Repowering, an Effective Solution for Increasing Energy Production
Like any energy asset, renewable or otherwise, wind farms have a finite lifespan. Most onshore wind turbines have a useful life of about 20 to 25 years.
But decommissioning is not the only option once the end of this lifespan has been reached. We have the capacity to repower an aging wind power plant by replacing the old turbines with newer, technologically superior models to restart the clock on the plant’s useful life and generate long-term benefits for the local economy.
In the past few decades, wind turbines have sprouted up all over the world. Progress on the technological front has been equally prolific. Twenty years ago, the average output of a wind turbine was 1 MW. This has since doubled or tripled, and in some countries has increased by as much as fivefold. Not only are these assets now more powerful, but the systems they run on are also more sophisticated.
Repowering involves retrofitting wind power sites that have already been accepted by the public in order to improve energy production. As renewable energy capacities continue to increase worldwide, the repowering market is bound to grow and will be key to achieving national decarbonization targets.
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End-of-Life Strategies for Wind Power Plants at Boralex
01.
Creating lasting value for local communities
Working with local stakeholders, we develop projects that foster long-term prosperity within our partner communities. When a Boralex wind farm is repowered, it means an interrupted revenue stream for another 20 or so years. And repowered turbines may make even more money for their community, depending on the local policies in place and the specifications of the new assets.
02.
Focusing on operational excellence during and after repowering
We remain in direct communication with communities at each of the steps in the renewable energy value chain, from development through to construction and operation. Our ongoing presence throughout the 20+ year life cycle gives us unique insight into all of our projects, our equipment and the environments in which they operate. This experience is invaluable in ensuring your wind farm repower goes off without a hitch.
03.
Complying with end-of-life regulations
When comes time to dismantle and repower an asset, there are strict requirements in place that vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The repowering process is generally preceded by a set of environmental assessments and the issuance of a new environmental authorization. At Boralex, we work closely with the various stakeholders involved throughout the repowering process, ensuring that all applicable laws and regulations are met.
04.
Dismantling and deploying circular economy strategies
To date, all of the wind farms we have dismantled and repowered have been in France. There is a specific program in place for assets at the end of their service life, through which wind turbines can either be refurbished or sold on the secondary market with the possibility of tracking their use. We are also exploring ways to recycle blades through reputable channels. When wind turbines are disassembled, we systematically recover and reuse or recycle all materials at the site. Concrete, for instance, can be recovered by a specialized contractor and then crushed and reused, either on site or at another project in the area.
Our repowered wind farms
Dismantling and Repurposing FAQs
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In Canada, the recycling options for wind turbine components are evolving. Our experience in France shows that extensive repurposing is a possibility. In fact, the French Ministry of Ecological Transition has indicated the 93% (by weight) of an onshore wind turbine is made of materials that are recyclable. The turbine blades account for 6% of the total weight. They can be shredded and turned into fuel. Ongoing research is being conducted to make the design of wind turbines more eco-friendly and get the recyclability rate to the 100% mark.
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Wind turbines are made of steel, concrete, copper and aluminum, for the most part. The blades themselves are made of a composite of fibreglass or carbon fibre reinforced with resin.
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Disassembly usually takes one or two days, depending on the site and the prevailing weather conditions. The rotor, blades and nacelle are removed, and the tower is torn down, section by section. The land around the base is then excavated and restored to its natural state, which takes roughly two weeks.
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There are no greenhouse gas emissions or harmful pollutants produced when wind power is being generated. According to the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), the amount of time it takes for a wind turbine to generate the amount of energy equivalent to the energy required for its manufacturing and transportation is only 12 months.
