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Re-Wind A Holistic Approach to Repurposing Decommissioned Wind Blades

  • November 2019
  • Conference: BladesUSA Forum
Authors:
Lawrence C Bank at Georgia Institute of Technology
Lawrence C Bank
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©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Re-Wind
A Holistic Approach to Repurposing
Decommissioned Wind Blades
Lawrence C. Bank, PhD, PE
Georgia Institute of Technology
BladesUSA
Austin TX, Nov 5-7, 2019
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Outline
•Overview of NSF Tripartite research project
•Recent Re-Wind Research (July 2018 – to-date)
•Architecture Studio and Design Ideas
•Pedestrian Bridge, Roof System, Powerline Structures
•Building blade models from point clouds
•LCA of landfill versus incineration in Ireland
•GIS of Irish wind farms and Road networks
•Community Engagement and Business Models
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
To compare sustainable end–of–life (EOL) repuposing
and recycling strategies for composite material wind
turbine blades using Data Driven Structural
Modelling, Geographic Information Science (GIS)
platform coupled with environmental, economic and
social Life–Cycle Sustainability Assessments
(LCSA).
Objective of Re-Wind Research
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Wind farm lifecycle
5
end-of-life options
Build operate decision
Lifetime
extension
repower
decommission
repurpose
resale
materials
recovery
cement kilns
waste to
energy
incinerate
landfill
residues
GFRP
blades
products
materials
energy
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
•Probabilistically based Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) or Limit States Design
(LSD)
•Nominal Loads are increased - Nominal loads and load combinations (e.g. 1.2 Dead + 1.6
Live) in ASCE 7-16 (2016) or Eurocode EN 1991.
•Nominal Material Properties are reduced - in separate material specific design codes (such
as, for concrete, the ACI 318-19 or EN 1992: Design of concrete structures)
•A design code does not exist for composite materials for civil engineering structures. In the
absence of a code the material factors for the FRP materials used in this analysis are taken
from EUR2766 (2018), the precursor document to the Eurocode. The Material Partial Factor
for strength in this analysis was calculated most conservatively to be γM=2.59.
Structural Engineering Design Philosophy
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Data Driven Structural Modeling
Architecture
Workshop
Design and
fabrication of a
base connection for
a section from
Clipper 43.2 m
blade (C96 3MW)
at Georgia Tech lab
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Section from Clipper 43.2 m blade (C96 3MW) at Georgia Tech lab
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Design and Analysis of a Pedestrian Bridge
Aftermarket
V29 blades
(14.3 m) in
Northern
Ireland
8 m footbridge
for greenways
in Ireland
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Generating high fidelity CAD and FEM models
Models built from Vestas reports
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Lidar scans
of actual
blades and
comparison
with
models
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Design of Roof System
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Design of Powerline Structures
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Building blade models from point clouds
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
LCA of landfill versus incineration in Ireland
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
LCA: Results
-0.1
-0.08
-0.06
-0.04
-0.02
0.
0.02
Human health Ecosystem quality Climate change Resources
Blade to Landfill Germany 10% Subst
Normalised impact
Comparison of Landfill in Ireland to 10%
Substitution with processing at Neocomp
and co-processing at Holcim:
Co-processing is better environmentally
-150
-100
-50
50
100
150
Human health Ecosystem quality Climate change Resources
Impact Compared to greatest Absolute (%)
Co-Process Ireland 10% Subst Co-Process Ireland 50% Subst Germany 10% Subst Germany 50% Subst
Comparison of the effects of substitution rates
as compared to transportation distances
(Ireland to Germany):
Substitution Rates between 10%-50% have
a greater environmental impact than
transport distances Ireland to Germany
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
GIS of Irish wind farms and road networks
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Greenways in Northern Ireland for possible “BladeBridge”
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Community Engagement and Business Models
Wind Farms are trying to achieve a ‘Social Licence’ to
Operate: Should blade re-use options seek the same ?
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Conclusion at this stage of Re-Wind
•Material recovery methods are too expensive at the moment (i.e.,
producing material that is inferior to virgin material at a higher
cost). (downcycling.)
•Cement Kiln Co-processing is expensive but better on the
environment than landfilling in the EU for now. (downcycling.)
•Structures using large blade parts are structurally feasible – costs
and community acceptance are being studied in depth. (upcycling).
•Discussions with a number of large OEMs are in progress to
prototype structural concepts. (upcycling).
•Spin-off/start-up opportunities are possible. (win-win)
©US-Ireland Tripartite Research Grants 1701413 (NSF), 1701694 (NSF), 16/US/3334 (SFI), USI-116 (DfE) (2017-2021)
Thank you/Questions/Comments
Re-Wind
www.re-wind.info
A mini-review of end-of-life management of wind turbines: Current practices and closing the circular economy gap
Article
Renewable energy generation and increased electrification are pivotal to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change. Consequently, global deployment of wind turbines has soared, and the trend is expected to continue. Installed turbines have only recently started reaching the end of their design lives, and waste volumes are projected to escalate rapidly. Approximately 94% of a wind turbine (by mass) is recyclable, but the waste polymer composite blades are most commonly landfilled. This mini-review aims to review current end-of-life (EoL) management practices in the large-scale wind industry for countries with established EoL standards as well as those with less mature regulations. Data on current EoL management practices, initiatives and regulations in industry was sourced primarily from literature reviews and publicly available internet information. Additional insights and perspectives were gained from WindEurope's EoL Issues and Strategies 2020 seminar and through communication with select individuals from various sectors such as wind energy development and operations, government, industry associations, academia and research organizations. The results show that the decision on EoL options is dictated by the remaining useful life (RUL) of the wind turbines, prevailing policies and electricity prices. The contribution of this article is, firstly, identifying a number of key technical, economic and regulatory questions that must be asked before deciding on the most appropriate EoL option. Secondly, the article identifies factors that impede current EoL management efforts to close the circular economy gap and those that can support sustainable technology deployment. Finally, the article considers the way that countries with a young fleet of wind farms may learn from more experienced nations. There are few proven business cases, and barriers to the profitability and effectiveness of EoL strategies include uncertainty about the assets' RUL, collection logistics, the size of wind farm operation margins, low waste feedstock and limited markets for recycled products. Designing for circularity, stakeholder collaboration, circular business models and technology-specific regulations can improve EoL sustainability. The research found that wind turbine EoL management is dynamic and complex and needs to consider multiple, often conflicting factors. However, it is necessary and has immense environmental, technical and economic potential as the industry matures and business cases are proven.
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