Advanced Manufacturing of Polymer Composites for Energy-Water Resilience and Infrastructure Modernization

This white paper addresses the intersection of energy and water systems through innovations in advanced polymer composites and convergent manufacturing to enhance national waterpower infrastructure resilience, reduce lifecycle energy and water intensity, and strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity. The overarching objective is to enhance national waterpower "infrastructure resilience", reduce lifecycle energy and water intensity, and strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity in alignment with the priorities of DOE's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), and the Nexus of Energy Water Sustainability Research, Development, and Demonstration (NEWS RD&D) initiative established under Section 1010 of the Energy Act of 2020.

As this call by WPTO seeks to inform the development of future Energy Water Resilience (EWR) priorities, we believe that the integration of advanced composites and manufacturing science represents a strategic opportunity for national investment. This paper highlights a set of high-impact areas where polymer composites and data-driven manufacturing can directly advance EWR objectives. In parallel, our team has submitted several complementary white papers that address specific technical domains within this broader vision.

The paper highlights that energy, manufacturing, and water systems in the U.S. remain highly interdependent yet are managed in silos, leading to inefficiencies and rising vulnerability. Currently, 74% of total U.S. water withdrawals support thermoelectric generation, while nearly 40% of regional electricity demand is used for water treatment and distribution. Corrosion in metallic and concrete infrastructure costs the economy over $276 billion per year, and water loss from aging systems wastes ~30 TWh of electricity annually. With projected 18% and 22% growth in energy and water demand by 2035, and more than $1 trillion in required reinvestment for pipelines and facilities, existing materials and methods cannot meet cost, schedule, and resilience requirements.

Near-term opportunities focus on scalable manufacturing and deployment of polymer composite technologies across the energy-water nexus, including:
1. Composite Cooling and Heat-Exchange Modules (Water to Energy): corrosion-proof FRP components reducing weight by 70%, maintenance by >90%, and pumping energy by 25%.
2. Composite Pipes and Pressure Systems Via Advanced Manufacturing (Energy to Water): modular, sensor-embedded composite pipelines and vessels with 20-30% lower cost, >50-year lifespan, and built-in structural-health monitoring.
3. Composite Hydropower and Infrastructure Replacement (Intersection): thermoplastic and thermoset composites replacing large metallic gates, liners, and turbines, extending service life 2x.
4. Instrumentation and Structural-Health Monitoring (SHM): embedded fiber-optic and acoustic sensors enabling predictive maintenance and AI-driven digital twins.
5. Onsite Manufacturing for Resilient Infrastructure Forms: mobile LFAM systems for rapid field deployment and localized production, demonstrated in DOE ORNL and Kairos Power collaborations.

Collectively, these technologies advance EERE's cross-office goals, bridging AMMTO, WPTO, and BTO, to deliver high-rate, sustainable manufacturing and resilient, low-carbon infrastructure. Achieving the outlined targets could yield $3.5-4.2 billion/year in national savings through reduced maintenance, downtime, and energy use. Within 5 years, expected outcomes include: >= 25 TWh/year energy savings, >= 1.5 billion m3/year water reduction, >= 30 % CAPEX/OPEX reduction, >= 5 demonstration sites, and ~ 3,000 advanced-manufacturing jobs created.

This white paper provides a framework for coordinated, cross-sector research and investment to establish composite manufacturing as a cornerstone of energy-water resilience and U.S. infrastructure modernization.