Material sustainability and efficiency in the different phases of the product life-cycle are relevant and necessary perspectives for improving the environmental and economic sustainability of products. Renewable energies need to be sustainable in all the aspects, particularly wind energy which gained the most renewable power capacity around the world in 2011. Sustainable production, maintenance and disposal of wind turbines support sustainability of the energy source. This paper identifies raw materials, auxiliary materials and operating supplies along the life-cycle of wind turbines. Furthermore, an overview of material requirements and potential improvement areas for sustainable material usage is developed and discussed.
