Two companies are collaborating to make wind turbines more sustainable. Stora Enso, a biomaterials and wood construction company, and Voodin Blade Technology GmbH, a startup in Germany developing rotor blades for wind turbines, have partnered to create wooden wind turbine blades.
The wooden turbine blades are meant to replace heavier wind turbine blades made from non-renewable materials. Most traditional wind turbine blades are made from fiberglass and carbon fiber, which are both forms of plastic sourced from fossil fuels.
Once the blades reach the end of their lifespan, they are usually sent to landfills because they are difficult to recycle. The large size of wind turbine blades and their durable, composite materials make them challenging to recycle, so many go to landfills or are incinerated. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, wind turbine blades last about 25 years. One study estimates that the number of wind turbine blades wasted globally could reach 43 million metric tons by 2050 as more nations increase their reliance on renewable energy sources.
Read the full article at: www.ecowatch.com
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