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Knowing that reducing the overall cost of wind energy begins on the factory floor, the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Wind Program supports research and development efforts and funding opportunities that integrate new designs, materials, and advanced techniques into the manufacturing process, making wind a more affordable source of renewable energy for communities nationwide. Numerous facilities specializing in the production of turbine components function more efficiently as advancements in composite materials, automation, and manufacturing processes have helped dramatically increase productivity while decreasing the costs of wind energy for consumers.

By focusing on technological developments that improve the reliability and affordability of wind energy, the Wind Program's diverse funding opportunities and research and development activities assist the program in meeting its strategic long-term goals.

The Wind Program's recent Taller Hub Heights to Access Higher Wind Resources and Lower the Cost of Energy funding opportunity announcement (FOA) released in January 2014 will address many of the unique logistical challenges associated with installing larger turbines. The FOA will support projects that develop cost-competitive solutions to address the challenges of fabricating, transporting, assembling, maintaining, and decommissioning turbines with hub heights of at least 120 meters. These projects will strengthen U.S. competitiveness in wind manufacturing, while leading to reductions in the cost of wind energy by successfully capturing the stronger, more consistent winds available at greater elevations.

Additionally, the Wind Program is working to advance manufacturing efforts through the DOE's Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Program. Keystone Towers of Boston, Massachusetts, a recipient of SBIR/STTR funding, is working to address two roadblocks that are preventing reductions in the cost of wind energy: the labor-intensive construction process of turbines and the size limitations imposed by transportation logistics. Keystone Towers is tackling these issues by adapting a time-tested technique known as "spiral welding" currently used in pipe manufacturing for the oil and gas industries. Instead of transporting cumbersome tower sections to the installation site, spiral welding would allow a machine to "roll" raw materials into tower sections on-site, requiring as little as 10% of the labor used by the current process.

Wetzel Engineering, Inc., of Lawrence, Kansas, another recipient of SBIT/STTR funding, is in the process of producing a turbine blade that avoids the expensive and logistical obstacles associated with transportation. Wetzel is combining two technologies, sectional component based assembly and in-field assembly, to produce a turbine blade that can be transported in smaller sections and assembled on site.

DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) is also supporting a Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative (CEMI) focused on American competitiveness in clean energy manufacturing. CEMI aims to increase U.S. competitiveness in the production of clean energy products by strategically investing in technologies that leverage American competitive advantages and by increasing energy productivity through investments in technologies and practices that enable U.S. manufacturers to take advantage of low-cost domestic energy sources.

To learn more about wind turbine manufacturing, please visit the Wind Program's Manufacturing & Supply Chain website.