Almost all the reinforced concrete foundations of wind turbines ever built — weighing up to a thousand tonnes each — could be left to rot in the ground.
The number of turbines reaching the end of their working lives will soon surpass tens of thousands. As they degrade, they risk shedding their oily gearbox fluids, hydraulic liquids, and synthetic lubricants into the soil.
No one wants to deal with these massive concrete and steel monoliths later. Concrete may be mostly inert, but over the decades, these blocks can disrupt deep-soil hydrology and remain as permanent industrial junk below the surface of rural landscapes.
The concrete base of a typical early 2-3 MW wind turbine weighs 400 to 800 tonnes. But the foundations of later, even bigger turbines (5 MW+) can exceed 1,000 tonnes.
In many jurisdictions, decommissioning regulations only require the operator to clear the foundation to a depth of 1 meter below the surface. While contracts state operators are responsible, the financial reality is complex.
Bank guarantees or bonds set aside for removal (around $100,000 per turbine) are woefully inadequate. Real-world estimates for total removal and site restoration can exceed $200,000 to $400,000 per unit.
If the cost of total removal vastly exceeds the bond, there is a strong incentive for shell companies to declare bankruptcy — leaving landowners to foot the bill.
We are already seeing this play out at Victoria's Codrington wind farm. Operators announced plans to remove only the top 1.5-meter pedestal, leaving the bulk of the project's 20,000 tonnes of subterranean foundations permanently buried.
This triggered an intense backlash from local communities and MPs who argue it violates the original promise to restore the land.
It leaves a disturbing legacy.
Als zelfs iemand die opgroeide in een communistisch gezin zegt: “Deze mechanismen herken ik,” dan is het misschien tijd om te luisteren.
Jolande Withuis legt uit hoe #woke steeds vaker leidt tot morele superioriteit, groepsdenken, taalpolitie en uitsluiten van andersdenkenden.
Het enige nut van massa-immigratie is dat het deugers een mooi gevoel geeft. Helpt het om de armoede in de wereld te bestrijden? Nee, de cijfers zijn glashelder. Overtuig u zelf:
@mariannezw@MonaKeijzer Puur kijken naar boeren en platteland is ook een nice. De grote problemen rollen nu over de provincie heen, maar zijn alleen landelijk te stoppen. Jammer dat BBB toch weer Calimero Koekoek is gebleken.
Here you go world. You get what you deserve. Your beloved Syrian “President” and fellow jihadists are releasing ISIS prisoners. May they flood your cities as they did ours. May every single state complicit in the betrayal of the Kurds experience jihadists running wild and free in your cities. This world doesn’t deserve the Kurds. Good luck and don’t bother calling us again. We’re so done with you! #DefendRojava
@Danny_elMayor@Uden57648595 Has not much use if the LEO-2 sinks in the mud. Even worse is the logistics and financial burden which limits the numbers of vehicle which can be fielded.
@WouterRoorda Ook heel verstandig om de Raffinaderij op Aruba definitief te verschrotten terwijl elke onbenul kon nagaan dat de olie weer zou gaan vloeien.