Posted on July 28, 2022 by Al Bergstein
An issue that might cause a significant pause in the deployment of deep water wind turbines, which I assume from the article may be what is being proposed for the Washington coast.
The realization that turbulence created by deepwater wind turbines could upset the spring phytoplankton bloom has researchers warning the rapidly emerging industry to proceed with caution. Doug Johnson reports. (Hakai Magazine)
Offshore Wind’s Turbulent Future
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Filed under: Environmental Science | Tagged: wind turbines | Comments Off on Offshore Wind’s Turbulent Future – Hakai Magazine
Posted on October 16, 2021 by Al Bergstein
Local Port Townsend resident and ex-New York Times writer Larry Fisher has published a very well researched article in the Milken Review on the recycling of wind turbines titled, “Anyone Want to Buy A Very Used Wind Turbine?” As we see the rush to put in large wind farms off the coast of Washington, promoted by the Department of Energy and the Quinault Nation, it’s worth reviewing that this green technology is still working out the pains of recycling it’s waste.
Turbine blades’ “biggest problem is they are gigantic, and there are not many groups that can cut them into pieces that a general recycler can handle. There’s no furnace you can just feed one into because it’s so huge.”
https://www.milkenreview.org/articles/anyone-want-to-buy-a-very-used-wind-turbine
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Filed under: Climate Change | Tagged: recycling, wind turbines | Comments Off on Recycling Wind Turbines
Posted on October 6, 2020 by Al Bergstein
There are so many unintended consequences to any technology. This one mirrors the problems we have with disposing of fiberglass sailboats. Any solutions? Got a unique idea of how these will be recycled or reused?
Companies are searching for ways to deal with the tens of thousands of blades that have reached the end of their lives.
A wind turbine’s blades can be longer than a Boeing 747 wing, so at the end of their lifespan they can’t just be hauled away. First, you need to saw through the lissome fiberglass using a diamond-encrusted industrial saw to create three pieces small enough to be strapped to a tractor-trailer.
Bloomberg Green
Here’s a one minute video on the issue.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2020-02-06/why-thousands-of-wind-turbine-blades-wind-up-in-landfills-video
Can’t Be Recycled, So They’re Piling Up in Landfills
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-02-05/wind-turbine-blades-can-t-be-recycled-so-they-re-piling-up-in-landfills?fbclid=IwAR2rl-bk4sbGj8fqsH3ZU8rpuwpXDC8ST_RO1nNYPqE9BEBqw5RvyL5HIO0
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Filed under: Environmental Science | Tagged: wind energy, wind turbines | Comments Off on Wind Turbine Blades Can’t Be Recycled, So They’re Piling Up in Landfills – Bloomberg Green
