Life cycle assessment for wind turbines

Tech-wise A/S has conducted a life cycle assessment of a 2 MW offshore wind turbine. A life cycle assessment (LCA), also known as a cradle to grave analysis, is an inventory of all environmental impact of a product, process or service within its complete lifecycle. An LCA includes a recovery of the resources used in the production through the utilisation to the dismantling and disposal of the product. As sample wind turbine a 2 MW offshore wind turbine placed at Horns Rev in the North Sea has been used, since this project is under development and Tech-wise A/S is the main consultant to this project. In this LCA assumptions have been made where there is information about certain materials. The assessment revealed - as expected - that the environmental impact is concentrated in the production and disposal phase. Mainly the use of normal and high-strength steel are contributors. This means that the main impact is found to come from the nacelle and the foundation