How are materials used for wind energy disposed?

Question

I would like to know this in the context of calculating the benefits of wind energy - how the disposal of the materials used impacts the entire life cycle of wind energy generation.

Answer 1

Sarah (Feinstein) Lozanova, “Can Wind Turbines Be Recycled?” (Earth911.com, 2017):

• Industrial-scale wind turbines are largely recyclable and contain primarily steel and copper.

• Blades are made of a reinforced composite glass or carbon material and create a recycling dilemma.

• Currently, many wind turbine blades end up in landfills, yet some reinforced plastic wind turbine blades have been downcycled into cement products. Other more creative projects have repurposed wind turbine blades to make playground equipment and outdoor seating. There is also research underway to more effectively recycle turbines into higher-value goods.

• Many older wind turbines have been recommissioned and sold in Eastern Europe and North Africa, prolonging the useful life of the equipment.