About Us

The seed for Earth Turbines was planted many years ago, probably before company founder David Blittersdorf even realized it himself. David’s childhood home in Pittsford, Vermont, was within view of Grandpa’s Knob—the site of the world’s very first large-scale wind turbine. As a teen he and his father often trekked to the top of the mountain where the wind turbine once stood—its foundation still visible. David was fascinated with the idea of creating clean energy from the wind and this local connection fueled his interest even more. During his teenage years, David began tinkering with model wind turbines for fun. His hobby became more of a passion in 1973 during the Arab Oil Embargo. With his first driver’s license in hand and gasoline in short supply, the effects of our nation’s oil addiction were painfully clear to him.

During his senior year at the University of Vermont, David built a wind turbine for his college engineering project. After graduating, David worked for a short time with a Vermont-based wind energy company as a designer, but soon decided to start his own business. In 1982, David founded NRG Systems, a manufacturer of wind measurement systems, when the wind energy industry was in its infancy.

Twenty-five years later, David has made his mark in the global wind industry. As NRG’s founder and co-owner, David has used his engineering background, entrepreneurial spirit and passion for wind energy to create a successful Vermont company known for its product innovation. And as CEO and president for Earth Turbines, David brings that engineering expertise, marketing experience and passion back to his first love: creating small-scale wind turbines.