The EU-funded REWIND research project will develop technologies for dismantling end-of-life (EoL) wind turbine blades to increase their circularity. It will also implement new methods of composite recycling and repurposing for the construction and automotive industries.

The project is funded by the European Union and includes 14 partners (6 RTDs, 2 universities, 4 SMEs, 3 large companies and 1 association) from seven different countries: Spain, France, Denmark, Italy, Germany, Turkey and Greece.

AIMPLAS, the plastics technology centre, is the coordinator of this research project and the leader of thermal and chemical recycling tasks. Catalyst pyrolysis and solvolysis methods will be developed to reduce processing temperatures and times. AIMPLAS is also in charge of repolymerization of recovered monomers from the organic fraction of solvolysis to obtain new recycled resins (epoxy, polyester and vitrimer resins).

The aim of the REWIND project (efficient decommissioning, repurposing and recycling to increase the circularity of end-of-life wind energy systems) is to develop critical technologies for dismantling wind turbine blades and implement new methods for composites repurposing and recycling in order to enhance their circularity, increase the industrial applications of end-of-life composites and avoid current landfilling and incineration.

REWIND will develop proper disassembly, quality inspection and characterisation of composite waste to decide if composite parts from EoL products should be reused or recycled depending on their value. This project will also highlight potential high-value applications for EoL composites, such as repurposing for the construction and automotive industries. Recycling the most degraded parts will separate the matrix from the fibre. The recycled fibres, after subsequent sizing, spinning, and weaving, along with new recycled resin from the solvolysis process monomer, will be used in the same wind sector. They will be used for manufacturing a wind blade part and a repair kit as demonstrators.

Anticipated outcomes of this 4-year research project include improved overall lifetime, reliability, recyclability and sustainability of onshore and offshore wind turbines, potential new markets in wind turbine recycling and repurposing, enhanced overall sustainability of wind energy systems based on mainstream LCA to address social, economic and environmental aspects, and, lastly, a more efficient decommissioning and improved circularity of wind sector.

REWIND will contribute to increasing the recyclability of wind turbine blades by developing critical technologies for dismantling and new methods for repurposing and recycling. The goal will be achieved by combining three key drivers of the 7R Model: Reuse, Recycle and Rethink.