Recyclable Wind Turbine Blades: A Life Cycle Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Renewable Energy Engineering

Background:

• Wind turbine blade end-of-life management is a growing concern due to the prevalence of non-recyclable thermoset resins.
• Current disposal methods for thermoset blades include landfilling or energy-intensive recycling, posing environmental challenges.
• Sustainable alternatives are crucial for the expanding wind energy sector.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the environmental impacts of 45m wind turbine blades across their life cycle.
• To compare the sustainability of conventional thermoset resin blades with blades made from a novel thermoplastic resin, Elium.
• To identify the most impactful life cycle stages and material choices for reducing environmental burden.

Main Methods:

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) using the Eco Audit approach.
• Evaluation of six blade models with varying fiber and resin configurations.
• Comparative analysis of thermoset resins versus Elium thermoplastic resin.

Main Results:

• Elium-based blades showed up to a 22.5% reduction in embodied energy and a 16% decrease in carbon footprint compared to thermoset blades.
• The material production phase is the most significant contributor to environmental impact (up to 98% of embodied energy and carbon footprint).
• Elium offers industrial feasibility through compatibility with existing manufacturing, room-temperature curing, and lower processing energy.

Conclusions:

• Elium thermoplastic resin presents a more sustainable alternative to conventional thermoset resins for wind turbine blade manufacturing.
• Selecting sustainable resins like Elium early in the design process is critical for minimizing the overall environmental load of wind energy.
• Improved end-of-life recyclability of Elium can significantly reduce the environmental burden associated with wind turbine blades.