How can wind turbines be sustainable?

Sustainability of wind turbines can be achieved by developing effective technologies of recycling of currently used wind turbine blades, and, with view on future wind turbines, by developing new recyclable composites for large wind turbine blades.

Can composite wind turbine blades be recycled?

The feasibility of recycling composite wind turbine blade fabricated with glass fiber reinforced Elium® thermoplastic resin is demonstrated. Recycled materials have mechanical properties equivalent to virgin materials.

Should wind farms be disposed of tough turbine blades?

As more wind farms are decommissioned ways need to be found to dispose of their tough turbine blades.

What to do with wind turbine blades?

Wind turbines have proliferated across the island of Ireland in recent decades. Now, whole farms are being decommissioned and the question of what to do with the blades is a focus. Work continues among scientists around the world to find more sustainable material to use for constructing blades, or a way to recycle the existing material.

Can wind turbines be repurposed?

Researchers led by Queen's University Belfast have been trying to find ways of repurposing the structures, also known as wings. While wind turbines are heroes of renewable energy generation, their blades are not currently recyclable and have to be landfilled or incinerated.

How are wind turbine blades made?

Instead of using cloth to catch the wind like Prof Blyth and the ancient Iranians, today's turbine blades are built from composite materials - older blades from glass fibre, newer ones from carbon fibre. Such composite materials might be light and strong, but they are also extremely hard to recycle.