Is there a catch with Clean Energy?

Wind Turbines are one of the cleanest energy production methods in existence today, but how do they work and what happens to the units when they are retired from use?

Wind energy utilizes the wind to produce electricity caused by the airflows that occur naturally in the earth’s atmosphere. Modern wind turbines are used to capture kinetic energy from the wind and generate electricity. How does the wind turbine work? When wind blows past a wind turbine, its blades capture the winds kinetic energy and rotate. This then turns it into mechanical energy. The rotation turns the internal shaft connected to the gearbox, which increases the speed of rotation by 100. This spins the generator in the turbine that produces the electricity.

Between 2003 and 2018, there have been over 83,000 wind turbines installed in the United States.  These turbines can be as small as 40 feet tall, or as large as 220 feet tall.  We have all seen them on hill tops, placed over plains or even offshore, but how long does one last? 

Each wind turbine as an average of a 20-25-year life cycle. Typically, a metallurgic based product can be easily recycled, but the abuse turbines are built to handle such as hurricane force winds makes recycling near impossible.  These wind turbines are so strong and sturdy, they simply will not break down with current recycling abilities.  The only way to get rid of the retired turbines, is to bury them.  Approximately 8,000 units will be retired within the next four years.  Currently, there are only a handful of landfills that can accommodate sure a demand.  Each stack will be buried 30 feet deep and laid horizontally.   These retired wind turbines will be forever buried and unable to degrade.

 

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-02-05/wind-turbine-blades-can-t-be-recycled-so-they-re-piling-up-in-landfills

https://www.energy.gov/maps/map-projected-growth-wind-industry-now-until-2050

https://www.americanexperiment.org/2018/06/limited-lifespans-wind-turbines-result-higher-costs-energy/

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I am a proud Guttman Energy sales representative, who has a thirst of knowledge for the industry. I come from a strict, service based, industry that allows me to put my customer needs first. I look forward to utilizing my passion and past experience to help bolster my client’s operations. I take a personal pride in anything I do.

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