Here is a 200-word summary of the DecomBlades project:
The DecomBlades project ran from 2021-2023, aiming to establish a recycling process for wind turbine blades. The project aimed to develop a value chain for handling end-of-life blades from decommissioning to recycling, and to create an international standard for recycling blade materials. The project brought together industry partners, research institutes, and subcontractors to develop three recycling process tracks: mechanical shredding, cement co-processing, and pyrolysis. These processes were tested using shredded blade samples, and a pilot pyrolysis facility was commissioned. The project achieved a milestone in October 2023 by successfully recovering and processing glass fiber from a retired wind blade to a quality suitable for use in new turbine blades. This achievement will enable the production of new blades with the recovered glass fiber. The project’s partners, including Siemens Gamesa, Vestas, and Ørsted, plan to scale up the innovation to a more proven and cost-efficient value chain solution. The project’s success has the potential to significantly reduce waste and promote a more sustainable energy transition.