Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing

NREL's research in advanced roll-to-roll technologies and processing techniques is used to produce clean energy technologies to help reduce costs and increase precision.

A photo of a man in a laboratory watching a black material run around various metal rolls.

Capabilities

NREL supports advanced manufacturing through roll-to-roll-related capabilities and projects.

Two NRELians stand with roll-to-roll equipment in a laboratory.

Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing Multilab Collaboration

In a multilab collaborative effort, NREL researchers are accelerating roll-to-roll materials manufacturing for a broad range of energy-, water-, and industry-related technologies to lower costs and improve efficiency. Our roll-to-roll manufacturing research uses various U.S. Department of Energy funding mechanisms and spans several technology areas.

The gravure coating station of NREL's roll-to-roll coating equipment

Hydrogen Fuel Cells

NREL works with industry to optimize roll-to-roll manufacturing for low-cost water electrolyzers to reduce manufacturing cost and labor. These efforts could result in more affordable hydrogen production via proton exchange membrane electrolysis.

TAn illustration of paper moving across the top of a closed-loop belt with water droplets transferring from paper to belt and then from belt to reservoir at the bottom of the loop.

Non-Evaporative Drying of Porous Materials

NREL researchers and collaborators are helping the paper manufacturing industry save energy and water with a novel non-evaporative drying process using polymer chemistry. This research is possible due to funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office.