Winds of change

Energy industry in race to recycle tired old turbine blades

- Jillian Ambrose

In the coastal town of Irvine in North Ayrshire, almost 80 of Britain's oldest wind turbine blades lay disused in a warehouse for more than 18 months. Thirty years ago they had towered 55 metres (180ft) above the South Lanarkshire countryside, powering Scotland's first commercial windfarm at Hagshaw Hill. But this year the blades pioneered a green energy breakthrough of another kind: blade recycling.

Where they once stood, a clutch of 14 newer turbines have taken their place. They are larger, more powerful and can generate five times more electricity than the originals while taking up less space.

Elsewhere in Europe, similar plans to "repower" the continent's oldest windfarms with more efficient turbines and more powerful blades are under way, increasing clean power generation. However, this green revolution brings a fresh sustainability challenge for the industry as companies consider what to do with the thousands of obsolete older models.

About 85% to 90% of a wind turbine is made from steel and other materials that can be easily recycled. However, the fibreglass or carbon fibre blades, designed to withstand wear and tear by the elements, are more difficult to break down.

Hagshaw's blades were shipped in the spring from Scotland to a site in Northern Ireland owned by the recycling company Plaswire. By mid-October it expects to have recycled the blades into a hybrid-polymer, which could be used to make precast concrete alternatives or replace virgin plastics.

The race to find a way to recycle old turbine blades needs to progress apace. By 2030 Europe is expected to dismantle about 14,000 wind turbine blades, creating between 40,000 and 60,000 tonnes of blade waste, according to WindEurope. Germany will account for about 23,300 tonnes, followed by Spain with 16,000 and Italy with 2,300.