Composites Use in Wind/Energy Markets
The wind energy market has long been considered the world’s largest market, by volume, for glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites — and increasingly, carbon fiber composites — as larger turbines and longer wind blades are developed, requiring higher performance, lighter weight materials. The outer skins of wind and tidal turbine blades generally comprise infused, GFRP laminates sandwiching foam core. Inside the blade, rib-like shear webs bonded to spar caps reinforce the structure. Spar caps are often made from GFRP or, as blade lengths lengthen, pultruded carbon fiber for additional strength.
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Latest Wind/Energy Articles
VIEW ALLGeneral Atomics wins DOE contract to develop silicon carbide CMC for fusion power plants
GA-EMS will leverage experience with SiGA SiC/SiC cladding for nuclear fuel rods to develop new SiC composite foam and other materials for fission and magnetic fusion programs.
Read MoreIneos Styrolution, Edge Solutions sign agreement for leading edge shield
Exclusivity agreement applies to using Luran SC in leading edge protection (LEP) for wind turbine applications.
Read MoreAvangrid partners with WindLoop to test wind blade recycling
Avangrid recently donated 300 pounds of decommissioned wind turbine blades to test startup solution that recovers more than 90% of turbine blade material.
Read MoreGWEC releases 2024 global offshore wind report
Despite industry headwinds, offshore wind headed into 2024 is poised for rapid growth leading up to 2033, says the Global Wind Energy Council.
Read MoreSiemens Energy hints at 21-MW wind turbine development
Several new sources say that Siemens has told customers its largest wind turbine yet may be introduced by the end of the decade.
Read MoreHonda begins production of 2025 CR-V e:FCEV with Type 4 hydrogen tanks in U.S.
Model includes new technologies produced at Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville, Ohio, which is part of Honda hydrogen business strategy that includes Class 8 trucks.
Read MoreKnowledge Centers
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This CW Tech Days event will explore the technologies, materials, and strategies that can help composites manufacturers become more sustainable.
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CompositesWorld’s CW Tech Days: Infrastructure event offers a series of expert presentations on composite materials, processes and applications that should and will be considered for use in the infrastructure and construction markets.
LEARN MORELatest Wind/Energy News And Updates
Regen Fiber opens wind turbine blade recycling facility
Production commencement on Iowa line is intended to recover and divert 30,000 tons of scrapped materials from wind blades each year.
Read MoreHexagon Composites sells LPG business, acquires 49% of Worthington's SES business
Ragasco composite cylinders for LPG will become part of Worthington’s Building Products business, while Hexagon/Worthington Enterprises JV will target expanding storage and transport of CNG and hydrogen.
Read MoreDITF joins Horizon Europe REWIND project
End-of-life wind turbine recycling efforts are underway after the first REWIND consortium kick-off in May.
Read MoreDOE prize to industrialize WindFloat offshore wind technology
FLOWIN cash prize and technical assistance will enable Principle Power and Aker Solutions to explore ways to serialize fabrication, deploy its offshore wind platform for the U.S.
Read MoreTPI, UMaine, ORNL to leverage world’s largest polymer 3D printer for wind turbine tooling
Ingersoll Masterprint LFAM printer will be used to produce and demonstrate 100% recyclable tooling that could cut large composite blade development cycles and tooling costs by as much as 50%.
Read MoreBlade2Circ project to facilitate sustainable next-gen wind blade designs
Coordinated by the Aitiip Technology Centre, the EU-funded project will design components to facilitate improved recyclabilty, exploring the performance of bio-based material options and novel degradation processes.
Read MoreFeatured Posts
Composites end markets: Batteries and fuel cells (2024)
As the number of battery and fuel cell electric vehicles (EVs) grows, so do the opportunities for composites in battery enclosures and components for fuel cells.
WatchRepurposing wind blades as functional community art pieces
Ohio-based Canvus Inc. upcycles fiberglass wind blades, car tires and post-consumer plastics to create outdoor furniture that amplifies sustainability messages in community spaces.
WatchRTM, dry braided fabric enable faster, cost-effective manufacture for hydrokinetic turbine components
Switching from prepreg to RTM led to significant time and cost savings for the manufacture of fiberglass struts and complex carbon fiber composite foils that power ORPC’s RivGen systems.
WatchComposites end markets: Energy (2024)
Composites are used widely in oil/gas, wind and other renewable energy applications. Despite market challenges, growth potential and innovation for composites continue.
WatchManufacturing tech for scalable Type V hydrogen tank fabrication, CFRP lifecycle management
Cygnet Texkimp’s Multi Roll Stack and composite recycling technology catalyze ASCEND program’s mission to optimize aerospace, automotive hydrogen storage and CFRP sustainability.
Read MoreInfinite Composites: Type V tanks for space, hydrogen, automotive and more
After a decade of proving its linerless, weight-saving composite tanks with NASA and more than 30 aerospace companies, this CryoSphere pioneer is scaling for growth in commercial space and sustainable transportation on Earth.
Read MoreFAQ: Wind/Energy
What are wind turbine blades made from?
- The outer skins of wind and tidal turbine blades generally comprise infused, GFRP laminates sandwiching foam core. Inside the blade, rib-like shear webs bonded to spar caps reinforce the structure. Spar caps are often made from GFRP or, as blade lengths lengthen, pultruded carbon fiber for additional strength.
- Source: Composites end markets: Renewable energy
What energy applications are composites used for?
In renewable energy, fiberglass composites are used, most prominently, to build wind turbine blades and nacelles. Carbon fiber composites are also used to build wind blade spar caps. Hydroelectric turbines, tidal energy turbines and other forms of renewable energy have also made use of composites.
In oil and gas, composites have long been used as a corrosion-resistant metal alternative for a number of applications, including components for protecting wellheads, manifolds and other equipment related to subsea processing, and offshore pipelines themselves.
What happens to wind blades at the end of their lifespan?
As wind energy ramps up, recycling of composite wind blades at their end of life (EOL) – as well as composites and plastics recycling in general – continues to be a topic of concern.
More than 80% of a wind turbine itself is typically metallic and recyclable, but the increasingly long, high-performance composite blades pose more of a challenge.
Efforts include:
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- Near-term: Ramping up existing recycling methods like mechanical chopping up blades or repurposing entire blades for other uses
- Medium-term: Developing more efficient methods such as chemical recycling (solvolysis) for reclaiming the original fibers from EOL blades for reuse
- Long-term: Designing and manufacturing wind blades with sustainable/recyclable materials
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