Evaluation of Recyclable Thermoplastics for the Manufacturing of Wind Turbines Blades H-Darrieus

Wind energy is one of the most important clean energy sources. However, the manufacturing processes of turbine blades require rethinking when considering circular economy concepts. Rebuilt blades could be made with solid waste from the same turbines after their life cycle or from residual parts from other processes. The most direct adverse environmental effect is in the recycling of the wind turbines blades, since thermoset materials are the most typical material for the blades, which are not easily recycled at the end of their life cycle, worsen by the fibers that typically it contents in the blades. This research seeks to evaluate the mechanical strength of two types of thermoplastic materials, PLA and PETG, manufactured in a 3D printer. The PTEG material exhibited the most desirable mechanical strengths and will be the one used to manufacture the blades of an H-Darrieus wind turbine on a laboratory scale.