(663g) End-of-Life Options for Materials in Wind Turbine Blades

The wind industry provided 17.8% of US electricity in 2022 and installations are expected to double in coming years, which increases both material demand and the subsequent waste stream as wind turbines reach their end-of-life (EoL). The glass fiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRPC) that comprise approximately 70% of a wind turbine blade’s mass are difficult to separate into their component parts for recycling. Yet, these materials could be recovered and recycled to keep them in use and out of the landfill, thus increasing their value and longevity. In this work, we analyze the increased circularity in the material economy when glass recovery is implemented as compared to current practices of landfill and cement production. Reprocessing waste wind turbine blades into a secondary raw material comes at a cost of increased energy utilization, global warming impact, and fine particulate matter formation compared to landfill; however, utilization of the waste materials also creates benefits of reduced human and eco toxicities, land use, and use of mineral and fossil resources. This work represents an integrated framework for assessment and trade-off analysis of EoL pathways as research and infrastructure efforts continue to expand the recycling industry.