R3 ReROTOR

AI Quick Summary

This proposal aims to repurpose obsolete wind turbine blades and suggest potential uses in the construction sector to reduce the vast composite waste produced after decommissioning. At the end of the booster, the team plans to implement a parametrical structural evaluation in the digital tool. The repurposing of wind turbine blades seeks to valorize structural components, including entire blades or sub-components, and repurpose them for an alternative application. What problem would you like to solve? Who will benefit from your solution and how? The demand for wind energy is at an all-time high, responding to the pressing need for clean energy. With a global installed capacity of 837 GW in 2022 [1,2], the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates a tenfold increase in wind energy installations by 2050, reaching approximately 8000 GW.[3] However, the decommissioning of the first commercial wind farms is fast approaching, and the challenge of dealing with non-degradable composite wind turbine blades has yet to be resolved. Currently, 34,000 turbines are 15 years or older, representing 36 GW of onshore wind capacity, with some 9 GW being 20-24 years old and approximately 1 GW being 25 years or older.[4-5]While several approaches have been proposed for recycling wind turbine blade materials, none have yet been proven commercially viable. According to optimistic predictions this will be only introduced in 10 years. The aim for future blades is to prioritize waste reduction and minimize environmental impacts by introducing biodegradable matrices and procedures that allow full recovery of used materials, as was showcased for example by the ZEBRA project claiming the first prototype of a fully recyclable wind blade. However, there is a large number of obsolete wind blades that are intended for landfilling or incineration. The amount of waste generated by the wind power industry is expected to reach over 2 million tons by 2050. [6,7,8]What are you planning on working on throughout the booster (e.g., developing the business model, building an initial prototype, material for prototyping, etc.)? What will you deliver at the end of the booster? The proposal aims to repurpose obsolete wind blades and suggest potential uses in the construction sector to reduce the vast composite waste produced after decommissioning. The objectives of the project include suggesting potential uses in the construction sector, identifying which parts of a used blade can be reused and how, testing used blades and sub-components to obtain reliable remaining properties for repurposing in building constructions, developing a testing protocol for examining “as-received” blades for future use based on a combined numerical and experimental procedure, and integrating engineering and material studies into the current status of Grasshopper3D scripts to facilitate parametric and multiplicable spatial testing and solutions. Has your idea been tested before? The reuse and integration of such elements in the construction industry has already been implemented as bicycle shelter or noise protection walls. Our proposal goes beyond such uses and makes the repurposing as columns and beams of long spans possible, letting us imagine new large-scale constructions like manufacturing halls or the re-use of such elements in building locations where a reduced construction weight is of relevance. Also, the use of such constructions in earthquake endangered regions could be worth of further investigation.Two tests on the material and structural properties have already been successfully completed.The CBI Booster will help us to test an additional rotor blade and input the data in our digital, parametric tool. At the end of the booster we will be able to implement a parametrical structural evaluation in the digital tool. By doing so, we facilitate the use and planning of different cross section and its varying load capacities of blade sections.What problem would you like to solve? Who will benefit from your solution and how? How does your challenge have a positive impact on the planet (e.g., material reduction, CO2 emission reduction)?The development of polymer composites has historically been driven primarily by performance criteria such as high specific strength and stiffness, but considerations regarding the life cycle of composite-based products have become increasingly prominent in recent years. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the European Green Deal have placed an emphasis on loop-closing, resource efficiency, waste reduction, and life-extension as integral components of the life-cycle engineering concept. [9,10]Despite the aim to prioritize waste reduction and minimize environmental impacts for future wind blades, all blades in service and those already decommissioned cannot be easily recycled and are typically sent to landfills or incineration. Wind Europe estimates that composite waste will reach approximately 25,000 tonnes per year by 2025 and up to 52,000 tonnes per year by 2030, with the building and construction sector responsible for over 25% of that waste. [6,12]Several composite recycling technologies are available today, but they all have significant limitations that hinder their potential for viable commercial use, such as recovery of low-quality material, high energy consumption, and significant waste. Repurposing, on the other hand, seeks to valorize structural components, including entire blades or sub-components, and repurpose them for an alternative application of lower value than the original. While solutions such as using blades for playgrounds, bike shelters, and walkways have been proposed in the past, most of these examples represent demonstration projects that are not commercially viable.The repurposing of wind turbine blades is delayed due to lack of knowledge about blade structure and materials, loading history, and remaining properties. Proprietary design and liability concerns make obtaining detailed information from manufacturers difficult. Limited data is available on residual properties and strength after fatigue cycles. Environmental conditions can also affect material strength, and reusing entire blades is risky due to accumulated damage. The transferability of material properties as lightweight structures and their construction details must therefore first be accurately defined before they can be used in building applications. This is one goal of the project, as relevant standards and norms are still lacking in the building sector.Who are the existing persons/companies in your team and what is their role? The outline consists of tasks that require different expertise and disciplines for successful execution. Therefor AFFECT established a good network. The project is interdisciplinary, with architects and structural engineers forming complementary research and implementation teams. This diversity ensures that all scientific and technological challenges are addressed. Pamela Voigt and Prof. Vassilopoulos contribute with extensive experience in glass fibre architecture and wind turbine rotor blade materials, while Clemens Waldhart and Verena Pierret bring their experience as practicing architect and engineer, coordinators for sustainable building BNB & DGNB, light construction, repair of building materials, and reuse of building elements. How will you attract the 3rd party funding (10% of the total funding amount)?As AFFECT was originally established as a research body of AFF Architects Lausanne additionally funding can be easily achieved. One studies of a project by AFF Architects already foresees the implementation of reuse rotor blades as columns and will be cover additional funds, together with the client and the wind industries. However, the Booster guarantees the additional test on the material behaviour is vital to advance with the research and development of the tool.What are you expecting from the booster (e.g., looking for specific partners, expert support, etc.)?The Booster will generate public awareness and evokes further dialog with wind farm companies and institutions. It helps to grow the network and include the thoughts of great minds to support the task of waste reduction.[1] IEA WIND TCP Annual report 2021 [2] GWEC (2022). Global Wind Report 2022. [URL, accessed 13/01/2023] [3] IRENA (2021). Renewable Energy and Jobs. Annual Review 2021. [URL, accessed 13/01/2023] [4] E. L. Delayney, J. M. McKinley, W. Megarry, C. Graham, P. G. Leahy, L. C. Banks, R. Gentry. An integrated geospatial approach for repurposing wind turbine blades. Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 2021;170:105601 [5] https://windeurope.org/intelligence-platform/product/how-to-build-a-circular-economy-for-wind-turbine- blades-through-policy-and-partnerships/ [6] A. A. Alshannaq, J. A. Respert, L. C. Bank, D. W. Scott, R. Gentry. As-received physical and mechanical properties of the spar cap of a GE37 decommissioned glass FRP wind turbine blade. ASCE, J. Mater. Civ. Eng, 2022;34(10):04022266 [7] WindEurope: Accelerating Wind Turbine Blade Circularity, 2020 [8] https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/zebra-project-achieves-key-milestone-with-production-of-first- prototype-of-recyclable-wind-turbine-blade [9] https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals [10] https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/european-green-deal-communication_en.pdf

Project Idea Metadata

Project Idea Name: R3 ReROTOR
Date: 4/4/2023 5:44:58 PM
Administrators:
- Clemens Waldhart

Project Idea Description

What problem would you like to solve?

Who will benefit from your solution and how?

The demand for wind energy is at an all-time high, responding to the pressing need for clean energy. With a global installed capacity of 837 GW in 2022 [1,2], the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates a tenfold increase in wind energy installations by 2050, reaching approximately 8000 GW.[3] However, the decommissioning of the first commercial wind farms is fast approaching, and the challenge of dealing with non-degradable composite wind turbine blades has yet to be resolved. Currently, 34,000 turbines are 15 years or older, representing 36 GW of onshore wind capacity, with some 9 GW being 20-24 years old and approximately 1 GW being 25 years or older.[4-5]

While several approaches have been proposed for recycling wind turbine blade materials, none have yet been proven commercially viable. According to optimistic predictions this will be only introduced in 10 years. The aim for future blades is to prioritize waste reduction and minimize environmental impacts by introducing biodegradable matrices and procedures that allow full recovery of used materials, as was showcased for example by the ZEBRA project claiming the first prototype of a fully recyclable wind blade. However, there is a large number of obsolete wind blades that are intended for landfilling or incineration. The amount of waste generated by the wind power industry is expected to reach over 2 million tons by 2050. [6,7,8]

What are you planning on working on throughout the booster (e.g., developing the business model, building an initial prototype, material for prototyping, etc.)?

What will you deliver at the end of the booster?

The proposal aims to repurpose obsolete wind blades and suggest potential uses in the construction sector to reduce the vast composite waste produced after decommissioning. The objectives of the project include suggesting potential uses in the construction sector, identifying which parts of a used blade can be reused and how, testing used blades and sub-components to obtain reliable remaining properties for repurposing in building constructions, developing a testing protocol for examining “as-received” blades for future use based on a combined numerical and experimental procedure, and integrating engineering and material studies into the current status of Grasshopper3D scripts to facilitate parametric and multiplicable spatial testing and solutions.

Has your idea been tested before?

The reuse and integration of such elements in the construction industry has already been implemented as bicycle shelter or noise protection walls.

Our proposal goes beyond such uses and makes the repurposing as columns and beams of long spans possible, letting us imagine new large-scale constructions like manufacturing halls or the re-use of such elements in building locations where a reduced construction weight is of relevance. Also, the use of such constructions in earthquake endangered regions could be worth of further investigation.

Two tests on the material and structural properties have already been successfully completed.

The CBI Booster will help us to test an additional rotor blade and input the data in our digital, parametric tool. At the end of the booster we will be able to implement a parametrical structural evaluation in the digital tool. By doing so, we facilitate the use and planning of different cross section and its varying load capacities of blade sections.

What problem would you like to solve?

Who will benefit from your solution and how? How does your challenge have a positive impact on the planet (e.g., material reduction, CO2 emission reduction)?

The development of polymer composites has historically been driven primarily by performance criteria such as high specific strength and stiffness, but considerations regarding the life cycle of composite-based products have become increasingly prominent in recent years. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the European Green Deal have placed an emphasis on loop-closing, resource efficiency, waste reduction, and life-extension as integral components of the life-cycle engineering concept. [9,10]

Despite the aim to prioritize waste reduction and minimize environmental impacts for future wind blades, all blades in service and those already decommissioned cannot be easily recycled and are typically sent to landfills or incineration. Wind Europe estimates that composite waste will reach approximately 25,000 tonnes per year by 2025 and up to 52,000 tonnes per year by 2030, with the building and construction sector responsible for over 25% of that waste. [6,12]

Several composite recycling technologies are available today, but they all have significant limitations that hinder their potential for viable commercial use, such as recovery of low-quality material, high energy consumption, and significant waste.

Repurposing, on the other hand, seeks to valorize structural components, including entire blades or sub-components, and repurpose them for an alternative application of lower value than the original. While solutions such as using blades for playgrounds, bike shelters, and walkways have been proposed in the past, most of these examples represent demonstration projects that are not commercially viable.

The repurposing of wind turbine blades is delayed due to lack of knowledge about blade structure and materials, loading history, and remaining properties. Proprietary design and liability concerns make obtaining detailed information from manufacturers difficult. Limited data is available on residual properties and strength after fatigue cycles. Environmental conditions can also affect material strength, and reusing entire blades is risky due to accumulated damage.

The transferability of material properties as lightweight structures and their construction details must therefore first be accurately defined before they can be used in building applications. This is one goal of the project, as relevant standards and norms are still lacking in the building sector.

Who are the existing persons/companies in your team and what is their role?

The outline consists of tasks that require different expertise and disciplines for successful execution. Therefor AFFECT established a good network. The project is interdisciplinary, with architects and structural engineers forming complementary research and implementation teams. This diversity ensures that all scientific and technological challenges are addressed. Pamela Voigt and Prof. Vassilopoulos contribute with extensive experience in glass fibre architecture and wind turbine rotor blade materials, while Clemens Waldhart and Verena Pierret bring their experience as practicing architect and engineer, coordinators for sustainable building BNB & DGNB, light construction, repair of building materials, and reuse of building elements.

How will you attract the 3rd party funding (10% of the total funding amount)?

As AFFECT was originally established as a research body of AFF Architects Lausanne additionally funding can be easily achieved. One studies of a project by AFF Architects already foresees the implementation of reuse rotor blades as columns and will be cover additional funds, together with the client and the wind industries.

However, the Booster guarantees the additional test on the material behaviour is vital to advance with the research and development of the tool.

What are you expecting from the booster (e.g., looking for specific partners, expert support, etc.)?

The Booster will generate public awareness and evokes further dialog with wind farm companies and institutions. It helps to grow the network and include the thoughts of great minds to support the task of waste reduction.

[1] IEA WIND TCP Annual report 2021

[2] GWEC (2022). Global Wind Report 2022. [URL, accessed 13/01/2023]

[3] IRENA (2021). Renewable Energy and Jobs. Annual Review 2021. [URL, accessed 13/01/2023]

[4] E. L. Delayney, J. M. McKinley, W. Megarry, C. Graham, P. G. Leahy, L. C. Banks, R. Gentry. An integrated geospatial approach for repurposing wind turbine blades. Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 2021;170:105601

[5] https://windeurope.org/intelligence-platform/product/how-to-build-a-circular-economy-for-wind-turbine- blades-through-policy-and-partnerships/

[6] A. A. Alshannaq, J. A. Respert, L. C. Bank, D. W. Scott, R. Gentry. As-received physical and mechanical properties of the spar cap of a GE37 decommissioned glass FRP wind turbine blade. ASCE, J. Mater. Civ. Eng, 2022;34(10):04022266

[7] WindEurope: Accelerating Wind Turbine Blade Circularity, 2020

[8] https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/zebra-project-achieves-key-milestone-with-production-of-first- prototype-of-recyclable-wind-turbine-blade

[9] https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals

[10] https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/european-green-deal-communication_en.pdf

This proposal aims to repurpose obsolete wind turbine blades and suggest potential uses in the construction sector to reduce the vast composite waste produced after decommissioning.

At the end of the booster, the team plans to implement a parametrical structural evaluation in the digital tool. The repurposing of wind turbine blades seeks to valorize structural components, including entire blades or sub-components, and repurpose them for an alternative application.