Wind turbines are a key driver of the energy transition. However, once they reach the end of their service life, the rotor blades—made of glass-fiber reinforced plastics—have a significant environmental impact. Incinerating or shredding them to mix their components into other materials—such as cement—are not sustainable options; sending them to landfill is prohibited in the EU.
And there’s another problem: The blades, which are tens of meters long, often have to be completely replaced, even though only individual parts of them are damaged. This is because the structural layers are permanently bonded together, making them difficult or impossible to separate. As part of the EU project Recreate, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (IWU) are developing rotor blades with a modular design. Additional components are attached to a continuous load-bearing spar by removable adhesive bonds. For example, this makes it possible to replace the leading edges, which are subject to particularly heavy wear.
In addition, natural-fiber thermoplastics that are easier to recycle are replacing glass-fiber reinforced plastics. In this way, wind energy can not only generate climate-friendly electricity, but can also be produced and used in a more sustainable manner.
