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Closing out this week’s Green Deals, we’re starting with Bluetti’s newly launched Spring Sale that is taking up to 54% off a massive collection of power stations, solar generator bundles, and accessories while also offering some limited flash offers and exclusive extra savings. Among the many notable inclusions, we spied the brand’s AC300 solar generator package with an expansion battery and a 350W solar panel returning to the $1,899 low we last saw during Black Friday. Next, Aventon’s Spring Sale has a mix of increased and continuing savings on its e-bikes, like the Ramblas Electric Mountain Bike that has fallen to $2,599, among others. We’re also seeing up to $1,000 off Greenworks’ 30-inch, 42-inch, 54-inch and 60-inch electric riding mowers starting from $2,997, as well as Eve’s Aqua HomeKit Smart Water Controller dropping to $99. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals are in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Jackery Home Improvement Sale, the price cut on Lectric’s XPeak 2.0 Long-Range e-bikes, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Bluetti Spring Sale drops AC300 solar generator with expansion battery and 350W panel back to $1,899 low

Bluetti has launched its Spring Sale taking up to 54% off units through March 31, complete with some exclusive extra savings and scheduled flash sale offers (but the promo code won’t apply here). One notable bundle that is returning to its lowest rate and offers more versatility for users is the AC300 Portable Power Station alongside the B300K expansion battery and a 350W solar panel for $1,899.05 shipped, after using the exclusive promo code AFF5OFF at checkout for an additional 5% off discount. This combo package usually goes for $2,999 at full price, which we last saw brought down this low during Black Friday sales, with the sales since leaving it out or keeping it at least $100 higher in price. Today’s deal comes in as a combined 37% markdown that saves you $1,100 for the lowest price we have tracked. You can even upgrade this same package with two 200W solar panels instead for just $95 more, after using the promo code.

Off-grid living and power outages alike will be of less concern when you have this AC300 backup bundle with you, which provides you with a 2,764.8Wh LiFePO4 capacity that can keep being expanded upward to a maximum 22,118.4Wh capacity. The power station boasts 16 output ports – seven AC ports (including a 120V TT-30 port), four USB-A ports, two DC ports, a single USB-C port, and two 15W wireless charging pads – with a normal 3,000W output that surges to 6,000W when needed by larger appliances. There are four different ways to recharge the battery on this setup: either plugged into a wall outlet, connected to its maximum 2,400W of solar input or to a car port, and also dual-charging when utilizing both its AC input and solar input together.

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***Note: None of the prices below have had the extra savings factored in, so be sure to use the exclusive promo code AFF5OFF at checkout to score the maximum savings!

Bluetti’s current Spring Sale flash deals (changes March 23):

Bluetti’s Spring Sale top deals for outdoor escapades:

Bluetti’s Spring Sale on-the-go charging solution deals:

Bluetti’s Spring Sale road trip charging solution deals:

Bluetti’s Spring Sale work-from-home charging solution deals:

Bluetti’s Spring Sale nature immersion/solar panel deals:

Bluetti’s expansion battery deals:

To browse the entire lineup of Bluetti’s Spring Sale deals, follow the link here to the landing page.

Aventon Ramblas mountain e-bike

Hit off-road trails with Aventon’s Ramblas mid-drive electric mountain bike down at $2,599

Only a few days after we spotted Aventon’s clearance sale offers, the brand has now increased savings on various models as part of its Spring Sale through March 31. One notable inclusion we’re seeing this time around the track is the newer Ramblas Electric Mountain Bike for $2,599 shipped. Carrying a $2,899 full price tag since tariffs hit the e-bike market over last summer, we’ve seen discounts mainly dropping costs to $2,699 most of the time, though we did spy it dropping to $2,599 back during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, which was the last time we saw this same rate. While we have seen it go lower to $2,399, that rate was before tariffs added $200 to its MSRP, and is likely to not be seen again anytime soon, meaning today’s deal is a return to the best price we’ve tracked since with $300 off the going rate.

The Ramblas Electric Mountain Bike was the first of Aventon’s e-bikes to be given a mid-drive motor, this one being a 250W model that peaks up to 750W for incline climbing and is paired with a 708Wh battery – with the whole thing weighing in at 54 pounds and boasting a 300-pound rider payload. Supported by three PAS profiles (eco, trail, and turbo) that each boasts five levels and are themselves supported by the torque sensor, you’ll enjoy up to 80 miles of travel on a single charge with it hitting top speeds of 20 MPH.

While it doesn’t have some of the more advanced smart features we’re seeing out of the brand’s recent releases, it does offer more customization of its performance due to the Ride Tune features. Through its app, you’ll be able to tweak settings to your preferences, like adjusting the motor’s output, as well as fine-tuning the assistance, pedal response, and max torque. Plus, with your phone wirelessly connected, it can automatically update its software through the app to maintain optimal performance at all times, even while you’re riding. There’s a bunch of top-quality stock features too, including the SRAM NX Eagle 12-speed derailleur, 4-piston SRAM hydraulic disc brakes, a KS dropper seat post, a RockShox 35 suspension fork, LED lighting built into the chainstays for rear visibility on top of the optional front headlight, and a full-color display.

Aventon’s Spring Sale e-bike offers:

Aventon’s newest e-bike models (no price cuts):

  • Soltera 2.5 Lightweight e-bike: $1,199
    • 20 MPH for up to 46 miles
  • Sinch 2.5 Compact Folding e-bike: $1,799
    • 20 MPH for up to 55 miles
  • Abound SR Cargo e-bike: $1,899
    • 20 MPH for up to 60 miles
    • GPS tracking, remote locking, geofencing, passcode, keyless battery, alarm system, more
  • Level 3 Smart Step-Over Commuter e-bike: $1,899
    • 20 MPH for up to 70 miles
    • GPS tracking, auto-lock, unusual movement detection, alarm system, more
  • Level 3 Smart Step-Through Commuter e-bike: $1,899
    • 20 MPH for up to 70 miles
    • GPS tracking, auto-lock, unusual movement detection, alarm system, more
  • Abound LR Cargo e-bike: $1,999
    • 20 MPH for up to 60 miles
    • 6 inches longer, 8 pounds heavier, with lockable onboard storage over SR model
    • GPS tracking, remote locking, geofencing, passcode, keyless battery, alarm system, more
Greenworks CrossoverT riding lawn mower

Greenworks 30-inch to 60-inch riding mowers are seeing up to $1,000 discounts starting from $2,997

Greenworks is currently offering up to 21% off discounts across a selection of its riding mower packages, with prices starting lowest on the brand’s 60V 30-inch CrossoverT Riding Lawn Tractor that comes with four 8.0Ah batteries and a 600W wall charger for $2,997 shipped. This model with this package would normally cost you $3,500 at full price, which we’ve seen go as low as $3,010 before this sale. Today’s deal cuts a solid $503 in savings from the going rate, and lands it at the best price we have tracked, even matching over at Amazon, where it only recently released. Head below to get more details on this model and the others that are benefitting from these savings.

The Greenworks 60V 30-inch CrossoverT comes in as the most compact of the brand’s riding mowers (larger models can be found below), giving you the electric equivalent of a 16 HP gas engine. The four included 8.0Ah batteries provide enough juice to tackle up to 1.5 acres after 2.5 to 4 hours of charging via the wall charger, with seven different cutting height levels to choose from (1.5 inches to 4.5 inches). The heavy-duty 4-in-1 stamped steel deck features an integrated deck wash port that allows for easier and quicker cleaning sessions on its underside, with bagging, mulching, and side discharging functionality available. One thing to note here though, is that you’ll have to purchase the bagging system for this model separately for $350.

Speaking of mulching, it offers a mulch-on-demand feature that allows you to switch from bagging to mulching with a simple pull of a lever. It also comes with the brand’s SmartCut Technology that auto-adapts to your grass conditions to optimize its performance for the best cut so you can spend less time passing back over areas you already hit. Other features include the LED headlights for working in low-light conditions, a customizable comfort seat, a cup/phone holder, and USB (type A and C) charging ports to keep your devices juiced up as you ride – great if you prefer listening to music or some other media as you work.

Greenworks’ other direct riding mower deals:

Greenworks’ Amazon-specific riding mower deals:

  • 80V 42-inch CrossoverZ Cordless Zero Turn Mower: $4,000 (Reg. $4,500)
    • Comes with four 5.0Ah batteries and 600W wall charger
  • 80V 60-inch MaximusZ Cordless Zero Turn Riding Mower: $7,500 (Reg. $8,500)
    • Comes with two 16.0Ah, four 8.0Ah batteries and 1.5kW wall charger
Eve Smart Water controller

Eve’s Aqua HomeKit water controller expands outdoor water systems at $99

We just spotted Amazon offering up the best deal yet on the Eve Aqua Smart Water Controller for $99 shipped. Normally sitting up at its $150 price tag, most of its previous discounts have kept above $100 since it first hit the market in 2022, with some occasional falls lower to $98 and the $80 low last seen during July’s Prime Day event, though these have been few and far between. Today’s deal is coming in with a sizeable 34% markdown, beating out much of the price cuts we’ve seen for $51 in savings at the third-lowest price we have tracked.

What’s really nice about Eve’s Aqua smart water controller is that you can install it without any additional bridges or gateways, accessing the provided smart controls over your sprinkler and/or irrigation system through its companion app or Siri thanks to the HomeKit support, while also offering Thread compatibility. Once it’s been attached to your outdoor spigot, you can set schedules for your lawn/garden to be watered automatically. It will also keep an eye on water usage and shut things off when too much has flowed through, saving you the time from babysitting while also protecting your yard from being flooded. It’s even fully compatible with popular hose systems and multi-channel water distributors like Gardena or Kärcher.

Best New Year EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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Environment

‘Repowering’ era for America’s aging wind energy industry begins, despite Trump’s effort to kill it

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April 27, 2025

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'Repowering' era for America's aging wind energy industry begins, despite Trump's effort to kill it

Jeffrey Sanders / 500px | 500px | Getty Images

On Inauguration Day, President Donald Trump issued an executive order indefinitely halting permits for new onshore wind energy projects on federal land, as well as new leases for offshore wind farms in U.S. coastal waters. The action not only fulfilled Trump’s “no new windmills” campaign pledge, but struck yet another blow to the wind industry, which has been hit hard over the past few years by supply chain snags, price increases upending project economics, public opposition and political backlash against federal tax credits, especially those spurring the fledgling offshore wind sector.

Nonetheless, the nation’s well-established onshore wind industry, built out over several decades, is generating nearly 11% of America’s electricity, making it the largest source of renewable energy and at times last year exceeding coal-fired generation. On April 8, the fossil-fuels-friendly Trump administration took measures to bolster coal mining and power plants, but as the infrastructure driving wind energy ages, efforts to “repower” it are creating new business opportunities for the industry’s key players.

This repowering activity has emerged as a bright spot for the wind industry, giving a much-needed boost to market leaders GE Vernova, Vestas and Siemens Gamesa, a subsidiary of Munich-based Siemens Energy. Following several challenging years of lackluster performance — due in particular to setbacks in both onshore and offshore projects — all three companies reported revenue increases in 2024, and both GE Vernova and Siemens stock have moved higher.

GE Vernova, spun off from General Electric a year ago, led overall onshore wind installations in 2024, with 56% of the U.S. market, followed by Denmark’s Vestas (40%) and Siemens Gamesa (4%).

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GE Vernova stock performance over the past one-year period.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, installed wind power generating capacity grew from 2.4 gigawatts (GW) in 2000 to 150.1 GW as of April 2024. Although the growth rate for launching new greenfield onshore wind farms has slowed over the last 10 years, the U.S. is still poised to surpass 160 GW of wind capacity in 2025, according to a new report from energy research firm Wood Mackenzie.

There currently are about 1,500 onshore wind farms — on which more than 75,600 turbines are spinning — across 45 states, led by Texas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Illinois and Kansas. Virtually all of the wind farms are located on private land, and many of the largest ones are owned and operated by major energy companies, including NextEra Energy, RWE Clean Energy, Pattern Energy, Clearway Energy, Xcel Energy and Berkshire Hathaway‘s MidAmerican Energy, which generates 59% of it renewable energy from wind, including 3,500 turbines operating across 38 wind projects in Iowa.

A growing number of the turbines are 20-plus years old and nearing the end of their lifecycle. So increasingly, operators have to decide whether to upgrade or replace aging turbines’ key components, such as blades, rotors and electronics, or dismantle them altogether and erect new, technologically advanced and far more efficient models that can increase electricity output by up to 50%.

“What’s becoming clear is that more and more of the U.S. installed base [of onshore turbines] has exceeded its operational design life,” said Charles Coppins, research analyst for global wind at Wood Mackenzie, “and now operators are looking to replace those aging turbines with the latest [ones].”

To date, approximately 70 GW of onshore wind capacity has been fully repowered in the U.S., according to Wood Mackenzie, while an additional 12 GW has been partially repowered. The firm estimates that around 10,000 turbines have been decommissioned and that another 6,000 will be retired in the next 10 years, Coppins said.

Damaged wind turbine that was first hit by a tornado then lightning.

Ryan Baker | Istock | Getty Images

Beyond the fact that aged-out turbines need to be upgraded or replaced, repowering an existing wind farm versus building a new site presents economic benefits to operators and OEMs. To begin with, there’s no need to acquire property. In fact, in certain situations, because today’s turbines are larger and more efficient, fewer turbines are needed. And they’ll generate additional electricity and have longer lifecycles, ultimately delivering higher output at a lower cost.

Even so, “there are some limitations on how much capacity you could increase a project by without having to go through new permitting processes or interconnection queues” to the power grid, said Stephen Maldonado, Wood Mackenzie’s U.S. onshore analyst. As long as the operator is not surpassing the allowed interconnection volume agreed to with the local utility, they can add electricity to the project and still send it to the grid.

Public opposition, Maldonado said, may be another hurdle to get over. Whether it’s a new or repower wind project, residents have expressed concerns about environmental hazards, decreased property values, aesthetics and general anti-renewables sentiment.

RWE, a subsidiary of Germany’s RWE Group, is the third largest renewable energy company in the U.S., owning and operating 41 utility-scale wind farms, according to its CEO Andrew Flanagan, making up 48% of its total installed operating portfolio and generating capacity, which also includes solar and battery storage.

One of RWE’s two repower projects underway (both are in Texas), is its Forest Creek wind farm, originally commissioned in 2006 and featuring 54 Siemens Gamesa turbines. The project will replace them with 45 new GE Vernova turbines that will extend the wind farm’s life by another 30 years once it goes back online later this year. Simultaneously, RWE and GE Vernova are partnering on a new wind farm, immediately adjacent to Forest Creek, adding another 64 turbines to the complex. When complete, RWE will deliver a total of 308 MW of wind energy to the region’s homes and businesses.

Flanagan noted that the combined projects are related to increased electricity demands from the area’s oil and gas production. “It’s great to see our wind generation drive the all-of-the-above energy approach,” he said. What’s more, at its peak, the repower project alone will employ 250 construction workers and over its operating period bring in $30 million in local tax revenue, he added.

In turn, the twin projects will support advanced manufacturing jobs at GE Vernova’s Pensacola, Florida, facility, as well as advancing the OEM’s repower business. In January, the company announced that in 2024 it received orders to repower more than 1 GW of wind turbines in the U.S.

Koiguo | Moment | Getty Images

Siemens Gamesa has executed several large U.S. repowering projects, notably MidAmerican’s expansive Rolling Hills wind farm in Iowa, which went online in 2011. In 2019, the company replaced 193 older turbines with 163 higher-capacity models produced at its manufacturing plants in Iowa and Kansas.

Last year, Siemens Gamesa began repowering RWE’s 17-year-old Champion Wind, a 127-MW wind farm in West Texas. The company is upgrading 41 of its turbines with new blades and nacelles (the housing at the top of the tower containing critical electrical components) and adding six new turbines.

In early April, Clearway announced an agreement with Vestas to repower its Mount Storm Wind farm in Grant County, West Virginia. The project will include removing the site’s 132 existing turbines and replacing them with 78 new models. The repower will result in an 85% increase in Mount Storm’s overall electricity generation while using 40% fewer turbines.

Preparing for ‘megatons’ of turbine recycling and tariffs

Another benefit of repowering is invigorating the nascent industry that’s recycling megatons of components from decommissioned turbines, including blades, steel, copper and aluminum. Most of today’s operational turbines are 85% to 95% recyclable, and OEMs are designing 100% recyclable models.

While the majority of mothballed blades, made from fiberglass and carbon fiber, have historically ended up in landfills, several startups have developed technologies recycle them. Carbon Rivers, for example, contracts with the turbine OEMs and wind farm operators to recover glass fiber, carbon fiber and resin systems from decommissioned blades to produce new composites and resins used for next-generation turbine blades, marine vessels, composite concrete and auto parts.

Veolia North America, a subsidiary of the French company Veolia Group, reconstitutes shredded blades and other composite materials into a fuel it then sells to cement manufacturers as a replacement for coal, sand and clay. Veolia has processed approximately 6,500 wind blades at a facility in Missouri, and expanded its processing capabilities to meet demand, according to David Araujo, Veolia’s general manager of engineered fuels.

Trump’s new-project moratorium isn’t his only impediment to the wind industry. The president’s seesaw of import tariffs, especially the 25% levy on steel and aluminum, is impacting U.S. manufacturers across most sectors.

The onshore wind industry, however, “has done a really good job of reducing geopolitical risks,” said John Hensley, senior vice president for markets and policy analysis at the American Clean Power Association, a trade group representing the clean energy industry. He cited a manufacturing base in the U.S. that includes hundreds of plants producing parts and components for turbines. Although some materials are imported, the investment in domestic manufacturing “provides some risk mitigation to these tariffs,” he said.

Amidst the headwinds, the onshore wind industry is trying to stay focused on the role that repowering can play in meeting the nation’s exponentially growing demand for electricity. “We’re expecting a 35% to 50% increase between now and 2040, which is just incredible,” Hensley said. “It’s like adding a new Louisiana to the grid every year for 15 years.”

GE Vernova CEO Scott Strazik recently told CNBC’s Jim Cramer that the growth of the U.S.’s electric load is the largest since the industrial boom that followed the end of the second world war. “You’ve got to go back to 1945 and the end of World War II, that’s the infrastructure buildout that we’re going to have,” he said. 

As OEMs and wind farm developers continue to face rising capital costs for new projects, as well as a Trump administration averse to clean energy industries, “repowering offers a pathway for delivering more electrons to the grid in a way that sidesteps or at least minimizes some of the challenges associated with all these issues,” Hensley said.

Vestas CEO says wind turbine manufacturer is ‘well positioned’ amid tariff concerns

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Environment

ABB is bringing its new, 1.2 MW modular truck chargers to ACT Expo

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April 26, 2025

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ABB is bringing its new, 1.2 MW modular truck chargers to ACT Expo

Capable of delivering up to 1,200 kW of power to get electric commercial trucks back on the road in minutes, the new ABB MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System is part of an ecosystem of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) that ABB’s bringing to this year’s ACT Expo.

ABB E-mobility is using the annual clean trucking conference to showcase the expansion of its EVSE portfolio with three all-new charger families: the field-upgradable A200/300 All-in-One chargers, the MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System for heavy-duty vehicles shown (above), and the ChargeDock Dispenser for flexible depot charging.

The company said its new product platform was built by applying a computer system-style domain separation to charger design, fundamentally improving subsystem development and creating a clear path forward for site and system expansion. In other words, ABB is selling a system with both future-proofing and enhanced dependability baked in.

“We have built a system by logically separating a charger into four distinct subsystems … each functioning as an independent subsystem,” explains Michael Halbherr, CEO of ABB E-mobility. “Unlike conventional chargers, where a user interface failure can disable the entire system, our architecture ensures charging continues even if the screen or payment system encounters issues. Moreover, we can improve each subsystem at its own pace without having to change the entire system.”

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The parts of ABB’s new EVSE portfolio that have been made public so far have already been recognized for design excellence, with the A400 winning the iF Gold Award and both the A400 and C50 receiving Red Dot Design Awards.

New ABB chargers seem pretty, good

ABB’s good-looking family; via ABB.

ABB says the systemic separation of its EVSE enhances both reliability and quality, while making deployed chargers easier to diagnose and repair, in less time. Each of the chargers’ subsystems can be tested, diagnosed, and replaced independently, allowing for quick on-site repairs and update cycles tailored to the speed of each systems’ innovation. The result is 99% uptime and a more future-proof product.

“The EV charging landscape is evolving beyond point products for specific use cases,” continued Halbherr. “By implementing this modular approach with the majority of our R&D focused on modular platforms rather than one-off products … it reduces supply chain risks, while accelerating development cycles and enabling deeper collaboration with critical suppliers.”

Key markets ABB is chasing

HVC 360 Charge Dock Dispenser depot deployment; via ABB.
  • PUBLIC CHARGING – with the award winning A400 being the optimal fit for high power charging from highway corridors to urban locations, the latest additions to the A-Series All-in-One chargers offer a field-upgradable architecture allowing operators to start with the A200 (200kW) with the option to upgrade to 300kW or 400kW as demand grows. This approach offers scalability and protects customer investment, leading to Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) savings over 10 years.
  • PUBLIC TRANSIT AND FLEET – the new Charge Dock Dispenser – in combination with the already in market available HVC 360 – simplifies depot charging with a versatile solution that supports pantograph-, roof-, and pedestal charging options with up to 360kW of shared power and 150m/490 ft installation flexibility between cabinet and dispensers. The dispenser maintains up to 500A output.
  • HEAVY TRUCKS – building the matching charging infrastructure for commercial vehicles and fleets represents a critical innovation frontier on our journey to electrify transportation. Following extensive collaboration with industry-leading truck OEMs, the MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System delivers up to 1,200kW of continuous power — 20% more energy transfer than 1MW systems — providing heavy-duty vehicles with purpose-built single-outlet design for the energy they need during mandatory driver breaks. To support other use cases, such as CCS truck charging, a dual CCS and MCS option will also be available.
  • RETAIL – the award winning C50 Compact Charger complements the family as the slimmest charger in its category at just 9.3 inches depth, optimized for convenient charging during typical one-hour retail experiences. With its large touch display, the C50 takes the award-winning A400 experience even further — setting a new standard for consumer experience and very neatly echoing our own take on that “Goldilocks” timing zone for commercial charging.

ABB says that the result of its new approach are chargers that offer 99% plus uptime — a crucial statistic for commercial charging operations and a key factor to ensuring customer satisfaction. The new ABB E-mobility EVSE product family will be on display for the first time at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo (ACT Expo) in Anaheim, California next week, then again at Power2Drive in Munich, Germany, from May 7-9.

Electrek’s Take

BEV trucks and buses at ACT Expo in Long Beach; image by the author.
ACT Expo test drives; by the author.

The ACT Expo is one of – if not the most important sustainable trucking event in North America, featuring all the big names in heavy trucks, construction equipment, material handling, infrastructure – even Tier 1 suppliers. Mostly, though, it’s many fleet buyers’ only chance to test drive these zero emission trucks before writing a big PO (which just makes it even more important).

Electrek will be there again this year, and we’ll be bringing you all the latest news from press events and product reveals as it happens.

SOURCE | IMAGES: ABB E-mobility.

If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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Whisper Aero ultralight aircraft scores $500K for “UltraQuiet” electric jet motor tests

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April 26, 2025

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Whisper Aero ultralight aircraft scores 0K for

Whisper's "UltraQuiet" propulsion system to power acrobatic glider

Along with Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-based ultralight aircraft company Whisper Aero has secured a $500,000 grant to help advance the company’s innovative electric jet motor concept off the drawing board and onto the testing phase.

Earlier this month, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) announced plans to award $500,000 to Tennessee Tech and Whisper Aero through the Transportation Network Growth Opportunity (TNGO) initiative.

“We look forward to using these award dollars to place students in internships working directly with Whisper Aero leaders,” said Tennessee Tech President Phil Oldham. “By learning from an electric propulsion innovator like Whisper Aero, our students will gain invaluable perspective and can take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it right here in Tennessee.”

The grant will see a Whisper Aero glider fitted with a pair of the company’s eQ250 electric-powered jet “propulsors” for UltraQuiet flight. Tennessee Tech faculty and students will carry out copper-bird ground testing to ensure the safe integration of engines, batteries, and controllers, and kickstart Tennessee Tech’s new Crossville Mobility Incubator.

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Those propulsors, by the way, are super cool.

UnltraQuiet WhisperDrive; via Whisper Aero.

Whisper Aero’s main claim to fame is its innovative UltraQuiet WhisperDrive (above). It’s effectively an electrically spun ducted fan jet engine that uses a large number of stiff composite fan blades inside a lightweight, acoustically treated duct. With so many blades, the Whisper Aero propulsor can push more air than a conventional prop while spinning much more slowly. As such, the “blade passage frequency” moves up to more than 16,000 Hz – outside the range of most human hearing but not, supposedly, high enough to freak out the beagles.

The Whisper Aero ultralight is effectively an Aériane Swift3 glider fitted with a pair of Whisper’s eQ250 propulsors, each capable of up to 80 lbs. of thrust. The Ultralight has a wingspan of over 40 ft with a maximum L/D of 35:1 and can be stressed to a design loading of +6/-4g, making it capable of some pretty impressive acrobatic feats.

The Swift3 glider is designed for a low speed, low power cruising speed of 45–55 knots with “just” 6.5 hp. Power-off glides from a few hundred feet showed a low sink rate, and a climb rate of 1,250 ft/min with full self-launching power (in other words: the Whisper glider doesn’t have to be towed by a launch vehicle, like a conventional ultralight glider).

Quiet cool

Dual WhisperDrive fans deliver ~160 lbf of thrust; via Whisper Aero.

Range under full power is about 109 miles with current battery tech, but it’s expected that range under the latest EPiC 2.0 energy batteries would rise to nearly 170 miles.

Nathan Millecam, CEO of Electric Power System, said, “EPiC 2.0’s leap in energy density and thermal performance has enabled a significant increase in range, a clear validation of our next-gen cell technology. We are impressed by what the Whisper team continues to achieve in advancing electric aviation.”

The press release concludes explaining that flight tests are expected to show that the Whisper Aero glider can be flown, “a few hundred feet away from neighborhoods without any disturbances, while carrying a 220 lbs. payload with full range,” which is all kind of ominous in today’s political climate, but still pretty neat from a purely tech perspective.

The TNGO grant follows a separate grant from NASA awarded last year, though that grant aims to develop the eQ250s – not as a propulsion system, but as a key component in future spacecraft ventilation systems.

Tennessee Tech announces TNGO grant

With support from TNECD’s Transportation Network Growth Opportunity (TNGO) initiative, Tennessee Tech University and Whisper Aero are partnering to advance next-generation propulsion technology in the aerospace industry. This collaboration will enhance aerospace research and workforce development, ensuring Tennessee remains a leader in cutting-edge mobility solutions.

TNECD

SOURCE | IMAGES: TNECD; via eVTOL Insights, New Atlas.

If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

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