What are the key challenges associated with the end of life of renewable energy infrastructure?
As renewable energy infrastructure rapidly expands, managing its end of life safely and sustainably becomes increasingly urgent. Renewable infrastructure – including PV systems and offshore wind turbines – also requires large quantities of natural resources, such as low-carbon steel, concrete and (near) critical materials – some of which are only available in limited quantities. Considering how to recover and reuse these materials at the end of design life is essential to ensure continued and equitable growth of renewable energy.
Hazard identification and risk assessment
Dismantling of equipment, transportation and processing of components
Monitoring, contamination, safety, and risk management of both the site and decommissioned components
Engineering our way to a safer and more sustainable end of life for critical renewable energy infrastructure
What key roles do the industry, government and professional engineers play in a safe and sustainable energy transition?
Professional engineers have a responsibility to consider end-of-life issues during the design and construction of equipment. These challenges necessitate the expertise, skills and services of various engineering disciplines that operate across different types of renewable energy infrastructure.
It is crucial that national governments and, where applicable, regional or local authorities develop standards, policies and regulations to ensure that decommissioning is properly considered at the outset of a project and properly managed when the project reaches its end of life. Through effective policies, the government can provide incentives to boost demand for recycling services and introduce tax regulations to discourage landfill use.
The engineering industry has a leading role in manufacturing renewable energy infrastructure and capitalising on new opportunities that will arise from the growing decommissioning activity. For instance, there are currently prospects for decommissioned parts of wind turbine blades to be used in cement as an alternative feedstock in clinker (building material) production.33 This will reduce the environmental impact of cement manufacturing and prevent blades from ending up in landfills.
