Researchers Develop Recyclable Wind Turbine Blade

An affordable, recyclable wind turbine blade could be the catalyst for wind power.

Researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have been working to develop a low-cost solution that could put wind energy a step above coal, nuclear or other sources.

However, some organizations are saying that making recyclable blades would not be beneficial. A new paper from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) states that "repurposing" blades is easier than recycling.

Traditional blades  are constructed from fiberglass, sheets of balsa wood and an epoxy thermoset resin. The new blade is similar, but the process of combining the raw materials involves using a thermoplastic resin that reclaimed.

Read more about this technology at the original article.