A Multidisciplinary Review of Recycling Methods for End-of-Life Wind Turbine Blades

Ebbe Bagge Paulsen and Peter Enevoldsen
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Ebbe Bagge Paulsen: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Borupvej 16, 7330 Brande, Denmark
Peter Enevoldsen: Center for Energy Technologies, Department of Business Development and Technology, Aarhus University, BTECH Aarhus BSS Aarhus University, Birk Centerpark 15, 7400 Herning, Denmark

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 14, 1-13

Abstract: Wind energy has seen an increase of almost 500 GW of installed wind power over the past decade. Renewable energy technologies have, over the years, been striving to develop in relation to capacity and size and, simultaneously, though with less focus on, the consequences and challenges that arise when the products achieve end-of-life (EoL). The lack of knowledge and possibilities for the recycling of fiber composites and, thus, the handling of EoL wind turbine blades (WTBs) has created great environmental frustrations. At present, the frustrations surrounding the handling are based on the fact that the most commonly used disposal method is via landfills. No recycling or energy/material recovery is achieved here, making it the least advantageous solution seen from the European Waste Commission’s perspective. The purpose of this research was thus to investigate the current recycling methods and to categorize them based on the waste materials. The opportunities were compared based on processing capacity, price, environment and technology readiness level (TRL), which concluded that recycling through co-processing in the cement industry is the only economical option at present that, at the same time, has the capabilities to handle large amounts of waste materials.

Keywords: wind power; recycling; blades; end-of-life (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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