Out of puff End-of-life plan needed for wind turbine blades
A
new study led by Profes-
need to be factored into their production
sor Peter Majewski at The
and running costs.
University of South Australia
“Our research indicates the most likely
indicates tens of thousands of
viable option is a product stewardship or
wind turbine blades will end
extended producer responsibility approach,
up in landfill by the end of the decade unless
where the cost of recycling the blades
end-of-life programs are established soon.
is factored into either the cost of their
The study highlights the challenges of
manufacture or the cost of their operation.
recycling wind turbine blades, which are
“So, drawing on the experience of simi-
made of either carbon fibre or glass fibre
lar programs for other products, either the
composite material, both of which are ex-
manufacturer must take responsibility for
pensive to break down, with the recovered
what needs to be done with the blades at
materials having minimal market value.
the end of their useful life, or the wind farm
“The same features that make these
operators must provide end-of-life solutions
blades cost-effective and reliable for use
as part of the planning approval process for
in commercial wind turbines make them
their business operations.”
very difficult to recycle in a cost-effective fashion,” Majewski said.
While self-regulation may offer one solution, Majewski believes the long lifespan and
“As it is so expensive to recycle them,
high cost of blades means official frame-
and the recovered materials are worth so
works are required to ensure transition of
little, it is not realistic to expect a market-
responsibility where necessary.
based recycling solution to emerge, so
“If manufacturers disappear, or wind
policymakers need to step in now and plan
farms go broke, we need to ensure processes
what we’re going to do with all these blades
are still in place for the turbine blades to
that will come offline in the next few years.”
be disposed of properly,” he said.
In many parts of the world, wind turbine
Majewski said it is likely consumers will
blades are currently dumped in landfill, but
ultimately bear some of the end-of-life cost
this practice has been banned in some
through energy tariffs, but he believes mar-
European countries, and with estimates
ket competition between energy producers
suggesting there will be more than 40
should help to minimise the impact of that
million tons of blade waste worldwide by
on the public.
2050, alternative solutions are urgently being sought.
“There will be some cost to this for everyone involved, but we have to accept
Majewski said that while there is some
that as part of the cost of producing energy
very limited potential for reuse of blades
in this way,” Majewski said. “Without such
in niche construction settings and a small
solutions, energy options like wind and
market for some of the reclaimed materi-
solar may prove to be no more sustainable
als, it is likely the costs of disposing of
than the old technologies they are aiming
the blades in a sustainable fashion will
to replace.”
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