Researchers have devised and tested a way to mix old wind turbine blades with asphalt and cement concrete for more resilient road surfaces, expanding recycling options for the sector.
According to the Global Wind Energy Council, there were 117 gigawatts of wind power installations around the globe in 2023, which was a 50% increase over the previous year. To meet targets set at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, the world needs to increase that to 320 gigawatts by 2030.
However, since most wind turbines have a lifespan of around 20 years, we also need to find ways to deal with the growing waste as more get decommissioned.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimated that 3,000 to 9,000 turbine blades will be retired each year for the next five years in the United States, according to a report by New Atlas. Luckily, the U.S. Department of Energy said the country has the infrastructure to process 90% of the mass in wind turbines.
Read more in Yahoo! Tech here.
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