sgre wind blades and sustainability

© Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Harald Stecher– [email protected]

SGRE Wind Blades and Sustainability

WBRH Sustainable Composite materials for Wind Turbine BladesSeptember 2021 Corporate

Video

https://www.youtube.com/c/SiemensGamesaRE


Key Facts1

2Siemens Gamesa

€ 9.5 bnAnnual Revenue2

€ 19.1 bnMarket Capitalization

26 kEmployees

1 End of June 20212 End of September 2020

True global, modern and scalable

footprint

Advanced digitalcapabilities

Portfolio covering all requirements

114.6 GWGlobally Installed

€ 32.6 bnOrder Book


Our offshore business 3

2020(announced)

1990

World’s first offshore project First power plant-sized project First large-scale offshore DD project First subsidy-free offshore project

1991: 4.95 MW | Vindeby, DK 2011: 630 MW | London Array, UK 2018: 574 MW | Race Bank, UK 2022: 1.54 GW | HKZ, NL

14 MW (ø222 m)

450 kW (ø35 m)

The offshore wind turbine manufacturer with the longest, most extensive history in the industry


Is wind energy a “sustainable” business?Renewable vs. sustainable 4

Renewable energy sources, also called renewables, are energy sources that replenish (or renew)themselves naturally. Anything renewable can be replaced or has an endless supply. Typical examplesare solar energy, wind and biomass. (Source: Eurostat).

Sustainable energy is the provision of energy such that it meets the needs of the present withoutcompromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs (Source: Lemaire, 2004).

By definition renewable energy sources are also sustainable energy sources, but taking a closerlook at how the energy conversion is achieved:

• is the energy consumption to produce/manage this energy conversion taken into account?• is the waste handling over the whole lifecycle of this energy conversion accounted for?• is the environmental impact induced by creating the energy conversion considered?

Use of Life Cycles Assessment (LCA) tools to measure sustainability performance.

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Glossary:Renewable_energy_sources

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/sustainable-energy


LCA analysis on a SG 8.0-167 DD wind power planSustainability across blade lifecycle 5

LCA analysis on a 80 SG 8.0-167 DD turbines wind power plant for an estimated lifetime of 25 years. Itencompasses raw material extraction, materials processing, manufacturing, installation, operation andmaintenance, and dismantling and end-of-life (EPD SG 8.0-167 DD),

LCA results show the wind power plant:• Produces 68,035,000 MWh – 41 times more energy than it consumes,• Energy payback time less than 7.4 months,• Saves 58,400,000 tons of CO2 – equal to the CO2 absorbed over 25 years by a 1,667 km2 forest,

https://www.siemensgamesa.com/-/media/siemensgamesa/downloads/en/products-and-services/offshore/brochures/siemens-gamesa-environmental-product-declaration-epd-sg-8-0-167.pdf


Wind power plant components CO2eq contributionsSustainability across blade lifecycle 6

Percentage of global warming contribution (gCO2eq/kWh) divided into main components in the wind power plant and into each life cycle stage (EPD SG 8.0-167 DD).



CO2eq contributions throughout turbine lifecycle stagesSustainability across blade lifecycle 7

Percentage of global warming contribution (gCO2eq/kWh) divided into each life cycle stage (EPD SG 8.0-167 DD).

Blades 81 m (fiberglass, epoxy)Tower 92 m (steel)Foundation 925 t (steel)Substations 12,700 t (steel, concrete)



LCA in blade lifecycle stagesSustainability across blade lifecycle 8

(1) Materials• Fiber mats• Resin• Coating and LEP• Core materials• Adhesives

Raw materials transport

(2) Blade production• Energy

consumption• Waste• Ancillary materials

MaterialsTypes and quantities of materials and energy extracted and consumed to produce the windturbine blade.

ManufacturingProduction data from SGRE sites and from main suppliers. Consumption data formanufacturing, waste and subsequent treatment based on annual manufacturing site data.Transport of materials to the manufacturing site is included.


Blade Materials CategoriesSustainability across blade lifecycle 9

Blade materials:• Reinforcements (glass

&carbon fibers) • Resins• Core materials• Coatings and LEP• Adhesives

Ancillary materials:• Vacuum bags• Flow mesh• Sealant tape• Resin inlets• Resin overflow containers• Peel-ply• Mold cleaner• Release agent• PPE


CO2eq contributions divided per blade materialsSustainability across blade lifecycle 10

Percentage of global warming contribution (kg CO2eq/kg) divided per blade materials.


Study on Potential Energy Saving Opportunities in U.S. GFRP Manufacturing year 2010 (Report Sep-17):

Sustainability across blade lifecycle 11

Batching: glass batch preparation, grinding and mixing the constituent materials (silica and additives),

Melting: melting the glass mixture and refining the molten glass to remove impurities and air bubbles,

Fiberization: extruding the molten glass through a bushing and attenuating the extruded material into long, thin filaments,

Finishing: sizing process to protect the fibres and promote bonding with the matrix, and the spooling of the fibres,

Resin Production: polymer resin manufacturing that will serve as a matrix material in the final composite product,

Composite Product Forming: blade vacuum assisted resin infusion process.

https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2019/05/f62/GFRP_bandwidth_study_2017.pdf


Study on Potential Energy Saving Opportunities in U.S. CFRP Manufacturing year 2010 (Report Sep-17):

Sustainability across blade lifecycle 12

Polymerization: the chemical polymerization of the carbon fiber precursor material (i.e. PAN),

Spinning: the process that produces fibers from the precursor, generally through a wet solution spinning process,

Oxidation/Carbonization: a series of thermal processes that stabilize the precursor fibers and burn off non-carbon atoms, producing tightly bonded carbon-rich fibers,

Finishing: sizing process to protect the fibres and promote bonding with the matrix, and the spooling of the fibers,

Resin Production: polymer resin manufacturing that will serve as a matrix material in the final composite product,

Composite Product Forming: prepreg, pultrusion, vacuum infusion process.

https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2017/12/f46/Carbon_fiber_bandwidth_study_2017.pdf


Blade Waste during lifetimeSustainability across blade lifecycle 13

• Manufacturing waste: raw material waste, composite offcuts, ancillary materials, etc…• Service (O&M) waste: material for routine maintenance and repair of accidental damage• EoL waste: retired blades (93% composite material)

The major production process wastes are resin residue in flow mesh and container, cured resin andcomposite off-cuts from blade edge and root, dry fibre off-cuts and the grinding dust from thepolishing and repair processesBlade waste reduction examples:• Embedded root bolts gives lower waste than bolt hole

drilling• SGRE IntegralBlade® technology reduces blade weight

and the waste in polish and adhesives wrt. “butterfly blades”• New direct infusion technology can use a smaller pipe for

resin transfer and reduce the resin residue waste• Blade life extension can reduce waste by up to 21% if the

blades can serve for as much as 25 years P. Liu, Waste Management 62 (2017)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956053X17300491?via%3Dihub

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956053X17300491?via%3Dihub







Blade transport

(3) Installation and service• Lifetime• Service interval• Material erosion• Material

repair/grinding

InstallationComponents, auxiliary resources, and workers are transported to the site during this stage. On-siteinstallation includes preparing the site; erecting the turbines; and connecting the turbines to the grid.These installation activities result in the consumption of resources and production of waste.

Operation and MaintenanceSG 8.0-167 DD rotor blade designed to last 25 years. LCA based on actual site data, includingmanpower, materials, and energy required for service and maintenance over the turbine’s lifetime.Wake, availability, and electrical losses included in the assessment to define a realistic estimate ofannual energy production delivered to the grid.







Blade transport

(3) Installation and service• Lifetime• Service interval• Material erosion• Material

repair/grinding

Decomissioning and transport

(4) Post lifehandling• Recycling

strategies

Dismantling and end-of-lifeAt blade end-of-life the components are disassembled and the materials transported and treatedaccording to different waste handling methods. Recycling would apply to all recyclable materials i.e.metals. The rest of the materials are either thermally treated or disposed of in landfills. The end-of-lifestage represents the current status of waste management options in Northern Europe.

Other environmental impactsAssessing the environmental impact of the installation and operation phases during wind power planterection to minimize negative impacts. Focus on birds, marine wildlife and visual impacts. Impacts onits surroundings varies depending on its location and cannot be included in LCA study.


Blade EoLSustainability across blade lifecycle 16

Current practice:• Disposal in landfill• Crushing and used as filler in cement kilns• Re-use components in architecture

Desired: • Recycling

allow for separation of fiber reinforcement from matrix (recyclable resin systems)

re-use of material for same or other composite applications

• UpcyclingRe-use of blade parts for other purposes (egarchitectural)

Fragments of wind turbine blades await burial at the Casper Regional Landfill in Wyoming – Bloomberg Feb-2020

Example of a wind turbine blade re-used as a bike shed – Aalborg


CO2eq Reduction Future blade material development 17

Increase rotor size• Increased rotor size, increases AEP and therefore CO2eq savings• If this is achieved by using extensively CFRP the blade mass is reduced with benefits in terms of

material waste and all other turbine components

Extend blade lifetime• Lifetime can be extended on existing fleet with a direct impact in additional CO2eq savings and

reduced waste• Reduce serviceability with a direct impact on reducing waste and increase CO2eq savings

Reduce energy consumptions• From raw material production (i.e. resin, glass and carbon fibers) but also in blade production

7.1 6.3 5.6

0

5

10

SWT-6.0-154 SWT-7.0-154 SG-8.0-167 DD

CO2-eq. emissions per kWh to grid (gram)

-11% -11%


LCA case study recyclable matrixLCA case study on different blade resin systems 18

Table 1. LCA comparison study assumptions.Baseline assumptions Recyclable alternative

Materials Net weight per blade ~34t

• Fibres • Resin • Wood• Plastics• Paint

Main difference is in the hardener, so the resin system is modelled as similar to baseline with the exception that production waste is being recycled instead of incinerated

Transportation Modelled from suppliers to Aalborg and from Aalborg to Esbjerg pre-assembly site

Similar to baseline

Manufacturing Manufacturing in Aalborg, use of real production data

Similar to baseline, however, waste can be recycled

Installation Use of installation data from recent projects Similar to baselineOperations & Maintenance

Use of O&M data from installed base regarding maintenance need, change of component, etc.

Similar to baseline

End-of-life Non-recyclable• 90% landfilling, 10% incineration

Recyclable • Resin can be recovered and used as replacement for Polyamide or

Polycarbonate thermoplastics• Glass fibres can be recovered, with expected 10% lower properties (due

to sizing removal, fibre misalignment etc) and recycled• Carbon fibres can be recovered with expected 10% lower properties,

(due to sizing removal, fibre misalignment etc) and recycled• Metals can be recycled• Paint, coating and core materials will be incinerated


CO2eq comparisonLCA case study on different blade resin systems 19

Estimated tons of CO2eq saved per turbine (SG 8.0-167 DD) by using a recyclable resin system asopposed to a conventional epoxy resin system


Conclusion

• Blades become longer to increase energy output and reducecost

• Sustainability becomes an important factor including bothcircularity and carbon footprint

• For blades the driving factors for carbon footprint reduction areweight or length and lifetime

• Blades recyclability and materials circularity are important for waste and end-of-life management and has a positive impact on carbon footprint

20


Harald StecherBlade Materials EngineerPhone +45 5167 [email protected]

sgre wind blades and sustainability

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