The Wind Turbine Technology Recycling NOFO is a $20M program intended to address various barriers to widespread adoption of recycling for two major materials found in wind energy systems, fiber reinforced composites and rare earth elements. The overall goals are to accelerate development of designs that are more easily recyclable and reusable, develop end-of-life processing technologies to cost effectively recycle and recover materials from wind turbines, and address technological and supply chain challenges limiting recycling of fiber reinforced composites and rare earth element magnets in wind turbines. The program aims to increase the sustainability and recyclability of wind energy systems through innovative materials and processes.

Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, for-profit entities, nonprofit entities, state and local governmental entities, and Indian Tribes. The application deadline is February 11, 2025, with anticipated selection notification in May 2025 and award dates in Q3 2025. The funding opportunity is structured into three topic areas, each with specific funding amounts and goals related to sustainable wind turbine components, material recycling and reuse processes, and material qualification.

The total available funding for the program is $20M over four years, with specific allocations for each topic area. Topic Area 1 has approximately $11M available, Topic Area 2 has $6M, and Topic Area 3 has $3M. Each topic area has its own number of awards and funding limits, with a minimum cost share requirement of 20% of total project costs for most applicants. The program encourages collaboration among various entities to enhance the recycling and recovery of wind turbine materials.