Genesis of an Idea

Inspired to find new applications for their award winning STAR Blade®, the Uprise Team identified the constraints that plague access to renewable energy, particularly at the grid's edge, and set out to find solutions. Systematically, Uprise developed a host of innovations that either mitigated or eliminated each and every constraint, exposing new and promising opportunities across many markets.

This was the birth of the Mobile Power Station

Uprise Energy Cofounder and CEO, Jonathan Knight, was the special guest on the Beyond Zero Emissions radio show in Melbourne, Australia. This is an in-studio video of the interview that covered a lot of ground and is a great way to learn more about the company background and the portable wind turbine Uprise is bringing to market.

Background

Uprise’s foray into the wind industry came in the mid-‘90s, when John Knight’s renowned yacht company, Knight & Carver Yachtcenter (K&C), was approached to develop a solution for serial blade failures that plagued existing wind turbines around the globe.

Leveraging over 30 years of advanced composite experience, K&C was successful in developing a solution for thousands of inferior wind blades. In the process, K&C pioneered innovative blade construction and testing techniques that lead to the development of the SANDIA Labs certified, top-performing STAR Blade®.

Through these years of experience, Knight developed a deep appreciation for the constraints inherent in traditional wind turbines and used his aptitude as a creative engineer to develop a number of smart solutions.

The result of this lucrative effort is the Uprise Energy Mobile Power Station, a product Knight sees as his crowning achievement.

“Throughout my career, from the boats we built to the wind turbines we serviced, it was always about solving a problem and giving the customer just what they wanted in the most efficient manner possible.”

— John Knight, Cofounder / CTO

John Knight, Uprise Energy Cofounder & CTO

John founded Knight & Carver Yachtcenter out of the back of his pickup truck when he was 27 years old and grew the company to a global leader in custom yacht building, with over 100 one-off custom yachts to their credit, and the largest marine repair facility on the west coast of the Americas.

M80 Stiletto

Built as a Stealth Vessel for the US Navy, the innovative "Double-M Hull" design allowed the boat to travel comfortably up to 70 knots in a rough seaway and dramatically minimized the wake signature enabling discreet operation. At 80' X 40', the Stiletto is the largest all carbon fibre structure in the world.

Golden Osprey

The 100' custom Sportfisher, Golden Osprey, was built for a Saudi Prince. With no expense spared in the boats 75,000 man-hour build, this is arguably one of the nicest yachts, not only by Knight & Carver, but anywhere in the world.

Dulcinea

100' one-off custom yacht, Dulcinea, was built by Knight & Craver to an Ed Monk design.

78' Sportfisher

One of the few semi-production boats, Knight & Carver built a series of 72' and 78' Sportfishers for Mickelson Yachts.

Croupier

Croupier is a 70' Sportfisher that went 70 knots using a 5000hp gas turbine engine. Built for Bill Bennet, owner of Circus Circus Casino, the goal for the boat was to travel from San Diego, CA to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in a single day from sunup to sundown.

Croupier Interior

This interior photo of the Croupier is an example of the fine craftsmanship Knight & Carver was famous for.

"Tatoosh"

Paul Allen's 303', $160M personal yacht, Tatoosh, underwent a major retrofit at Knight & Carver's San Diego facility. The project lasted over a year and earned a number of prestigious awards.

300 Ton Marine Travelift

When Knight & Carver Yachtcenter entered the marine repair and service business, they installed a 100 Ton Marine Travelift at their newly acquired Mission Bay facility, giving the company the largest capacity in San Diego. When the company expanded the their 11 acre National City facility, the company again set a new bar by installing a 300 Ton machine, making it the largest on the west coast of the Americas.

Business Philosophy

Uprise Energy is an example of conscientious capitalism, where the mission is to drive change in the world for the betterment of humanity, while maximizing shareholder interest.