Recycling Wind Turbine Rotor Blades Becomes a Herculean Task

FRP Avalanche Recycling Wind Turbine Rotor Blades Becomes a Herculean Task

2025-05-16 From Dr. Thomas Isenburg | Translated by AI 6 min Reading Time

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Germany's regions have been characterized by wind turbines for many years. However, these have a relatively short lifespan. In 15 years at the latest, this will become a recycling problem.

Electricity from renewable energy sources, like wind, is all well and good. However, after about 20 years, most wind power giants are no longer in use. This raises questions about deconstruction and recycling, which are best answered by 2040. Here is an overview of the situation.(Image: Breyerdag) — Electricity from renewable energy sources, like wind, is all well and good. However, after about 20 years, most wind power giants are no longer in use. This raises questions about deconstruction and recycling, which are best answered by 2040. Here is an overview of the situation.
(Image: Breyerdag)

The expansion of wind turbines is very visible in our landscape due to broad political support. More and more rotors are turning in the wind. Almost 30,000 wind turbines (WKA) are rotating on land (onshore) in our republic. However, by 2040, most of the existing turbines will have to be dismantled after a lifetime of about 20 years. A study by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) from 2019 predicts that 835 tons of steel and 5.5 million tons of concrete will be coming our way. Around 90 percent of the mass of a wind turbine (WKA) can be easily returned to the material cycle.

Most Wind Turbine Components are not a Problem

These include the tower (heavy plates), the nacelle (generator, gearbox), aluminum parts, and the copper cables. Only the rotor blade, which is made of fiber-reinforced plastics, poses concerns. "Steel towers, concrete foundations, or copper cables can be relatively easily recycled. And the sites can be renatured," explains Frank Grüneisen, press spokesman for the German Wind Energy Association (BWE). In the second and third decade of life, however, it is often a challenge to get original spare parts (such as rotor blades). These can often be used on other turbines, and there is a "second-hand" market. Many turbines are also sold abroad at the end of their lifespan. For dismantling, however, the operator must make provisions.

Rotor Blade Components are Often not Ready for Scrap

A deeper understanding is an important component of wind energy conversion and describes the state of the art in the processing of fiber composites, which include glass fiber-reinforced plastics (GFRP) and carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP). These are also the dominant materials for constructing rotor blades. Dismantling requires appropriate logistics. When a wind blade is, for example, 20 years old, it is generally not "broken." Rather, the component or at least the materials in it still possess excellent properties. At least that's what Volker Mathes from the industry association AVK – Federation of Reinforced Plastics e. V. believes. The materials could therefore receive a second life as patio decking or even entire vacation homes.

Fiber Recovery Would be nice but is still Lagging Behind

A particular challenge is the recycling of rotor blades, specifically because of the GFRP and/or CFRP components. This task primarily involves separating the glass and (proportionally rarer) carbon fibers from the epoxy resin, as they can then be easily reprocessed. This also saves money, as while glass fibers can be produced relatively cheaply, carbon fibers are relatively expensive. Process-wise, one can choose between solvolysis—dissolving the plastic—and thermolysis—burning the plastic. Existing processes for material recycling are not yet widespread, and the reuse of recycled material is therefore not generally established. Standards for dismantling and material processing are largely lacking as well.

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