A new funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Energy seeks to improve the manufacturability and performance of composite materials associated with wind energy technologies. The $30 million initiative is intended to streamline additive manufacturing processes for rapid prototyping, tooling, fabrication and testing of large wind blades. Projects are also needed to apply additive manufacturing with polymers, metals, ceramics or composite systems to non-blade wind turbine components like those comprising drivetrains or floating offshore wind platforms.

The improved materials and manufacturing processes envisioned under this funding opportunity have the potential to reduce wind energy costs and expand wind energy capacity. Projects submitted by March 23, 2023, for funding must focus on one of these technology topics:

• Large wind blade additive manufacturing that builds on existing polymer-based additive manufacturing research that supports and advances more cost-effective large wind turbine blades. Polymer-based additive manufacturing generally allows for rapid prototyping, tooling, fabrication and testing in support of novel designs and process configurations.
• Additive manufacturing of non-blade wind turbine components that can be improved through additive manufacturing and associated design and process integration.
• 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, digitalization, wind blade sustainability, and modular blade construction and joining.