COMPARATIVE LIFECYCLE ANALYSIS BETWEEN WIND TURBINE BLADES REPURPOSED AS ENERGY TRANSMISSION POLES AND CONVENTIONAL STEEL POLES

The wind industry is starting to have a rising blade waste problem that cannot be overlooked. Producing wind blade second life solutions is on the front end of our research. This study focuses on comparing the production and transportation of steel poles with transporting wind turbine blades repurposed as energy transmission poles (BladePoles). Our initial results of the comparative life cycle assessment show that using BladePoles in the energy transmission industry is environmentally viable. In the worstcase scenario, the primary energy demand and global warming potential of the BladePole is higher than the Steel pole after they have been transported 5,400 miles and 1100 miles respectively. Overall, BladePoles can be transported 550 additional miles than steel poles.