New Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Method

[@LeftCoastStephen]

Most interesting. The implications for recycling fibreglass in general is even more interesting. I live on the coast and the number of derelict boats I see is huge - the number I don’t see is probably much higher. The main reason they have been abandoned is no one knows what to do with them other than burial.

[@khusrum]

Great video that sheds light on solutions to recycle turbines... And more importantly, that turbines are a small percentage of fiberglass waste. In a sense, it's a blessing that so much attention was brought on turbines blades because now a solution is developed that would treat a larger problem.

[@kayosiiii]

it would be really great to get an update on where this project is

[@Niklasankjaer]

Hi Rosie, Thanks for a very interesting video. It would definitely be interesting to hear more about what the wind turbine manufacturers are working on in terms of new materials and initiatives to overcome this big challenge.

[@EngineeringwithRosie]

Thanks for the comment. I will make sure I get this video idea underway. It has been on my list for a while, I've got to make the time to get to it!

[@pipertripp]

This sort of cradle to cradle thinking is going to be increasingly important. I think that there are a lot of really interesting things happening with plastics that will hopefully come to fruition by the end of this decade. It's great to see the wind industry and folks like Ryan looking for new ways to reduce impact.

[@nc3826]

Recycling fee on new products that would be returned with interest, to any recycler or reuser doing it in a green manner. Would be a help to promote it....

[@gordybishop2375]

Great solutions and you ask great questions.

[@Jeemus.]

Wow it is amazing how many potentially groundbreaking technologies are springing up all the time! The more we can extract value from waste materials the better! I would be interested to hear your thoughts on small scale distributed wind vs large wind farms, and why people are putting solar panels but not wind turbines on their roofs? I know there is lower efficiency, more turbulence, slower speeds and a whole host of other problems but there seems to be little interest in overcoming them. Cheers and keep up the amazing work!

[@EngineeringwithRosie]

Wow, you're reading my mind! I will touch on the issue of small wind turbines in a short video later this week, and then delve into it further in a long video in a few weeks. It's basically because of the reasons you say, I'll make sure to include which aspects can be changed, and which can't. There is an interesting mid-sized turbine manufacture whose business plan is all about distributed generation. I had planned a site visit and interview a couple of weeks ago but it was delayed. I hope we will be able to reschedule soon though 😀 And yep, I agree that all of a sudden we are seeing heaps of potential solutions to waste problems. As Ryan mentioned in the video, over the last few years a real change has occurred in the way people think about these sorts of issues. It's not just for hippies any more!

[@Jeemus.]

@@EngineeringwithRosie I can't wait! I'm hopeful that we will see lots of new innovation in this area soon. The more wind turbines the better in my opinion!

[@seneca983]

Could they also recycle other types of fiber composites like basalt or carbon fiber composites?

[@mcdonoli2162]

Awesome video. I’m doing a dissertation on recycling fiberglass wind turbines and boats so would love to see a video going into a bit more depth about how this process is completed and the pros and cons of the blades made with different resins

[@syberphish]

We should use them to make artificial reefs to promote more fish life. Over time the ocean would just wear them down, but probably not entirely before new accretions kept the reef active. I think it's a perfect solution.

[@GlennCoffey-e2i]

Love the idea of repurposing these for boat hull design

[@georgestreicher252]

It's great that a way to recycle wind turbine blade has been perfected. In the future most electricity will be generated by thorium reactors. Water including salt water will be used to power vehicles, airplanes, locomotives, and ships. Water converted to combustible gas to run generators will be much cheaper and less environmental damaging than wind turbines or solar panels.

[@nc3826]

What do you think about adding a recycling fee? (not just for windmills) That would be returned with interest, to any recycler or reuser doing it in a green manner. For example this process would get a partial return, since there is still is pollution produced. With the remaining balance going to a pollution mitigation fund. The breakdown of how much of the recycling fee plus interest goes where should be keep fairly simple such as by the the net weight and or value retained or on how much pollution the recycling cause.

[@EngineeringwithRosie]

Great suggestion, and I have actually heard that in some parts of Europe there is a fee like that on solar panels. The same thing for wind turbine blades would surely help. I wouldn't be surprised to see one soon.

[@nc3826]

@@EngineeringwithRosieGlad you think so, but the hard part is the politics. To get a fee (like a VAT) charged on negative externalities, including wind turbine blades. Maybe in Europe since the green party is fairly strong there? Doubtful for the USA since its not part of Climate Change mediation.. So EVs will get more subsidies, but no much support for battery recycling..... IMHO....

[@peterpicroc6065]

Syngas can be catalyzed into whichever hydrocarbon you want. Not just fuel. You can make virgin plastic, use it, pyrolyze it, make new plastic, closing the loop. Using renewables to heat the process instead of burning some of the material for fuel lets you keep all the hydrocarbons. The waste heat can be sold to district heating or whatever, carbon free. When renewables and recycling mature, so many synergies will emerge that nobody thought of yet.

[@ErichBSchulz]

Exactly my thought. Rosie it would be great to explore what else the Syngas could be used for. And can the process be set up so it uses intermittent "surplus" electricity on windy, sunny days?

[@insAneTunA]

A Dutch company called Extreme eco solution is happy to recycle expired wind turbine blades and old boats into 100% recyclable floor tiles.

[@EngineeringwithRosie]

Sounds cool!

[@insAneTunA]

@@EngineeringwithRosie It is cool :-) And it is not some futuristic dream, but instead it is an active company. Right wing critics always complain about the expired turbine blades, but they never mention the composite boats and cars and other composite products. That shows that the right wing critics are not speaking in good faith.

[@insAneTunA]

@don'tmindme Most importantly is that the people need to know the facts. So that the lies from the right wing can be debunked. The technology is not the problem, but the people are.

[@fjalics]

So how is that pilot line doing?

[@phayios]

Very good & Interesting video, thank you. I have been wondering about the recycling of fiberglass for a while and this solution seems ideal for ALL sorts of products. It would be very interesting to learn of new turning blade construction materials as well.

[@HamzaAhmedQazi]

Great work Ryan's team. And thanks Rosie for covering it. Can you make a video detailing how this recovered cf/gf can be re introduced into the composite manufacturing industry. Are there any challenges in making semi finished products from the recovered cf/gf?

[@EngineeringwithRosie]

Great idea for a follow up!

[@davidwilkie9551]

When I was acquainted with FG Resins, and a bit of chemistry, the UV Catastrophe Theory was quite popular with the Industrial Process of Reaction Catalyst initiation.., if the Resin didn't go off, a UV Light or Sunlight helped. So the suspicion is that the reaction is reversible and perhaps a UV -> nacent Hydrogen in a sealed atmosphere Reactor Vessel, maybe could do this. Plastic Solvents in combination.. There's many a slip betwixt cup and lip, don't know if it works. Seems like a job for Chemical Engineers.

[@fbintllc]

It would be interesting to see how Ryan's technology compares to the one developed by this Spanish startup called Reciclalia.

[@charlesschulz8416]

Great video very informative great idea of recycling end of life wind turbine blades maybe building recycling plant in Australia to tackle the same issue as it is in America

[@EngineeringwithRosie]

Are you Australian too? The gov here has introduced a waste export ban recently, and a recycling manufacturing plan, so I think they are planning something. Probably it will be solar panel recycling first for us, since we were early movers on that tech, but late movers on wind. We still have a lot of years left before we need to start worrying about disposing of many wind turbine blades.

[@terenceiutzi4003]

And how do we separate the fiber from the epoxy with out damaging the fibers and making them garbage?

[@EngineeringwithRosie]

All the detail I have about the process is in the video, and in the papers I linked in the description. Beyond that it is Ryan's intellectual property 😀

[@terenceiutzi4003]

@@EngineeringwithRosie look at the real data! Crusted fibers can only be used as a wetting agent in concrete but all of the polymer has to be separated and for carbon fiber construction it is useless! So to recycle the fibers for boat like construction is extremely poluting

[@stephentroake7155]

Can we have an update?

[@Diekr]

if you use a thermoplastic resin instead of a thermoset (polyester or epoxy) that would greatly increase the possibility of recycling.

[@mikebrown41182]

Would like to know the enviromental impact it has on the animal wildlife, Eagles for examples. Sure the energy is very clean but it has its downfall aswell.

[@EngineeringwithRosie]

Yes, I am a big bird lover too. My favourite eagle is the wedge tailed eagle (Australian), and I would not want to see harm come to them. And you are right, every technology including wind energy has downsides. I will make a video on birds and wind turbines next year, but just quickly, here are the main facts: Old wind turbines that had lattice towers used to kill a not-insignificant number of birds. They would roost in the tower, and then take off into the blades. This doesn't happen any more, since the towers are monopoles. Buildings, cars, cats and climate change all kill vastly more birds than wind turbines. But some specific birds in some specific locations do have problems seeing and avoiding turbines. I believe there are some raptors in California for example, and probably others. Bats also have problems in some areas. There is ongoing research on how to reduce this, but until we find a perfect solution we'll need to keep doing environmental impact assessments that include birds. We just shouldn't put wind farms in places where they are going to cause problems with birds (most countries have good regulations to ensure this doesn't happen). There aren't that many places where it is a problem, so it's actually not a really big deal to help the birds out in this way. Thanks for watching, and thanks for the comment.

[@no1wrench]

The environmental impacts are huge. Wind power on a massive scale is so far from green it's just silly.

[@mars-cs4uk]

Yes I am also worried about the animals and birds. But we are killing many animals for our food all over the world and I don't know when that will stop. By the way I am a vegetarian and I don't use leather products. It sad that many people worried about the birds and they are unknowingly eat meat.

[@Jamesvandaele]

Any updates on this?

[@ilyasbera9264]

What is your name

[@ilyasbera9264]

From

[@ilyasbera9264]

Scrap turbine blade my requirement

[@khusrum]

Would have been nice to equate waste from turbine blades in terms of plastic bottles. ie annualize how many bottles equivalent is a turbine over its 25 year life.

[@augustlandmesser1520]

How about the wood... or hemp?

[@no1wrench]

No one makes fiberglass truck beds. Or dash boards.

[@EngineeringwithRosie]

Agree to disagree perhaps 😊

[@williamedwards8183]

No blades- so many wind turbines concepts without blades.

[@stiantiger]

So... Did it work out..?

[@cottond62]

It occurs to me that if the blades can be reduced enough, they could be used as a filler in concrete.

[@vendingdudes]

Why does a wind turbine blade need to be replaced in the first place? A fixed, non-corroding object. What gives?

[@EngineeringwithRosie]

Great question, and I made a video about that topic: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpfUpoCubs1sbq8 It is mostly because of fatigue loading. The wind loads on turbine components gradually wear the structure out. I explain it in more depth in the video I linked above.

[@terenceiutzi4003]

Pressure different across the blade causes water droplets cavitation tat erodes the surface of the blade! That is why off shore turbines have about 20 percent of the expected life span

[@niconico3907]

@@terenceiutzi4003 cavitation can only happen under water. Its only for boat propellers, and pumps.

[@terenceiutzi4003]

@@niconico3907 yes pumps above water and whenever there is a large pressure differential like in a water turbine or a boat paddle or a wave power generator

[@terenceiutzi4003]

@@niconico3907 oh yes and what vapor on a wind turbine blade! And yes there is always water vapour in the air just 100 times as much over open water! OMG cavitation on off shore turbines! Who would have imagined it!But

[@deadeye_john]

Can't you just recycle or repair the blades into new stronger blades?

[@EngineeringwithRosie]

If the blades are actually broken during their expected design lifetime, then yes. But when a blade has completed has its certified lifetime, they are not actually "broken," it is mainly fatigue damage that has accumulated, tiny damages all through the blade and you don't know when it will break after that point. I discussed these issues in more depth in this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpfUpoCubs1sbq8

[@deadeye_john]

@@EngineeringwithRosie How about this, coat the blades in super glue on the outside so that if the wind tries to put tiny damage on it, it can't do it because the glue is both holding it in place really tight, and it's protecting the blades like a sheild.

[@EngineeringwithRosie]

@@deadeye_john Nice thinking outside the box! Superglue is good for so, so many things, but unfortunately fatigue damage is on the inside so it won't help here 😀

[@deadeye_john]

@@EngineeringwithRosie Then use superglue on the inside.

[@seneca983]

@@deadeye_john Surely superglue isn't immune to fatigue either.

[@terenceiutzi4003]

So if everyone in Canada buys 3 million dollar yatch each we have the problem solved.but i wouldn't recomend operating them. You cant bond carbon fiber apoxi panels together very well!

[@ilyasbera9264]

Hi mam turbine blade scrap my requirement

[@haroldlemons3266]

That's what I was thinking

[@edwardandannedamm4689]

Cut them and sink them to be hidy holes for fish and lobsters.

[@MichaelPatterson-d5h]

Very interesting.......Not as green an industry as once thought.

[@brianmiller1149]

What is your opinion of Michael Moore’s documentary declaring the green revolution rubbish?

[@clintonsmith9931]

The blades will deteriorate from the continuing heat of the sun. Anyone that is knowing about cars made from the mid 1950s Will l turn the resin to dust . The glass takes longer, weather is very cruel on any plastic. Everything slowly oxidizes(turns to dust) .

[@ilyasbera9264]

Turbine blade my requirement

[@reinerjung1613]

Please address new material ideas for wind turbine blades (if you haven't already done). We are currently working on a project where we present people with current challenges regarding climate change mitigation and suggest solutions for the respective challenge. It will be in German, as it is target towards the German population in the upcoming election (in September). And one major issue is that people are afraid of the change and decide to elect the do nothing side of the parliament which already ruined German's wind turbine manufacturers and solar panel industry.

[@ilyasbera9264]

Hii

[@jamesrogers4674]

It takes more fuel to make ethanol than what is produced. No doubt that's the case here. List the fuel sources? Not to mention the energy and consumables it takes to process these into smaller pieces. What inert gas would be used and what's the process of obtaining it? Sometimes we need to take a beating, learn our lesson, deal with consequences, start fresh and come up with a better idea for moving on. We have loads of data on failure points on these blades. I think a better idea would be to reinforce what we have before they reach the point of potential failure or inefficiency. Design retrofit kits. Design new one's that are rebuildable. Nothing lasts forever but if you can double or triple life expectancy then you have 1/2 to 1/3 of the spent materials to deal with.

[@sanddocon]

its a great idea but some many before him have come up with great idea's to help his world and non ever come of it the wicked Elite that run his earth do not want it. they here to destroy and cause pain

[@ar1701]

HELLOOOOO!! we dont recycle plastic bottles at best we bury some of it , make boats??? look around !!!

[@terenceiutzi4003]

Why do they still show ultra short fibers that are complete garbage and burning the polymer witch is most pure carbon is much more polluting then coal!

[@EngineeringwithRosie]

The fibres are shorter than original but still long enough to maintain some structural properties. And you are right that burning the polymers is a fossil fuel that releases CO2.

[@Stella_Job]

This is why we need bio-based resins, so we're not burning fossil carbon.

[@terenceiutzi4003]

@@Stella_Job you do realize that all hydrocarbons are bio based they all started as plants and we can easily produce all of the resins form plants it just require massive amounts of energy and puts out alive amounts of Co2

[@Stella_Job]

​@@terenceiutzi4003 I do realise that all hydrocarbons are ultimately bio-based. (Though actually they can be made synthetically, e.g. power to liquid fuels from hydrogen and CO2). But the problem is burning what originated as bio-based millions of years ago. If we only burn the carbon that nature can easily replace in the same generation, it's sustainable (subject to other issues around biodiversity, etc). Sadly it's not "easy" to produce all the resins from plants, but progress is being made.

[@terenceiutzi4003]

@@Stella_Job and how can we make hydrogen on that scale? We can use astronomical amounts of electricity on a scale that only coal can produce! Or we can crack it for natural gas and dump millions of tons of Co2 cracked from the gas into the atmospher!

[@ilyasbera9264]

I am place my contact

[@stephentroake7155]

Can we have an update?