LINK Wind Energy Has A Waste Problem: Disposing Of The Turbines : NPR
I didn't know this, quite a problem.
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.For comparison for each megawatt off nuclear energy (power plant only) we have 40 metric tons of steel and 456 metric tons of concrete (all radioactive ) to dispose of which require special handling. average plant size is 1 gigawatt so multiply those number by 1000 and all that waste is disposed of at the same time. life 60 years
onshore wind turbines produce 2-3 megawatts per tower with less than 50 tons of fiber waste and are replaced one unit at a time. replaced at 10-20 year intervals
So it is 500 tons of radioactive waste per megawatt vs 150 tons of currently nonrecylble waste over the same life span
glennlab
Level 10
Sep 15, 2019
1
Well it is an issue, but on the bright side they piss tRump off.
ChurchLess
Level 7
Sep 15, 2019
1
All technology, whether it be touted as 'green' or not has downsides. There is also a big problem with bird strikes and turbines.
JackPedigo
Level 9
Sep 15, 2019
1
Not a problem at all, just not something to make money with. Getting rid of spent fuel rods from nuclear power plants, that's a problem.
Spinliesel
Level 9
Sep 15, 2019
4
Comparable to the disposal of millions of very large lithium battery units for electric cars.
BD66
Level 8
Sep 15, 2019
3
??? I have friends with ele tric cars, Prius, etc......"very large...batteries"??? You make it sound like they are bigger than the actual (very small!) Cars......
BD66:
@AnneWimsey A Tesla Model S battery weighs 1200 pounds. That's 25% to 30% of the weight of the car.
@BD66 okay, but those Teslas are a. Minuscule market...most viable electric vehicles, like the Prius, use flywheel boosters, so the battery is a "normal" one.
Heck, I feel annoyed/guilt/sad when I dispose of my hearing aid batteries every week; and those are teeny tiny but two every 5 to 7 days. I don't see a good way around any of it.
@AnneWimsey I have a PriusC and don't even know where the battery is. There are actually 2, one for the drive motor and one regular one which is under the back seat.
I heard this as I was driving to work and thought if this was the worst, I’ll take it.
Killtheskyfairy
Level 9
Sep 15, 2019
2
Looks like a housing opportunity to me.
PondartIncbendog
Level 8
Sep 15, 2019
3
We have a greater problem with the disposal of redundant oil rigs in the North sea. It's going to cost £millions and who is going to pick up the tab ?
Moravian
Level 8
Sep 15, 2019
4
The platforms can be left in place as artificial reefs and the superstuctures can be mostly recycled. If the govenment was on the ball, the removal was stipulated in the drilling permit. Most of the drilling rigs are temporary structures that are towed into place.
@glennlab [theguardian.com]
[theguardian.com]
It is estimated that decommision costs in the North sea will be around £66 billion and because the oil companies get massive rebates on this cost the taxpayers pays.
It makes the recycling of a few turbine rotor blades small beer.
Can't be near as bad as getting rid of old nuclear facilities.
Beowulfsfriend
Level 9
Sep 15, 2019
6
for each megawatt off nuclear energy (power plant only) we have 40 metric tons of steel and 456 metric tons of concrete (all radioactive ) to dispose of which require special handling.
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