New Chinese tech turns old wind turbine blades into asphalt and concrete

• China has developed new technology to repurpose aging wind turbine blades, addressing challenges in recycling the composite components they are built with. This innovation could help manage the country’s decommissioned turbines more sustainably.
• Researchers created a method using physical crushing and chemical treatment to convert retired blades into materials for making asphalt and cement concrete.
• A successful test of their use in building part of a Chinese highway showed no cracks or material failure after five months. More demonstration projects are planned for the future.

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China has developed new technology to repurpose aging wind turbine blades, addressing a growing challenge in the country’s renewable energy sector. A research team from the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences made the breakthrough.

Why is China repurposing aging wind turbine blades?

Over the past two decades, China has rapidly expanded its wind energy industry. The country has become the world’s leading producer of power generated from this renewable source. However, with wind turbines typically designed to last between 20 to 25 years, many are now reaching the end of their operational lifespan.

Now, experts estimate China will see its first wave of decommissioned wind energy infrastructure this year.

While components such as towers and gearboxes can be recycled as scrap metal, wind turbine blades pose a unique challenge due to their construction from composite materials like glass fiber, carbon fiber and epoxy resin. These materials are lightweight and durable but difficult to recycle efficiently. Additionally, a scalable solution for repurposing them has yet to be developed.

How does China plan to reuse old turbine blades?

After five years of research, the Lanzhou Institute’s research team has created a method that modifies retired blades through physical crushing and chemical treatment. The resulting material can be used in asphalt mixtures and cement concrete.

Last September, the technology was tested in a collaborative project with a local road construction company. The repurposed material was used to build a section of a highway. According to the company’s deputy general manager, five months after its implementation, the modified pavement remained intact, showing no signs of cracks, rutting or material detachment.

What happens next?

The research team plans to expand testing this year through additional demonstration projects in collaboration with industry partners. The group’s lead researcher, Tang Zhicheng, stated that the initiative aims to support the sustainable development of the renewable energy sector while contributing to China’s broader climate goals.