Report-out from an NSF Workshop on Advanced Manufacturing for Industrial Decarbonization

Advanced manufacturing can largely contribute to industrial decarbonization through at least two strategies. First, traditional manufacturing technologies with low energy efficiency or high emissions can be replaced with advanced manufacturing technologies. Second, advanced manufacturing technologies can be developed to produce novel products that improve energy efficiency or reduce emissions. There are gaps in the literature regarding the state-of-the-art about these two strategies. To help realize the full potential of advanced manufacturing for industrial decarbonization, the NSF Workshop on Advanced Manufacturing for Industrial Decarbonization was recently held. The workshop provided an interaction venue for researchers from different research communities, including advanced manufacturing, energy efficiency, industrial decarbonization, and techno-economic analysis. This paper reports the findings from the workshop, including discussions on the four major pillars of industrial decarbonization (energy efficiency; industrial electrification; low-carbon fuels, feedstocks, and energy sources; and carbon capture, utilization, and storage), existing gaps and challenges in advanced manufacturing for industrial decarbonization, and recommendations regarding how to accelerate research and development on advanced manufacturing for industrial decarbonization. This paper will assist active researchers, scientists, engineers, project leaders, and program directors in identifying the current research focuses, challenges, and future trends in the field.