Material Requirements, Circularity Potential and Embodied Emissions Associated with Wind Energy

Abstract

Wind energy, which is often posited as a key decarbonisation option, represents one of the fastest-growing energy sources globally in recent years. Research on the material requirements for transitioning to a low-carbon electricity system at national levels, as well as research exploring the potential of the electricity system to serve as a source of secondary materials remains underexplored. We address these gaps in the knowledge by analysing the stocks and flows in a wind power system towards 2050 using Sweden as a case study, including the demands for bulk (concrete and steel) and critical materials (neodymium and dysprosium), through a dynamic material flow analysis based on policy-relevant scenarios. We demonstrate that some of the investigated scenarios generate substantial increases in the stocks and flows of bulk and critical materials. We show that, after 2045, the year by which Sweden has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero, the inflows show a decreasing trend while the outflows show an increasing trend, suggesting the beginning of the closing of the material loops, provided untapped circularity potentials transform into actual capacities. For wind power to comply with emissions targets, the steel and concrete production processes will need to be decarbonised at a rate in line with the climate targets. We show that the adoption of mitigation measures to decarbonise the concrete and steel industries aligned with Sweden's climate change mitigation agenda, has the potential to reduce embodied carbon emissions for wind power infrastructure in 2045 from corresponding to around 4 % of current total national emissions in the absence of measures to practically negligible levels. National policies need to focus on promoting the implementation of circularity strategies and decarbonising the entire value chain of the involved materials.