![]() Wind turbine foundationsĪ foundation is vital to secure wind turbines to the ground. Recycled steel can be manufactured or welded into pipes, tools, construction beams, bikes, and even to make new wind turbine towers. The melted metal from wind turbine towers is made into slabs and then rolled into sheets for easier transport to manufacturing or processing centers. In fact, the European Union steel industry has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 26% since 1990, primarily by using more recycled content and improving energy efficiency. Therefore, it is much better for the planet to use recycled steel compared to using virgin steel. However, recycling steel conserves almost 74% of the energy used in the production from raw materials. Unfortunately, this is a very energy-intensive process due to the heat involved. Unlike plastic, steel is highly recyclable and can be melted and remelted repeatedly to make new products. The melting process involves very high temperatures of up to 3000 degrees Fahrenheit. ![]() There were also issues associated with long-term structural issues from these towers.īecause wind turbine towers are primarily made of steel, they are readily recycled in mills or foundries. One downside to lattice towers is that they encourage birds to nest in these structures, which is counterproductive in preventing bird collisions. Lattice wind turbine towers are no longer commonly installed for utility-scale projects. But, the average hub height for off-shore wind farms is even taller. Now, the average hub height is about 90 meters, roughly the height of the Statue of Liberty. In fact, the height of land-based utility-scale wind turbines has increased 59% from 1998-1999 to 2020 in the United States. Thus, wind turbine towers are generally assembled on-site from several pieces and are hollow inside to reduce their weight and conserve resources.Īs the hub height of turbines increases, so does the length of the wind turbine towers. They are wider at the base and narrower higher up to save materials.īecause these towers are so tall, they are manufactured into long sections to make them easier to transport. Wind energy turbines typically consist of a tubular tower made of steel that supports other components, including the gearbox, generator, and blades. There are numerous parts to a wind turbine, and each has different recycling challenges and opportunities. What parts of a wind turbine are recyclable? Most metals are readily recyclable repeatedly and easy to make into new products. Although it varies by model, wind turbines are 66%-79% steel, 11%-16% fiberglass, resin, or plastic, 5%-17% iron or cast iron, 1% copper, and 0-2% aluminum by weight, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. More than 80%t of the mass of wind turbines is made up of recyclable materials such as steel, iron, copper, and aluminum. It’s therefore critical to have adequate recycling infrastructure in place to process wind turbines. ![]() However, wind turbines are getting bigger, so the volume of material inputs is increasing. Wind turbines can be recycled, because the two primary materials are metal and cement, which are recyclable. Increasingly, people are thinking more about the decommissioning phase of renewable energy projects, and are wondering if wind power is really as green as it seems. When these wind power projects were first installed, end-of-life wasn’t really a top concern, but this topic is getting more attention now. Thus, it is time to either decommission or repower them. Because the design life of a wind turbine is about 20 years, these turbines are reaching the end of their useful lives. Some of the first utility-scale wind farms were installed in the early 2000s.
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