U.S. DOE announces $30 million wind turbine materials, manufacturing funding opportunity
Funding opportunity seeks to increase cost efficiency of wind power generation through R&D projects for lightweight composite materials, streamlined 3D printing processes.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
On Feb. 10, the (DOE) announced $30 million in funding to advance composite materials and additive manufacturing (AM) in large wind turbines, including for offshore wind energy systems.
“The wind sector has proven to be a reliable source of clean power for homes and businesses in a variety of geographic areas,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm says. “Investing in next-generation materials that will lower the financial barriers to widespread deployment supports President Biden’s domestic manufacturing and clean energy goals.”
Projects funded through this initiative will advance the priorities established in the DOE’s and the current administration’s recently announced , as well as furthering the U.S. president’s goals to and achieve a net-zero carbon economy by 2050.
Led by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)’s , this funding opportunity seeks to improve the manufacturability and performance of composite materials associated with wind energy technologies.
Project topic areas include the following:
Large wind blade additive manufacturing
This topic seeks projects that build on existing polymer-based AM research that supports and advances more cost-effective large wind turbine blades. Polymer-based AM generally enables rapid prototyping, tooling, fabrication and testing while enabling novel designs and process configurations.
Additive manufacturing of non-blade wind turbine components
This topic seeks innovative AM solutions for lower cost, higher performance non-blade wind turbine system components. The focus is on non-blade components that can be improved via AM processing and associated design and process innovation/integration.
Large wind blades — advanced manufacturing, materials and sustainability
This topic is comprised of four areas of interest: Automation, digitalization, sustainability and modular blade construction/joining. The DOE is seeking projects that address remaining challenges to wind turbine manufacturing and that further previous work within these respective areas of interest.
The estimated period of performance for the award will be two to three years. Concept papers are due March 23, 2023, at 5 p.m. ET. EERE selection is anticipated for July 2023. . Reach out to A-WCAM@ee.doe.gov with FOA-specific questions or comments.
For more information, ; ; and see other opportunities.
Related Content
-
RTM, dry braided fabric enable faster, cost-effective manufacture for hydrokinetic turbine components
Switching from prepreg to RTM led to significant time and cost savings for the manufacture of fiberglass struts and complex carbon fiber composite foils that power ORPC’s RivGen systems.
-
SRI develops scalable, infiltration-free ceramic matrix composites
Work in two DOE projects is demonstrating C/C-SiC produced in 3-5 days with <5% shrinkage, <10% porosity and 50% the cost of conventional C/C and C/C-SiC.
-
Revolutionizing space composites: A new era of satellite materials
A new approach for high volumes of small satellite structures uses low-CTE, low-cost CFRP cellular core, robust single-ply skins and modular panel systems to cut lead time, labor and cost for reflectors, solar arrays and more.