Wind Research
The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation

The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation

Building on its history of collaboration with U.S. manufacturers, NREL leads the wind turbine technology area of the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI).

A large group of people stand outside of a white, half-cylindrical facility with mountains in the background.

NREL researchers are evaluating smart manufacturing methods, such as automation, and technologies such as robotic arms to lower the cost and improve the energy efficiency of American-made wind turbine blades. Photo by Werner Slocum

IACMI began with a 5-year funding opportunity announcement through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with support from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. NREL was on the winning team to lead IACMI's wind turbine technology area. In this role, NREL works on manufacturing advances to drive down the cost of energy for wind power, providing comprehensive expertise, technical capabilities, and advanced facilities, including the Composites Manufacturing Education and Technology Facility.

Goals

IACMI projects focus on efforts to commercialize new technologies in support of three technical goals compared to benchmarks in 2015:

50% lower carbon fiber-reinforced polymer cost
75% reduction in carbon fiber-reinforced polymer embodied energy
95% composite recyclability into useful products.

Projects

IACMI projects are selected based on their likelihood to meet the IACMI goals. All IACMI projects must have a strong leadership and support from industry. IACMI projects focus on projects that intend to commercialize new technologies in support of the goals.

NREL currently focuses on a manufacturing automation project for wind turbine blades. Future projects for IACMI might include manufacturing innovations such as:

Pultruded spar caps
Additive manufacturing of tooling and components
Segmented blade design and manufacturing
Wind turbine blade and component recycling
In-process nondestructive evaluation.

NREL developed an R&D 100 Award-winning thermoplastic resin system with partner Arkema Inc. Combined with NREL-pioneered thermal welding techniques, the technology can advance the wind—and tidal—turbine blade manufacturing process and energy industry by potentially increasing recyclability while producing better-performing, more affordable, and bigger blades.

NREL is working on a project with GE Vernova to develop automated wind blade finishing methods. This project is developing new ways to domestically manufacture wind blades with goals to increase quality, reduce cycle time, and increase throughput during manufacturing.

Partnerships

NREL collaborates with industry and university partners on IACMI projects. IACMI comprises 175+ members, with 51% representing small-medium enterprises, 14% representing large industry, 30% from academia, and 5% representing states, national laboratories, and associations. Current IACMI members include:

Composite Development Technology Inc.
GE Vernova Onshore Wind
TPI Composites
Vartega
Zoltek.

Technology Areas

IACMI has five technology areas with centers in five states:

Michigan: Vehicles
Colorado: Wind turbines
Ohio: High-rate aerostructures
Indiana: Design, modeling, and simulation
Tennessee: Composites materials and process.

Learn more about working with NREL.

Learn about NREL's other wind energy facilities.

Contact

David Snowberg

Mechanical Engineering Researcher

[email protected]