The Department of Energy awarded PPG Industries Inc. a $741,000 grant to develop materials and automation processes for wind-blade manufacturing, the company said Nov. 13.
PPG has partnered with MAG Industrial Automation Systems to optimize materials technologies that will improve wind-blade reliability while reducing production costs.
"We recognize the need for improved blade manufacturing processes in the wind energy market," said Cheryl Richards, PPG global market manager, wind energy, in a statement. "The opportunity to combine advances in materials technology with the productivity of automated assembly techniques will drive positive change in the manufacturing and performance of blades."
The DOE grant is one of 28 new wind energy projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 program to wind-generated electricity to 20% by 2030.
The bulk of work on this project will be completed in 2010 at facilities in North Carolina and Kentucky, PPG said.
