High-value recycling strategies for retired wind turbine blades in China: A spatiotemporal adaptability framework
Wei Zhang, Zhenhua Duan, Yuqing Wu, Ahmed Nasr, Bo Wang, Huiyu Xia
Abstract
Wind energy holds substantial potential to mitigate climate change and address energy supply challenges, driving global consensus to accelerate the development of the wind power industry. However, as wind turbines reach end-of-service life, substantial amounts of glass fiber-reinforced polymers (GFRP) materials face periodic disposal due to performance degradation or compromised safety. Scaling the disposal of retired wind turbine blades (RWTB) has become critical for the sustainable development of the wind energy sector. This paper reviews the development trends of China's wind turbine installed capacity, discusses the compositional characteristics of wind turbine blades, systematically analyses existing recycling methods and policies, and proposes recommendations for policy system improvement. Furthermore, a high-value recycling strategy based on mechanical recycling was proposed, incorporating the in-situ recycling gradient utilization and spatiotemporal adaptability strategy, which considers the front-end classification concept and the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of wind turbine blades in China. This study aims to provide decision-makers with a theoretical foundation and technical support for developing effective waste management strategies and promoting the sustainable development of the wind energy sector.