Mexicans design wind turbine blades made of agave

A group of researchers from the Technological University of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca (UTVCO) developed blades of vertical axis wind turbines made out of maguey bagasse .

The innovation, built with waste from the production of mezcal , is still in a trial stage, though it has proven to be more resistant than fiberglass , the current raw material of wind turbines, said UTVCO professor Alejandro Alderete Nava .

In an interview with the Information Agency of the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) , Alderete Nava explained that the gusts of wind originated in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec release the blades gradually, this causes them to be replaced every three to five years.

"The wind eventually wears down fiberglass. What we intend is to avoid the use of said material, which is toxic for the environment, in addition to offering an alternative for the recycling and use of maguey bagasse," he said.

The students of the renewable energies department at the university have tested the blade, which is designed for a wind turbine of low power ( 600 watts ). The blades can be assembled and disassembled at will.

"In the university we are developing two other resistant, durable blades and the resin used to place them would also be of natural origin, in order to stop using materials that damage the environment and, at the same time, increase the durability of engine blades."

The academic commented that the second step of the research will be the development of blades with coconut fiber, which is a highly resistant waste material.

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