PPG was selected to receive a $741,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to support the development of materials and automation processes for wind blade manufacturing. In partnership with MAG Industrial Automation Systems, PPG aims to optimize materials technologies and develop fiber glass prepreg placement techniques to improve wind blade reliability while reducing the cost of wind blade production. The DOE grant is one of 28 new wind energy projects made possible by funding provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to the "20% Wind by 2030: Overcoming the Challenges" program. The bulk of work on this project will be completed in 2010 at facilities in North Carolina and Kentucky.