Scientists Say Next Generation Wind Turbine Blades Could Be Recycled into Gummy Bears.
Wind energy is one of the dominant forms of clean energy in the global market today. Typically, turbine blades are made of fiberglass, measuring up to half the length of a football field, and are very challenging to process. They often end their lifecycle in landfills.
This gummy bear is made from Potassium Lactate – (Photo: John Dorgan)
Instead of continuing to waste materials, researchers at Michigan State University (USA) have developed a new material for wind turbine blades by combining fiberglass with a plant-based polymer and another synthetic polymer.
After reaching the end of their operational lifespan, the turbine blades will be returned to the manufacturing facility to completely break down the plastic components using an alkaline solution, producing Potassium Lactate – a compound that can be used to make candies and sports drinks.
The alkaline degradation process also releases Poly (Methyl Methacrylate), or PMMA, a popular acrylic material used in windows and car tail lights.
John Dorgan, one of the authors of the report, stated that they have isolated Potassium Lactate and used it to create gummy bears.
Recycling is also a hot topic in the industry – (Source: Ed White)
After tasting the gummy bears made from wind turbine materials, Dorgan commented: “A carbon atom sourced from plants like corn or grass is essentially no different from a carbon atom derived from fossil fuels. They are all part of the carbon cycle, and we have demonstrated that we can convert crops from the fields into sustainable plastic materials and ultimately back into food.”
He added: “The difference we create lies at the end of a turbine’s lifecycle; we can separate unnecessary chemicals for recycling. This is the goal of the circular economy to protect our environment.“
The researchers will present their findings at a meeting of the American Chemical Society. They plan to construct some turbine blades for experimentation right there.
