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High-pressure gas storage vessels represent one of the largest and fastest-growing markets for advanced composites, particularly for filament-wound carbon fiber composites. Although they are used in self-contained breathing apparatuses and provide oxygen and gas storage on aerospace vehicles, the primary end markets are for storage of liquid propane gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG), renewable natural gas (RNG) and hydrogen gas (H₂).

Filament winding is a specialized technique used in composite manufacturing, involving the precise and automated winding of continuous fibers onto a rotating mandrel or mold. This method allows for the creation of strong and seamless structures, optimizing the alignment and orientation of the fibers to meet specific design requirements. Filament winding is employed in producing cylindrical or conical composite parts, such as pipes, pressure vessels, and aerospace components, enabling engineers to tailor the strength, stiffness, and performance characteristics of the final product.

Processes in composites manufacturing encompass a diverse array of techniques employed to fabricate composite materials. These processes include methods like hand layup, where layers of resin and reinforcement materials are manually placed, and vacuum infusion, where a vacuum draws resin into a preform. Other techniques like compression molding, filament winding, and automated methods such as 3D printing are utilized to create intricate and specialized composite structures. Each process offers unique advantages in terms of precision, scalability, and efficiency, catering to diverse industry needs. As technology advances, newer methods are emerging, promising faster production cycles, reduced waste, and increased customization, driving the evolution of composite manufacturing towards more sophisticated and versatile methodologies.

The wind energy market has long been considered the world’s largest market, by volume, for glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites — and increasingly, carbon fiber composites — as larger turbines and longer wind blades are developed, requiring higher performance, lighter weight materials. The outer skins of wind and tidal turbine blades generally comprise infused, GFRP laminates sandwiching foam core. Inside the blade, rib-like shear webs bonded to spar caps reinforce the structure. Spar caps are often made from GFRP or, as blade lengths lengthen, pultruded carbon fiber for additional strength.

U.S. installs 2,824 MW of new wind capacity in the second quarter of 2021, a 10% increase compared to Q2 2020, with 16 newly commissioned wind projects.

Plant construction is set to begin later this year upon the finalization of all contractual documents and will be completed in 2026, making the Dogger Bank the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

Network will host summits on ports and vessels, grids and transmissions and other events, including an annual Ventus Gala and a Business Forum in collaboration with the DOE.

The New York Bight offshore wind sale offered six lease areas totaling more than 488,000 acres won by six bidding companies. Up to seven more potential lease sales have been identified for later this year.

Leading stakeholders will add their voices to the SusWIND community in order to deliver a sustainable future for composites in wind.

Laser winding/welding will help 3-year project develop cross-industry container-based transport/supply unit for cryogenic liquid hydrogen, aiming for TRL 5 via demonstrator manufacture and testing.

The Cherbourg, France, facility is to ramp up production to meet offshore wind blade demand, with plans to expand the site with a hall for finishing blades.

State-of-the-art VTOL rigid airship, to take 80 kilometers of thin-wall carbon fiber tubes, will function like an airborne crane for transporting cargo in remote areas.

The Belgium-based manufacturer chose pultruded fiberglass ribs for many of its umbrella and parasol designs to effectively endure exposure to high wind speeds, saltwater, rain and UV.

There is a generation of wind turbine blades at or near the end of their useful life. Disposing of them, recycling them or reusing them requires a better understanding of the blade end-of-life landscape.