Wind turbines are being touted as almost 90% recyclable, yet their blades are made of fibreglass combined with a thermosetting polymer that is difficult to recycle; experts say that some 43 million tonnes of blades can reach thwe end of their lives by 2050.
Where will old blades go?
Most spent blades are still taken to landfills in Europe and the US while Germany and the Netherlands are landfill banned countries in this respect; France has a requirement for newly produced wind turbines to be made 95% recyclable or reusable.
What can be done?
If blades are ground into pieces, they can be used to fire cement-making kilns; according to Veolia, cement processed in this way has a 27% lower CO2 footprint than that which was manufactured traditionally. Siemens Gamesa has been introducing the blades which can be recycled, while Vestas has invented a method of recycling glass from epoxy that is still in the stage of scaling.
How serious is the issue?
In the US, expert forecasts state that blade waste will account for 0.15% of solid waste by 2050, although the reform in turbine designs is likely to ensure green energy throughout the world.
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