GE Rolls Out World’s First Fully-Recyclable Wind Turbine Blade Prototype

In a step forward for sustainability, LM Wind Power, part of GE Renewable Energy Business, has developed a prototype of the world’s first 100% recyclable wind turbine blade.

The prototype was designed as part of the Zero wastE Blade ReseArch (ZEBRA) consortium, a project bringing together industry partners to create eco-friendly solutions.

“The manufacture of this first blade is a great success for the entire consortium and for the wind industry in general,” said Céline Largeau, project manager at IRT Jules Verne.

According to Renew Economy, the 62-meter (203-foot) blade took a year of material development, trials, and testing before it could be built. 

It was constructed using Elium thermoplastic resin from partner firms Arkema and glass fabrics from Owens Corning, which can be chemically recycled so the materials can be reused. 

“The end-of-life thermoplastic composite blade material has high value in itself and can be readily utilized in other industries as material compounds but can also be depolymerized and the resin reused in the production of new blades,” explained John Korsgaard, Senior Director of Engineering Excellence at LM Wind Power.

Going forward, LM Wind Power will now began a full-scale structural testing of the blade at its Test and Validation Centre in Denmark to fine-tune its performance and end-of-life recycling process. 

[via Renew Economy and Offshore Wind, images via GE]