AMSC Receives First PowerModule-Based Electrical System Orders for Commercial Marine Applications

-Over 30 MW of Power to be Managed by PowerModule(TM) Power Converter Systems Aboard Four All-Electric Ships Being Manufactured in Europe
-Canadian Firm to Apply PowerModule Technology for Tugboat Electrical Storage System
-Programmable Power Electronic Building Blocks Addressing Multiple Markets, Including Commercial Marine, Wind Energy, Fuel Cell and Power Grid Reliability Systems

DEVENS, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 4, 2008--American Superconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: AMSC), a leading energy technologies company, announced today that it has received its first orders from the commercial marine market for its proprietary PowerModule-based electrical systems. These systems will be utilized to manage more than 30 megawatts (MW) of power aboard three mega-yachts and one river cruiser being built in Europe.

PowerModule converters are power dense and programmable, allowing them to be readily customized for many electrical applications. In these first shipboard applications, the PowerModule-based integrated electrical systems will enable reliable, high-performance operation of the ships' propulsion motors, diesel generators and power distribution systems by controlling power flows, regulating voltage and monitoring system performance to maximize efficiency. AMSC will deliver all of the electrical systems in 2009.

AMSC developed its PowerModule converter technology in 2000 and has sold thousands of the systems worldwide for use in a wide variety of applications, including wind turbines, hydro-electric generators, energy storage systems, fuel cells, utility-grade voltage regulation systems and military pulsed-power systems. PowerModule technology was further developed by AMSC for the U.S. Navy's Power Electronics Building Blocks ("PEBB") program under a contract with the Office of Naval Research for use in military marine applications.

"These first orders for shipboard power management and control systems are a testament to the versatility of AMSC's PowerModule power electronic converters," stated Chuck Stankiewicz, executive vice president and general manager of AMSC's Power Systems business unit. "Our use of a proprietary printed circuit board design for power converters with ratings of hundreds of kilowatts is unique. This approach allows us to integrate a microprocessor into the converter, which enables us to program these systems to meet the needs of many end-use applications."

AMSC also recently received an order for its PowerModule power converters and PowerModule System Developer Kit (SDK) from a Canadian maritime engineering firm. Utilizing the SDK, which speeds and simplifies the development of power conversion systems, the customer will utilize PowerModule converters to interface with the batteries used to power tugboats, increasing their efficiency and making them more environmentally-friendly. The customer selected PowerModule technology because of its flexibility and AMSC's unique ability to rapidly deliver customized power electronic solutions.

AMSC's PowerModule power converters switch, control and modulate power. Ratings of individual PowerModule converters, which are among the most power dense systems available on the market, range from 60 kilowatts (kW) to 750 kW. These systems can be stacked together like building blocks and interact with each other by way of optical fiber telecommunications to provide multi-megawatt power management systems. They can be operated remotely and be quickly configured to support AC-AC, AC-DC, DC-DC, or DC-AC power conversion types.

To learn more about PowerModule power electronic converters for your electrical system needs, please see http://www.amsc.com/products/powerconversion/index.html or call Perry Schugart at 800-272-2755 (international: +1-262-901-6040).

About American Superconductor (NASDAQ: AMSC)

AMSC is a leading energy technologies company offering an array of solutions based on two proprietary technologies: programmable power electronic converters and high temperature superconductor (HTS) wires. The company's products, services and system-level solutions enable cleaner, more efficient and more reliable generation, delivery and use of electric power. AMSC is a leader in alternative energy, offering grid interconnection solutions as well as licensed wind energy designs and electrical systems. As the world's principal supplier of HTS wire, the company is enabling a new generation of compact, high-power electrical products, including power cables, grid-level surge protectors, Secure Super Grids^™ technology, motors, generators, and advanced transportation and defense systems. AMSC also provides utility and industrial customers worldwide with voltage regulation systems that dramatically enhance power grid capacity, reliability and security, as well as industrial productivity. The company's technologies are protected by a broad and deep intellectual property portfolio consisting of hundreds of patents and licenses worldwide. More information is available at www.amsc.com.

American Superconductor and design, Revolutionizing the Way the World Uses Electricity, AMSC, Powered by AMSC, SuperVAR, D-VAR, DVC, PQ-IVR, PowerModule, PQ-SVC, Secure Super Grids, Windtec and SuperGEAR are trademarks or registered trademarks of American Superconductor Corporation or its subsidiaries.

Any statements in this release about future expectations, plans and prospects for the company, including our expectations regarding the future financial performance of the company and other statements containing the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will" and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include: uncertainties regarding the company's ability to obtain anticipated funding from corporate and government contracts, to successfully develop, manufacture and market commercial products, and to secure anticipated orders; the risk that a robust market may not develop for the company's products; the risk that strategic alliances and other contracts may be terminated; the risk that certain technologies utilized by the company will infringe intellectual property rights of others; and the competition encountered by the company. Reference is made to these and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of the company's most recent quarterly or annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the company's views as of the date of this release. While the company anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause the company's views to change, the company specifically disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the company's views as of any date subsequent to the date this press release is issued.

CONTACT: American Superconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: AMSC)
Jason Fredette, 978-842-3177
Director of Investor & Media Relations
jfredette@amsc.com
SOURCE: American Superconductor Corporation