Post by account_disabled on Mar 13, 2024 6:12:42 GMT
When wind turbine blades are removed from service, they are typically scrapped and landfilled because they cannot be recycled. In the United States alone over the next four years, that will be the fate of more than , blades.
As wind installations increase, so will that number. It's because most blades are made from epoxy or other thermosetting resins.
Thermoplastic resin developed by Arkema Inc can be reheated and therefore recycled
That's why researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are using a thermoplastic resin, developed by Arkema Inc., that can be reheated and therefore recycled.
It takes less ti Caseno Email List me and less heat to build the blades. They can be manufactured on site, further reducing costs. Blades can be stronger, lighter, longer and easier to repair.
And the combination of thermoplastics and thermal welding also means that these blades work well even in seawater, opening the door to a first generation of underwater marine energy applications.
According to the American Wind Energy Association, wind power generation has grown by gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity for each year of the last decade. And, as of , there were approximately GW of installed wind capacity in the United States and GW worldwide. While the expansion of renewable energy is certainly a positive change, not all renewable energy is renewable from start to finish.
Thermoplastic resin
Currently, wind turbine blades cannot be recycled
A recent Bloomberg News article stoked concern by focusing attention on Casper, Wyoming, home to a graveyard of nearly wind turbine blades.
The Casper municipal landfill serves as the final resting place for spent blades, the volume of which has been growing exponentially as the robust expansion of wind energy continues . The article suggested that in the next four years alone, the United States will dismantle more than , blades.
thermoplastic resin
While other parts of the wind turbine can be reused or recycled, the blades as they are currently constructed cannot be. One study found that each megawatt of installed capacity is equivalent to metric tons of composite waste.
This poses a significant challenge in the final stage of leaf life, both environmentally and economically. As the collection of decommissioned shovels multiplies, the question arises: Where will they go?
Building a better blade using thermoplastic resin
NREL researchers and their partners saw an opportunity within the challenge. Leveraging a vast wealth of experience in fundamental wind energy research, development and validation, NREL researchers established an approach to manufacturing wind turbine blades that employs a thermoplastic resin system developed by Arkema Inc.
A blade as usual is usually constructed from epoxy or other thermosetting resins. These types of materials are difficult and expensive to recycle. Because of these challenges, worn thermosetting blades are almost guaranteed to end up in a landfill.
As wind installations increase, so will that number. It's because most blades are made from epoxy or other thermosetting resins.
Thermoplastic resin developed by Arkema Inc can be reheated and therefore recycled
That's why researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are using a thermoplastic resin, developed by Arkema Inc., that can be reheated and therefore recycled.
It takes less ti Caseno Email List me and less heat to build the blades. They can be manufactured on site, further reducing costs. Blades can be stronger, lighter, longer and easier to repair.
And the combination of thermoplastics and thermal welding also means that these blades work well even in seawater, opening the door to a first generation of underwater marine energy applications.
According to the American Wind Energy Association, wind power generation has grown by gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity for each year of the last decade. And, as of , there were approximately GW of installed wind capacity in the United States and GW worldwide. While the expansion of renewable energy is certainly a positive change, not all renewable energy is renewable from start to finish.
Thermoplastic resin
Currently, wind turbine blades cannot be recycled
A recent Bloomberg News article stoked concern by focusing attention on Casper, Wyoming, home to a graveyard of nearly wind turbine blades.
The Casper municipal landfill serves as the final resting place for spent blades, the volume of which has been growing exponentially as the robust expansion of wind energy continues . The article suggested that in the next four years alone, the United States will dismantle more than , blades.
thermoplastic resin
While other parts of the wind turbine can be reused or recycled, the blades as they are currently constructed cannot be. One study found that each megawatt of installed capacity is equivalent to metric tons of composite waste.
This poses a significant challenge in the final stage of leaf life, both environmentally and economically. As the collection of decommissioned shovels multiplies, the question arises: Where will they go?
Building a better blade using thermoplastic resin
NREL researchers and their partners saw an opportunity within the challenge. Leveraging a vast wealth of experience in fundamental wind energy research, development and validation, NREL researchers established an approach to manufacturing wind turbine blades that employs a thermoplastic resin system developed by Arkema Inc.
A blade as usual is usually constructed from epoxy or other thermosetting resins. These types of materials are difficult and expensive to recycle. Because of these challenges, worn thermosetting blades are almost guaranteed to end up in a landfill.