Over 40 million tonnes of “blade waste” will need to be disposed of worldwide by 2050, spurring engineering and manufacturing experts to call on governments to implement “end of life” plans for the plethora of wind farms now emerging across developed countries.
A new study involving Professor Peter Majewski from the University of South Australia has found that Australia will need to find a way to dispose of “tens of thousands” of wind turbine blades by the end of this decade, particularly as the state and federal governments continue to push for more ambitious net-zero targets.
Currently, wind turbines have a lifespan of around 20 to 25 years and once retired, they are disposed of in one of three ways: recycling, incineration, or dumped into landfills—the latter practice will be banned in Europe by 2025….