A new U.S. Department of Energy incentive is helping to create a wind turbine recycling industry that conserves rare-earth minerals, is cost-effective, and reduces landfill waste.
Wind turbines are generally considered sustainable, clean energy solutions that can save residents money in energy costs. But as Grist reported, their components are rarely recycled when parts are updated and swapped out to improve wind energy efficiency.
Many materials in wind turbines have recycling potential, including the blades and magnets containing rare-earth minerals. Less than 1% of rare earths are recycled, yet doing so could power green economy transitions through the production of new wind turbines, hybrid and electric cars, and compact fluorescent lamps.
Funded by a 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, the DOE recently awarded the prize to 20 teams from 15 states to kick off the project's first phase.
The DOE chose these teams because they were "capable of advancing the technologies to commercialization" and pitched recycling ideas that used clean energy solutions and required fewer resources than the alternatives.
Each team received $75,000 and moved forward to the final competition phase to develop prototypes of their promising technologies. They will be eligible for an additional $600,000 in cash and vouchers to work with DOE national labs.
"These winning teams presented innovative technology ideas that exemplify the creative, problem-solving skills we need to build a highly sustainable wind turbine recycling industry," said Jeff Marootian, principal deputy assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy in a statement. "On top of that, these domestic recycling solutions enhance our energy security by reducing the nation's dependence on foreign materials."
News of the prize is increasing public awareness about the benefits of recycling rare-earth magnets. A natural partnership is emerging between wind turbine owners and recycling companies to facilitate long-term collaborations instead of just shipping them to landfills. This shift is increasingly important now that many wind turbines approach their 30-year lifespan.
"We should obviously be working with those people in our backyard to reclaim rare earths from materials that we have right here," Critical Materials Recycling CEO Daniel Bina told Grist.
The prize-winning teams have already demonstrated that their concepts work at small scales and are now ramping up to larger quantities to prove they can be commercialized. The DOE plans to announce the next round of prize winners in late summer or early fall 2024.
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