The Challenge

Wind power has established itself as a vital cornerstone technology in the global effort to combat climate change and achieve the transition to a net-zero economy. Its environmental credentials, particularly when compared to legacy fossil fuel systems, are now scientifically robust and well-documented.

On a life-cycle basis, onshore wind power has one of the lowest greenhouse gas (GHG) footprints of all energy sources. Comparing CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour (gCO_2eq/kWh):

• Wind power has a median estimate of 13 gCO_2eq/kWh,

• Natural gas has a median estimate of 490 gCO_2eq/kWh, and

• Coal-fired power plants have a median estimate of 1,001 gCO_2eq/kWh (NREL, 2021).

  
  

According to the International Energy Agency, global wind energy generation needs to increase from 2,330 Terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2023 to over 7,100 TWh by 2030 to align with a Net Zero Emissions by 2050 scenario. An approximate increase of 17% per year (IEA, 2024).

In terms of policy within the EU and Ireland, more wind power is the clear direction of travel.

In 2022, in response to the war in Ukraine, the European Union launched the REPowerEU plan, to reduce EU dependence on fossil-fuel imports. The plan aims for 480 GW of wind energy by 2030 up from 190 GW in 2022 (Wind Europe, 2022).

Ireland's Climate Action Plan 2024 aims to increase the island’s share of renewable electricity to 80% by 2030, targeting 9 GW of onshore wind, and at least 5 GW from offshore wind projects (Government of Ireland, 2024).

With so much wind power coming online, serious consideration needs to be given to what happens to the wind turbines at the end of their life.

Wind turbines are designed for a 20-year lifespan based on a set of design requirements by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) (Wind Energy Ireland, 2021). Typically they last up to 25 years with some having their lifetime extended to 35 years (Wind Europe, 2020). 85-90% of a wind turbine can be recycled as they are made of copper, steel and cast iron, however the remaining 10-15% of a turbine's mass is primarily made from composite materials used in the turbine blades, which are more challenging to recycle. (Wind Europe, 2020).

By 2030, it is projected that around 52,000 tonnes of wind turbine blades will be decommissioned annually in Europe (Wind Europe, 2021), that’s approximately the same weight as 3,700 double-decker buses. Without a circular approach to blade design, it's estimated that blade waste will grow to approximately 43 million tonnes globally by 2050 (Liu and Barlow, 2017) - that’s approximately 3.1 million double-decker busses.

The Circular Opportunity

BladeBridge, are an Irish company and CIRCULÉIRE member, spun-out from the Re-Wind Network. The Re-Wind Network is an international research group from the Georgia Institute of Technology, University College Cork, Queen’s University Belfast, City University of New York and Munster Technological University who develop solutions to repurpose wind turbine blades at the end of their life.

BladeBridge works with owners and operators of wind farms to provide them with sustainable end-of-life options for decommissioned blade material.

When a blade reaches the end of its life, BladeBridge tests its strength to assess what kind of products it is suitable for, they then design innovative products to repurpose the blade for its new life. They have repurposed blades to create infrastructure such as a bridge on the Midleton to Youghal Greenway; benches, bike-parking and picnic tables on the Achill Greenway; E-bike charging hubs with ESB; furniture for a local community centre in Co Clare; and they are constantly coming up with new and innovative ideas.

Wind turbine blades are getting bigger as time passes, and the decommissioning of later models brings new opportunities for new designs. BladeBridge has plans for products including office pods, shelters, and glamping pods.

BladeBridge is currently the only company in Ireland repurposing turbine blades and are a pioneer in using blades for infrastructure like bridges. They have extensive experience working on pilot projects with ESB, Tidy Towns and numerous county councils.

As BladeBridge’s turbine blades are used as a substitute for high-carbon virgin material, such as steel and concrete, their infrastructure designs result in 20-50% lower environmental impacts, which exceeds green public procurement initiatives. Their products also save money over their lifespan, as they require much lower maintenance versus conventional products. For local governments and communities BladeBridge offer infrastructure that shows engagement with the circular economy and comes with a great built-in story about the products history.  

By averaging the CO₂ saved from the use of raw materials across twelve different repurposing scenarios, BladeBridge have calculated that repurposing one tonne of wind turbine blades saves an equivalent half a tonne of CO_2. Their goal is to repurpose as much of wind turbine material as possible, diverting it from landfill or incineration, and preventing up to 900 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions per year.

Replicability

Wind turbine blades are made to be tough and durable. They are usually a mixture of fibreglass and resin and are designed to withstand storms and wind for decades. Whilst this makes them hard to recycle, it also means they are ideal for outdoor furniture and infrastructure.

Other examples of wind turbine solutions include:

• The Danish city of Aalborg has installed public bicycle shelters made from decommissioned wind turbine blades from a local wind farm.

  
  

• In the Netherlands, the company Blade-Made creates street furniture, playground equipment, and architectural features from sections of decommissioned turbine blades.

  
  

• The Polish company Anmet recycles and repurposes blades for various uses, including constructing small-scale bridges and city furniture.

  
  

• GE Renewable Energy partnered with Veolia North America (VNA) to process blades from its U.S. based onshore turbines, shredding them for use as a raw material for cement manufacturing.

  
  

• Siemens Gamesa has launched the "RecyclableBlade," the world's first fully recyclable wind turbine blade, which uses a new resin type that allows for the separation of blade materials at the end of life.