Boulder Wind Power

About Boulder Wind Power

Boulder Wind Power (BWP) was established in 2009 to develop and commercialize a next-generation direct-drive wind turbine generator technology. The company was co-founded by Sandy Butterfield, Jim Smith, and Matt Jore. Butterfield brought extensive experience from his 25-year tenure at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), where he served as Chief Engineer for the National Wind Technology Center and had previously co-founded a wind turbine manufacturing company in 1980. His deep background in wind energy, particularly in identifying and solving issues like gearbox failures, directly informed the company's direction.

The firm's business model focused on being a technology provider to utility-scale wind turbine manufacturers, supplying its patented generator and power conversion electronics for integration into their products. This approach aimed to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of wind energy generation. The core of BWP's offering was a direct-drive generator that utilized a proprietary printed circuit board (PCB) stator and advanced magnetics. This design promised significant advantages, including the elimination of the failure-prone gearbox, a reduction in the use of structural steel, and the ability to use rare earth permanent magnets without dysprosium, a scarce and costly material. These features were engineered to lower the overall capital cost and improve the reliability of wind turbines, with the goal of producing electricity at a price competitive with fossil fuels.

Boulder Wind Power secured significant financial backing to advance its technology. The company raised a total of $54.4 million over four funding rounds. Notable funding events included an $11.4 million Series A round in 2011 led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and a substantial $35 million Series B round later that year, which brought in Molycorp, a rare earth materials producer, as a strategic investor. This capital was directed towards the development, testing, and commercialization of its direct-drive system. By 2013, an independent assessment indicated that BWP's technology could offer a 12-22% cost of energy advantage over common drivetrain designs. Despite its promising technology and substantial funding, PitchBook data indicates the company ceased operations in February 2021.