RWE pioneers recyclable blades in UK at gigascale offshore wind project

RWE and turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa are installing recyclable rotor blades at half of the turbines at a giant UK offshore wind project – the first-ever large-scale installation of the technology in the country.

Fifty out of 100 Siemens Gamesa SG 14-222 wind turbines at the 1.4GW Sofia project off England’s Northeast will be equipped with recyclable blades; half of them have already been fitted at the wind farm.

“Deploying recyclable blades at this scale is an indicator of RWE’s drive to deliver sustainability across its renewables fleet,” RWE offshore wind chief operation officer (COO) Thomas Michel said.

“By working with partners like Siemens Gamesa, we are setting a new sustainability benchmark for renewables development and helping significantly improve the circularity of offshore wind technology.”

The Siemens Gamesa blades are using an innovative resin. At the end of the blade’s operating life, the various materials can then be easily separated from the other components, and as a result and can be recycled, for example, into vehicle components and consumer goods like bicycle helmets and suitcases.

“This is a great example of how we can share knowledge and work together to deliver on both energy security and a net-zero future,” said Darren Davidson, vice president of Siemens Gamesa UK.

“Our Hull factory is at the cutting edge of blade technology development & manufacturing.”

RWE is using Cadeler’s specialist vessel Wind Peak for offshore construction at Sofia in the far-offshore Dogger Bank area of the North Sea. The utility targets operations to start next year.