Meridian Way Wind Farm and Vestas recently donated several 30' tip sections of damaged blades to the Cloud County Community College (CCCC) Wind Energy Program in Concordia, Kansas.
After receiving the donated blades, the students learned how to inspect and repair them. Featured in one of the enclosed pictures is a student and his professor holding a section of one of the blades that they had scarfed (sanded) down to analyze the layers of fiber glass. After studying the layers and the direction of the fibers, the students made the proper repairs to bring the damaged blade section back to engineering specifications. The final step was to smoothly sand the surface and apply the white gel coating to the blade. The parts of the blade that were not recycled will be sent to a local landfill where they will recycle the root end to make road culverts.
The Wind Energy Technology program at CCCC offers an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Wind Energy Technology and is one of only seven training programs in the nation that has the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) seal of approval. CCCC is also the only college in the nation to offer a comprehensive Blade Repair Technician and Substation Maintenance Technician Certificates that help meet the high demand for qualified employees in both of these fields. All of this, in combination with the college's own operating wind farm, training substation on campus, and the working relationship with Meridian Way Wind Farm, make CCCC the place to go for Wind Energy Technology, Blade Repair, and Substation Maintenance.
Meridian Way Wind Farm Recycles Damaged Blades