A typical recycling process for solar panels starts with shredding the panels into 4 - 5mm pieces to remove lamination. But researchers from the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) are looking at an innovative adhesive, or encapsulate, that can enable the quick disassembly of the panel at the end-of-life. https://www.pv-magazine.com/2021/12/09/recyclable-back-contact-solar-panel-from-the-netherlands/
Options to re-purpose old wind turbine blades are currently pretty limited. But in 2021, a small pilot pedestrian bridge made from decommissioned wind turbine blades was installed in Cork, Ireland. Apparently the strength of the material, the hollow interior and the aesthetics of the shape resulted in a decision to explore the possibility of using blades to replace the traditional steel components - such as steel girders. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b324c409772ae52fecb6698/t/612cdad0fb277e4beaffb917/1630329554458/Leahy_ITRN_2021_Blade_Bridge.pdf
Wind turbine blades can be over 80 - 100m in length, are made from a range of composite materials which are melded together so effectively as to withstand extreme environments. As such, disassembling blades at the end of their useful life can pose a significant challenge. Most blades are simply sent to land-fill to be buried. In 2021, Siemens Gamesa replaced the traditional resin used in blade manufacturing, with one that can be easily dissolved, enabling the blade components (fiberglass, plastic, wood and metals) to be separated and recovered. https://www.siemensgamesa.com/en-int/newsroom/2021/09/launch-world-first-recyclable-wind-turbine-blade
Lynn Wood
Sabra Brock
Daniella Traino
Max Berghouse
Gaël de Buny de Buny [LION]