While most of a turbine can be recycled or find a second life on another wind farm, researchers estimate the U.S. will have more than 720,000 tons of blade material to dispose of over the next 20 years, a figure that doesn't include newer, taller higher-capacity versions.
There aren't many options to recycle or trash turbine blades, and what options do exist are expensive, partly because the U.S. wind industry is so young. It's a waste problem that runs counter to what the industry is held up to be: a perfect solution for environmentalists looking to combat climate change, an attractive investment for companies such as Budweiser and Hormel Foods, and a job creator across the Midwest and Great Plains.
At the end of a long gravel road on the southwest Nebraska prairie, the state's first wind farm, Kimball Wind Project, is caught in the breeze. But the turbine scrap area looks more like a sci-fi drama set. Rob Van Vleet climbed atop a 127-foot-long turbine blade and walked the length like a plank.
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4 comments:
As far as I have heard there has been no discussion published about decommissioning these things in 20 or so years and who is going to pay for it. Well, I guess I know who is going to pay. What's your guess?
As usual. The libutards push for clean energy without disclosure on the cost of maintenance. What else aren't they telling us?? I've seen these so called energy saver's. What an eyesore. They look so out of place. Especially when you have beautiful landscape ruined by these eyesores.
Same problem with AstroTurf and it's related brands. The average artificial turf field has a life of 10 to 15 years and then there is no place to dispose of the old carpet.
Wait until you try to dispose of the decommissioned solar panels.
Oh, by the way. Solar panels have an average 10 year life span before they have lost 50% of their capacity.
Oh, look at Kalifornistan, they can't keep the grid going during high demand because wind and solar are so unreliable and they have decommissioned and removed traditional base load generating capacity.
Stupid libtards!
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