Performance Evaluation of Composite Materials for Wind Turbine Blade Design

Abstract

Due to the growing consciousness to utilize renewable sources of energy, the improvement of wind turbine technologies which is especially focused on the blade design of the turbines. The advanced composite forms of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP), carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and hybrid composites have gained tremendous importance in wind turbine blades due to their increased mechanical strength, longer life, light weight characteristics. This work assesses the efficiency of different composite materials in relation to tensile strength, fatigue life, and vulnerability to environmental factors, including cost factors. Stress distribution and deformation patterns are modelled through finite element analysis (FEA) to compare them to those obtained experimentally. Some of the current concerns such as recyclability and disposal are presented with the prospects such as bio-composites and thermoplastic recyclates. Some suggestions are given for manufacturing of hybrid composites and some of the advanced manufacturing technologies to enhance the blade capabilities and its environmental impact resistant. These findings enrich the existing understandings of material selection, enhance new wind energy solutions.

Introduction

I. INTRODUCTION

A.  Background

Wind energy now plays an important role in the global transition process from non-renewable energy sources to cleaner energy sources that are sustainable. Given the various renewable energy technologies, wind turbines have a paramount responsibility of converting wind energy for electricity production purposes. Blades that are incorporated into the wind turbines are responsible for transforming kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical power and therefore depend on its design and material.

Figure-1: Structural drawing of wind turbine blade

Wind turbine blades experience several operational environmental factors such as wind loads, temperatures, and ultraviolet radiation. To satisfy these requirements, blade materials should be characterized by high strength, wear and corrosion resistance, low density, and environmental stability. The industry favorites have been glass fiber-reinforced polymers (GFRP) and carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) owing to their excellent characteristics. This is imperative to take account of these material's performance to refine the blades’ design and hence bring down costs and achieve the most sustainable methods of generating electricity. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the composite material’s mechanical, environmental, and economic qualities that offer blade virtues for wind turbines.

B. Problem Statement

Designing wind turbine blades is a complex one because of the various factors from performance to the economic factors to be considered. Such blades have to bear several aerodynamic and gravitational loads while retaining their solidity when exposed to rather unstable and adverse weather. This is the case because blades have to be strong enough to support the winds’ force they are facing to ensure they generate sufficient force to rotate the turbine but they have to be lightweight because if they are heavy they will reduce efficiency and increase operation costs.

Durability is another big factor as the blades experience fatigue cycle and UV, temperature, and, in the case of offshore wind turbines, corrosive attacks from salty air. Conventional materials can hardly conform to these conditions especially when subjected to the perennial usages expected largely from wind turbines.

Cost is still a factor that is limiting whereby the application of high-performance composites like carbon fiber is partly hampered due to steep manufacturing costs. Further, issues like the dimension of reuse and recycling and the general fact that composites are only slightly recyclable hinder their adoption. Performing a detailed evaluation of these challenges of composite materials is important in addressing them and enhancing the development of wind turbine blades after renewable energy sources.

C. Aims and Objectives

1) Aim

The research aims to assess the effectiveness of composite materials when applied in the design of wind turbine blades, especially on questions of efficiency, durability, and cost.

2) Objectives

• To characterize the different composite material and their strength, stiffness, and fatigue life.
• To evaluate UV exposure, temperature changes, and corrosive environments on the composites.
• To identify relative advantages of manufacturing techniques in efficiency, scalability, and costs.
• To discuss the prospects of composites in the light of economical feasibility and the existence of green solutions for the design of wind turbine blades.

D. Significance of Study

The assessment of the composite materials in the wind turbine blade design is crucial to the development of wind energy as one of the most promising renewable sources of power. Wind turbine blades are essential system components, and the performance and service life of the structure determines its usage. New generation composite materials, including GFRP and CFRP, have key benefits of high specific strength, dimensional stability, and protection from harsh environments. These characteristics allow for the fabrication of greater-sized and more efficient turbine blades, thus improving energy generation with lower operational expense.

Besides, this focuses on important and relevant issues concerning sustainability and recycling ability Despite these, this study aims to contribute to the improvement of performance. There is also concern over the environmental interaction since most composite structures cover large areas, and traditional materials are all but impossible to recycle at the end of a structure’s lifespan. One must find better composite alternatives which include bio-based resins or recyclable thermoplastic as part of the environmental improvement of wind turbine blade manufacturing and its further disposal. The findings of this study benefit the wind energy industry by informing this about materials and practices that provide optimal performance without harming the environment and at a reasonable cost.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

A. Wind Turbine Blade Design Fundamentals

One of the intriguing aspects of the wind turbine is blade design and the use of material and technology to meet growing demands for efficiency, durability, and sustainability. Early blades of wind turbines involved the use of wooden blades; although abundant and cheap; they lacked strength and durability [1]. Compared to early-generation turbines, advanced turbines today utilize metallic blades that come from aluminum and steel for added power and rigidity against forces that act on them. Nevertheless, these materials were heavy, and as a result, the size of the blades that could be incorporated into a design was relatively small, and energy transmission was not very efficient.

Wind turbine blade design was greatly enhanced through the use of composite materials including glass fiber-reinforced polymers (GFRP) and carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP). These materials led to increased strength-to-weight which enabled the production of blades of higher capacity, which would be competent in a vast number of wind conditions [2]. The same was applied to allow the manufacturing of more streamlined blades, thus increasing the efficiency and power output of turbines.

The aerodynamics and the structure are well attached from the blade design perspective. Turbine blades used to harvest wind power must be designed to maximize their sweep area while minimizing their input drag and maximizing output lift [3]. This entails consideration of the blade geometry and material composition and specifically the performance under design chosen aerodynamics fatigue and both thermal and environmental conditions. The use of costly advanced composites in the blade structure has been instrumental in attaining these high performance and durability goals.

B. Composite Materials in Wind Turbine Blades

Fiber reinforced polymers are some of the most commonly used composite material within wind turbine blade design owing to their myriad mechanical properties and low density [4]. These materials are derived from embedding fibers in a polymer matrix, in which the fibers impart strength and stiffness to the material, while matrix holds the fibers together and acts as a barrier to environmental degradation. This creates composites with high strength to weight with characteristics that are crucial in enabling high efficiency for blades.

Table-1: Common Composite Materials Used in Wind Turbine Blades

1) Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers (GFRP)

GFRP is one of the most favourite composite material for the wind turbine blades owing to its economic value, easy to mould and excellent mechanical strength. This provides good tensile strength, corrosion resistance and durability so this is good for blade production at a large scale.

2) Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP)

CFRP gives higher stiffness and strength than GFRP meaning sandy can be used to make lean and aerodynamic blades [5]. These properties are especially valuable for the larger sizes of turbing, which is a practical indication of the long blades. But carbon fiber is relatively expensive, which puts a barrier when this is used widely.

3) Hybrid Composites

The use of glass and carbon fibers together in hybrids is attracting consumers since this offers good strength and costs less than completely carbon fiber reinforcemen. These materials capitalize on the strengths of both fiber types in terms of obtaining enhanced sturdiness and rigidity as well as the ability to retain relatively low manufacturing costs.

Using composite material remains dynamic as the technology improves and the need for efficiency in wind power also increases.

Figure-2: Performance Analysis of Reinforced Epoxy Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes Composites for Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Blade

C. Key Properties for Blade Performance 

Relatively, the performance of the wind turbine blades depends with the material properties that has to undergo stringent mechanical, environmental and efficiency tests before this can be used in the operation of wind turbines [6].

1) Mechanical Properties

Blades’ thickness and lay-up configuration have very significant impacts on the tensile strength and stiffness needed for the blade structure to withstand torsional loading from wind loads. Composite materials such as the GFRP and CFRP have high tensile strength and therefore hardly bends when stress is applied. Fatigue resistance is just as important because blades undergo millions of load cycles throughout their service life. Holding improved fatigue property of the material decreases the likelihood of failure and increases the durability of the blade.

Table-2: Mechanical Properties of Composite Materials

2) Environmental Resistance

Wind turbine blades are exposed to the external conditions such as UltraViolet light, heat and cold and corrosion. UV deteriorates the polymer matrix and jeopardizes its strength and sturdiness, and temperature adversely reacts with the material [7]. These factors are expected in composite materials, to guarantee consistent performance under different conditions. Turbines located offshore will need extra protection against corrosion from the salty air which the composites will offer with regard to deterioration.

3) Lightweight Advantages

A lot of emphasis has to do with the use of composites and CFRP primarily because they are relatively lightweight structures.

Less blade mass cuts the energy load on the turbine structure and allows for even more significant blades to be incorporated for more energy generation. The mentioned properties together have made composites an invaluable part in both the design and the optimization of wind turbine blades.

D. Manufacturing and Cost Factors

Wind turbine blades manufacturing specialises in applying high standards of fabrication techniques that answer the need for specific performance at reasonable costs. The method of manufacturing determines the degree of quality, flexibility and cost of blades to be produced.

Figure-3: Savonius wind turbine blade design and performance evaluation using ANN-based virtual clone

1) Common Fabrication Methods

The simplest and most cost-effective method used in manufacturing of a small number of blades is hand lay-up. But this is a time consuming and less systematic method in large scale production of products. Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) is slightly more sophisticated and has less variation between the distribution of fiber and the resin, therefore developed blades are stronger with fewer voids [8]. Currently automated technologies, including Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) and Automated Tape Laying (ATL) are widely used in production of large blade shapes with refined geometry. These methods bring down costs associated with labour and increase the rate of production but the initial capital outlay in tools is very high.

2) Cost Implications

When this comes to costs of manufacturing, material selection is central to the entire process. Although GFRP is cheaper and more popular, CFRP delivers significantly better performance at a greater price. Hybrid composites leave, therefore, a more reasonable compromise between cost and performance[9]. Some of the manufacturing processes also affects its costs; sometime the automated methods of productions take time to install but in the long run this proven to be cheaper and efficient. Optimization of the macro and microstructure of the material to the actual fabrication process is critical for both affordable and sustainable blades.

E. Sustainability Challenges

The composite material utilized in the construction of wind turbines’ blades raise awareness to crucial sustainability issues, specifically regarding the latter instance [10]. Conventional composites which include the GFRPs and CFRPs pose major challenges in recycling because the polymer matrix used is thermosetting which cannot be readily depolymerized or reused. As a result, the majority of decommissioned blades land up in landfills or are burnt, and since this affects the environment and resources.

1) End-of-Life Considerations

Reuse of composite materials is a technical and economically incommodious process. Mechanical recycling such as shredding, produces an inferior product while thermal and chemical treatments which are more efficient are expensive and energy consumptive. The retirement picture shows that a growing number of turbine blades need a more environmentally friendly solution.

2) Emerging Solutions

Some strategies are proposed below to solve these problems. Bio resins are resins from renewable resources and recently have been in the focus due to low impact on the environment and possibilities of biodegradation [11]. Another innovation is recyclable thermoplastic composites due to their polymer matrices that can be repeatedly remelted and reshaped, while generally adhering to closed-loop recycling. These improvements are significant for minimizing impacts on environmental conditions of wind turbine blades as well as for further development of the systems and prolongation of their usage. Further work is required to understand implementation of these solutions at multiple site levels.

F. Literature Gap

Despite the increasing research interest in the use of composite materials for the blades of wind turbines, there are a number of important research gaps that have not been filled adequately in the current literature [12]. Eradicating these gaps is imperative if there is to be new innovations and sustainability of wind turbines.

Figure-4: Modal analysis of an iced offshore composite wind turbine blade

1) Limited Research on Hybrid Composites

Novel and inexpensive hybrid composites, for instance glass/carbon fiber, have demonstrated potentiality in optimizing cost and functionality, but the available literature is sparse. Much research dwells on conventional composites as GFRP or CFRP without considering possible advantages and drawbacks of hybrid systems [13]. In-depth examinations of the mechanical and fatigue characteristics and environmental stability of hybrid composites are needed to establish the feasibility for their application in large wind turbine blades.

2) Need for Improved Recycling Methods

Many difficulties are connected with the recycling and disposal of these composites, which remains the primary issue for sustainability. The chemical processes used today such as mechanical milling or pyrolysis at the moment generate low-grade materials or are high-energy processes [14]. This is why innovative and more effective technologies for recycling, including chemical recycling or new utility of the products, should be developed.

3) Cost Optimization Challenges

Although this is clear that such material as CFRP has great performance characteristics, these materials are rather expensive. Few attempts have been made towards cost efficiency and cost effective manufacturing methodologies which multifolded manufacturing scope or utilization of any different and cheaper material yet efficient enough [15]. Closely bridging these gaps is significant to enhance the design and utilization of wind turbine blades with economic and ecological peculiarities.

III. METHODOLOGY

A. Materials Selection Criteria

The choice of the appropriate composite materials in wind turbine blade design is informed by several critical success factors in relation to performance and cost. Some factors that have to be taken into consideration are force to mass ratio, environmental pressures as well as cost.

Flexibility and strength-to weight ratio is of paramount importance for blades since they carry dynamic loads and are designed for low weight to increase the efficiency of the turbine. Some example of composites are Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers (GFRP) and Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) have premium tensile strength and stiffness compared to their weight [16].

Environmental resistance is another important consideration seeing that blades operate under very adverse conditions. UV resistance, extreme temperature and corrosion are some of the important factors protection that materials need to have particularly in offshore structures. GFRP and CFRP are shown to offer excellent resistance to these challenges alike.

Finally, cost has the final say in the choice of material to be used in any construction project. GFRP is cheaper than CFRP thus commonly used whilst CFRP due to its higher costs, this is used where high performance is needed [17]. The following are used to assess the composite materials used in the construction of turbine blades.

B. Testing and Evaluation Methods

This can also be seen that in wind turbine blade application, there is a need to measure a variety of performance characteristics of the composite materials, in terms of mechanical, environmental and thermal properties [18].

1) Mechanical Testing

Tensile strength and compressive strength tests are used to define the capacity of flow, and the pressure to resist axial and compressive loads. Fatigue resistant tests on the other hand measure the ability of a component to perform under fluctuating loading cycles across the lifecycle of the blade. Vibration tests refer to the ability of the material to stand shocks, such as from a debris strike.

2) Environmental Testing

UV stress tests mimic the effect of duration exposure to UV light that determines the ability of the material in maintaining its outdoor durability [19]. Salt spray exposure is a representative test of corrosion and assesses the endurance of structural components in offshore conditions with high levels of salting causing chemical wear.

3) Thermal Performance

The high and a low temperature study guarantee that the selected materials do not corrode when exposed to high/low temperatures losing structure stability. These kinds of tests offer totally reliable picture of material response and help in determining which composites should be used in the construction of wind turbine blades.

C. Manufacturing Techniques

The assessment of technical manufacturing methods for wind turbine blades revolves about the ability to mini coat the manufacturing cost while enhancing the size efficiency and the virtues of the material used [20].

A comparative study of fabrication methods reveals key insights:

1. Hand lay-up: This is a conventional process which is however economical for small scale production. This provides convenience and flexibility since this can be adapted in production but longer in production since this involves a lot of time to produce more products and not very effective since not all will be produced to the same kind.
2. Resin Transfer Molding (RTM): This leads to good material cloaking and strength since resin is infused into a closed mold thereby minimizing the formation of voids. Its advantage is that this is more appropriate for production that range between small and large while this calls for more capital investment.
3. Automated techniques: As reflect in Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) and Automated Tape Laying (ATL) processes offer great scalability and accuracy. These methods reduce the cost of labor and increase the rate of production and thus suitable for production of long blades.

According to the analysis this is shown that the choice of manufacturing techniques for the production of wind turbine blades should take into consideration the performance demands, costs, and manufacturability performances [21].

D. Modeling and Simulation

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) has the significant role of predicting the efficiency of composite materials when used in wind turbine blade designing. This computational technique enables precise modelling of the blade behavior to different load conditions including those from aerodynamics, gravity, and storms. By employing FEA, this is possible to accurately model stress distribution, deformation and areas of possible failure in the blade structure of the design [22]. This gives very useful information regarding the mechanical behavior and performance reliability of the composite materials.

The accuracy of simulation results is then verified by actual experimental data from the mechanical and environmental tests. This is because the FEA predictions are cross checked against physical test results to validate the simulation models.

Combining FEA with experimental validation improves the modeling process that looks at the design and optimization of wind turbine blades to deliver optimum performance, durability, and safety under real-world application [23].

E. Data Collection and Analysis

Introduction of smart-composite structures for wind turbine blade design requires a crucial use of data for its performance assessment. Hypothesis testing data is collected from scheme and experimental data of laboratory tests, as well as field performances data [24]. Examination with Very High Impact arenas can be carried out in laboratory for mechanical properties test Like tensile strength fatigue performance, impacts performance and facility for environmental resistances like UV and corrosion tests. The material performance data from the field demonstration is obtained from power-generating wind turbines and provide information on the efficiency of the material obtained under actual working conditions.

After an analysis has been carried out on the various locally manufactured and imported composite materials have been collected, statistical analysis is used to determine which material perform best. Mean and standard deviation have been used to estimate the central tendencies of data as well as dispersion of data. Comparative studies like t-test or Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is used to compare the performance of the different material groups or that of different test conditions to find out whether the observed difference is reasonable. Regression analysis may also be used to map the characteristics of the material to performance characteristics if the performance of such materials in the future is of interest.

The use of such methods offers the opportunity to assess the behavior of the material in question, enabling discerning of the proper composites to be used in the construction of wind turbine blades [25].

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A. Material Performance Comparisons

This is interesting to compare the efficiency of composite materials in wind turbine blades using some qualifying parameters such as tensile and compressive strength, fatigue strength, durability and specific strength and stiffness.

Figure-5: TPI sensor: monitoring area below normalised generator speed as a function of power over time

1) Tensile and Compressive Strength

GFRP and CFRP signifying tensile strength superior to that of other commonly used materials such mesmetic. Among theengineering thermoplastics, CFRP particularly shows high tensile strength, yet costs much more. GFRP also provides good level of compressive strength, while CFRP is better in this parameter and this is important for blade structure stability under variable wind loads.

2) Fatigue Resistance and Durability

GFRP and CFRP materials also demonstrated good fatigue life characteristics which is desirable for wind turbines blades that will continually be subjected to cyclic loads. But CFRP still has superior fatigue life than GFRP in long term durability especially where environmental factors of the offshore causes the materials degrades much faster.

3) Weight-to-Strength Ratio

CFRP has a high capacity to weight ratio and is suitable for low weight but highly loaded blades. Although GFRP has more advantages in costs, there is a minor issue of weight to strength ratios less than CFRP and therefore called as Structural Composites useful for applications where performance requirements are low.

These comparisons dictate selection of materials according to performance demands and cost estimates.

B. Environmental Resistance Findings

Environmental resistance is another important parameter in the le of composite materials for wind turbine blades for the reason that they are exposed to aggressive weather and environmental conditions during their service life.

Table-3: Environmental Resistance Properties

1) UV and Weather Exposure

UV resistance is good for both GFRP and CFRP but better performance of CFRP was observed in terms of retention of the structure under prolonged exposed to sunlight. This material called GFRP, is also UV resistant, but if not covered by an effective surface coat or UV stabilizer, this can undergo some degree of degradation over time that its mechanical properties will be affected.

2) Corrosion Resistance for Offshore Applications

Durability especially with respect to corrosion is critical because blades installed in offshore wind turbines are exposed to saltwater. Corrosion is a major factor in determining the durability of any material used in the design of offshore wind turbines and GFRP registers high resistance to corrosion. However, CFRP, although has better resistance to corrosion than steel, is more costly and might be used in high-performance structures such as offshore structures, where durability is very critical. A resin added to the blades for added protection or a coating that also serves to minimize current corrosion and extend the useful life of the blade.

The results obtained in the environmental resistance part emphasize the need for material selection that will be able to stand the environmental issues affecting wind turbine blades and perform optimally in various conditions.

C. Manufacturing Efficiency

The manufacturing process is a critical factor in determining the effectiveness and economic value of composite materials in wind turbine blade. The selection of fabrication methods has the greatest influence on manufacturability as well as the quality of the product.

Table-4: Manufacturing Costs of Composite Blades

1) Cost Analysis of Fabrication Methods

Hand lay-up although cost effective especially in terms of tooling cost is slow, requires many man-hours and unsuitable for mass production. Although this is commonly employed in restricted quantities especially by micro organizations this becomes quite pricey for large scale productions because of high charges for human labor and undesired effects. Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) is another process, which is moreautomated then the hand lay up method, this lowers labor costs and enhancesusage of material. On the other hand, the setup costs in RTM are initially high. Techniques such as AFP and ATL are the most efficient accounting for reduced manufacturing time while producing high quality and accurately defined blade structures. However, these methods demand high initial capital investment and thereby are best for large scale production.

2) Time Efficiency and Defect Rates

The automated methods such as AFP and ATL also demonstrate the lowest manufacturing time and defects rates and that results in more formable repeatability and low rework costs. That is why hand lay-up and RTM can have higher types of defects that can, in turn, lead to the increase in time required to deliver the final product and its costs. Hence, the applications of these automated processes entail greater upfront costs, but they yield increased time consistency and fewer defective products to ensure optimal manufacturing in the large-scale production situations.

D. Modeling Results

Numerical calculations performed using the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) techniques give improved knowledge of the usage of the composite material in wind turbine blades. The aerodynamic forces and extreme wind speeds show the stress distribution and deformation behavior analyzed by FEA.

Table-5: Simulation Results Using Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

1) Stress Distribution and Deformation Patterns

The results of FEA show that CFRP have more uniform stress and most of the deformation is confined to a lesser area when compared to GFRP at higher load. This is observed that CFRP blades have localized stress build up around certain geometrical locations, but these are arguably reasonable since they do not exceed the threshold loading of the material. Despite overall better performance, a progressive future result shows GFRP blades with slightly higher deformation, especially at the blade tips where the aerodynamic loads are much influential.

2) Comparison of Modeled vs. Actual Performance

The FEA result comparing this with the performance data generated through field tests, the stress and deformation values developed from the model reflect similar performance characteristics. The differences described are within tolerable limits, meaning that the FEA models appear accurate in depicting material response. Nevertheless, discrepancies that may be considered as acceptable can still be attributed to environmental influence and differences in material characteristics that were not considered in the models. In summary, the modeling results confirm the application of FEA in order to optimize wind turbine blade designs.

E. Discussion

In analyzing the characteristics of composite materials for the wind turbine blade’s application some of the following conclusions are observed with regard to material choice. Although GFRP and CFRP have shown certain desirable features, the choice in their use depends on specific design needs and operating conditions.

1) Implications for Material Selection

CFRP also has a higher tensile strength and fatigue endurance capability for the application in offshore wind turbine blades where environmental deprives are a paramount consideration. But for this, it can be expensive thus restricting use in a number of settings. GFRP, therefore, though not very strong or as light as the preferred composites, provides adequate performance for onshore turbines where conditions are less severe. GFRP also provide better value for the money and thus can be useful for applications that call for large numbers of parts and smaller amounts of money.

2) Trade-offs Between Performance and Cost

One of the main trade-offs in material choice exists within the limits of performance vs cost. The use of CFRP results in a high strength and durability of the turbine, something that might be warranted in efficient, highly durable methods but which would not be feasible when dealing with extents of large projects. Even though GFRP has lower performance than the other materials, it offers economic solution that serves the purposes of many wind turbine designs especially in condition that are not very demanding on the structures.

3) Recommendations for Hybrid Materials and Manufacturing Techniques

Perhaps blended composites, containing both CFRP and GFRP might be suitable to improve performance while containing costs. In this manner, manufacturers apply high performance CFRP only to those areas of the blades that are most stressed, while applying GFRP to areas that are not stressed as much. There is a need to introduce high-end manufacturing processes, which include RTM and AFP, in order to enhance manufacturing productivity, minimize anomalies on large scale production, and achieve both low production cost and high performance.

Conclusion

A. Summary of Findings The assessment of composite material for wind turbine blade proves that Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) possess higher mechanical properties such as tensile strength, fatigue strength, adherent to offshore environment. GFRP is relatively cheaper andsufficient for on shore turbines albeit being lesser in strength and durability when Compared to CFRP. Intermediate structures using CFRP and GFRP together offer the best solution where cost is a constraint. Further, proper manufacturing technologies can make production proper and standardized; hence the blade can work efficiently and costs effectively. B. Recommendation for Industry Regarding offshore wind turbines, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) are advised for use to perform well under severe conditions. For onshore turbines, the material that could be recommended for use is glass fiber reinforced polymers (GFRP), although they may produce adequate performance at a lower cost. Cost performance may be improved through reductions in the use of expensive composite materials such as CFRP and the incorporation of GFRP materials. Bio-based resins and thermoplastic composites should be used to improve the industry as far as sustainability is concerned. Furthermore, there is acquisitive opportunity to enhance Value Added activities through adoption of methods such as Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) and automation in manufacturing processes. C. Future Research Directions Recommendation for future work should be directed at the creation of more environmentally friendly and high-performance composites like bio-resins or recyclable thermoplastic matrices. Other areas of development relate to the advanced hybrid composites with superior mechanical and environmental performance of the material. Field data, accelerated tests which involve exposing ELRPs to different UV levels, high or low temperatures, or mechanical stress tests are critical for long-term evaluation of the performance characteristics of ELRPs. Also, new investigations into efficient and low-cost methods for producing these fibers will instigate faster implementation across the industries. The possibility of testing the performance of composite structures and component materials on the basis of advanced methods of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) can complement the existing approaches. D. Closing Remarks Composites are central to achieving renewable energy objectives since good wind turbine blades are designed to achieve maximum efficiency while being lightweight and long-lasting. They are flexible and offers a good performance hence suitable for meeting the growing demand for clean energy. However, the attainment of these objectives demands constant advancement of the material used in the production processes, and the methods of disposal as well. In adopting such innovations, the wind energy sector will further its mission of creating a sustainable energy future and shift away from use of fossil energy.

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Copyright © 2024 Varun K S, Swamy S R, Darshan C. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.