Capstone Turbine Names Two Distributors in China for Fast-Growing Biogas Market; C65 Sold for Landfill Power Generation in Beijing

CHATSWORTH, Calif., Dec. 2, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With China wanting more electricity from renewable sources, Capstone Turbine Corporation (www.capstoneturbine.com) (Nasdaq:CPST), the world's leading clean technology manufacturer of microturbine energy systems, has added two distributors in China focused on securing biogas applications in landfills, agriculture and wastewater treatment plants.

Golden Gate Industrial, headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan with offices in Shanghai, China, has 20 years of power-generation experience. Golden Gate is the new Capstone distributor covering a territory that includes mainland China's coastal provinces. The company recently sold a C65 microturbine that will be installed as a demonstration project at the massive Mentougou Landfill outside of Beijing, which a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report stated could produce 245 standard cubic feet per minute of landfill methane gas. This is the third landfill installation of Capstone microturbines in China or Taiwan.

Powel Technologies, headquartered in Nanchang, China, is the second new Chinese distributor. The company will sell, install and service Capstone turbines and microturbines in four central Chinese provinces.

The Chinese government is increasing efforts to develop renewable energy. According to a plan released in 2008 by the National Development and Reform Commission in China, the country wants renewable energy to account for 10 percent of the nation's energy-consumption structure, and electricity generated by biological materials to reach an installed capacity of 5.5 million kilowatts by 2010.

"Landfill, agricultural operations and wastewater-treatment plants are growing at a tremendous rate in China," said Jim Crouse, Capstone Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "China's renewable energy market is booming, and Capstone turbines and microturbines are ideal solutions because our products run on a variety of fuels, including waste methane that is produced at landfills, farms and wastewater treatment plants."

Both Capstone distributors will provide sales, engineering, construction, commissioning, and service of Capstone microturbines.

"We are pleased to provide Capstone turbines and microturbines to the fast-growing Chinese market," said Herman Ho, President of Golden Gate Industrial. "Capstone's highly reliable, low-emission microturbines are an ideal solution to meet the increasing demand for clean energy."

"Landfills, agricultural operations and wastewater treatment plants all produce large amounts of waste methane gas," said Wan Chunquan, President, Powel Technologies. "Rather than allow this greenhouse gas to escape to the atmosphere, Capstone microturbines use the gas to create clean-and-green energy. As a result, electricity produced by coal-fired power plants is reduced, which lowers the levels of air pollution."

About Capstone Turbine Corporation

Capstone Turbine Corporation (www.capstoneturbine.com) (Nasdaq:CPST) is the world's leading producer of low-emission microturbine systems, and was the first to market commercially viable microturbine energy products. Capstone Turbine has shipped over 4,000 Capstone MicroTurbine(R) systems to customers worldwide. These award-winning systems have logged millions of documented runtime operating hours. Capstone Turbine is a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Combined Heat and Power Partnership, which is committed to improving the efficiency of the nation's energy infrastructure and reducing emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases. A UL-Certified ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 certified company; Capstone is headquartered in the Los Angeles area with sales and/or service centers in the New York metro area, Mexico City, Nottingham, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo.

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This press release contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is used in the federal securities laws, about market expansion into China and the advantages of Capstone's products. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects," "objective," "intend," "targeted," "plan" and similar phrases. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties described in Capstone's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that may cause Capstone's actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied in such statements. Capstone cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. Capstone undertakes no obligation, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to release any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

"Capstone Turbine Corporation" and "Capstone MicroTurbine" are registered trademarks of Capstone Turbine Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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Released December 2, 2009