U.S. Department of Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a 30 million USD funding opportunity to advance the cost-effective domestic manufacturing of materials, including lightweight composites, that allow wind turbines to produce power more efficiently.
A specific aim of the funding opportunity is to streamline additive manufacturing processes for rapid prototyping, tooling, fabrication, and testing of large wind blades. It also seeks to apply additive manufacturing with polymers, metals, ceramics, or composite systems to non-blade wind turbine components such as those comprising drivetrains or floating offshore wind platforms.
According to the DOE, wind energy is the largest source of renewable power in the United States, and one of the most affordable sources of energy today. This makes it a critical tool for reducing reliance on fossil energy, says the department. The DOE also states that next-generation technologies and manufacturing improvements will help to further reduce costs.
The improved materials and manufacturing processes envisioned under the funding opportunity have potential to reduce wind energy costs and expand deployment of the nation’s wind energy portfolio. This supports President Biden’s goals to reach 100% clean electricity by 2035 and a net-zero-emissions economy by 2050.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said: “The wind sector has proven to be a reliable source of clean power for homes and businesses in a variety of geographic areas. Investing in next-generation materials that will lower the financial barriers to widespread deployment supports President Biden’s domestic manufacturing and clean energy goals.”
Lightweight composite materials reduce emissions in a variety of ways, including by enabling more efficient wind power generation and lightening the weight of vehicles, to make them more fuel efficient.
The funding opportunity, led by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO), seeks to improve the manufacturability and performance of composite materials associated with wind energy technologies.
Applicants for the funding must submit projects that focus on one of three key topic areas. The first being ‘Large Wind Blade Additive Manufacturing’ that builds on existing polymer-based AM research, that supports and advances cost-effective wind turbine blades.
The second topic area is ‘Additive Manufacturing of Non-Blade Wind Turbine Components’ that can be improved through additive manufacturing and associated design and process iteration.
The third area is ‘Large Wind Blades: Advancing Manufacturing, Materials and Sustainability’ to address the remaining challenges to wind turbine manufacturing and build on previous work within the areas of automation, digitisation, wind blade sustainability, and modular blade construction and joining.
In July 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded 3 million USD to polySpectra and Fortify to advance 3D printed tooling.
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