Unsustainable Wind Turbine Blade Disposal Practices in the United States

Finding ways to manage the waste from the expected high number of wind turbine blades in need of disposal is crucial to harvest wind energy in a truly sustainable manner. Landfilling is the most cost-effective disposal method in the United States, but it imposes significant environmental impacts. Thermal, mechanical, and chemical processes allow for some energy and/or material recovery, but they also carry potential negative externalities. This article explores the main economic and environmental issues with various wind turbine blade disposal methods. We argue for the necessity of policy intervention that encourages industry to develop better technologies to make wind turbine blade disposal sustainable, both environmentally and economically. We present some of the technological initiatives being researched, such as the use of bio-derived resins and thermoplastic composites in the manufacturing process of the blades.

寻找方法来处理预期大量需要处置的风力涡轮机叶片所产生的废弃物，对于以真正可持续的方式获取风能至关重要。在美国，填埋是最具成本效益的处置方法，但它会对环境造成重大影响。热、机械和化学处理过程能够回收一些能源和/或材料，但它们也存在潜在的负面外部效应。本文探讨了各种风力涡轮机叶片处置方法所涉及的主要经济和环境问题。我们主张有必要进行政策干预，以鼓励行业开发更好的技术，使风力涡轮机叶片的处置在环境和经济方面都具有可持续性。我们介绍了一些正在研究的技术举措，比如在叶片制造过程中使用生物衍生树脂和热塑性复合材料。