SEP projects will tackle a number of goals, including the development of advances in wind turbine design. A team of researchers from UMass-Lowell and Wichita State University will research new forms of bio-derived, sustainable materials for next generation wind turbine blades. The proposed approach would allow manufacturers to replace existing petroleum-based epoxy resins with bio-based materials that allow blades to be repaired or reused at the end of their operational life. The project will also improve understanding for how such technology could impact the economy, wind industry, environment and society.

Credit: Christopher Niezrecki, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell