The wind sector has grown since the 2005 Energy Policy Act, which has presented a challenge regarding disposal of composite materials in wind turbine blades (WTB). This work investigates decomposition and material properties of real field WTB samples to determine suitability of end-of-life applications and the environmental impacts of considered treatments to maximize environmental benefits. Pyrolysis and syngas recovery are used in industry, but not commonly applied to composite materials. Thermogravimetric and residual gas analyses will be used to optimize these processes for WTB. Previous life cycle assessments (LCA) have compared a subset of end-of-life applications but haven’t necessarily focused on WTB. LCA will be used to compare the environmental impacts of end-of-life applications for current and projected WTB disposal rates.

Wind turbine blade material properties, Decomposition, and environmental impact

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