A Holistic and Circular Approach for Managing End-of-Service Wind Turbine BladesShow others and affiliations
2024 (English)In: Sustainability, E-ISSN 2071-1050, Vol. 16, no 17, article id 7858Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
This paper aims to define the challenges and requirements necessary for the holistic management of wind turbine blades at the end of their service (EoS). Conducted within the Swedish research project Circublade, this study focuses on Sweden, although many challenges and findings are applicable to other countries. Various alternatives for managing EoS wind turbine blades exist at different levels of market maturity, but this paper specifically focuses on repurposing the blades into new products. The development of three concept designs—short-span pedestrian bridges, façade elements for building applications, and noise barriers for roads and railways—has been explored, along with aspects related to material sourcing, logistics, and implementation. For material sourcing, a digital platform containing blade data and tools to facilitate repurposing has been developed. An environmental evaluation of the different concepts highlights the significant impact of transportation on the overall environmental footprint, underscoring the necessity of a holistic approach to managing EoS blades.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) , 2024. Vol. 16, no 17, article id 7858
Keywords [en]
Sweden; barrier (equipment); bridge construction; composite; economic structure; environmental impact; holistic approach; polymer; recycling; waste management; wind turbine
National Category
Mechanical Engineering
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ri:diva-75659DOI: 10.3390/su16177858Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85204150044OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ri-75659DiVA, id: diva2:1909191
Note
This research was funded by the Swedish Innovation Agency VINNOVA, grant number 2022-01348.
2024-10-302024-10-302024-10-30Bibliographically approved