A European collaboration has achieved a landmark in sustainable wind energy with the production of the first wind turbine blade section partially made from recycled materials. This milestone has been reached in the European REFRESH project CETMA, Gjenkraft AS, and ireComposites utilized pyrolyzed glass fibers recovered from end-of-life blades, demonstrating how circular manufacturing can transform waste into high-performance composite components for the wind sector.

The blade section was manufactured by  ireComposites (Ireland) and includes a non-woven mat made from pyrolyzed glass fibers recovered from Gjenkraft s patent-pending pyrolysis process developed in H yanger, Norway. This marks a significant breakthrough in circularity for the wind energy sector.

This is tangible proof that full circularity for wind energy is possible. We have now moved from laboratory testing to a real component that demonstrates how recycled fibers can be used in new wind blades, says Marcin Rusin, CEO of Gjenkraft AS. It demonstrates the power of European collaboration where technology, innovation, and sustainability truly come together.

The REFRESH project, funded by the EU Horizon Europe program, brings together eleven partners to develop and demonstrate new solutions for recycling and reusing composite materials from wind turbine blades. Gjenkraft s role is to provide its technology, which enables almost 100% recovery of blade materials including glass and carbon fibers, oil and gas turning waste into valuable raw materials.

The fact that materials from end-of-life wind turbines are now being reused in new blades shows that the industry is shifting from linear to circular production. This is a milestone for both Gjenkraft and the entire wind energy industry, says Arvid L nne, Chairman of the Board at Gjenkraft.

This achievement represents a new chapter for renewable energy where sustainability extends beyond energy production to include materials and manufacturing. It is the first time that a wind turbine blade section has been made partly from recycled fibers recovered from decommissioned blades, marking a crucial step toward a zero-waste wind industry.