Pioneers claim turbine blade first

A European consortium to manufacture recyclable wind turbine blades is claiming success as its four-year project comes to an end.

The ZEBRA (Zero wastE Blade ReseArch) project, established in 2020, completed a 77m blade at LM Wind Power’s blade manufacturing plant at Castellón in Spain, in December 2023 using resin and fabric designed to be recycled.

According to the LM Wind Power website, the project successfully recycled resin and fabrics from the blade (and manufacturing waste), reformulating them back into usable materials.

World-first

Using recycled Elium resin in the manufacture of a shear web, which is a structurally important component of the blade, is said to be a world-first, demonstrating the potential of the resin technology to deliver sustainable blade designs.

The ZEBRA partnership is led by the French Institute for Technological Research, IRT Jules Verne. As well as LM Wind power, it includes Arkema (resin supplier), Owens Corning (glass fibre supplier), SUEZ (dismantling and waste processing), Canoe R&D centre (recycling technology), and Engie (life cycle analysis).

According to LM Wind Power, the project is a testament to the power of collaboration in driving sustainable innovation. ‘By demonstrating the feasibility of full wind turbine blade recycling, the project paves the way for a more sustainable future in the wind energy sector.’

Innovation roles

• Arkema developed and validated the generation of recycled Elium monomer through thermolysis and, together with its subsidiary Bostik, an innovative adhesive for the blade assembly.
• Owens Corning recovered glass fibre at pilot scale, enabling its reintroduction into the production process for its Sustaina product line.
• LM Wind Power manufactured two wind turbine blades with Arkema’s Elium resin and Owens Corning’s Ultrablade fabrics
• SUEZ provided cutting and grinding expertise for processing the blades.
• Canoe R&D centre optimised recycling for production and developed methods for repurposing waste streams through mechanical recycling.
• Engie conducted a comprehensive life cycle analysis demonstrating the environmental benefits of closed-loop ZEBRA blades and validated their economic viability.