Bonfiglioli yaw and pitch drives are featured in Germany's first offshore wind farm.

Norddeich, Germany -- The Bonfiglioli Group is pleased to announce that its yaw and pitch drives are among the cutting-edge products included in Germany's "Alpha Ventus" offshore wind farm, the country's first. Located in 30 meter (32 yards) waters, 45 kilometers (28 miles) off the German island of Borkum in the North Sea, the wind park features 12 wind towers, each generating 5 megawatts of energy. The wind farm is expected to generate enough electricity to power 50,000 homes.

The important project, which represents an investment of 250 million euros, marks the beginning of a new era in environmentally-friendly power generation in Germany. Alpha Ventus is the first of several wind farms Germany plans for its northern coastline. The government has approved plans to develop up to 40 offshore wind parks that could provide electricity to 8 million households.

According to the CEO of the Bonfiglioli Group, Sonia Bonfiglioli, the company's gearboxes were selected to control the yaw angle of each turbine tower, as well as the pitch of the blades. As the world leader in the design and manufacture of yaw and pitch drives -- the company's solutions can be found in nearly 30 percent of the world's wind turbines -- Bonfiglioli was the best company that could accommodate the wind park's demands.

"Due to the location and high power output of each wind tower, each component had to be both highly reliable and high-performing. Bonfiglioli, thanks to our years of experience in applied technology, was among the few manufacturers who could provide the right solution for the project," said Ms. Bonfiglioli.

During an official commissioning ceremony, Dr. Norbert Röttgen, Germany's Federal Environment Minister, said, "Investors, turbine manufacturers and grid operators have all taken a great risk with this test field. Their steadfast commitment, perseverance and creativity have paid off: The experience gained during the construction of Alpha Ventus will benefit all future offshore wind farms."

Bonfiglioli forecasts its 2010 revenues will top 98 million euros within the wind power sector. The company also supplies planetary gearboxes, drive systems and gear motor solutions to the solar, industrial and mobile industries. The company recently returned from the Offshore Technology Conference, where it officially introduced its products to the offshore drilling industry for the first time.

Bonfiglioli's next stop will be the WINDPOWER® 2010 Conference and Exhibition, held in Dallas May 23 through 26. Bonfiglioli will be located in booth #11830. To schedule a time to meet with Sonia Bonfiglioli and Bonfiglioli USA President, Greg Schulte, during the event, contact Lauren Doyle via e-mail at ldoyle@wordsworthweb.com or (513) 271-7222 ext. 17.

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About Bonfiglioli
Bonfiglioli is one of the world's leading designers and manufacturers of gear motors, drive systems and planetary gearboxes, and a developer of systems which integrate electronic, hydraulic and mechanical engineering. The company was founded in 1956 in Bologna and today is Italy's largest gear manufacturer. It has production plants and branches in 17 countries, a global workforce of nearly 3,000 and annual sales in excess of $1 billion. Bonfiglioli provides solutions and choices of excellence for industrial systems and mobile machinery, as well as innovative renewable energy applications in the wind turbine, solar panel and bio fuel sectors.