Decommissioning concept for wind turbines in repowering
Wind turbine decommissioning concept: as a qualified decommissioning specialist, we plan safe, lawful and environmentally sound wind farm dismantling.
A professionally planned decommissioning concept is a central part of every repowering project. As a certified decommissioning specialist ("rückbaukundige Person" under Austrian law), we develop solutions that combine technical precision, economic efficiency and environmental protection, for a safe, sustainable and legally compliant decommissioning of your wind turbines. Our experts survey and assess the existing turbines and plan dismantling, sale, logistics and recycling or disposal. Decommissioning is not purely a construction site matter. Construction noise, dust, transport and impacts on soil and land must be presented plausibly in the procedure, and in a repowering, decommissioning and new construction can be scheduled to overlap in order to keep the downtime at the site short.
We take into account the effects of decommissioning, such as construction noise and temporary emissions, and minimise the burden on soil and air. We prepare the decommissioning concept in accordance with the Austrian Recycling Building Materials Ordinance (RBV). It is linked to the quantity of construction and demolition waste generated: if more than 750 tonnes arise, hazardous and interfering substances must be investigated beforehand by a decommissioning specialist ("rückbaukundige Person"), and decommissioning is carried out with a focus on recovery in accordance with ÖNORM B 3151. For a wind turbine, it is mainly the foundation and tower that matter by quantity.
The construction site itself is also regulated. Hazardous waste must be separated on site from other waste, as must excavated soil, mineral waste, metals and wood. The decommissioning documentation must be available on the construction site, and the documents must be kept for at least seven years. Responsibility lies with the client, even if it contractually transfers tasks. We supervise the decommissioning work expertly and document it completely in line with the legal requirements. A large part of the turbine mass can be recovered, depending on the material and the available treatment routes; recovery and recycling rates have to be demonstrated for each project. Generators and gearboxes often find buyers on the second-hand market, which is relevant for planning the sale. Rotor blades consist predominantly of glass-fibre-reinforced plastic with epoxy resin; since around 2010, carbon fibre has increasingly been added, and its recovery is still under development. Wind turbines are usually designed for around 20 years, after which the choice is between continued operation with extensive inspections or repowering.
Technically, decommissioning generally follows a fixed sequence. Operating materials such as oils and greases are removed first, then rotor blades, nacelle and tower are dismantled, and the foundation last. Steel, copper and aluminium can be recycled as materials, and concrete can be crushed and used as a construction material. Rotor blades made of fibre-reinforced plastic are the most demanding fraction. Access roads, crane hardstands and cable routes are removed unless the new wind farm reuses them. The decommissioning concept for wind turbines is part of the repowering planning and feeds into the specialist support for the authorisation procedure. For the disposal of certain materials, there are the waste management concepts. Decommissioning is followed by the implementation of the new wind farm, and then by operations management in repowering.
