“uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç

Construction of an Iberdrola-backed wind turbine blade recycling plant will begin this autumn, with operations expected to start in 2024. 

The €10 million recycling facility will be built at La Ribera Navarra, in the Navarre region of northern Spain, close to multiple wind farms.

Through the innovative project, Iberdrola aims to recycle the composites of glass, carbon fibres, and resins that typically make up wind turbine blades. 

It is developing the plant in a 50:50 partnership – EnergyLoop – with Iberian waste management firm FCC Ámbito, a subsidiary of FCC Servicios Medio Ambiente. 

Iberdrola claims the plant will be the first industrial-scale plant of its kind in Europe, and revealed its plans exclusively in “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç last year. Danish firm Continuum Composite Recycling is also eyeing a 2024 start-up date for a blade recycling plant in Esbjerg.

Iberdrola added that EnergyLoop expects to create around 100 direct and indirect jobs in connection with the plant. 

The update follows moves by turbine manufacturing giants such as Vestas, Siemens Gamesa and GE in recent years to ensure their turbine blades are fully recyclable.