NewBase June 07 -2022 Energy News issue - 1520 by Khaled Al Awadi_compressed.pdf

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NewBase Energy News 07 June 2022 No. 1520 Senior Editor Eng. Khaled Al Awadi
NewBase for discussion or further details on the news below you may contact us on +971504822502, Dubai, UAE
U.A.E Masdar signs agreements to develop 4,000 MW of clean,
renewable energy ‘Mega Projects’ in Azerbaijan
WAM/Amjad Saleh
Masdar, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, has signed implementation
agreements with the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to develop clean and
renewable energy projects in the country with a combined confirmed capacity of 4,000 megawatts
(MW) as an exclusive concession.
Under the agreements, Masdar also has the right to develop an additional 6,000 MW as a second
phase, bringing the total production capacity of these projects to 10,000 MW – the largest such
signing in Azerbaijan’s history.
Masdar signed two implementation agreements, one relating to the development of onshore wind
projects with a capacity of 1,000 MW, and 1,000 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. The second
agreement covers integrated offshore wind and green hydrogen projects with a capacity of 2,000
MW.

The implementation agreements were signed by Parviz Shahbazov, Azerbaijan's Minister of
Energy, and Fawaz Al Muharrami, Acting Executive Director of Masdar Clean Energy, signing on
behalf of Masdar, at an event in Shusha, held as a special session of Baku Energy Week.
Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing
Director and Chairman of Masdar, said, "The 4,000 MW of renewable energy projects announced
today reinforce the close relationship between the United Arab Emirates and Azerbaijan and are a
testament to our shared commitment to progressive climate action.
These clean energy projects also demonstrate the valuable economic opportunities of the energy
transition and will contribute to the energy diversification and energy security of Azerbaijan. Today's
announcement also underscores the UAE and Masdar’s position as a global leader in renewable
energy, as we progress our strategy toward a portfolio of at least 100 GW globally."
Shahbazov said, "Today we are going to sign mega projects with Masdar in accordance with the
green energy course of the President of Azerbaijan, which defines renewable energy sources as a
strategic priority for the country's development.
These 4,000 MW solar, wind and green hydrogen projects, being the largest renewable energy
production capacity in the region and in our energy history, provide ample opportunities for the
development of Azerbaijan as a green growth country, green energy producer and exporter, as well
as allow for involving multibillion-dollar green investment."
The agreement for onshore wind and solar projects includes measures to study and strengthen the
network and implement processes for the export of electricity. The second agreement includes
measures to create wind power for production and export purposes, decarbonisation, hydrogen
production and export.
At the same event, Masdar also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State Oil
Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) for the joint development of renewable energy sources.
In March, Masdar’s CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi attended the groundbreaking ceremony for
Masdar’s 230 MW Garadagh Solar PV Plant in Azerbaijan. The plant, expected to start commercial
operation in 2023, will help to generate half a billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to
meet the needs of more than 110,000 homes, and will reduce emissions by more than 200,000
tonnes a year, while also creating valuable jobs.

U.A.E DEWA completes 44% of 250MW Hatta hydroelectric
power plant … WAM (Emirates News Agency) Lina ibrahim/Amjad Saleh
DEWA has completed 44 percent of its pumped-storage hydroelectric power station being DEWA
in Hatta, which will have a production capacity of 250 megawatts (MW), a storage capacity of 1,500
megawatt-hours and a life span of up to 80 years.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), visited
the station, which is considered the first station of its kind in the GCC with investments up to
AED1.421 billion, to review its progress.
The pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant in Hatta is part of DEWA’s efforts to achieve the
vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President,
Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. It also supports the Hatta Development Plan launched by His
Highness.
The Plan includes the establishment of 5.4km-long cable car route and the Dubai Mountain Peak at
an altitude of 1,300 metres (the summit of Jebel Umm Al Nisour), Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls to
contribute to the overall development in the Hatta region and provide innovative job opportunities
for citizens in Hatta.
DEWA’s projects will provide around 200 technical, administrative and operational jobs in Hatta.
Another 300 jobs are expected to be created by the Visitor Centre, and other outdoor activities and
tourist facilities associated with the project.

Al Tayer inspected the construction site of the hydroelectric power station and was briefed on the
project’s progress. He also inspected the construction of the power generators and the upper dam,
whose first 37-metre-high Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) wall has been completed. Work is
currently underway on the 70-metre main dam wall.
The station will use water in the Hatta Dam and an upper dam being built in the mountain. During
the visit, Al Tayer also reviewed the work progress of the 1.2 kilometre subterranean tunnel, which
connects the two dams.
The Hydroelectric power plant is an energy storage that utilises potential energy of the water stored
in the upper dam which is converted to kinetic energy during the flow of water through the 1.2
kilometre subterranean tunnel and this kinetic energy rotates the turbines and converts mechanical
energy to electrical energy which is sent to DEWA grid.
Then to store energy again, clean energy generated at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Solar Park is used to pump the water through this tunnel back from Hatta dam to the upper dam by
converting the electrical energy to kinetic energy and then finally storing it as a potential energy in
the upper dam. The power plant will have turnaround efficiency of 78.9 percent and response to
demand for energy within 90 seconds.
This includes all available technologies such as photovoltaic solar panels, Concentrated Solar
Power (CSP), and green hydrogen production using renewable energy. The construction of the
hydroelectric power plant uses the latest and safest drilling technologies suited to Hatta’s geological
features. It adheres to the strictest international environmental standards to protect the Hatta Natural
Reserve.
During the visit, Al Tayer was briefed by the project manager on the latest developments related to
the ‘Dubai Mountain Peak’ and the ‘Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls’ project, which DEWA has
tendered.
The projects will contribute to an overall development in the Hatta region, especially the Dubai
Mountain Peak, which includes the construction of a 5.4-kilometre cable car to transport tourists to
the summit of Um Al Nesoor. At 1,300 metres above sea level, it is the highest natural summit in
Dubai. The cable car route passes over the Hatta Dam lake and the upper dam lake, which are
parts of the Hatta pumped-storage hydroelectricity plant currently under construction, as well as
over the mountains. The route ends at the summit of the Um Al Nesoor mountain.

U.S. Record natural gas demand this winter led to largest storage
withdrawal in four years ..: U.S.Energy Information Administration, Natural Gas Monthly
Net withdrawals of natural gas from U.S. storage totaled 2,264 billion cubic feet (Bcf) this winter
(November through March).
This amount is the most natural gas withdrawn from storage since the winter of 2017–18 and 10%
more than the previous five-year (2016–17 to 2021–22) average, according to our recently
released Natural Gas Monthly, which includes data through March 2022.
Typically more natural gas is withdrawn from storage in the United States than is injected during the
winter heating season as demand (including consumption and exports) exceeds supply (including
production and imports).
During the heating season, natural gas must be drawn from storage to meet this excess of demand
over supply. Working U.S. natural gas storage levels at the end of March 2022 were 1,401 Bcf,
which is 11 Bcf higher than March 2018.
On average, demand for natural gas in the United States exceeded supply by 14.9 billion cubic feet
per day (Bcf/d) this past winter. Average U.S. supply and demand of natural gas both set record
highs this past winter with supply at 104.3 Bcf/d and demand at 119.2 Bcf/d.
U.S. natural gas supply and demand had been further out of balance during the winter of 2017–18,
resulting in more natural gas withdrawn from storage that winter. Production of dry natural gas
increased in the United States last winter compared with the one before, averaging 95.6 Bcf/d, or
close to the 2019–20 winter record of 96.0 Bcf/d.
U.S. production has been generally increasing since 2020, after declining because of lower
prices and reduced natural gas demand, but natural gas production during the winter did not reach

its pre-COVID-19 pandemic level. Imports of natural gas also increased last winter compared with
the one before, averaging 8.7 Bcf/d.
Consumption of natural gas grew in the United States to 99.5 Bcf/d last winter (0.4 Bcf/d less than
the 2018–19 winter record) because of more natural gas consumption in the electric power sector.
Natural gas consumed in the U.S. electric power sector rose by 2.0 Bcf/d compared with the
previous winter (2020–21). In addition, a colder-than-normal January contributed to more U.S.
natural gas storage withdrawals than average for that month.
Total U.S. demand, including domestic consumption and exports, set a new record this winter,
averaging 119.2 Bcf/d. A 2.0 Bcf/d rise in exports drove the growth, led by a 1.8 Bcf/d increase
in liquefied natural gas exports.

Texas power use to hit record as temperatures soar
Power demand in Texas is set to break the all-time record this week, far ahead of the hottest days
of summer, testing the resilience of the power grid after generation issues earlier this year and days-
long blackout during a deep freeze last year.
Extreme weather is increasingly straining power grids across the United States, and regulators are
already predicting record heat and drought this summer could cause rotating blackouts in several
regions of the country.
Texas is the most closely watched state among power analysts given its unique set-up and its heavy
power demand. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the grid for most
of the state, expects power demand to surge to an all-time record on Tuesday - surpassing levels
reached in August of 2019.
The state is the nation's largest energy producer and its biggest energy consumer. Its grid is largely
isolated from the rest of the United States to avoid certain federal regulations, which keeps it from
drawing on other U.S. grids in an emergency. The state endured several days without power during
Winter Storm Uri in February 2021.
ERCOT said it has enough resources available to meet forecast demand, but it has already run into
trouble this year.
During a mini-heatwave in mid-May, ERCOT was forced to ask customers to conserve energy after
several power plants shut unexpectedly, causing real-time prices to briefly soar to over $4,000 per
megawatt hour (MWh), compared with an average of $60 per MWh so far this year.

Even if ERCOT has enough resources to keep the lights on this summer, the grid's power lines may
not be able to move all the energy from where it is generated to where it is consumed, boosting
costs for consumers.
"Transmission congestion in the real-time market was up 46% in 2021, totaling $2.1 billion,"
Potomac Economics, ERCOT's Independent Market Monitor, said in a report in May. When that
congestion occurs, it raises prices for buyers who need to source power. More than $560 million of
the congestion cost was generated during Winter Storm Uri.
AccuWeather is forecasting temperatures in Houston to remain in the high 90s Fahrenheit all week,
eventually hitting 101 F (38.3 degrees Celsius) on Saturday, several degrees higher than the normal
of 91 F at this time of year.
"ERCOT weather-adjusted loads have been increasing rapidly since mid-2021," said Morris
Greenberg, senior manager North American power analysis at S&P Global Commodity Insights.
ERCOT expects power usage will reach 77,544 megawatts on Tuesday, which would top the grid's
all-time high of 74,820 MW set in August 2019.
ERCOT says the addition of wind and solar plants over the past year should boost the amount of
power resources available to 91,392 MW. One megawatt can power around 1,000 U.S. homes on
a typical day, but only about 200 homes on a hot summer day.
Power demand is rising as Texas was the third-fastest growing state by population in the last
decade, according to U.S. Census data. ERCOT serves more than 26 million Texas customers
covering about 90% of the state's power demand. The state's industrial sector accounts for 23% of
industrial sector energy use nationwide, which is expected to grow due to drilling, refining and
crypto-currency mining, said Greenberg.

India in Talks to Increase Russian Oil Imports From Rosneft
Bloomberg + NewBase
India is looking to double down on its Russian oil imports with state-owned refiners eager to take
more heavily-discounted supplies from Rosneft PJSC as international buyers turn down dealings
with Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
State processors are collectively working on finalizing and securing new six-month supply contracts
for Russian crude to India, said people with knowledge of the companies’ procurement plans.
Cargoes are being sought on a delivered basis from Rosneft, with the seller set to handle shipping
and insurance matters, they said.
These supply agreements, if concluded, will be separate and on top of shipments that India already
buys from Russia via other deals. Details on volumes and pricing are still being negotiated with
Indian banks set to fully finance all cargoes, said the people who asked not to be identified as
discussions are confidential. Indian refiners will increasingly procure supplies directly from Russian
companies such as Rosneft as top international traders like Glencore Plc wind up their dealings,
they added.
The state refiners include Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum, while private
processors are Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy, which is partly owned by Rosneft.
Procurement activities for state and private companies are done independently. Spokespeople at
the three largest state-owned companies couldn’t immediately comment when contacted.
Both state and privately-owned refineries in India have been ramping up purchases of Russian
crude as sanctions and trade restrictions rolled out by the US, UK and European Union have caused
most buyers to flee and offer levels to crash. An unprecedented amount of Russian crude was
heading to India and China last month as European buyers scrambled for replacements and
reached as far as the United Arab Emirates for alternatives. The ensuing panic and rerouting of
global oil flows have lifted prices by more 20% since late-February when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Refiners in Asia’s second-largest oil consumer have been enjoying elevated profits from turning
cheap crude into fuels that are sold domestically and also in the export market to customers in
Europe and the US. Russian supplies form just part of India’s overall basket of crude oil feedstock,
alongside other long-term as well as spot purchases from the Middle East and Africa.
The potential ramp-up of Russian crude purchases will likely weigh on the South Asian nation’s spot
imports, said the people. India has bought more than 40 million barrels of Russian oil between late-
February and early-May, which comes to about 20% more than flows for all of 2021, according to
Bloomberg calculations based on trade data. Russian oil arrivals into India for May were at 740,000
barrels a day, up from 284,000 barrels in April and 34,000 barrels a year earlier, according to data
from Kpler.
Although India’s purchases of Russian crude aren’t illegal or in breach of any sanctions, the country
has come under pressure from the Biden administration and EU to stop doing business with Moscow
in order to cut off the Kremlin’s access to oil revenue and funds. The Asian nation has reiterated
that its volume of Russian imports are minuscule as compared to Europe’s purchases, and just a
tiny fraction of the country’s total consumption.
“We don’t send people out there saying go buy Russian oil, we send people saying go buy oil,”
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s foreign minister, said at a conference on Friday. “Now you buy
the best oil you can in the market. I don’t think I would attach a political messaging to that.”
Discounted Russian oil has provided some financial relief to India -- which imports more than 85%
of its needs -- just as inflation skyrockets alongside surging prices of everything from food to fuel.
The access to cheap crude is already boosting India’s petroleum imports, which grew almost 16%
in April from last year. The share of oil from the Eurasian region, which includes Russia, expanded
to 10.6% in April versus 3.3% a year earlier, according to ministry data.

NewBase 07 June -2022 Khaled Al Awadi
NewBase for discussion or further details on the news below you may contact us on +971504822502, Dubai, UAE
Oil prices inch higher on relaxed China COVID curbs, tight supplies
Reuters – NewBase
Oil prices edged higher on Tuesday on an expected demand recovery in China as the world's
second-biggest economy relaxes tough COVID-19 curbs, and on doubts that a higher output target
by OPEC+ producers would ease tight supply.
Brent crude futures were up 28 cents, or 0.2%, at $119.79 barrel at 0601 GMT. U.S. West Texas
Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 31 cents, or 0.3%, at $118.81 a barrel. The benchmark
hit a three-month high of $120.99 on Monday.
Oil price special
coverage

Beijing and commercial hub Shanghai have been returning to normal in recent days after two
months of painful lockdowns to stem outbreaks of the Omicron variant. Traffic bans were lifted and
restaurants were opened for dine-in service on Monday in most parts of Beijing. read more
"We could see a surge in fuel demand with cars back on roads in the major cities, and ports gradually
returning to normal operation in China," said Tina Teng, an analyst at CMC Markets.
Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia raised the July official selling price (OSP) for its flagship Arab light
crude to Asia by $2.10 from June to a $6.50 premium over Oman/Dubai quotes, just off an all-time
peak recorded in May when prices hit highs due to worries of disruptions in Russian supplies. read
more
Last week, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies, together
known as OPEC+, decided to boost output for July and August by 648,000 barrels per day, or 50%
more than previously planned.
The increased target was spread across all OPEC+ members. However, many members have little
room to ramp up output, including Russia, which faces Western sanctions. read more
"While the new increased monthly targets continue to be driven by proportional contributions from
all participants (including Russia), it is unrealistic to expect an increase close to the headline figure,"
said Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management, in a note.
Elsewhere, U.S. crude inventories likely fell last week, while gasoline and distillate stockpiles were
seen up, a preliminary Reuters poll showed on Monday.

Opec+ agrees on 648,000 bpd hike in July, August outputs
OPEC.org
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and allies including Russia, known
as Opec+, have agreed to raise output by 648,000 barrels per day (bpd) in July and 648,000 bpd in
August.
This came at the 29th Opec and non-Opec Ministerial Meeting which was held via video-conference
today. The meeting noted the most recent reopening from lockdowns in major global economic
centers. It further noted that global refinery intake is expected to increase after seasonal
maintenance. The meeting highlighted the importance of stable and balanced markets for both
crude oil and refined products.
It has been agreed to "advance the planned overall production adjustment for the month of
September and redistribute equally the 0.432 mb/d production increase over the months of July and
August 2022. Therefore, July production will be adjusted upward by 0.648 mb/d as per the attached
schedule," Opec said in a statement following the meeting.
The members agreed to extend the compensation period until the end of December 2022 as
requested by some underperforming countries and request that underperforming countries submit
their plans by 17 June 2022.
Compensation plans should be
submitted in accordance with the
statement of the 15th OPEC and
non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting.
They reiterate the critical
importance of adhering to full
conformity and to the
compensation mechanism. It has
also been agreed to hold the 30th
Opec and non-Opec Ministerial
Meeting on June 30.

29th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting
No 12/2022
Vienna, Austria
02 Jun 2022
The 29th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting was held via videoconference on 2 June 2022.
The Meeting noted the most recent reopening from lockdowns in major global economic centers. It
further noted that global refinery intake is expected to increase after seasonal maintenance. The
Meeting highlighted the importance of stable and balanced markets for both crude oil and refined
products.
The Meeting therefore resolved to:
1. Reaffirm the decision of the 10th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial meeting on 12 April
2020 and further endorsed in subsequent meetings, including the 19th OPEC and non-
OPEC Ministerial Meeting on the 18 July 2021.
2. Reconfirm the production adjustment plan and the monthly production adjustment
mechanism approved at the 19th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting and the
decision to adjust upward the monthly overall production by 0.432 mb/d for the month of
July 2022.
3. Advance the planned overall production adjustment for the month of September and
redistribute equally the 0.432 mb/d production increase over the months of July and
August 2022. Therefore, July production will be adjusted upward by 0.648 mb/d as per
the attached schedule.
4. Extend the compensation period until the end of December 2022 as requested by some
underperforming countries and request that underperforming countries submit their plans
by 17 June 2022. Compensation plans should be submitted in accordance with the
statement of the 15th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting.
5. Reiterate the critical importance of adhering to full conformity and to the compensation
mechanism.
6. Hold the 30th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting on 30 June 2022.

NewBase Special Coverage
The Energy world –June -01 -2022
CLEAN ENERGY
GE, Orsted and now Iberdrola: The competition to recycle wind
turbine blades heats up
CNBC - Anmar Frangoul
KEY POINTS
 The issue of what to do with wind turbine blades when they’re no longer needed is a
headache for the industry.
 Iberdrola is one of several companies to look into the potential of recycling and reusing wind
turbine blades.
 Iberdrola says new company, known as EnergyLOOP, will develop a blade recycling facility
in Navarre, northern Spain.
Spanish energy firm Iberdrola has jointly established a company that will recycle components used
in renewable energy installations, including wind turbine blades.

In a statement last week Iberdrola said the company, known as EnergyLOOP, would develop a
blade recycling facility in Navarre, northern Spain.
“The initial objective will be the recovery of wind turbine blade components — mostly glass and
carbon fibres and resins — and their reuse in sectors such as energy, aerospace, automotive,
textiles, chemicals and construction,” the company said.
EnergyLOOP has been launched by Iberdrola via PERSEO — its “international programme for
startups” — and FCC Ámbito. The latter is a subsidiary of FCC Servicios Medio Ambiente.
Iberdrola said EnergyLOOP would also have support from Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, a
major player in the manufacture of wind turbines.
The issue of what to do with wind turbine blades when they’re no longer needed is a headache for
the industry. This is because the composite materials blades are made from can prove to be difficult
to recycle, which means that many end up in landfills when their service life ends.
As the amount of wind turbines being used increases, the topic looks set to become even more
pressing. Iberdrola said it was estimated that roughly 5,700 wind turbines would be dismantled in
Europe each year in 2030.
Iberdrola is one of several companies to look into the potential of recycling and reusing wind turbine
blades, an aim that feeds into the idea of creating a circular economy.
The concept has gained traction in recent years, with many businesses now looking to operate in
ways that minimize waste and encourage re-use.

In Sept. 2021, for example, Siemens Gamesa said it had launched a recyclable wind turbine
blade, with the firm claiming its RecyclableBlades were “the world’s first recyclable wind turbine
blades ready for commercial use offshore.”
A few months earlier, in June 2021, Denmark’s Orsted said it would “reuse, recycle, or recover” all
turbine blades in its worldwide portfolio of wind farms once they’re decommissioned.
That June also saw General Electric’s renewables unit and cement manufacturer Holcim strike a
deal to explore the recycling of wind turbine blades. In Jan. 2020 another wind energy giant,
Vestas, said it was aiming to produce “zero-waste” turbines by the year 2040.
RWE is driving the evolution of innovative technology
Using recyclable wind turbine blades is only one example of how RWE is leading technological
development in the offshore wind industry. At its 342 megawatt wind farm Kaskasi the company will
install for the first time ever special collars around three monopile foundations. The steel collars are
designed based on a RWE patent and will be installed at seabed level.

The space between collar and monopile foundation will be filled with grout material to create a stable
connection. RWE will carry out accompanying tests to verify that the collar improves the structural
behaviour in comparison with standard monopiles.
Furthermore Kaskasi will be the first commercial offshore wind farm in the world to use an improved
installation method for driving the wind turbine foundations into the seabed to their target penetration
depth.
In comparison to conventional hammering techniques the innovative vibro pile driving method will
significantly speed up the process of installing the foundations, has a gentler impact on the structure
while producing far less noise, and reduces impacts on the maritime environment. The pilot project
at Kaskasi is accompanied by a comprehensive research project funded by the German Federal
Ministry for Economic Affairs.
Break It Down: This Big Wind Industry Player Is Seeking To Make Future
Turbine Blades 100% Recyclable
It should come as no surprise that wind has one of the energy industry’s lowest carbon footprints.
But that doesn’t mean it can’t be even smaller — and one promising avenue involves recycling wind
turbine blades.
“There are huge sustainability advances in terms of energy, materials and consumption at every
stage,” says Hanif Mashal, vice president of engineering and technology at LM Wind Power. In fact,
the Danish company, a subsidiary of GE Renewable Energy, is seeking to find ways to make blades
that could be 100% recyclable one day.

LM Wind Power is one of the largest makers of wind turbine blades. Its factories around the world
produce annually some 14,000 blades for turbines that are capable of generating power in excess
of 9 gigawatts, enough to supply more than 11 million European households.
The smallest blades weigh around 12 tons; the largest — for GE’s Haliade-X offshore wind turbine
platform — stretches 107 meters from end to end and weighs 50 tons each. “These rotors are the
wind turbine motors,” Mashal says. “They involve plenty of labor, polymer-rich composite materials
and heat to build, as well as a lot of effort and energy to transport and install.”
The company has been shrinking its carbon footprint for a while, becoming carbon neutral in 2018,
achieving a zero-emissions carbon footprint for its operations by balancing its emissions with
reductions through improved energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy and the purchase of
carbon offsets.
Mashal believes that finding ways to recycle wind blades — which are designed to be used for more
than 20 years — is the logical next step. “We now want the whole value chain to be sustainable,
well beyond the area of our operational control,” he says.

The future the wind blade life cycle could look like this. Image credit: LM Wind Power.
But that’s not simple. Unlike steel turbine towers and generators, the long blades are made of
fiberglass, polymers and core material, all bonded together with a thermoset adhesive. “They’re not
easy objects to recycle in a sustainable and cost-efficient way,” Mashal says.
In the past, most decommissioned blades typically ended up lined up like dinosaur bones in landfills.
“I don’t like that at all,” Mashal says. Some projects also tried to repurpose blades as bridges,
sculptures and playgrounds
But LM Wind Power is thinking bigger. Last fall its parent company, GE Renewable Energy,
partnered with Veolia North America to co-process blades in the manufacturing of Portland cement,
the most common ingredient in concrete around the world.
And in January, a group of Danish companies that includes LM Wind Power won funding from the
country’s authorities for a three-year project, DecomBlades. The project will look at the
establishment of viable recycling value chains by different recycling technologies.
“The wind power industry is committed to finding a sustainable way to dispose of these
decommissioned wind turbine blades with respect to the environment, health and safety of workers,

energy consumption and cost, and we simply don’t yet have solutions that meet all those criteria,”
says John Korsgaard, senior director of engineering excellence at LM Wind Power who chairs
DecomBlades’ steering committee.
During the next two years, GE Renewable Energy
will also collaborate with Carbon Rivers, a startup
at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and
other partners to develop a system for recycling
glass fiber from blade parts. The focus will be
on pyrolysis — a way to break down materials by
exposing them to very high heat. If successful, the
collaboration could result in a wind blade waste
processing plant that would supply the recovered
glass fibers to other industries. “The fibers might
even end up in a surfboard,” Mashal says.
In an industry that seeks to be truly sustainable
throughout the product life cycle, establishing
these end-of-life blade recycling solutions will be
essential. But when it comes to eliminating the
waste of valuable natural resources, recycling is
still only one piece of the puzzle. In the life cycle
of a wind turbine blade, the blade’s end-of-life
represents only about 1% of its total lifetime CO2
emissions. In contrast, about 70% of the
emissions from the life cycle of a blade occur in
its supply chain, during resource extraction.
The most direct ways LM Wind Power could
impact the emissions from the total life cycle of the blades it produces will involve working with
suppliers to source materials to the exact sizes needed, switching to recycled materials instead of
virgin materials, and reducing production waste through lean operations. “Preventing waste before
it occurs is the best way to reduce our impact on the planet, and it’s simply good business,” Mashal
says. The company’s waste reduction in blade manufacturing has yielded more than $33 million in
savings since 2016.
Finding efficiencies in the way it sources materials and operates factories can go a long way to
reduce waste, but these efforts alone won’t bring the waste to the target, zero. The
project, ZEBRA (Zero wastE Blade ReseArch), will test and validate the behavior of the blade made
with the resin and its feasibility for industrial production.
The consortium project represents a major effort by the industry to improve recycling. “From the get-
go, we will be using materials that are already designed to be recycled,” he says. “To make a
business case for recycling, you need more volume and more predictability, so the big players
getting together is good news.”
Introducing materials designed to be recycled, as well as already recycled materials into the
manufacturing process, is part of the strategy for fully sustainable blades. While LM Wind Power is
trying to close the circle on the blade life cycle, it is also already focusing on the next lap. As of last
year, about 50% of the materials used to make the cores in its blades consist of recycled plastic.
“We have the vision to create a less wasteful world, and our products support that,” Korsgaard says.
“But we must also look inwards and embrace this fully.”

NewBase Energy News 07 June 2022 - Issue No. 1520 call on +971504822502, UAE
The Editor:” Khaled Al Awadi” Your partner in Energy Services
NewBase energy news is produced Twice a week and sponsored by Hawk Energy Service – Dubai, UAE.
For additional free subscriptions, please email us.
About: Khaled Malallah Al Awadi,
Energy Consultant
MS & BS Mechanical Engineering (HON), USA
Emarat member since 1990
ASME member since 1995
Hawk Energy member 2010
www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-al-awadi-38b995b
Mobile: +971504822502
khdmohd@hawkenergy.net or khdmohd@hotmail.com
Khaled Al Awadi is a UAE National with over 30 years of experience in the Oil & Gas
sector. Has Mechanical Engineering BSc. & MSc. Degrees from leading U.S.
Universities. Currently working as self leading external Energy consultant for the GCC
area via many leading Energy Services companies. Khaled is the Founder of the
NewBase Energy news articles issues, Khaled is an international consultant, advisor,
ecopreneur and journalist with expertise in Gas & Oil pipeline Networks, waste
management, waste-to-energy, renewable energy, environment protection and
sustainable development. His geographical areas of focus include Middle East, Africa
and Asia. Khaled has successfully accomplished a wide range of projects in the areas
of Gas & Oil with extensive works on Gas Pipeline Network Facilities & gas compressor
stations. Executed projects in the designing & constructing of gas pipelines, gas
metering & regulating stations and in the engineering of gas/oil supply routes. Has drafted
& finalized many contracts/agreements in products sale, transportation, operation & maintenance
agreements. Along with many MOUs & JVs for organizations & governments authorities. Currently dealing
for biomass energy, biogas, waste-to-energy, recycling and waste management. He has participated in
numerous conferences and workshops as chairman, session chair, keynote speaker and panelist. Khaled is
the Editor-in-Chief of NewBase Energy News and is a professional environmental writer with over 1400
popular articles to his credit. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy,
waste management, plant Automation IA and environmental sustainability in different parts of the world.
Khaled has become a reference for many of the Oil & Gas Conferences and for many Energy program
broadcasted internationally, via GCC leading satellite Channels. Khaled can be reached at any time, see
contact details above.

NewBase June 07 -2022 Energy News issue - 1520 by Khaled Al Awadi_compressed.pdf

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