An innovative recycling project is leading the way in repurposing decommissioned wind turbine blades, avoiding them being put to landfill.
Collaboration between one of the UK’s leading renewable energy developers, EDF power solutions UK, infrastructure investors Dalmore Capital and Foresight, award-winning decommissioning experts Reblade and Scottish Enterprise, represents a positive step forward for the management of decommissioned wind turbine blades.
Once decommissioned, wind turbine blades are difficult to manage due to the material they are made with, unlike other parts of a wind turbine. As more wind farms reach the end of their life, EDF power solutions UK is leading the way to make blades more sustainable.
In a previous project, EDF power solutions UK donated blades to Reblade which were re-purposed into shelters for an EV charging station in Dundee, showcasing that through reuse, end-of-life wind farm components can be transformed into functional, low-carbon infrastructure by applying practical innovation.
As part of this new project, decommissioned blades are shredded and mixed with similar waste materials creating new material for creating planks. The planks can be used for multiple purposes – from agricultural fence posts to screening, benches and decking. Further tests are underway to explore various industrial applications.
This innovative process will progress research and development of various ways to repurpose and recycle decommissioned wind turbine blades.
Michelle Campbell-Robson, Environmental Manager at EDF power solutions UK said: 'We are proud to be an integral part of this project alongside our investors Dalmore and Foresight Capital; finding innovative solutions to an industry-wide challenge.
'We are leading the transition to a circular economy by transforming decommissioned wind turbine blades into repurposed structures and valuable composite products.'
Fiona Lindsey, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Reblade said: 'This collaboration is a powerful demonstration that the wind energy industry can, and must, achieve true circularity.
'By transforming decommissioned turbine blades into essential assets like community paths and agricultural fencing, we are not just avoiding landfill, we are locking carbon into durable, high-value products that directly benefit the local area. This is the future of sustainable asset management.'
For more information contact: ruth.shewan@edf-power.com
Source: EDF power solutions UK
