Wind energy continues to play a vital role in global decarbonisation efforts but the sector is facing a growing waste crisis from decommissioned wind turbine blades.
With blades reaching end-of-life after 20–25 years, the volume of waste is expected to exceed 14 million tons by 2046, according to IDTechEx.
Most blades are made from thermoset composites such as glass fibre-reinforced epoxy. These materials offer high strength and durability but are extremely difficult to recycle.
Current end-of-life options, such as landfilling or mechanical downcycling into concrete fillers, provide minimal value recovery and fail to support a circular economy.
As landfill bans tighten in countries like Germany and the Netherlands, the industry is under pressure to develop scalable alternatives.
IDTechEx’s latest report, Composite Materials for Green Energy Markets 2026–2046, explores material innovations that could address the waste problem.
These include recyclable thermosets with cleavable bonds—developed by companies such as Swancor, Aditya Birla and Techstorm—and thermoplastics, which are easier to recycle but have limitations in turbine applications.
Despite promising advances, challenges remain. “Unless the entire material system is designed for circularity, the individual resin recyclability benefits may be significantly diminished,” the report notes.
Cost, material complexity and unclear financial responsibility for recycling are also barriers to wider adoption.
Legislation is starting to push the sector forward. France now mandates that all new turbines be 95% recyclable by mass and WindEurope supports an EU-wide blade landfill ban by 2025.
Siemens Gamesa is already deploying its RecyclableBlade, made with Aditya Birla’s Recyclamine resin and plans to scale production using Swancor’s EzCiclo resin from 2026.
IDTechEx’s report outlines key technologies, industry players and forecasts, aiming to guide the wind sector toward a more sustainable future.
Windpower’s mounting turbine blade waste issue appeared first on Energy Live News.