Trans-Atlantic Workshop
on 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 Heine
MIT Cambridge/Massachusetts, Dec. 3, 2010
Agenda
• Fundamental global challenges
• Competitive advantages of carbon fibers
• Carbon fibers applications
– Wind energy
– Automotive
• Carbon fiber market demand
• Consequences
• Future prospects
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Fundamental global challenges
foster the future economy
Key challenges
Changed economic
environment
General
approach
Sustainable
solutions
Climate
change
Energy / raw
materials availability
“Towards an ecologically sensitive world”
Energy
efficiency
Alternative
energies
Light
weight
Carbon fibers contributes to all three sustainable solutions
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The competitive advantages of carbon fibers
Energy
efficiency
Alternative
energies
Light
weight
Sustainable
solutions
7,9
Density
(kg/l)
2,7
1,6
Steel
Aluminium
CFRP
No other material is lighter
… or stronger and stiffer
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Carbon fibers
for wind energy and automotive
Energy
efficiency
Alternative
energies
Wind energy
Light
weight
Sustainable
solutions
Automotive
Audi R8
General technology trends:
General technology trends:
• On shore to off shore
• Fuel efficient cars
• Increase of rotor-blade size
• Alternate fuels (CNG, LPG, E-10)
• Rotor-blades with higher strength to weight
ratios
• Hybrid propulsion
• Integrated systems such as wind-diesel, windSPV, wind-battery etc.
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• Plug in electrical vehicles
Wind energy:
Carbon fibers for „Large Rotor-Blade Sizes“
approx. 0.7 mt CFRP / rotor blade
approx. 2.1 mt CFRP / wind mill
main spar flange
CFRP
main spar web
Nominal power
Rotor diameter
Axial height
Annual energy harvest
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sandwich shell
Automotive:
Carbon fibers for „Light Weight Car Design“
Electrified engine, transmission and storage system leads to an higher total mass
„Compensation of
electrical system mass by
reduction of structural
mass “
benzine /diesel
170 g/km
electricity
conventional
90 g/km
electricity
wind energy
3 g/km
World Wind Energy Report 2009
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CF market demand [kt]
Main drivers: Energy efficiency, renewable energy and light-weight systems
143
10
Sport
24
Aerospace
109
Industry
87
38
8
8
38
33
6
8
7
9
77
9
66
9
55
18
9
45
17
8
15
7
11
13
22
19
22
27
2008
2009
2010
2011
8 Trans-Atlantic Workshop MIT Cambrige
34
2012
42
2013
51
60
ca. 15 %
automotive
ca. 30 % wind
2014
2015
2020
Investment in new carbon fibre capacities to follow the demand
sports
140.000 t/a
aerospace
Edison
carbon filament
bulb
other
industrial
applic.
100.000 t/a
60.000 t/a
automotive
PAN
1880
1900
1920
1940
1960
20.000 t/a
wind
1980
2000
2020
2040
80 years
1000 to/a = 15 m€
1500 m€
900 m€
300 m€
2010
9 Trans-Atlantic Workshop MIT Cambrige
2020
Investment in R&D of process technology, recycling and modelling
Process chain carbon composites
PAN
precursor
Carbon
fiber CF
Fabrics
Preform
s
prepreg
s
CF
reinforc
ed
plastics
CF
reinforc
ed
carbon
CF
reinforc
edSiC
Development of enhanced process technology
Polymer
chemistry
High temp.
technology
Textile technology
Engineering components
= additional CF capacities
Recycling / Re-Use of CF
x
Simulation / Modelling
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x
x
x
Future prospects:
Green energy for carbon fibre manufacturing
JV SGL-BMW
Moses Lake, WA
http://www.energie-visions.de/wasserkraft.html
Process chain carbon composites
Stabilisation &
carbonisation
of PAN
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Future prospects:
Renewable raw material for carbon fibre production
p.e. Cellulose
Crude oil based
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p.e. Lignin
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