REVISTA DYNA ENERGÍA

Last year we already published in this news the advances that were being made under the European DecomBlades project (https://www.revistadyna.com/noticias-de-ingenieria/un-proyecto-europeo-para-reciclar-alabes-de-aerogeneradores) to use pyrolysis in cement kilns after prior chopping, as a means of eliminating them.
This means is no longer satisfactory as the lesser evil of the blades manufactured by current means that are impossible to recycle and, for this reason, another project, called ZEBRA (Zero wastE Blade ReseArch) has been launched, involving industrial companies and research centers such as Arkema, CANOE, ENGIE, Suez, LM Wind Power and Owens Corning, with the aim of achieving 100% recyclable blades from the design and manufacture.
The materials currently used are thermosetting composites that cannot be recycled and for this reason, the project has been directed to use thermoplastic composites that can be recycled. This has required prior research by the components of the project that has culminated in the development of a prototype, in the form of a 62 m long blade.
The material used was Elium resin (Arkema) reinforced with high-strength glass fiber Glass Fabrics (Owens Corning), which is supposed to provide the same characteristics as current composites, although with slightly less weight and greater durability. This material can be depolymerized by chemical recycling after use and the resin reused in new blades or other products, as can the resulting glass fiber. Even the waste generated during manufacture has been controlled. This would create a truly circular economy in blade production.
The prototype has been manufactured by the GE Group company LM Wind Power at its plant in Ponferrada (Spain) and, from there, has been transferred to the Test and Validation Centre of the same company in Denmark, to determine all the characteristics of strength and durability. Once tested, it will be subjected to the proposed End Of Life recycling process and by the end of 2023 the final report with the results of the project will be made.