Maddie Stone writes in Canary Media about a Department of Energy program to recycle wind turbine magnets.
- Each year wind turbines undergo a process called “repowering” where rotors are restored, generators upgraded, and magnets are replaced.
- These magnets contain precious rare earth minerals that could power other clean energy technologies.
- The Department of Energy has recognized these benefits and has announced $5.1 million in funding for the Wind Turbine Materials Recycling Prize.
- Authorized in the bipartisan infrastructure bill, this will award funding to companies that are creating solutions to commercial recycling of wind turbine elements.
“Funded by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the prize seeks to develop “a cost-effective and sustainable recycling industry” for wind turbine components that aren’t being recycled commercially today, including wind turbine blades and the supersized magnets inside some generators. Each winning group receives a $75,000 cash prize to help advance its recycling idea. If a team’s initial results are promising, it may go on to win an additional half a million dollars in cash, as well as a $100,000 voucher for technical assistance from a DOE national laboratory.”
Read the full article here.
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