Much of the structure of a wind turbine can be reused, but not the massive blades. And figuring out what to do with those will be a huge problem, according to a recent National Public Radio article entitled “Wind Energy Has a Waste Problem: Disposing of the Turbines.”
Some facts from the article:
- Blades comprise resin and fiberglass
- Used blades currently have no value, recyclable or otherwise
- Used blades are enormous, from 100 to 300 feet long
- They can’t be transported without being cut up onsite, and it takes specialized equipment to haul them away (all of which is enormously expensive)
- Landfills don’t really have the space for them, either
- Obtaining new landfill permitting is also very expensive
- In the next 20 years, the U.S. will have over 720,000 tons of waste blade material
