DOE taps GE Renewable Energy for 3-D printed wind turbine project

The U.S. Department of Energy tapped GE Renewable Energy, GE Research, and LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy subsidiary, to design and manufacture 3-D printed wind turbine blades.

For this $6.7 million project, the GE business units will partner with the Oakridge National Lab and the National Renewable Energy Lab to develop a manufacturing process for novel high-performance blade designs for the future of large rotors. The proposed project will focus on thermoplastic skin coupled with printed reinforcement.

“We are excited to partner with the DOE Advanced Manufacturing Office, as well as with our world’s class partners to introduce a highly innovative Advanced Manufacturing and Additive Process to completely revolutionize the state of the art of wind blade manufacturing. Additive Manufacturing can bring a step change in cost and performance competitiveness in the wind industry and help GE Renewable Energy support our customers in driving the energy transition farther and faster,” Matteo Bellucci, advanced manufacturing leader at GE Renewable Energy, said.

This project will advance both onshore and offshore wind energy competitiveness as the lightweight blades made with recyclable materials will lower manufacturing costs. This, in turn, will reduce the cost of wind energy.

“This grant will greatly help LM Wind Power to accelerate our advanced design and manufacturing technology program. It is also a clear acknowledgment of the advanced technical engineering capabilities in our two technology hubs in Greenville, SC and New Orleans, LA. We look forward to work with our partners in this program and deliver tangible outcomes, including the use of recyclable materials and reduced manufacturing waste,” said Torben Jacobsen, senior director of advanced technology systems and chief engineering at LM Wind Power.