DOE: America Can Recycle 90% of Wind Turbine Mass

A new report from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) outlines recommendations that could increase the recycling and reuse of decommissioned wind energy equipment and materials to create a more circular economy and sustainable supply chain.

The research reveals that existing U.S. infrastructure could process 90% of the mass of decommissioned wind turbines. However, the remaining 10% will need new strategies and innovative recycling methods to achieve a more sustainable wind energy industry.

The Recycling Wind Energy Systems in the United States Part 1: Providing a Baseline for America’s Wind Energy Recycling Infrastructure for Wind Turbines and Systems report will help guide over $20 million in investments previously announced from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to advance technologies that address this gap.

The effective reuse and recycling of wind system components, parts, and materials will rely on a combination of measures, including:

• Improved end-of-life decommissioning collection and scrap sorting practices.

• Strategic siting of recycling facilities.

• Expanded and improved recovery and recycling infrastructure.

• Substitution of hard-to-recycle and critical materials with more easily separable and affordable materials, improved component designs and manufacturing techniques or the development of modular system components.

• Optimized properties of recovered materials for second-life applications.

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