Students Propose Solutions for Recycling Decommissioned Wind Turbine Blades
In July 2023, the government launched a $5.1 million Wind Turbine Material Recycling Prize to develop cost-effective solutions for recycling wind turbine blades. In our middle school design unit, “Product End of Life,” we have been exploring this issue as design engineers. For their summative assessment, the students were assigned the brief of proposing a solution for reusing decommissioned wind turbine blades.
In line with the Wind Turbine Material Recycling Prize event, Dr. Max Leyherr (a parent at the school) came to talk to the students about his experience in the industry in Europe in the 1980’s and give feedback on the students’ physical and 3D models.
The following acknowledgments were given:
Most unique Idea: Saharsh and Aiden – small-scale wind generation ideas.
Noteworthy: Bea (aquaponic system), Grace (horse jumps)
Most Likely to Work – Sadie (coral habitat)
Noteworthy: Finn and Katelyn (a simple adaptation of re-wind-inspired ideas). All involve minimal processing.
Technical Skill: Sabrina (urban garden video)
Noteworthy Digital models: Aiden and Anamitra
Noteworthy Physical models: Stella (pigsty), Sadie and Saharsh
