Vital opportunity for Europe's clean energy future

By: Chloe Emanuel 22/11/2023 Wind Europe

General Windfarms

WindEurope's annual "End of Life Issues and Strategies" Seminar (EoLIS 2023) convenes the European wind industry, policymakers, and scientific community to address the critical phase when wind farms reach the end of their operational life. Focusing on sustainability, circularity, and strategies for decommissioning, the event underscores the pivotal role of repowering in Europe's quest to double its wind energy capacity by 2030.

The seminar highlights the significance of repowering, which involves replacing old turbines with newer, more efficient ones. This initiative triples the electricity output of a wind farm while reducing turbine numbers by a quarter, all within the same site. The goal is to enhance Europe's wind energy capacity, yet new data reveals a discrepancy: over 13 GW of existing wind capacity is set for decommissioning by 2030, while only 9 GW is projected for repowering, missing a crucial opportunity.

Governments are urged to incentivize repowering by simplifying rules and expediting permitting processes. New EU laws advocate for repowering projects to receive permit decisions within six months to facilitate this critical transition. Moreover, the seminar underscores the sustainability of wind energy, with a focus on recycling wind turbine components, especially blades.

The wind industry has committed to reusing, recycling, or recovering 100% of decommissioned blades, despite the composite materials they're made of. Efforts are underway to repurpose old blades for urban furniture and playgrounds, contributing to sustainable practices in wind energy.

For more information, WindEurope's "End of Life Issues and Strategies" Seminar (EoLIS 2023) in Rotterdam will address these vital issues concerning the wind energy industry.

For more information about offshore wind farm projects across the globe, click here.

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Vital opportunity for Europe's clean energy future

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