Vattenfall to test rotor blades recycling

Vattenfall AB is planning to test the recycling of the rotor blades from one of its oldest Dutch wind parks as part of a research project in support of the Swedish power group's plan to recycle all of its decommissioned rotor blades by the end of the decade.

The company is partnering with Norway's Gjenkraft AS and the LIFE CarbonGreen consortium which will process the blades from the Irene Vorrink wind park and study options for their recycling.

Gjenkraft will produce recycled fibres, synthetic oils and gases from the blades, which could be used for the production of sports equipment such as skis and snowboards or insulating materials.

LIFE CarbonGreen plans to use the blades to manufacture components for solar parks.

The decommissioned blades will be decomposed in order to enable their transportation and prepare them for recycling.

The 28 wind turbines of the Irene Vorrink wind farm with a total capacity of 16.8 MW are being decommissioned after 25 years of service. The wind park will not be rebuilt in the same place so close to the dike in order to ensure the dike's safety. Instead, Vattenfall and SwifterwinT will build 12 wind turbines tatalling 132 MW further into Lake IJssel.

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