A recycling project is demonstrating new approaches to repurposing decommissioned wind turbine blades, reducing the need for disposal to landfill. The project brings together EDF power solutions UK, infrastructure investors Dalmore Capital and Foresight, decommissioning company Reblade and Scottish Enterprise.
The collaboration aims to improve the management of wind turbine blades at the end of their operational life. In an earlier initiative, EDF power solutions UK provided decommissioned blades to Reblade, which were reused to create shelters for an electric vehicle charging station in Dundee. The project demonstrated how wind farm components can be adapted for practical, lower carbon infrastructure through reuse.
Under the current project, blades are shredded and combined with similar waste materials to produce a new composite material used to manufacture planks. These planks can be applied in a range of uses, including agricultural fence posts, screening, benches and decking. Additional testing is ongoing to assess further industrial applications.
