“TECNALIA implements an integrated solution for the management and sustainability of the wind energy sector through innovative digitalisation and recycling”
Developing advanced technology for the disassembly and circularity of wind turbine blade composites at the end of their useful life
TECNALIA is working with Lezama Demoliciones, Belako Lanak, SBS, Ogerko, Ergoa and Saitec on a Basque project called Tadeo to guarantee the sustainability of the wind energy sector. This project aims to implement an integrated solution for the management and sustainability of the wind energy sector through innovative digitalisation and recycling techniques. Specifically, the objectives are:
- Reduce the environmental impact of wind power generation waste
- Digitalise the recycling and waste treatment sector at the transport, sorting and recycling stages
- Optimise the recycling processes of composite materials to increase their competitiveness and scalability on an industrial level
- Recover recycled materials and establish possible uses in various sectors
Wind turbine waste management is a growing challenge: around 14,000 blades were dismantled in 2023, accumulating between 40,000 and 60,000 tonnes of composite material. A high percentage of this waste ended up in landfill, which is something that has already been banned in several European countries.
According to David García-Estévez, researcher at TECNALIA, “in the near future, almost the entire turbine should be recycled,” given that the second-hand market is shrinking and new models of wind turbines are larger and more efficient.
Automated identification of materials with AI
The process begins with the automated identification of the main materials of the blades, using computer vision technology. After the selective separation of the materials directly at the wind farm and with the waste already sorted and compacted, the materials are transported to specialised facilities where recycled fibre concentrate that can potentially be used in the construction and manufacturing sectors is obtained.
A pyrolysis process using HECO (High Efficiency Contact) technology may also be used. This allows the removal of polymer resins from the recycled fibre, which maximises its value for new applications and reduces the energy consumption of the process. The recycled fibres that are obtained will be validated for use in concrete and other composite materials, both in laboratories and in semi-industrial environments.
