Vestas is presenting a new solution that renders epoxy-based turbine blades as circular, without the need for changing the design or composition of blade materials.

Currently, 85–90% of a wind turbine is recyclable, with blade materials making up most of remainder. This new solution is therefore a potential gamechanger for achieving a fully recyclable wind turbine value chain. 

The solution was developed within the CETEC initiative, and partnership with Olin and Stena Recycling. Wind turbine blades are made from thermoset composites, involve a strong bond between fiber and epoxy. This results in a material that combines low weight with high strength but is difficult to recycle. 

The technology involves a two-step process: 

1. Disassembling thermoset composites into fibre and epoxy. 

1. Chemically recycling the epoxy into base components similar to virgin materials, which can be reused in blade production—creating a circular pathway for epoxy resin. 

Once matured, the solution will eliminate the need for blade redesign, or landfill disposal of epoxy-based blades when they are decommissioned. Once this new technology is implemented at scale, legacy blade material currently sitting in landfill, as well as blade material in active windfarms, can be disassembled, and re-used. This signals a new era for the wind industry and accelerates our journey towards achieving circularity.