<PAGE>
 
             As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
                               on July 12, 1996

                                                   Registration No. 333-______

================================================================================

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
                           Washington, D. C. 20549 

                                   FORM S-8 

                         REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER 
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 

                        SATCON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION 
              (Exact name of issuer as specified in its charter)

       Delaware                                                    04-2857552 
(State or other jurisdiction of                             (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                            Identification Number)

               161 First Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices)         (Zip Code)

                            1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                           (Full title of the Plan)

                        David B. Eisenhaure, President
                         SatCon Technology Corporation
                               161 First Street
                        Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
                    (Name and address of agent for service)

                                (617) 661-0540
         (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE> 
<CAPTION> 

                                                  CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<S>             <C>               <C>                 <C>                       <C> 
  Title of                            Proposed              Proposed             Amount of
Securities to      Amount to      Maximum Offering      Maximum Aggregate       Registration
be Registered    be Registered    Price Per Share (1)   Offering Price (1)          Fee 
- -- ----------    -- ----------    ----- --- ----- ---   -------- ----- ---          ---
Common Stock,       300,000           $8.625               $2,587,500              $892
$.01 par value      shares            --------             ----------             -------
_____________________________________________________________________________________
</TABLE> 

(1)   Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee
      pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) of the Securities Act of 1933 on
      the basis of the average of the bid and asked prices of SatCon Technology
      Corporation's Common Stock, $.01 par value per share, on the Nasdaq
      National Market System on July 8, 1996 as $8.625.
<PAGE>
 
PART I.  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

           The information required by Part I is included in documents sent or
given to all employees of SatCon Technology Corporation (the "Registrant")
pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act").


PART II.  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

     Item 3.  Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference
              -----------------------------------------------

           The following documents, which are filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") are incorporated in this Registration
Statement by reference:

           (1)   The Registrant's latest annual report filed pursuant to
     Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
     (the "Exchange Act"), or the latest prospectus filed pursuant to Rule
     424(b), or otherwise, under the Securities Act that contains audited
     financial statements for the registrant's latest fiscal year for which such
     statements have been filed.

           (2)   All other reports filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of
     the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the document
     referred to in (1) above.

           (3)   The description of the common stock of the Registrant, $.01 par
     value per share (the "Common Stock"), contained in a Registration Statement
     filed under the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for
     the purpose of updating such description.

           All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of
a post-effective amendment which indicates that all shares of common stock
offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all shares of common stock
then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
and to be part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents.

     Item 4.  Description of Securities
              -------------------------
          Not applicable.

     Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel
              --------------------------------------
          Not applicable.



                                      -1-
<PAGE>
 
Item 6.  Indemnification
         ---------------

Delaware General Corporation Law, Section 102(b)(7), enables a corporation in
its original certificate of incorporation or an amendment thereto validly
approved by stockholders to eliminate or limit personal liability of members of
its Board of Directors for violations of a director's fiduciary duty. However,
the elimination or limitation shall not apply where there has been a breach of
the duty of loyalty, failure to act in good faith, engaging in intentional
misconduct or knowingly violating a law, paying a dividend or approving a stock
repurchase that is deemed illegal or obtaining an improper personal benefit. The
Company's Certificate of Incorporation includes the following language:

           "To the maximum extent permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the General
     Corporation Laws of Delaware, a director of this corporation shall not be
     personally liable to the corporation of its stockholders for monetary
     demands for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability
     (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or
     its stockholders, (ii) for acts of omissions not in good faith or which
     involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under
     Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) for any
     transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit".

Delaware General Corporation Law, Section 145, permits a corporation organized
under Delaware law to indemnify directors and officers with respect to any
matter in which the director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner he
reasonably believed to be not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and,
with respect to any criminal action, had reasonable cause to believe his conduct
was lawful. The Bylaws of the Company include the following provision:

     "Reference is made to Section 145 and any other relevant provisions of the
     General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. Particular reference is
     made to the class of persons, hereinafter called "Indemnitees", who may be
     indemnified by a Delaware corporation pursuant to the provisions of such
     Section 145, namely, any person or the heirs, executors, or administrators
     of such person, who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party
     to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, or proceeding,
     whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, by reason of the
     fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of
     such corporation or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as
     a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership
     joint venture, trust, or other enterprise. The Corporation shall, and is
     hereby obligated to, indemnify the Indemnitees, and each of them in each
     and every situation where the Corporation is obligated



                                      -2-
<PAGE>
 
     to make such indemnification pursuant to the aforesaid statutory
     provisions. The Corporation shall indemnify the Indemnitees, and each of
     them, in each and every situation where, under the aforesaid statutory
     provisions, the Corporation is not obligated, but is nevertheless permitted
     or empowered, to make such indemnification, it being understood that,
     before making such indemnification with respect to any situation covered
     under this sentence, (i) the Corporation shall promptly make or cause to be
     made, by any of the methods referred to in Subsection (d) of such Section
     145, a determination as to whether each Indemnitee acted in good faith and
     in a manner he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best
     interests of the Corporation, and, in the case of any criminal action or
     proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful,
     and (ii) that no such indemnification shall be made unless it is determined
     that such Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
     believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the
     Corporation, and, in the case of any criminal action or proceeding, had no
     reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful."

In addition, Section 145 permits the Company to purchase and maintain insurance
on behalf of any officer, director, employee and agent of the Company or any
person serving at the request of the Company as an officer, director, employee
or agent of another corporation serving as described above whether or not the
Company would have the power to indemnify him under Section 145. The Company has
a directors and officers liability policy that insures the Company's officers
and directors against certain liabilities.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed
         -----------------------------------
     Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits
         --------
     The Exhibit Index immediately preceding the exhibits is incorporated herein
by reference.

Item 9.  Undertakings
         ------------
     1.    The Registrant hereby undertakes:

           (a)   To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                 (i)   To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act;



                                      -3-
<PAGE>
 
                 (ii)   To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
     after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent
     post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
     represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
     Registration Statement;

                 (iii)  To include any material information with respect to the
     plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement
     or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

          provided, however that paragraphs (i) and (ii) do not apply if the
     Registration Statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information
     required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs
     is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to
     Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by
     reference in the Registration Statement.

           (b)   That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a
     new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
     the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
     initial bona fide offering thereof.

           (c)   To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
     amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

     2.  The Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant's annual
report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and,
where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report
pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be in the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     3.  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in



                                      -4-
<PAGE>
 
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.




                                      -5-
<PAGE>
 
                                  SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Cambridge, Commonwealth of Massachusetts on the 9th
day of July, 1996.


                                                   SATCON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION



                                                   By: /s/David B. Eisenhaure
                                                      --------------------------
                                                      David B. Eisenhaure       
                                                      Chairman of the Board of  
                                                      Directors, President and  
                                                      Chief Executive Officer   



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     We, the undersigned officers and directors of SatCon Technology Corporation
hereby severally constitute David B. Eisenhaure, Michael C. Turmelle and Jeffrey
N. Carp, Esq., and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys with full
power to them, and each of them singly, to sign for us and in our names in the
capacities indicated below, the Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed
herewith and any and all subsequent amendments to said Registration Statement,
and generally to do all such things in our names and behalf in our capacities as
officers and directors to enable SatCon Technology Corporation to comply with
all requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and
confirming our signatures as they may be signed by said attorneys, or any of
them, to said Registration Statement and any and all amendments thereto.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and
on the dates indicated.



                                      -6-
<PAGE>
 
Signature                     Title                       
- ---------                     -----



 /s/David B. Eisenhaure       Chairman of the Board,   )
- -----------------------       Chief Executive Officer  )
David B. Eisenhaure           and President (principal )
                              executive officer)       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
 /s/James L. Kirtley, Jr.     Director                 )
- -------------------------                              )
James L. Kirtley, Jr.                                  )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
 /s/John P. O'Sullivan        Director                 )
- -----------------------                                )
John P. O'Sullivan                                     )
                                                       )
                                                       )  July 9, 1996
                                                       )
                                                       )
 /s/William E. Stanton        Director                 )
- ----------------------                                 )
William E. Stanton                                     )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
/s/Marshall J. Armstrong      Director                 )
- ------------------------                               )
Marshall J. Armstrong                                  )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
/s/Michael C. Turmelle        Director, Treasurer      )
- ----------------------        and Vice President of    )
Michael C. Turmelle           Finance (principal       )
                              financial officer and    )
                              principal accounting     )
                              officer)                 )
                                                       )


                                     -7-
<PAGE>
 
                                 Exhibit Index
                                 -------------


    Exhibit
    Number       Description                                        Page
    -------      -----------                                        ---- 
       5         Opinion of Hale and Dorr                            
      23.1       Consent of Hale and Dorr (included in Exhibit 5)    -- 
      23.2       Consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.
      24         Power of Attorney (see page 6 of this               --
                   Registration Statement)
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN", "secsgml_size_bytes": 19505}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "SATCON TECHNOLOGY CORP", "cik": "0000889423", "assigned-sic": "3690", "irs-number": "042857552", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-08047", "film-number": "96594165"}, "business-address": {"street1": "161 FIRST STREET", "city": "CAMBRIDGE", "state": "MA", "zip": "02142", "phone": "6176610540"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "161 FIRST STREET", "city": "CAMBRIDGE", "state": "MA", "zip": "02142"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
                               on July 12, 1996

                                                   Registration No. 333-______

================================================================================

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
                           Washington, D. C. 20549 

                                   FORM S-8 

                         REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER 
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 

                        SATCON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION 
              (Exact name of issuer as specified in its charter)

       Delaware                                                    04-2857552 
(State or other jurisdiction of                             (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                            Identification Number)

               161 First Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices)         (Zip Code)

                            1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                           (Full title of the Plan)

                        David B. Eisenhaure, President
                         SatCon Technology Corporation
                               161 First Street
                        Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
                    (Name and address of agent for service)

                                (617) 661-0540
         (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of                            Proposed              Proposed             Amount of
Securities to      Amount to      Maximum Offering      Maximum Aggregate       Registration
be Registered    be Registered    Price Per Share (1)   Offering Price (1)          Fee 
- -- ----------    -- ----------    ----- --- ----- ---   -------- ----- ---          ---
Common Stock,       300,000           $8.625               $2,587,500              $892
$.01 par value      shares            --------             ----------             -------
_____________________________________________________________________________________
(1)   Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee
      pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) of the Securities Act of 1933 on
      the basis of the average of the bid and asked prices of SatCon Technology
      Corporation's Common Stock, $.01 par value per share, on the Nasdaq
      National Market System on July 8, 1996 as $8.625.
PART I.  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

           The information required by Part I is included in documents sent or
given to all employees of SatCon Technology Corporation (the "Registrant")
pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act").

PART II.  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

     Item 3.  Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference
              -----------------------------------------------

           The following documents, which are filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") are incorporated in this Registration
Statement by reference:

           (1)   The Registrant's latest annual report filed pursuant to
     Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
     (the "Exchange Act"), or the latest prospectus filed pursuant to Rule
     424(b), or otherwise, under the Securities Act that contains audited
     financial statements for the registrant's latest fiscal year for which such
     statements have been filed.

           (2)   All other reports filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of
     the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the document
     referred to in (1) above.

           (3)   The description of the common stock of the Registrant, $.01 par
     value per share (the "Common Stock"), contained in a Registration Statement
     filed under the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for
     the purpose of updating such description.

           All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of
a post-effective amendment which indicates that all shares of common stock
offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all shares of common stock
then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
and to be part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents.

     Item 4.  Description of Securities
              -------------------------
          Not applicable.

     Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel
              --------------------------------------
          Not applicable.

                                      -1-
Item 6.  Indemnification
         ---------------

Delaware General Corporation Law, Section 102(b)(7), enables a corporation in
its original certificate of incorporation or an amendment thereto validly
approved by stockholders to eliminate or limit personal liability of members of
its Board of Directors for violations of a director's fiduciary duty. However,
the elimination or limitation shall not apply where there has been a breach of
the duty of loyalty, failure to act in good faith, engaging in intentional
misconduct or knowingly violating a law, paying a dividend or approving a stock
repurchase that is deemed illegal or obtaining an improper personal benefit. The
Company's Certificate of Incorporation includes the following language:

           "To the maximum extent permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the General
     Corporation Laws of Delaware, a director of this corporation shall not be
     personally liable to the corporation of its stockholders for monetary
     demands for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability
     (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or
     its stockholders, (ii) for acts of omissions not in good faith or which
     involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under
     Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) for any
     transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit".

Delaware General Corporation Law, Section 145, permits a corporation organized
under Delaware law to indemnify directors and officers with respect to any
matter in which the director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner he
reasonably believed to be not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and,
with respect to any criminal action, had reasonable cause to believe his conduct
was lawful. The Bylaws of the Company include the following provision:

     "Reference is made to Section 145 and any other relevant provisions of the
     General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. Particular reference is
     made to the class of persons, hereinafter called "Indemnitees", who may be
     indemnified by a Delaware corporation pursuant to the provisions of such
     Section 145, namely, any person or the heirs, executors, or administrators
     of such person, who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party
     to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, or proceeding,
     whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, by reason of the
     fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of
     such corporation or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as
     a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership
     joint venture, trust, or other enterprise. The Corporation shall, and is
     hereby obligated to, indemnify the Indemnitees, and each of them in each
     and every situation where the Corporation is obligated

                                      -2-
to make such indemnification pursuant to the aforesaid statutory
     provisions. The Corporation shall indemnify the Indemnitees, and each of
     them, in each and every situation where, under the aforesaid statutory
     provisions, the Corporation is not obligated, but is nevertheless permitted
     or empowered, to make such indemnification, it being understood that,
     before making such indemnification with respect to any situation covered
     under this sentence, (i) the Corporation shall promptly make or cause to be
     made, by any of the methods referred to in Subsection (d) of such Section
     145, a determination as to whether each Indemnitee acted in good faith and
     in a manner he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best
     interests of the Corporation, and, in the case of any criminal action or
     proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful,
     and (ii) that no such indemnification shall be made unless it is determined
     that such Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
     believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the
     Corporation, and, in the case of any criminal action or proceeding, had no
     reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful."

In addition, Section 145 permits the Company to purchase and maintain insurance
on behalf of any officer, director, employee and agent of the Company or any
person serving at the request of the Company as an officer, director, employee
or agent of another corporation serving as described above whether or not the
Company would have the power to indemnify him under Section 145. The Company has
a directors and officers liability policy that insures the Company's officers
and directors against certain liabilities.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed
         -----------------------------------
     Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits
         --------
     The Exhibit Index immediately preceding the exhibits is incorporated herein
by reference.

Item 9.  Undertakings
         ------------
     1.    The Registrant hereby undertakes:

           (a)   To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                 (i)   To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act;

                                      -3-
(ii)   To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
     after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent
     post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
     represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
     Registration Statement;

                 (iii)  To include any material information with respect to the
     plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement
     or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

          provided, however that paragraphs (i) and (ii) do not apply if the
     Registration Statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information
     required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs
     is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to
     Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by
     reference in the Registration Statement.

           (b)   That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a
     new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
     the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
     initial bona fide offering thereof.

           (c)   To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
     amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

     2.  The Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant's annual
report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and,
where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report
pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be in the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     3.  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in

                                      -4-
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                      -5-
SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Cambridge, Commonwealth of Massachusetts on the 9th
day of July, 1996.

                                                   SATCON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

                                                   By: /s/David B. Eisenhaure
                                                      --------------------------
                                                      David B. Eisenhaure       
                                                      Chairman of the Board of  
                                                      Directors, President and  
                                                      Chief Executive Officer   

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     We, the undersigned officers and directors of SatCon Technology Corporation
hereby severally constitute David B. Eisenhaure, Michael C. Turmelle and Jeffrey
N. Carp, Esq., and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys with full
power to them, and each of them singly, to sign for us and in our names in the
capacities indicated below, the Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed
herewith and any and all subsequent amendments to said Registration Statement,
and generally to do all such things in our names and behalf in our capacities as
officers and directors to enable SatCon Technology Corporation to comply with
all requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and
confirming our signatures as they may be signed by said attorneys, or any of
them, to said Registration Statement and any and all amendments thereto.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and
on the dates indicated.

                                      -6-
Signature                     Title                       
- ---------                     -----

 /s/David B. Eisenhaure       Chairman of the Board,   )
- -----------------------       Chief Executive Officer  )
David B. Eisenhaure           and President (principal )
                              executive officer)       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
 /s/James L. Kirtley, Jr.     Director                 )
- -------------------------                              )
James L. Kirtley, Jr.                                  )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
 /s/John P. O'Sullivan        Director                 )
- -----------------------                                )
John P. O'Sullivan                                     )
                                                       )
                                                       )  July 9, 1996
                                                       )
                                                       )
 /s/William E. Stanton        Director                 )
- ----------------------                                 )
William E. Stanton                                     )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
/s/Marshall J. Armstrong      Director                 )
- ------------------------                               )
Marshall J. Armstrong                                  )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
                                                       )
/s/Michael C. Turmelle        Director, Treasurer      )
- ----------------------        and Vice President of    )
Michael C. Turmelle           Finance (principal       )
                              financial officer and    )
                              principal accounting     )
                              officer)                 )
                                                       )

                                     -7-
Exhibit Index
                                 -------------

    Exhibit
    Number       Description                                        Page
    -------      -----------                                        ---- 
       5         Opinion of Hale and Dorr                            
      23.1       Consent of Hale and Dorr (included in Exhibit 5)    -- 
      23.2       Consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.
      24         Power of Attorney (see page 6 of this               --
                   Registration Statement)