Dr Charlotte Stamper writes

Because the impression of local weather change has change into extra apparent and excessive lately, Scotland has emerged as a worldwide chief in one of the essential options: renewable power. But, whereas companies and policymakers have labored onerous to make sure we will capitalise on this success, a small however vocal minority proceed their marketing campaign to undermine it.

In September, the media reported that the decommissioning of wind generators had change into a “main headache” for the business and quoted Scotland In opposition to Spin – a marketing campaign group whose said goal is to “combat turbine proposals”.

As one of many firms working to recycle these generators – and to create a sustainable, round economic system for the supplies they comprise – EMR is in a terrific place to right this narrative.

Firstly, it is very important notice that the majority wind generators “pay again” the carbon impression of their manufacturing inside their first yr of operation and go on to offer a long time of fresh power.

The very first wind generators to be erected in Scotland are actually reaching the tip of their operational lives however, slightly than making a “main headache”, EMR and others are already busy recycling them.

And these generators are proving to be a wealthy supply of high-quality, low carbon recyclable materials. Round eighty-five p.c of a wind turbine is comprised of metal which is straightforward to recycle and may be melted down and reused infinitely.

Copper, aluminium and even concrete can – and are – being recycled as these generators are being decommissioned. As well as, EMR not too long ago launched Re-RE Wind, a undertaking which is able to create a sustainable, round economic system for the uncommon earth magnets that offshore wind generators comprise, boosting the UK’s useful resource safety and avoiding the nature-depleting mining of virgin materials.

And there are alternatives to go additional. At its workshop on the coast of Argyll & Bute, Scottish SME Renewable Elements employs native individuals to refurbish precious elements from end-of-life wind generators, and provides them again to the business instead of these comprised of virgin metals.

It’s true to say that recycling turbine blades – which signify about 10 p.c of the load of a complete turbine – isn’t as easy, however it’s a problem that engineers, entrepreneurs and recyclers are tackling around the globe.

Scottish-based firm Re-Blade is utilizing these blades – comprised of a mixture of balsa wooden and fiberglass – to construct furnishings and bike shelters.

On a worldwide scale, main wind turbine homeowners, blade producers, and recycling firms corresponding to EMR, are all investing big sums of cash into creating industrial scale recycling options for blades. This know-how remains to be in its infancy and bigger scale recycling choices will undoubtedly quickly emerge.

Subsequently, removed from being an indication of a “main downside”, as reported within the media, the information {that a} comparatively small variety of end-of-life turbine blades have been put into storage looks as if a wise step to take whereas the business waits for brand new, top quality, recycling processes to be developed.

Wind energy is one among our best weapons within the combat in opposition to local weather change, and Scotland has a bountiful provide of this clear, low cost power. We completely can’t afford to delay the roll-out of recent wind generators just because we don’t but have good end-of-life options for a small quantity of easily-available materials.

At EMR we imagine that previous belongings are a key materials financial institution for brand new infrastructure, which is why we’re investing in new recycling processes to assist the renewables business change into even greener.

Together with many different progressive, devoted companies throughout Scotland – we’re busy ensuring our communities can benefit from the advantages renewable power brings.