RFI-Domestic Turbine Manufacturing - Final.pdf

1450 Queen Avenue SW, Albany, OR 97321 ● 3610 Collins Ferry Road, Morgantown, WV 26505 ● 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236 TurbineManufacturingRFI@netl.doe.gov www.netl.doe.gov

U.S. Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy

Request for Information (RFI)

DE-FOA-0003604

Title: Request for Information (RFI): Domestic Turbine Manufacturing Needs Issue Date: November 20, 2025 Program Area: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy RESPONSES DUE: January 30, 2026

Purpose The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to solicit information from entities with experience in the manufacture of gas turbines that supply into the 60 Hz US market including original equipment manufacturers (“OEM”), their direct component suppliers ( “Tier 1”) or sub-suppliers (“Tier 2”) as well as associated material suppliers (“Tier 3”) who may supply any or all of the supply chain between the OEM, Tier 1, and Tier 2 suppliers.

DOE is seeking input on a range of topics, including:

• Factors that constrain domestic turbine manufacturing capability that may include o raw materials o component or sub-component supply o limitations in manufacturing processes o trained workforce gaps in areas of manufacturing development, production, or certification

• Technologies that could improve manufacturing throughput o Yield enhancements / scrap reduction o Reduction of the amount of material or energy needed o Lead-time reduction o Quality assurance

• Non-technical supply chain constraints o Sourcing of major components from outside the U.S. that limit production o Related industry component demand, e.g. aviation turbines, that may impact land-based power gas turbine component supply

DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy is not accepting applications for funding at this time.

1450 Queen Avenue SW, Albany, OR 97321 ● 3610 Collins Ferry Road, Morgantown, WV 26505 ● 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236

Description/ Background:

The United States faces unprecedented electricity demand over the next decade, straining supply chains for equipment. As turbines provide the majority of electricity in the United States, their availability is critical to ensure the growing demand for electricity does not impact reliability. U.S. economic and national security and prosperity require affordable and reliable access to electricity. Thus, the Department of Energy requests information on how to ensure timely supply of gas turbines and relieve constraints in the supply chain. This aligns with the policy laid out in several executive orders including E.O. 14154, “Unleashing American Energy”; E.O. 14156, “Declaring a National Energy Emergency”; and E.O. 14262, “Strengthening the Reliability and Security of the United States Electric Grid.”

The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently highlighted a change in electricity demand, which after two decades of remaining relatively flat, is expected to grow at an average rate of 1.7% per year in the short-term forecast and to exceed 6,000 TWh by 2050, a 50% increase from 2024 levels. Turbines are the cornerstone of U.S. electricity production, providing 77% of electricity generation in 2023 with natural gas fired turbines supplying the majority, followed by nuclear and coal-powered steam turbines.

Gas turbines are attractive due to their flexible operability and high efficiencies making them ideal for the breadth of duty cycles from continuous high load operation to flexible, fast-response operation in areas where increasing amounts of variable renewable energy supply power to the electric grid. The recent spike in electricity demand has demonstrated the popularity of gas turbines, with wait times doubling from the usual 2-3 years to as much as 7 years resulting in price increases due to the limited supply. Such long lead times and high prices threaten to constrain the effective supply of electricity to meet demand. The Department of Energy seeks input to inform effective strategies for lead time reduction through research and development and related efforts.

Request for Information Categories and Questions To assist DOE in evaluating the gaps that constrain the production capacity of U.S.

manufacturers of gas turbines, interested parties are requested to provide the following information, as available, in response to this RFI. Respondents can choose to answer as many or as few questions as they feel appropriate.

For the categories of questions below, please answer for each of the following manufacturing methods that your organization employs in the manufacture of components including, but not limited to:

• Forging (Open-die, Closed-die, Isothermal)

• Casting (Investment, Sand)

• Forming (Sheet, Roll)

• Coating (Thermal Barrier, Wear, Corrosion)

• Machining (Computer Numerical Control, Grinding, Electrical Discharge

Machining, Electrochemical Machining)

1450 Queen Avenue SW, Albany, OR 97321 ● 3610 Collins Ferry Road, Morgantown, WV 26505 ● 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236

• Joining (Welding (Tungsten Inert Gas, Metal Inert Gas, Laser, Electron Beam), Brazing, Diffusion Bonding)

• Additive Manufacturing (Powder Bed Fusion (Selective Laser Melting, Electron Beam Melting), Direct Energy Deposition (Laser Engineered Net Shaping, Electron Beam, Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing, Plasma Transferred Arc), Binder Jet, Hybrid)

• Assembly

Category 1: Manufacturing Technology Constraints

Identify limitations within your organization’s manufacturing processes (for each manufacturing process listed above) that prevent supplying additional components.

1.1 What components do you manufacture within the land-based gas turbine?

1.2 What are your current ROM quote lead-times for those components? What are your best-case lead times (using historical basis)?

1.3 Do your current lead-times meet the desired lead-times of your customer?

1.4 What are the most technically demanding manufacturing processes involved in producing your component(s)?

1.5 To what extent does the current manufacturing technology limit production volume or speed?

1.6 Are there any specialized tools, equipment, or machinery required that have long lead times for acquisition or unique operating requirements?

1.7 What is the typical uptime and maintenance schedule for critical manufacturing equipment? Are there redundant systems in place for key processes?

1.8 What are technologies or R&D efforts within the existing manufacturing process that could improve throughput or reduce lead-times?

1.9 What are alternate manufacturing process technologies or R&D efforts that could improve throughput or reduce lead-times?

Category 2: Workforce Constraints

Identify limitations on soliciting, developing, and retaining manufacturing process skills (for each manufacturing process listed above) within your workforce that prevent supplying additional components

2.1 What highly specialized skills or certifications are required to produce your components?

2.2 What is the availability of this specialized workforce in the relevant geographic regions for your operations and those of your key (local) suppliers?

2.3 What is the average time for training new employees to proficiency for critical manufacturing roles?

1450 Queen Avenue SW, Albany, OR 97321 ● 3610 Collins Ferry Road, Morgantown, WV 26505 ● 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236

2.4 What are your current labor retention rates for key positions within your manufacturing operations, and what is the typical turnover?

Category 3: Sub-supplier Constraints

Identify component limitations from your sub-suppliers that prevent supplying additional components.

3.1 How many qualified suppliers exist for each critical component / sub-assembly?

3.2 What is the typical lead time for orders from your key sub-suppliers? How much flexibility do they have to scale up or down production?

3.3 What are the current capacity utilization rates of your critical sub-suppliers? For unexpected demand spikes, do they have buffer capacity?

3.4 What are the quality control processes and historical quality performance of your sub-suppliers? How is non-conformance managed?

3.5 Are there any geopolitical risks, trade restrictions, or logistical challenges associated with sourcing from specific sub-suppliers or regions?

Category 4: Materials Constraints

Identify material supply limitations from your material suppliers that prevent supplying additional components.

4.1 What are the key raw materials, critical minerals, or rare earth elements required for the manufactured component? Are any subject to volatile pricing or supply disruptions?

4.2 What is the global and regional availability of these critical materials?

4.3 What are the typical lead times for acquiring these critical materials? Do you or your suppliers maintain strategic reserves?

4.4 What is the impact of material quality variations on the final product, and how are these variations managed throughout the supply chain, e.g. industry specification, customer-specific specification?

4.5 What are the opportunities for advanced materials / manufacturing to mitigate critical materials supply chain issues?

DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES

This RFI is not a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO); therefore, DOE is not accepting applications at this time. DOE may issue a NOFO in the future based on or related to the content and responses to this RFI; however, DOE may also elect not to issue a NOFO.

There is no guarantee that a NOFO will be issued as a result of this RFI. Responding to this RFI does not provide any advantage or disadvantage to potential applicants if DOE chooses to issue a NOFO regarding the subject matter. In the event a NOFO is issued, 1450 Queen Avenue SW, Albany, OR 97321 ● 3610 Collins Ferry Road, Morgantown, WV 26505 ● 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236 final details, including the anticipated award size, quantity, and timing of DOE funded awards, will be subject to Congressional appropriations and direction.

Any information obtained as a result of this RFI is intended to be used by the Government on a non-attribution basis for planning and strategy development; this RFI does not constitute a formal solicitation for proposals or abstracts. Your response to this notice will be treated as information only. DOE will review and consider all responses in its formulation of program strategies for the identified materials of interest that are the subject of this request. DOE will not provide reimbursement for costs incurred in responding to this RFI. Respondents are advised that DOE is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI. Responses to this RFI do not bind DOE to any further actions related to this topic.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT:

Responses received under this RFI are subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. Because information received in response to this RFI may be used to structure future programs and notice of funding opportunities and/or otherwise be made available to the public, respondents are strongly advised to NOT include any information in their responses that might be considered business sensitive (e.g., commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential), trade secrets, proprietary, or otherwise confidential.

Consistent with 10 CFR 1004.11, DOE requires that any person submitting information that they believe to be confidential and exempt by law from public disclosure should submit two well-marked copies: one copy of the document marked “confidential” which must clearly and conspicuously identify the business sensitive, trade secrets, proprietary, or otherwise confidential information, and one copy of the document marked “non-confidential” without the inclusion of information believed to be confidential. Failure to comply with these marking requirements may result in the disclosure of the unmarked information under the Freedom of Information Act or otherwise. The Government is not liable for the disclosure or use of unmarked information and may use or disclose such information for any purpose.

If you choose to provide business sensitive, trade secrets, proprietary, or otherwise confidential information, you must include a cover sheet marked as follows identifying the specific pages containing business sensitive, trade secrets, proprietary, or otherwise confidential information:

Notice of Restriction on Disclosure and Use of Data: Pages [List Applicable Pages] of this response may contain business sensitive, trade secrets, proprietary, or otherwise confidential information that is exempt from public disclosure. Such information shall be used or disclosed only for the purposes described in this RFI DE-FOA-3604. The Government may use or disclose any information that is not appropriately marked or otherwise restricted, regardless of source.

1450 Queen Avenue SW, Albany, OR 97321 ● 3610 Collins Ferry Road, Morgantown, WV 26505 ● 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236

In addition, (1) the header and footer of every page that contains business sensitive, trade secrets, proprietary, or otherwise confidential information must be marked as follows: “Contains Business Sensitive, Trade Secrets, Proprietary, or Otherwise Confidential Information Exempt from Public Disclosure” and (2) every line and paragraph containing such information must be clearly marked with double brackets or highlighting. DOE will make its own determination about the confidential status of the information and treat it according to its determination.

EVALUATION AND ADMINISTRATION BY FEDERAL AND NON-

FEDERAL PERSONNEL

Federal employees are subject to the non-disclosure requirements of a criminal statute, the Trade Secrets Act, 18 USC 1905. The Government may seek the advice of qualified non-Federal personnel. The Government may also use non-Federal personnel to conduct routine, nondiscretionary administrative activities. The respondents, by submitting their response, consent to DOE providing their response to non-Federal parties. Non-Federal parties given access to responses must be subject to an appropriate obligation of confidentiality prior to being given the access. Submissions may be reviewed by support contractors and private consultants.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION RESPONSE GUIDELINES

Responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically to TurbineManufacturingRFI@netl.doe.gov, with the subject line “U.S. Turbine Manufacturing RFI Response” no later than 5:00pm (ET) on January 30, 2026. Responses must be provided as attachments to an email. It is recommended that attachments with file sizes exceeding 25MB be compressed (i.e., zipped) to ensure message delivery.

Responses must be provided as a Microsoft Word (.docx) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) attachment to the email, 12-point font, 1-inch margins. Only electronic responses will be accepted.

Please identify your answers by responding to a specific question or topic if applicable.

Respondents may answer as many or as few questions as they wish.

DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy will not respond to individual submissions or publish publicly a compendium of responses. A response to this RFI will not be viewed as a binding commitment to develop or pursue the project or ideas discussed.

Respondents are requested to provide the following information at the start of their response to this RFI:

• Company / institution name;

• Company / institution contact including job title;

• Contact's address, phone number, and e-mail address.

1450 Queen Avenue SW, Albany, OR 97321 ● 3610 Collins Ferry Road, Morgantown, WV 26505 ● 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236

If a NOFO related to this RFI is released, it will be posted at Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) and at FedConnect (http://www.fedconnect.net). Entities who may be interested in applying for awards under a possible NOFO are strongly encouraged to register at these sites to receive notification of announcements regarding the NOFO. If DOE decides to issue a NOFO, applications can only be submitted through Grants.gov.