Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil P
For the big windmills, everyone seems to overlook the absurd amount of rare earth elements inside of them, mined from non-environmentally friendly places in China, and the fact that few of them actually operate to their claimed lifespan.
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Why does anyone care about the quantity of rare earth elements, they aren't rare. If needed there are plentiful deposits in the US and the existing magnets are recyclable.
It's really not possible to comment on the lifespan of the vast majority of wind turbines out there. The technology is too new, however replacing power-heads is not a big deal. Wind farms will likely be perpetual with multiple generations of turbines.