-support and power-conversion technology provider that intersects with NPS's certified converter capabilities.
- ABB (Hitachi Energy): Provider of power conversion, grid interconnection, and energy storage technologies relevant to NPS's UL 1741 SB-certified converter and grid-support functionality. Comparable as an enabling technology supplier and potential competitor in the grid-integration stack.
Emerging players
- Ryse Energy (formerly Eocycle): Manufacturer of direct-drive small wind turbines (10kW–25kW range) for distributed and off-grid applications. Comparable technology approach and distributed wind focus, though smaller turbine scale than NPS's primary 100kW products.
- Pika Energy: U.S. manufacturer of small direct-drive wind turbines for residential and small commercial applications. Comparable technology philosophy (direct-drive) and distributed-wind go-to-market, though at much smaller turbine sizes than NPS.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Northern Power Systems social profiles
Digital presenceNorthern Power Systems compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Northern Power Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Northern Power Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Northern Power Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds9 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Northern Power Systems M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Northern Power Systems
What does Northern Power Systems do?
Northern Power Systems designs, manufactures, and deploys direct-drive wind turbines ranging from 6 kW to 1.5 MW using Permanent Magnet Direct Drive (PMDD) gearless technology across the NPS 60, NPS 100B, and NPS 100C product lines. The company also delivers turnkey Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) services, hybrid energy systems, microgrid solutions, repowering services, and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) supported by its SmartView SCADA asset optimization suite. Customers span hospitals, schools, farms, islands, remote sites, manufacturers, developers, and government institutions across more than 30 countries.
Is Northern Power Systems a public or private company?
Northern Power Systems is a private company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Northern Power Systems founded?
Northern Power Systems was founded in 1984. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Northern Power Systems based?
Northern Power Systems is headquartered in Barre, United States, in the North America region.
How does Northern Power Systems make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Wind Turbine Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are turnkey EPC Services, power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and asset Modernization and Repowering.
Who are Northern Power Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bergey Windpower, Vergnet, Enercon and XZERES (now Skyven Technologies). Broad incumbents are Vestas and Siemens Gamesa (now Siemens Energy). Others are Sungrow and ABB (Hitachi Energy). Emerging players are Ryse Energy (formerly Eocycle) and Pika Energy.
Does Northern Power Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Northern Power Systems.
What industry is Northern Power Systems in?
Northern Power Systems's product category is Wind Turbine Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUACAFAD, Community & Distributed Wind Power Generation (Behind-the-Meter/Small Wind), with a secondary code of EUAEAAAF, Wind Power Plant EPC (Onshore/Offshore). Its NAICS code is 333611 and its SIC code is 3510.