Wind energy currently supplies 15% of electricity used in the European Union (EU). This is set to rise to 50% by 2050 under the European Commission’s long-term decarbonization strategy.
However, the bloc is facing a serious, more short-term issue: how to recycle the blades from decommissioned wind turbines.
According to trade body WindEurope, Brussels, the first generation of wind turbines are nearing the end of their operational life. The organization estimates that 14,000 wind turbine blades — weighing an estimated 40,000–60,000 mt — will be decommissioned by 2023.
While 85–90% of wind turbines’ total mass is readily recyclable, the blades pose technical, economic and regulatory challenges.
To learn more, read "Aging Wind Turbines Pose Recycling Challenges" from Chemical Processing.