Department of Energy invests in the future of wind power

The Department of Energy (DOE) has made its most recent investment in reusable power supplies to the tune of $100,000, this time awarding a grant to Salt Lake City-based Pyramatrix to develop lightweight, low-cost wind turbines. The DOE is interested in the company’s structural technology that will make it possible to build towers more than 600 ft tall with a material 91% lighter than steel.

The larger units can reduce total tower costs by 53% as compared to a steel tower of the same size and capacity, according to a company press release.

The company plans to use the grant to begin work now on turbines with a 1.5MW capacity, with the possibility of 5MW capacity units in the future.