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Wind turbine blades might look elegant, even ballet-like, as they glide through the air. But, much like ballet, achieving that simple grace requires complex, advanced engineering.

NREL researchers build a 13-m thermoplastic blade at NREL’s CoMET facility. Photo from the National Wind Technology Center at the NREL Flatirons Campus. (Photo by Ryan Beach / NREL)

A team of National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers are furthering their revolutionary combination of recyclable thermoplastics and additive manufacturing (better known as three-dimensional [3D] printing) to manufacture advanced wind turbine blades. The advance was made possible by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office—awards designed to stimulate technology innovation, improve the energy productivity of American manufacturing, and enable the manufacturing of cutting-edge products in the United States.

Led by NREL senior wind technology engineer Derek Berry, the team’s novel techniques could revolutionize how wind turbine blades are manufactured.

Winds of Change

Today, most utility-scale wind turbine blades have the same clamshell design: two fiberglass blade skins are bonded together with adhesive and use one or several composite stiffening components called shear webs. This manufacturing process has been optimized for efficiency over the past 25 years—but, in reality, it has changed very little.

That needs to change.

To make wind turbine blades lighter, longer, less expensive, and more efficient at capturing wind energy—improvements critical to the Biden Administration’s goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions in part by increasing wind energy production—researchers must entirely rethink the conventional clamshell.

To start, the NREL team is focusing on the resin matrix material. Current designs rely on thermoset resin systems like epoxies, polyesters, and vinyl esters, polymers that, once cured, cross-link like brambles.

“Once you produce a blade with a thermoset resin system, you cannot reverse the process,” Berry said. “That makes the blade difficult to recycle.” As more and more wind turbines are installed every year, new wind turbine blades should be designed to be repurposed or even recycled to prevent them from undercutting the green economy they are meant to help build.

Different Materials, New Methods

Derek Berry and his team of NREL researchers did just that. Working with the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation in NREL’s Composites Manufacturing Education and Technology (CoMET) Facility, the multi-institution team developed systems that use thermoplastics, which, unlike thermoset materials, can be heated to separate the original polymers, enabling end-of-life recyclability.

Thermoplastic blade parts can also be joined using a thermal welding process that could eliminate the need for adhesives—often heavy and expensive materials—further enhancing blade recyclability.

“With two thermoplastic blade components, you have the ability to bring them together and, through the application of heat and pressure, join them,” Berry said. “You cannot do that with thermoset materials.”

Moving forward, NREL, along with project partners TPI Composites, Additive Engineering Solutions, Ingersoll Machine Tools, Vanderbilt University, and the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, will develop innovative blade core structures to enable the cost-efficient production of high-performance, very long blades—well over 100 meters in length—that are relatively low weight.

By using 3D printing, the research team can produce the kinds of revolutionary designs needed to modernize turbine blades with highly engineered, net-shaped structural cores of varying densities and geometries between the structural skins of the turbine blade. The blade skins will be infused using a thermoplastic resin system.

If they succeed, the team will reduce turbine blade weight and cost by 10% (or more) and production cycle time by at least 15%, a huge leap (or pirouette) for wind energy technology.

In addition to the prime AMO FOA award for additively manufactured thermoplastic wind turbine blade structures, two subgrant projects will also explore advanced wind turbine manufacturing techniques. Colorado State University is leading a project that also uses 3D printing to make fiber-reinforced composites for novel internal wind blade structures, with Owens Corning, NREL, Arkema Inc., and Vestas Blades America as partners. The second project, led by GE Research, is dubbed AMERICA: Additive and Modular-Enabled Rotor Blades and Integrated Composites Assembly. Partnering with GE Research are Oak Ridge National Laboratory, NREL, LM Wind Power, and GE Renewable Energy.

Learn more about NREL’s advanced manufacturing and wind energy research and explore the CoMET capabilities.

Article courtesy of National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

 

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Tesla is starting to have Model Y inventory in the US again, ramps up incentives in China/Europe

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Tesla is starting to have Model Y inventory in the US again, ramps up incentives in China/Europe

Tesla is starting to replenish its Model Y inventory in the US after the design changeover, and it is ramping up incentives in China and Europe, suggesting that demand issues persist despite the new Model Y’s introduction.

After Tesla’s disastrous first quarter, shareholders attempted to blame the company’s issues on the transition to the new Model Y, which resulted in limited supply and buyers delaying their deliveries.

There’s no doubt that it impacted Tesla’s performance in Q1, but there were also other clear demand issues.

The automaker stated that it successfully resumed Model Y production to normal levels in record time. Therefore, Model Y supply can’t be blamed going forward and there are reasons to be concerned.

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Earlier this month, we reported that Tesla was already able to deliver new Model Y on the same day in the US and was operating a sort of shadow inventory without actually listing new inventory Model Y.

Now, Tesla has officially started to add new inventory Model Ys in the US – confirming that it doesn’t have a backlog of orders for the updated vehicle:

It’s challenging to determine the exact number of new Model Y vehicles Tesla has in stock.

The website Tesla-Info tracks new vehicle listings in the US, but Tesla only lists configurations available in specific markets. After depleting the inventory of the older version of the Model Y in late March, Tesla is now listing 93 new Model Ys in the US:

However, for any of those listings, there could be several Model Ys in inventory, especially considering that Tesla currently has a limited number of options for the new Model Ys.

Tesla’s Model Y configurations also lists most configurations as being available today in most major US markets. This again points to Tesla having no order backlog for the brand-new vehicle.

At least, Tesla has yet to introduce incentives to sell the vehicle in the US, but it does in other markets.

We previously reported that Tesla quickly introduced 0% financing for the new Model Y in China. The incentive was initially scheduled to end this month, but Tesla has now extended it through June 30th, the end of the quarter.

Tesla is having even more issues in Europe, where its sales are crashing. The automaker is also struggling to sell some older Model Ys from its inventory.

Tesla produced about 30,000 more vehicles than it delivered in the first quarter, and it increased its inventory by $1.7 billion.

Electrek’s Take

Some people think that I’m happy to see this, but they couldn’t be more wrong. I’m just emphasizing it because recognizing the problem is the first step toward fixing it, and I want it to be fixed.

The biggest EV automaker failing is not good for EV adoption, and Tesla is going in that direction.

Tesla shareholders need to recognize that the Model Y refresh is not saving Tesla. Sales have been declining since last year, while electric vehicle (EV) sales continue to increase in most markets.

The combination of Elon Musk alienating half of Tesla’s potential customer base and Tesla’s stale lineup due to the focus on self-driving is resulting in an impossible situation for Tesla right now. Something needs to change.

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Greenlane’s flagship electric charging truck stop is now online [update]

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Greenlane's flagship electric charging truck stop is now online [update]

Greenlane, which is rolling out a US EV charging network for big rigs, just switched on its first electric truck stop in Colton, California.

April 24, 2025: The flagship facility, at the intersection of Interstates 215 and 10, was completed eight months after breaking ground. It’s got 41 OEM-agnostic chargers with 12 pull-through lanes and CCS 400 kW dual-port chargers with liquid-cooled cables. They’re built to handle big Class 8 electric rigs with ease. Twenty-nine bobtail lanes feature CCS 180 kW chargers.

Colton offers a spacious lounge with food and drinks, a water refill station, and restrooms. There’s free wifi, mobile charging stations, and 24/7 customer support. Security includes round-the-clock on-site attendants, security cameras, gated access, and enhanced lighting. Office space is available for leasing, and there’s overnight truck and trailer parking.

It’s the first of several electric charging truck stops planned for the company’s I-15 commercial EV charging corridor. Greenlane plans to expand its network with future sites expected roughly every 60 to 90 miles in Long Beach, Barstow, and Baker, California.

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Greenlane has also secured its first commercial fleet customer, fully electric truckload carrier Nevoya, which will begin operating its fleet of electric trucks out of Colton early next month. Nevoya will use the charging infrastructure and occupy on-site office space. The two companies plan to scale the partnership to include up to 100 of Nevoya’s electric trucks.

Greenlane’s flagship electric charging truck stop

March 11, 2025: Builder and developer Mortenson is constructing the commercial EV charging facility in Colton, which broke ground last September. It will include more than 40 chargers when it comes online for heavy, medium, and light-duty EVs. In its next phase, Greenlane plans to deploy solar panels and battery storage to enhance grid stability, manage peak loads, and increase energy efficiency.

Greenlane’s pull-through lane chargers will be equipped with Alpitronic CCS 400 kW dual-port chargers featuring oil-cooled cables. That means faster charging without the bulk—these cables stay lightweight and easy to handle. For bobtail charging, eFill CCS 180 kW chargers will be available, bringing smart energy management to keep fleet operations running smoothly.

To keep everything in check, ABB’s SCADA system will handle remote monitoring and breaker management, boosting reliability and efficiency. Plus, Greenlane’s sites are built with Trenwa precast cable trench, making it easier to expand EV charging infrastructure and upgrade to megawatt charging as fleet demand grows.

Greenlane’s tech launch

Greenlane, a joint venture between Daimler Truck North America, NextEra Energy, and BlackRock, also debuted its branded digital technology suite as part of its ongoing development of the I-15 Commercial EV Charging Corridor. The products will be rolled out in phases.

Greenlane’s Chief Technology Officer, Raj Jhaveri, said, “Our technology helps maximize uptime and operational efficiency by ensuring vehicles are charged efficiently and ready to meet the demands of their freight schedules.”

The tech rollout includes an app that allows drivers to check charger availability and make reservations in advance, a fleet portal that enables fleet managers and dispatchers to plan and manage routes for their electric fleets, and a new Greenlane website.

Greenlane also now has OnRamp Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that integrate with existing fleet solutions, providing fleet managers and drivers access to optimized routes, efficient charging and refueling schedules, and related charging data and emissions savings.

Read more: Greenlane announces LA to LV charging corridor for commercial trucks


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Thousands of Volkswagen ID. Buzz vans are going driverless on Uber

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Thousands of Volkswagen ID. Buzz vans are going driverless on Uber

VW’s US self-driving arm, Volkswagen ADMT (Autonomous Driving Mobility & Transport), is partnering with Uber to roll out thousands of autonomous ID. Buzz vans across the US over the next decade.

The plan kicks off in Los Angeles, with testing starting later this year and commercial rides expected to launch in 2026.

The ID. Buzz autonomous driving (AD) vans will have human operators onboard during early testing and launch phases to help fine-tune the tech and keep things safe. Each stage will only move forward once regulators give the green light.

Volkswagen’s mobility brand MOIA is supplying the vehicles and the AD software that’ll run them on Uber’s platform. It’s a full-stack approach to bringing self-driving EVs to ride-hailing, and another sign that the robotaxi race is heating up.

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“Volkswagen is not just a car manufacturer – we are shaping the future of mobility, and our collaboration with Uber accelerates that vision,” said Christian Senger, CEO of Volkswagen Autonomous Mobility. 

In March 2024, Volkswagen became the first vehicle manufacturer to develop a Level 4 AD service vehicle for large-scale production. Level 4 AD means the car can handle most driving situations independently in a defined area, such as a city. It can also drive alone, without passengers.


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