Trans-Atlantic Workshopon Rare Earth Elements and
Other Critical Materials for a Clean Energy Future
Carbon fibers as raw material for light weight systems in wind energy and automotive applications …
Availability and challenges for the future
Dr. Michael HeineMIT Cambridge/Massachusetts, Dec. 3, 2010
Trans-Atlantic Workshop MIT Cambrige
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Agenda
• Fundamental global challenges
• Competitive advantages of carbon fibers
• Carbon fibers applications
–Wind energy
–Automotive
• Carbon fiber market demand
• Consequences
• Future prospects
Trans-Atlantic Workshop MIT Cambrige
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Fundamental global challenges foster the future economy
General approach
“Towards an ecologically sensitive world”
Key challengesChanged economic
environmentEnergy / raw
materials availabilityClimatechange
Sustainable solutions
Energyefficiency
Lightweight
Alternativeenergies
Carbon fibers contributes to all three sustainable solutions
Trans-Atlantic Workshop MIT Cambrige
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The competitive advantages of carbon fibers
Sustainable solutions
Energyefficiency
Lightweight
Alternativeenergies
7,9
2,71,6
Steel Aluminium CFRP
No other material is lighter
Density(kg/l)
… or stronger and stiffer
Trans-Atlantic Workshop MIT Cambrige
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General technology trends:• Fuel efficient cars
• Alternate fuels (CNG, LPG, E-10)
• Hybrid propulsion
• Plug in electrical vehicles
Carbon fibers for wind energy and automotive
General technology trends:• On shore to off shore
• Increase of rotor-blade size
• Rotor-blades with higher strength to weight ratios
• Integrated systems such as wind-diesel, wind-SPV, wind-battery etc.
Sustainable solutionsEnergy
efficiencyLight
weightAlternativeenergies
Audi R8
Wind energy Automotive
Trans-Atlantic Workshop MIT Cambrige
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Wind energy:Carbon fibers for „Large Rotor-Blade Sizes“
approx. 0.7 mt CFRP / rotor blade approx. 2.1 mt CFRP / wind mill
Nominal power
Rotor diameter
Axial height
Annual energy harvest
main spar flange
main spar web sandwich shell
CFRP
Trans-Atlantic Workshop MIT Cambrige
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Automotive: Carbon fibers for „Light Weight Car Design“
„Compensation of electrical system mass by reduction of structural mass “
Electrified engine, transmission and storage system leads to an higher total mass
benzine /diesel170 g/km
electricity conventional90 g/km
electricity wind energy3 g/km
World Wind Energy Report 2009
Trans-Atlantic Workshop MIT Cambrige8
22 19 22 27 3442
5160
109
8 89
1113
15
17
18
24
86
7
8
9
9
9
10
7
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2020
Sport
Industry
Aerospace
3338
4555
66
77
143
38
87
CF market demand [kt]Main drivers: Energy efficiency, renewable energy and light-weight systems
ca. 30 % wind
ca. 15 % automotive
Trans-Atlantic Workshop MIT Cambrige9
Investment in new carbon fibre capacities to follow the demand
1920 19801940 2000 2020 204019001880 1960
60.000 t/a
20.000 t/a
100.000 t/a
140.000 t/a
PAN
Edison carbon filament
bulb
900 m€
300 m€
1500 m€
20202010
1000 to/a = 15 m€
automotive
wind
other industrial applic.
aerospace
sports
80 years
Trans-Atlantic Workshop MIT Cambrige
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Investment in R&D of process technology, recycling and modelling
PANprecursor
Carbon fiber CF Fabrics
Preformsprepregs
CF reinforced
plastics
CF reinforced
carbon
CF reinforcedS
iC
Process chain carbon composites
Engineering componentsPolymer
chemistryHigh temp.technology
Textile technology
Development of enhanced process technology
Recycling / Re-Use of CF
x x x x
Simulation / Modelling
= additional CF capacities
Trans-Atlantic Workshop MIT Cambrige
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Future prospects:Green energy for carbon fibre manufacturing
Process chain carbon composites
Stabilisation & carbonisation of PAN
http://www.energie-visions.de/wasserkraft.html
JV SGL-BMWMoses Lake, WA
Trans-Atlantic Workshop MIT Cambrige
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Future prospects:Renewable raw material for carbon fibre production
p.e. Cellulose p.e. Lignin
Crude oil based
Trans-Atlantic Workshop MIT Cambrige
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