Green Energies and Corrosion

Abstract

International audienceAfter a short review based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes (IPCC) of the United Nations (UN) regarding the low-carbon energies, corrosion issues related to these activities will be illustrated. One of the first issues will be to protect materials taking care of the environment. So, corrosion protection will need to follow the 12 principles of the green chemistry which will be recalled. Low carbon energies, like hydrolylic & wind powers, solar or geothermal energies, are often supposed to be "green" by essence and so free of industrial difficulties. In fact, these "green" facilities are also subject to corrosion issues. Not only examples are given of degradation of metallic materials used in these energies facilities, but it is even underlined that special attention has to be taken in some specific and particularly very corrosive environments like brine for geothermal energies or seawater for near and off shore wind mills or for hydro-turbines