Solving energy crisis will take people working toward common goal

Energy, its need, use, production, impact on the environment, global importance is a topic that cannot be solved easily.

What we do know, is that it will take many ideas all working toward a common goal to continue to provide energy for the world. Gov. Roy Cooper has spoken of new wind farms off the coast of North Carolina, at least 20 miles from the coast, where the wind turbines will be hard to see. In so far as that we are all looking for sustainable, renewable and non-petroleum-based energy, North Carolina may be geographically perfectly situated to take advantage of this technology.

Duke Energy and TotalEnergies have been awarded federal leases that will cover 170 square miles east of Bald Head Island. Both companies indicate that they are still in the planning stages and will need to secure approvals from both state and federal regulators.

True operation is at least 10 years from power production, but the amount of energy possible will be more than a nuclear power plant and not have residual nuclear waste. Gov. Cooper set a target last year for North Carolina to generate 2.8 gigawatts by 2030 and 8 gigawatts by 2040. Just for comparison, according to the Department of Energy, a nuclear power plant generates 1 gigawatt per year, and 1.3 gigawatts can power 500,000 homes.

We may be in the best place to benefit from innovations coming from Siemens Gamesa who is collaborating with Spain, Denmark, UK and Germany. An article published in Waste Advantage Magazine on Aug. 4, 2022, highlighted this new technology of the first recyclable wind turbine blade now operational at the Kaskasi offshore wind farm in Germany.

They are calling this technology RecycleBlade and can totally recycle the components of this blade. This technology was developed in Aalborg, Denmark, the blades were manufactured in Hull, UK, and the nacelles (exterior sleave covering the generating components, gear box, drive train, etc.) were produced and installed in Cuxhaven, Germany; this was certainly an international effort driving home the overwhelming need to find sustainable energy solutions.

Siemens Gamesa plans to make all of their wind turbine blades recyclable by 2030 and all components of their turbines recyclable by 2040…just in time for the North Carolina projects to take to the sea!

Hopefully, Duke and TotalEnergies will be seeking information and collaboration with Siemens Gamesa as our energy companies move forward with their wind farm plans. As far as the recycling process goes, these blades are made from a combination of materials secured together with resin to form a strong, flexible and extremely light blade.

Due to the chemical structure of the resin, the recycling process allows a weak acid solution to reduce the components back into recoverable wood, fiberglass and other materials that can then be repurposed into components for suitcases, or flat screen cases eliminating the need for additional raw material.

There will need to be additional technologies to prevent the collisions of birds with these blades; this have been a concern with those wind turbines on land. Certainly, a combination of light and sound can alert birds to avoid these turbine corridors or prior to their placements, there is mapping of flight patterns to avoid collisions.

It will take multiple options of sustainable energy sources to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels; it is important to explore all avenues as our need for energy will continue to grow as our world continues to warm.

Nan Kirlin is recycling coordinator for Gaston County.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Solving energy crisis will take people working toward common goal