Potential improvements in carbon fibers for wind and tidal energy technologies

Emily Ain, Diego Ching, Davide Lora, Hojat Panjeh, Awais Salman, Sercan Uysal

Summary
Different materials used in wind and tidal energy generation technologies were compared. Carbon fiber
showed significant advantages over other materials because it is relatively lightweight while also displaying
exceptional mechanical properties, most notably strength and stiffness. Two SWOT analysis were performed
for each energy technology in order to identify potential business opportunities and material improvements.
Among the weaknesses identified were high costs, fatigue failure, and environmental issues due to the
difficulties associated with recycling carbon fibre. A research strategy to overcome these issues was then
formulated.

1. Introduction
The increasing concern about depletion of fossil
fuels together with their polluting effect on the
environment has significantly raised interest in the
field of clean renewable energy sources. At this
point, wind and tidal energy are very promising
technologies. Although wind energy seems more
popular and mature than tidal energy at the
moment, the latter stands out by being more
predictable and having higher power output
potential.

2. State-of-The Art
The material used in both wind and tidal
turbine blades plays a vital role in the performance
of the power generation system. The materials
selected for these applications must have the
following properties in order to provide
satisfactory performance:

High stiffness: To maintain the optimal shape

of the blade
Low density: To reduce the weight of the
blade
Long fatigue life: To reduce material
degradation during the expected service life of
the blade which is around 20 years

Historically, several materials such as wood,

steel, aluminum, and composites have been used to
meet these requirements. In Table-I, a brief
summary of the most important materials and their
properties can be seen.

Table-I clearly shows that carbon fiber has

significant advantages over other materials with its
very high strength and stiffness properties in
addition to being fairly lightweight. (Babu, Raju,
Reddy, & Rao, 2006) Due to these properties,
wind turbine manufacturers are able to increase
their turbine efficiency values by having additional
length in the blades without the addition of any
extra weight. For instance, the company Vestas
managed to produce 54.5 m long turbine blades
instead of 44 m by utilizing carbon fiber together
with glass fiber without significant gains in weight,
which provided an increased energy output.
(Wood, 2012) In addition, carbon fiber provides
superior fatigue life throughout the 20-year life
time of the blades which must withstand highly
turbulent aerodynamic loads that induce significant
bending stresses.
Table I - Turbine Blade Material
Properties(Babu, Raju, Reddy, & Rao, 2006)
Material

Stiffness
(GPa)

Tensile
Strength
(MPa)

Density
(g/cm3)

Steel
Aluminum
E-Glass
Fiber
Carbon
Fiber

30
10
73

190
90
3500

7.50
2.70
2.54

350

4000

1.75

When it comes to tidal blades, the strength

and fatigue life of the material along with the
corrosion resistance become more critical due to
vigorous subsea environment. Again carbon fiber
meets these requirements much better than its

competitors. Another important advantage of

carbon fiber blade production, besides having
superior mechanical properties is to achieve an
important reduction in embodied energy
consumption while decreasing the carbon dioxide
emission to the atmosphere. (Rashedi, Sridhar, &
Tseng, 2011)(Grogan, Leen, Kennedy, &
Brdaigh, 2012)(Sloan, 2012)
On the other hand all these outstanding
benefits of carbon fiber come with an important
drawback of high cost, which is around 10 times
higher than E-Glass fiber. This is the reason why
some manufacturers are not so willing to switch to
carbon fiber from glass fiber, with which they have
more experience. Moreover, fracture toughness of
carbon fiber is another aspect which must be
improved. This arises due to the manufacturing
challenge posed by the interaction between epoxy
and resin/fiber. As a result of these situations,
some companies are using carbon fiber only in
spar caps of the blades, which sustain higher
bending stresses due to flap wise loads than the
outer shell structure which is made of glass fiber.
However, carbon fiber recycling studies and
advanced production techniques have been
reducing the cost to economically attractive levels
and eliminating the manufacturing challenges
mentioned above. (Wood, 2012)
3. SWOT analysis
A SWOT analysis was used as a strategic
management technique for evaluating the
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of
carbon fiber applications for wind and tidal energy
technologies. In addition, it allows to better
understand the advantages, the potential
attractiveness, and the capabilities of this material
in the aforementioned sectors. Along with these
characteristics, it also makes possible to have an
overview of the disadvantages, of the legislative
factors and of the competitors development stage.
Lastly, with a complete SWOT analysis alongside
with other researches and analyses it is possible to
understand the upcoming trade trends, the future
developments, and the carbon fiber market trends.
3.1 SWOT analysis of carbon fibers used in
wind energy technologies
Strengths
Carbon fiber has significant strengths for
improvement of wind energy technologies. The
stiffness and high tensile strength advantages of
carbon fiber with lightweight of these kinds of
materials are very important in large wind turbine

blades. Comparing to fiberglass, which used in

wind energy technologies, strengthens and
stiffness of carbon fiber increases by 2.3 and 4
times respectively and make it much
stronger.(Young, Jae, & Timothy, 2009)
The high stiffness of carbon fiber can
decrease blade deflection; damages of tower
strikes and preventing buckling failure hence
provide the possibility of designing a large turbine
and blades. This kind of improvement in weight
and stiffness make wind energy technologies
sustainable and consequently reducing total cost of
designing these kinds of energy generation
systems. (Thomas , 2009)
Carbon fiber provides the benefits of low
weight, considerable fatigue resistance, and
gravitational loading for technologies of off shore
wind energy; consequently improving energy
output per length of blade and making it cost
effective technologies. (Edie, 1998)
Low thermal expansion, non-toxicity, and
magnetic resistance are other strengths of carbon
fiber for using in wind energy technologies.
(Yunfen, Ruiying, Jiangsong, & Qiao, 2011)
Weaknesses
The most significant challenges using carbon fiber
for development of wind energy technologies are
reducing manufacturing defects, reduce the total
cost of systems, and improving fatigue resistance
for long period of operation.
One of the main disadvantages of carbon fiber
used in wind energy is high cost of these kinds of
materials comparing with their competitors.
Moreover, recycling carbon fiber is another
issue and requires complicated process in order to
decrease the amount of waste produced by
utilization of these materials in technologies of
wind energy. (Mandell, Samborsky, & Pancasatya,
2008)
Apart from these problems, low possibility of
repair carbon fiber is another weakness, which is
necessary to be considered. If the structure of
blade is cracked or dinted, there is a very low
possibility to repair it and it requires to be
replaced. (Yunfen, Ruiying, Jiangsong, & Qiao,
2011)
Low oxidation resistance, brittle to stroke, the
difficulties for manufacture joints, necessity of
expert manual work and inadequate data base of
engineering are other weakness of carbon fiber
implementing in industry of wind energy. (Edie,
1998)

Opportunities

Rapid expansion of developing wind energy

technologies worldwide provide this opportunity
for using carbon fiber as a high proportion of
materials used in the wind turbine market in order
to design large-scale turbine even bigger than 2.5
MW.
Manufacturing and shipping larger wind
turbine is facilitated by using carbon fiber as
lightweight materials and thus expanding the wind
market worldwide. (Thomas , 2009)
In addition there is a considerable
opportunities for recycling carbon fiber in order to
improve the environmental and economic aspects
of these kinds of materials and utilizing recycled
products in many potential applications.
Threats
Environmental impact of using carbon fiber in
wind energy may convince investors for replacing
it with renewable materials.
Basalt Fibers, Strength Glass, Aromatic
Polyamide, and Thermoplastics Resin Matrixes,
are new materials developing in wind energy
technologies that obtain this potential to become
suitable replacement for carbon fiber and it would
be a considerable threat in near future. (Young,
Jae, & Timothy, 2009)
Moreover, carbon fibers have a high electrical
conductivity, which can disturb radio waves when
used in large wind turbines, and it will be a big
threat for applying an appropriate policy for using
this technology. (Edie, 1998)
Risk of operation large-scale blade with
complicated process of utilizing carbon fiber;
recycling, sustainability concern, and economic
consideration can affect using carbon fiber and
consequently reduce the interest of investment in
wind energy market.
Table III SWOT analysis of carbon fiber
applied in wind energy tehcnologies (Thomas et
al. 2009)
STRENGTHS

High stiffness
High tensile strength
Lightweight materials
Durable materials
Magnetic resistance

Gravitational loading
Non-toxicity
Corrosion and Fatigue resistant
Low thermal expansion
Easily stored
Significant Performance
Cost effective
Stylish for designing wind turbine
WEAKNESSES
Manufacturing defects.
High total cost of systems.
Recycling issue.
Low repairable materials.
Low oxidation resistance.
Fracture toughness.
Difficulties for manufacturing joints.
Necessity of expert manual work.
Inadequate data base of engineering.
OPPORTUNITIES
Rapid expansion of utilization carbon
fiber in wind energy development
worldwide.
Market opportunities for Fast shipping
because of low weight.
Opportunities for utilizing recycled
products of carbon fiber in many
potential applications.
THREATS
Environmental impact.
Economic threats.
Business threat because of Developing
new material in wind energy.
The possibility of prohibiting Largescale wind turbine using carbon fiber
Low sustainability.
3.2 SWOT analysis of carbon fibers used in
tidal energy technologies
Strengths
Carbon fibers, as presented in Table I offer
good mechanical properties, especially fatigue and
strength. In addition, they have high corrosion
resistance (Bruno, 2013), (Alias & Brown, 1993).
There are also some first studies that show
improved epoxy resins that require less heat during
the fabrication process and thus lower the carbon
fiber prices (Ocean Navigator, 2009). As stated by
(Kant & Penumadu) there are no significant
changes in the properties of carbon fiber soaked in
sea water. Furthermore, carbon fibers allow for
slimmer and more efficient blades (George, 2009).
Tidal energy offers a really high potential and
if used correctly many GW can be harnessed from
the movement of the sea (Ocean Navigator, 2009).

Weaknesses
Carbon fibers which are constructed with poor
mechanical properties or present some major
defects tend to degrade faster in sea water (Kant &
Penumadu). Unfortunately, even though there have
been some improvements as stated in the previous
paragraph, high performance composites materials
are still expensive (Massachusetts Institute of
Technology). This is due mainly to the high
expertise needed to fabricate them and to the high
capital investments needed for the necessary
machinery (Ocean Navigator, 2009). Moreover,
carbon fibers in a marine environment have some
issues with galvanic interactions (Alias & Brown,
1993). Carbon fibers present many environmental
and recycling issues mainly because of the resins
used to fabricate them and because the turbines
could affect the seabed.
Tidal turbines are still in their early stage
development phases, but the technologies
developed for hydro and wind power already allow
us to build efficient turbines (Reinforced Plastics,
2008), (George, 2009), (Mason, 2005).
Opportunities
There are many business opportunities for the
whole industry that revolves around carbon fibers.
A first one, revolves around tidal turbines
construction and development. Another one, is
represented by the R&D involved around the
carbon fiber to find cheaper manufacturing process
to provide alternatives to autoclave molding
(Ocean Navigator, 2009). It is also needed to
improve pre-preg and resins recyclability, fatigue
resistance, and underwater capabilities since rotors
nowadays are not recyclable and over-designed
(George, 2009).
In addition, corporate members could join in
collaborative efforts to better represent this sector
of the industry and grow business opportunities
together as well as build new markets by educating
their users on the enhancements that carbon fibers
could bring.
Threats
Three main materials were individuated as
possible threats or substitutes to carbon fibers for
this application, namely carbon nanotubes,
aluminum and other metals (they are cheaper) and
fiber and glass reinforced plastics (Ocean
Navigator, 2009).
Tidal wave power generation could also be
substituted by giving R&D priority to other

renewable power generation sources or to more

classical centralized power generation systems
such as nuclear fusion and fission.
Table IIIIII SWOT analysis of carbon fiber
applied in tidal energy tehcnologies.
STRENGTHS
New resins development.
No significant properties changes.
Better properties with respect to
classic materials.
Allows for lighter and more efficient
blades.
High corrosion resistance.
High deployment potential.
WEAKNESSES
Low grade CB tends to degrade.
Expensive.
High capital investments.
Environmental and recycling issues.
Galvanic problems.
Early stage deployment.
OPPORTUNITIES
High capital investments R&D for
cheaper processes and resins.
Creation of possible new markets.
New corporate joint ventures.
New industry development.
THREATS
Carbon Nanotubes.
Aluminum.
Fiber and glass reinforced plastics
Other renewables
Other power sources
4. Research and development strategy
After performing the SWOT analysis on the
materials for the discussed applications some
weaknesses and threats identified should be
address to develop a product that can be used in a
large commercial scale, issues due recyclability
concerns, high costs and fatigue failure were
highlighted. To address these issues a research
strategy is suggested, aiming both at long term
goals as well as intermediate goals.
Long Term Goals

Development of Thermo sets CFRPs that

can be recycled for further use after their
life time

Carbon Fiber is expensive both in energy use

and Capital cost and Currently all the carbon fibre

waste is sent to landfills, which are rapidly filling

as first generation CF parts in many applications
reach the end of their usable life. The best
approach at the moment is to recycle or remanufacture carbon fibre so that It can be re-used,
specifically in structural elements of wind and tidal
power installations.
There are several challenges to overcome
before recycling methods can be widely
implemented. Firstly, carbon fibre has a complex
composition consisting of fibers set in thermosets,
which cannot be remoulded. In addition, CF is
often used in conjunction with other materials,
necessitating sorting. Currently, the industry is in
its infancy, and Recycling processes are not fully
developed and are both expensive and
complicated. CFRP recycling requires: consistent
scrap availability, appropriate size reduction
technologies for the CFRP waste, established
process parameters, the infrastructure for
secondary operations such as material collection at
a manufacturers site, and eventually, creation of
standardized
recyclate
product
properties.
(Plastemart, 2012)
Currently there are four main recycling
processes, which are summarized in detail along
with advantages and disadvantage. They can be
divided into two main groups: mechanical (fiber
reclamation) and chemical recycling (pyrolysis,
oxidation, and chemical) (Pimenta & Pinho, 2010):

Fibre Reclamation: uses a thermal or

chemical process to breakdown the matrix,
which releases the fibres which are then
collected. This process causes slight
surface defects on the fibres and minimal
strength degradation.
Pyrolysis: Heat carbon fibre in absence of
oxygen, which volatizes polymer matrix
into smaller molecules. Because CFs are
inert, they can be recovered.
Oxidation: Combustion of polymeric
matrix in a hot and oxygen-rich flow.
Chemical: Reactive medium under low
temperature decomposes polymeric resin
into relatively large (therefore high value)
oligomers while CFs remains inert and are
collected afterwards.
Intermediate Goals

Using of Carbon Nano tubes and fillers

for indication of Fatigue Failure so that
we can estimate their Life early (V.
Kostopoulos)

New hybrid composites made up of carbon

fibers and carbon nanotubes can be used to
reinforced the materials and improve the
mechanical properties. CNTs on carbon fibers
coated with an epoxy/amide resin matrix can
strengthened the fiber/matrix interfacial bonding
and therefore enhanced the tensile properties of
composites. These CNTs can be grown on the
carbon fibers employing catalytic decomposition
of acetylene (C2H2). The composites made of
carbon nanotubes grown on carbon show better
tensile strength properties than other composites
made out of carbon fiber. It is believed CNTs
grown on fibers contribute to tensile strength by
two different ways: alignment of CNTs along the
fiber axis and interfacial bonding. The alignment
of CNTs is hypothetical since observations were
not made by electron microscopy as direct
evidence. The vacuum conditions in the preheating
step of the fibers might also result in oxidation of
the carbon fiber leading to decrease in their
strength (Sharma & Lakkad, 2011).

Develop low cost materials

The materials and research to be developed

will take into account cost efficiency for the
product.
Identify and Prioritize Key Technical
Challenges
The research and development (R&D)
activities sponsored will be focused on addressing
technical barriers, providing engineering solutions,
and developing the scientific and engineering
underpinnings of use of CFRP in Wind and Wave
Energy. Near- to mid-term applied R&D is focused
on moving current expensive materials to low cost
and low energy conversion technologies from
concept to bench to integrated pilot scale. The
goal of longer-term R&D is to fully develop
knowledge recycling Carbon Fiber: This
knowledge can ultimately be used to develop new
or improved technologies that increase the Recycle
ratio and improve Product properties and/or reduce
the conversion cost. Our R&D Strategy will be
connected to each process, so that proper feedback
is received from all the ends. As shown in the
Figure I.

objective is to use resources in such a way that

they lead to progress and innovation.
5. Uncertainity and Risk Strategy
An important feature of R&D strategy is the
degree of uncertainity or Risk associated with the
innvotion ideas and vision. To overcome these
uncertain risks the idea of spliting the main goal
into small and intermediate goals is used. Also
major portion of funding for R&D is spend on
wages and salaries of highly educated scientists
and engineers (Hall, 2009). So Strategy of change
managment with market will also be used to
overcome the major risks.
6. Concluding remarks
Figure I. R&D Strategy
The Figure II shows our Organization Strategy,
where we have a mission to reach full functional
organization from bus unit. In R&D we have a
market focus strategy: To make our products
according to standards and to maximize the
productivity through innovation.

Carbon fibers is a promissing material that can be

widely used in the wind and tidal energy
technologies. The use of this material can pose
opportunities to increase efficiency in the energy
generation through tides and wind. Concerns
regarding waste management, cost and fatigue
faliure arised in the use of carbon fibers. A
research strategy is proposed to find tehcnically
feaseable solutions for the problems identified.
7. References
Alias, M., & Brown, R. (1993). Corrosion behavior of
carbon fiber composites in the marine environment.
Corrosion Science , 395402.
Babu, K., Raju, N., Reddy, M., & Rao, D. D. (2006).
The Material Selection For Typical Wind Turbine
Blades Using MADM Approach & Analysis of Blades.
Chania: MCDM.

Figure II. Organizational Strategy

The final result of this research will be the
economically and technically feasable production
of a resistant recicled carbon fiber that can be used
in tidal and wind applications. This research might
result useful in other fields where carbon fibers are
used. The rapid growth in these renewable energy
technologies represent a great market opportunity
where innovation is necesarry.
Resource Management
Optimization of resource management of
materials, goods and knowledge in processes,
process chains and value added networks will be
top priority. The focus of our R&D services is on
production systems, locations and regions. Our

Bruno, P. (2013). www.about.com. Recuperado el 20 de

05 de 2013, de The Emerging Market for Maritime
Composite
Applications:
http://maritime.about.com/od/Innovation/a/TheEmerging-Market-For-Maritime-CompositeApplications.htm
Edie, D. D. (1998). The effect of processing on the
structure and properties of carbon fibers. Carbon,
Volume 36, Issue 4 , 345-362.
George, M. (14 de 05 de 2009). Wave and tidal power
an emerging new market for composites. Recuperado el
15 de 05 de 2013, de Renewable Energy Focus:
http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/1710/wav
e-and-tidal-power-an-emerging-new-market-forcomposites/
Grogan, D., Leen, S., Kennedy, C., & Brdaigh, C. .
(21 de June de 2012). Design of composite tidal turbine
blades. Renewable Energy , pgs. 151-162.

Hall, B. H. (2009). THE FINANCING OF R&D AND

INNOVATION.
Kant, M., & Penumadu, D. SEA WATER EFFECTS
ON ULTIMATE TENSILE AND FRACTURE
STRENGTH OF CARBON FIBERS WITH
NANOTENSILE TESTING. 18 INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON COMPOSITE MATERIALS .
Mandell, F. J., Samborsky, D. D., & Pancasatya, A.
(2008). COMPOSITE MATERIALS FATIGUE
ISSUES
IN
WIND
TURBINE
BLADE
CONSTRUCTION. Department of Chemical and
Biological Engineering, Montana State University,
Bozeman, MT 59717 , 5-22.
Mason, K. (01 de 12 de 2005). Composite tidal turbine
to harness ocean energy. Recuperado el 15 de 05 de
2013,
de
Composite
World:
http://www.compositesworld.com/articles/compositetidal-turbine-to-harness-ocean-energy
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (s.f.).
Recuperado el 12 de 05 de 2013, de
http://msl1.mit.edu/MIB/3.57/LectNotes/gm_tech_com
posites.pdf
Ocean Navigator. (October de 2009). Ocean navigator.
Recuperado el 15 de 05 de 2013, de Twenty-five years
of
carbon
fiber:
http://www.oceannavigator.com/October-2009/Twentyfive-years-of-carbon-fiber/
Pimenta, S., & Pinho, S. P. (2010). Recycling carbon
fibre reinforced polymers for structural applications:
Technology. Waste Management , 378-392.
Plastemart. (12 de 02 de 2012). Plastemart. Recuperado
el 20 de 05 de 2013, de Recycling carbon fibres from
aerospace scrap offers environmental and business
benefits: http://www.plastemart.com/Plastic-TechnicalArticle.asp?LiteratureID=1751&Paper=recyclingcarbon-fibres-from-aerospace-scrap-offersenvironmental-and-business-benefits
Rashedi, A., Sridhar, I., & Tseng, K. (18 de November
de 2011). Multi-objective material selection for wind
turbine blade and tower:Ashbys approach. Materials
and Design , pgs. 521-532.
Reinforced Plastics. (05 de 05 de 2008). Reinforced
Plastics. Recuperado el 15 de 05 de 2013, de Tidal
turbine
features
composite
rotors:
http://www.reinforcedplastics.com/view/1648/tidalturbine-features-composite-rotors/
Sharma, S., & Lakkad, S. (2011). Effect of CNTs
growth on carbon fibers on the tensile strength of CNTs
grown carbon fiber-reinforced polymer matrix
composites, Composites Part A,. Applied Science and
Manufacturing, Volume 42, Issue 1 , 8-15.
Sloan, J. (2012). Tidal turbine blade toughened for
turbulent salt sea. Composite Technology .

Thomas , A. D. (2009). Materials and Innovations for

Large Blade Structures: Research Opportunities in
Wind Energy Technology. 50th AIAA Structures,
Structural Dynamics, & Materials Conference Palm
Springs (pgs. 8-15). Sandia National Laboratories,
New Mexico: American Institute of Aeronautics and
Astronautics.
V. Kostopoulos, P. T. (s.f.). NANO-MODIFIED FIBER
REINFORCED COMPOSITES: A WAY TOWARDS
THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW MATERIALS. 8.
Wood, K. (2012). Wind turbine blades: Glass vs. carbon
fiber . Composite Materials .
Young, S. S., Jae, R. Y., & Timothy, G. G. (2009). Life
cycle energy analysis of fiber-reinforced composites.
Composites Part A 40 , 12571265.
Yunfen, g. Z., Ruiying, L., Jiangsong, Z., & Qiao, X.
(2011). The reinforcing mechanism of carbon fiber in
composite adhesive for bonding carbon/carbon
composites. Journal of Materials Processing
Technology, Volume 211, Issue 2, , 167-173.