GE Report: Repowering a Wind Farm

Wind Industry Profile of

At 16 years old, the Fenner Wind Farm, near Syracuse, New York, is one of the oldest in the United States. While the towering wind turbines show little sign of slowing down — they churn out 5,500 megawatt-hours of energy annually — their 122-foot fiberglass blades are coming up short by today’s standards. Newer turbines easily produce 20 percent more power using blades that are 16 feet longer but just as light.

Fenner is preparing to upgrade its blades, but the process created a new twist on the ages-old conundrum trailing progress: what to do with the obsolete technology. Crushing a blade yields about 15,000 pounds of fiberglass waste, and the process creates hazardous dust. Given that the blades are half the length of a football field, sending them to a landfill whole is out... ... More: Official Press Release GE Reports

Keywords:

GE, recycling, repowering, wind farm