U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Recognizes Capstone Turbine Corporation and New Capstone Distributor in China -- Sino Clean Energy Group -- at Signing Ceremony Held During First Cabinet-Level Trade Mission to China

BEIJING, June 1, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- United States Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke recently led a signing ceremony in Beijing that featured officials from Capstone Turbine Corporation (www.capstoneturbine.com) (Nasdaq:CPST), the world's leading clean-technology manufacturer of microturbine energy systems, and Capstone's new distributor, Sino Clean Energy Group.

The ceremony occurred as part of the first U.S. International Trade Mission to China under the Obama Administration. The event recognized the distribution agreement between Capstone and Sino Clean Energy and acknowledged the companies' efforts to broaden China's use of clean-and-green microturbine technology developed in the United States.

The goal of the mission to China and Indonesia, which comes on the heels of President Obama's new National Export Initiative, is to promote exports of technologies related to clean energy; energy efficiency; and electric energy storage, transmission and distribution.

Capstone's innovative U.S. based technology and successful exporting record led Secretary Locke to award the company the Presidential E Award for Exporting in 2009 and to include Capstone officials in this first cabinet-level trade mission of the Obama Administration.

"America's economic future will depend on how well it competes to meet the rising global demand for clean energy in the 21st century," said Locke in a press release. "The business leaders joining me on this trade mission understand the urgency of that global competition. China and Indonesia represent tremendous potential markets for U.S. companies ready to compete in the clean energy and energy efficiency sectors."

Sino, headquartered in Shanghai, will sell, install and service low emission Capstone turbines and microturbines within China's growing biogas market, which includes landfills, wastewater treatment plants, agricultural operations and mining operations where waste methane gas is produced. Rather than flare the waste methane into the atmosphere -- a leading source of air pollution -- Capstone microturbines use the waste methane as a renewable fuel to produce electricity that is used onsite or sold back to utilities.

"Teaming with Capstone provides an excellent opportunity to bring advanced clean-energy technology to China," said Alan Joseph, Sino's Managing Director. "Capstone offers a product that can improve China's power reliability, meet new energy standards and establish a foundation for the country's clean-technology focus."

"Sino brings together a team of seasoned professionals in the clean-energy market," said Jim Crouse, Capstone's Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "Whether it's a biogas project associated with a landfill, wastewater treatment plant or an agricultural operation, or produced gases from a mining operation, Sino's staff has far-reaching experience to assess a customer's needs and provide the most cost-effective Capstone product."

"Sales of our low emission microturbines overseas have risen significantly the last three years," said Darren Jamison, Capstone's President and Chief Executive Officer. "The Commerce Department opens doors for us, provides advice and exceptional service, and assists with market assessments domestically and in Asia and Europe. With their help, we've been able to broaden our network of Capstone distributors worldwide, which has led to increased sales."

Capstone products offer a clean-and-green energy solution that ensures a reliable and uninterrupted power supply, low maintenance and controlled energy costs. Energy efficiencies can approach 90 percent, especially in combined heat and power (CHP) or combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) applications. In CCHP applications, for example, the Capstone microturbines produce reliable electricity. At the same time, waste heat energy is captured and recycled to heat and air condition a facility via absorption cooling, thus greatly increasing system efficiencies.

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 5,000 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 9001:2008 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, Nottingham, Shanghai and Singapore.

The Capstone Turbine Corporation logo is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6212

This press release contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is used in the federal securities laws, about increased presence in China and Indonesia, government assistance for our products and the advantages of our products for the Chinese market. 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.

CONTACT:  Capstone Turbine Corporation
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Released June 1, 2010