2009 News Releases and Information

CARY, North Carolina (January 06, 2009)— John Deere Green Tech, a leading provider of technical expertise and field engineering for irrigation control equipment, recently won the Irrigation Association's 2008 New Product Award. Presented at the Irrigation Association Show in Anaheim, Calif., the award honors the newest, most innovative products and services in four categories: specialty, golf, agriculture, and turf and landscape.

Taking top honors in the specialty category, John Deere Green Tech's MHG™ (Micro Hydroelectric Generator) is a cutting-edge electric power supply system. The generator provides a cost-effective alternative to expensive utility-metered power and less reliable solar power.

The MHG produces electricity from water flowing through pipes, yielding enough energy to power a complete irrigation controller system, including a central system and its valves, sensors and communication equipment. The generator is also capable of supplying other electrical devices such as low-power lighting, remote data logging or SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems.

As added assurance, the MHG incorporates a small solar-power backup system for extended periods of non-irrigation. The solar power is used to power the system's electronics when the hydroelectric turbine is not in use.

The MHG's patent-pending design also sustains downstream flow with minimal pressure loss — a critical component to the generator.

The award-winning product was developed by Craig Burris, research and development managers, John Deere Green Tech. Burris received the award at the Irrigation Association Show on behalf of the entire MHG team.

"We're very proud of this award — and even prouder of the revolutionary solution we've developed," said Burris. "With its multiple design variations, the MHG will serve many applications in a wide range of industries. The basic concept for the generator may be more than 200 years old, but John Deere Green Tech is refining it, perfecting it and making it available to professionals who need a better way to power irrigation systems."

John Deere Green Tech offers irrigation systems engineering — from specification to installation and certification. Providing know-how, technical support and field service throughout the West, John Deere Green Tech has installed and maintains more than 10,000 products for private corporations, developers, governments and public agencies.

John Deere Green Tech offers state-of-the-art, technically engineered pre-packaged landscape and irrigation management tools for the environmentally friendly green industry; making irrigation and management sustainable, efficient and cost effective. John Deere Green Tech's renowned packaged systems and legendary service addresses the critical needs of owners, end-users, architects and specifiers in all phases of construction and maintenance care.