For years, wind turbine blades have had a little-discussed end-of-life problem. They can generate electricity for decades, but their large, layered composite structures are difficult to recycle once they are retired. That has left landfill as one disposal option for old blades. A Knoxville-based company called Carbon Rivers is working on a different approach, using a process that separates glass fibre from the other materials in discarded turbine blades. A US Department of Energy success story says the company's technology can recover high-purity glass fibre from end-of-life composite waste.
The challenge comes from the way turbine blades are made. They need to be strong and lightweight, so manufacturers combine glass fibres with resin and other materials to create a rigid composite. That combination works well on a wind turbine, where blades have to withstand years of movement and changing weather, but it also makes them difficult to take apart when they are no longer useful.
