According to an example embodiment, a modular pancake-type electrical generator includes a rotor and a modular stator, along with a support for the modular stator. The rotor includes a plurality of spaced-apart magnets around its perimeter, while the modular stator comprises a plurality of coil modules. The support is configured for receiving and retaining the plurality of coil modules and it comprises a plurality of support sections. The support sections form a circular array, for surrounding the rotor. Each support section comprises an interior receptacle formed in a generator housing, and includes a set of coil module mounting points and electrical contacts that are molded into or otherwise anchored within the interior receptacle. The receptacles and coil modules may be keyed, e.g., according to electrical phase, such that a coil module is installable only in receptacles having the correct complementary keying.