Michigan economic development leaders have announced two new Centers of Energy Excellence designations for wind manufacturing companies Energetx Composites and Astraeus Wind Energy.

The program teams up companies, academic institutions, national labs and the state to foster research and development and develop new energy technology.

The Michigan Strategic Fund board has approved $3.5 million for Energetx that will collaborate with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Dow Chemical to manufacture wind turbine blades with advanced materials. The project will get $3.5 million in matching funds from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

The MSF also approved $6 million in funding for Astraeus Wind Energy that will partner with the same two companies. The center will be focused on the automated manufacturing of wind turbine blade components and get receive $7 million in matching funds from the DOE.