The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $45 million to two sets of projects that are designed to improve manufacturing processes for wind and water energy technologies. GE Research was given $15 million for a project to “develop, build, and refine manufacturing practices of large-scale machinery to manufacture hydropower technology using 3D printing.” According to the DOE, the project could reduce production costs of hydropower machines by up to 20% while simultaneously reducing lead times by months. The money will be used to create an end-to-end suite of tools like a digital foundry and robotic welding practices.
The remaining $30 million will be used for 13 projects that are engineered to “reshape the design, materials, and sustainability of manufacturing for wind turbine equipment.” The projects focus on three major areas, including large wind blade additive manufacturing (four projects), additive manufacturing of wind turbine components (three projects), and advanced manufacturing, materials, and sustainability (six projects).