Pioneering and sustaining wind turbine technology
Since its founding in 2001, Clipper has been an innovator in the wind turbine industry, using our technical expertise and world-class facilities to support the growth of wind power in the U.S. Quality, ingenuity, and a commitment to our customers have always been at the heart of what we do—from our groundbreaking Liberty Wind Turbines to the state-of-the art testing, repair, and manufacturing services we offer today.
In 2024, Clipper was acquired by Longroad Energy. Based in Boston, Longroad has more than 20 years of experience in the renewable market, with a focus on developing, owning, and managing wind, solar, and storage projects throughout North America.
Our turbines
Clipper is best known for the Liberty 2.5MW Wind Turbine, developed under a partnership with the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and manufactured at our plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. When the first units were installed in 2007, they were the largest turbines being manufactured in the United State. The Liberty contains four smaller generators instead of the typical single generator, significantly increasing its power generation capacity.
A total of 739 Clipper turbines were installed nationwide between 2007-2012, 173 of which are still in operation today. We continue to service, refurbish and repair our turbines and their components, to keep them running at peak performance and efficiency.
Our plant
The 360,000-square-foot plant in Cedar Rapids that Clipper now occupies began as a manufacturing facility for cable cranes and excavators, served as a warehouse space for Maytag appliances, and later was used to manufacture newspaper printing presses. With its vast laydown space, heavy steel inner structure, and bays with up to 50-ton overhead lift capacity, it proved the ideal choice for building our turbines.
Today, the scale and versatility of our plant—combined with the vision and ingenuity of our people—is allowing us to adapt and evolve to meet the changing needs of our customers and the marketplace. We take great pride in the cleanliness and safety of our facility, and are committed to continuous improvement of our processes and performance.
Our values
Our values S.H.I.N.E. through everything we do.
Safety & Sustainability
We put people and their safety first, protect our planet, and build and repair for the long haul.
Honesty
We earn and preserve trust by communicating transparently and never making excuses.
Inclusivity
We value differences, acknowledge and confront our biases, and ensure all voices are heard.
Nimbleness
We are hungry and humble, solving problems tenaciously and creatively while continuing to learn, adapt, and grow.
Excellence
We do best-in-class work, honor our commitments, and raise the bar for ourselves every day.