China Finds Ingenious Solution for Its Decommissioned Wind Turbine Blades

Many wind turbine blades in China are approaching retirement, and researchers have come up with a creative way to reuse the giant components.

In a study published earlier this summer in the journal International Soil and Water Conservation Research, scientists suggest repurposing decommissioned wind turbine blades in sand control measures. Namely, in sand barriers. The approach could be the solution to two problems: dealing with old blades and finding optimal sand control measures.

“Wind turbine blades with high strength and durability can be directly cut and drilled into sand barriers,” the researchers wrote in the paper. “This approach not only addresses the recycling challenges of decommissioned wind turbine blades but also mitigates the shortage of windbreak and sand stabilization materials in the desert and the Gobi areas.”

Two birds with one stone

In arid and semiarid regions, wind can wreak havoc on both human and natural landscapes, and sand control measures such as sand barriers aim to decrease the resulting economic losses and protect habitats. While sand barriers such as those made out of reeds and branches are inexpensive, easy to construct, and environmentally friendly, they’re short-lived and don’t hold up well to extreme environments.

More effective artificial sand control materials don’t offer perfect solutions, because they also face challenges in extremely windy areas along railways. As such, people sometimes turn to stronger barriers made of materials such as cement, metal, and rocky sand. Ultimately, the materials should be strong, long-lasting, wind-abrasion-resistant, thermally stable, available, reasonably priced, and with optimal porosity.

As for the wind power industry, the question of what to do with old wind turbine blades faces high costs and complex traditional recycling processes, in addition to the risk of pollution in the case of improper management.

As such, the researchers investigated the efficacy of sand barriers made from decommissioned or damaged wind turbine blades. “First, we tested the mechanical properties of this material, including ultraviolet (UV) aging resistance, thermal stability, bending strength, and erosion resistance,” the researchers explained in the paper. “Second, through wind tunnel experiments and numerical simulations, we analyzed the shelter and sand stabilization effects of the new sand barriers with different porosities compared with traditional nylon net sand barriers.”

Real-life application

The approach revealed that the new barrier’s erosion rate can be 56% lower than that of wood composite materials, and its bending strength was 14 times greater. The researchers also found that a porosity of 20% was the best for the reduction of sediment transport.

“Therefore, the new porous sand barriers made from decommissioned or damaged wind turbine blades possess excellent UV and erosion resistance, high strength and thermal stability, recyclability, and long service life,” the researchers concluded. “It combines the porous structure of flexible sand barriers with the strength of rigid sand barriers, making it well-suited for regions with strong winds, large temperature variations, and intense UV radiation, which has significant potential for application in sand control practices.”

The study is the ultimate reminder of an age-old saying—one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Or, in this case, one industry’s trash is another’s solution.