An offshore wind farm in the UK will see the large-scale installation of recyclable blades in what is claimed to be the first-of-its-kind in the country.
Half of RWE’s 1.4GW Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, located off the north-east coast, is being fitted with the “pioneering” blade technology, with the rotor blades made using an innovative resin.
At the end of the blade’s operating life, the various materials can be easily separated from other components and recycled into new products, for example, into vehicle components and consumer goods like bicycle helmets and suitcases.
RWE signed an agreement with Siemens Gamesa in 2023 for the project, which will see a total of 150 recyclable blades, used across 50 of its 100 wind turbines.
Around 50% of the recyclable blades have already been fitted at the wind farm, which once fully operational in 2026, will generate enough renewable electricity to power 1.2 million homes in the UK.
Thomas Michel, COO, RWE Offshore Wind said: “This installation represents an important moment for RWE and Sofia. Deploying recyclable blades at this scale is an indicator of RWE’s drive to deliver sustainability across its renewables fleet.
“By working with partners like Siemens Gamesa, we are setting a new sustainability benchmark for renewables development and helping significantly improve the circularity of offshore wind technology.”
Wind turbines get a second spin as blade recycling takes off in ‘UK first’ appeared first on Energy Live News.