Feasibility Study Of Plant Fibre Reinforced Bioresin Composite Wind Turbine Blades In Alberta
Abstract
Wind energy is a renewable form of energy, yet the blades are currently being manufactured from petroleum-derived chemicals. At the moment, there are no known alternatives to these petrochemicals in large wind turbines. Literature describes the use of plant-reinforced composites constructed from flax fibres and polyester, a petroleum based compound, for manufacturing small wind turbines of 11 kilowatt. In this report, a plant reinforced composite and bio-resin known as flax fibre and SuperSap100/1000 is assessed. A full scientific, energetic and environmental analysis is conducted using data calculated from various LCAs for 2MW wind turbines; the results are compared with conventional fibreglass and epoxy blades. The projected flax fibre and SuperSap100/1000 system is determined to provide several energetic and environmental advantages over conventional blades. By replacing conventional blades, the proposed composite would serve as a renewable resource in the construction of wind turbines that would be implemented in Alberta.
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Citation
Ahmad, S. N. (2015). Feasibility Study Of Plant Fibre Reinforced Bioresin Composite Wind Turbine Blades In Alberta (Unpublished report). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.