Iberdrola and FCC launch EnergyLOOP to lead the recycling of wind turbine blades

MADRID, 1 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Iberdrola, through its Perseo program, and FCC Ámbito, a subsidiary of FCC Servicios Medio Ambiente, have launched the EnergyLOOP company to lead the recycling of components from renewable installations, one of the biggest medium- and long-term challenges in the sector.

This initiative will also contribute to the energy transition and promote the circular economy in Spain, as reported by the company on Wednesday.

The initial objective will be the recovery of the components of wind turbine blades - mostly glass and carbon fibers and resins - and their reuse in sectors such as energy, aerospace, automobiles, textiles, chemicals or construction.

The new company will begin its activity with the installation in Navarra of the first wind turbine blade recycling plant on an industrial scale in Europe.

The installation will be located in the south of this community, a strategic place due to its proximity to some of the first wind farms in the country and with good connections to other regions with abundant wind installations, as explained by the company.

The project has the support of the Government of Navarra, as it is a strategic activity that positions the region at the forefront of the renewable energy sector by introducing the components of technological innovation and circularity and being aligned with regional smart specialization.

The plant will be the first on an industrial scale in Europe and will place Spain at the technological forefront of this industry. To that end, EnergyLOOP hopes to create around 100 direct and indirect jobs over the decade and plans to invest around €10 million in the first installation.

SIEMENS GAMESA SUPPORT

In addition, the initiative has the support of Siemens Gamesa, which, as a leading global company in the manufacture and maintenance of wind farms, will play a fundamental role in this project, both for its knowledge and experience in recycling blades and for its penetration in Spain, with 53% of all parks installed in the country.

The Spanish wind industry -as a world leader with more than 28 gigawatts (GW) of installed power- will face the need to recycle or reuse significant amounts of wind turbines before other countries. It is estimated that in Europe in 2030 about 5,700 wind turbines per year will be dismantled, coming from the repowering of parks or facilities that reach the end of their useful life.

In this context, EnergyLOOP will contribute to the transformation of the wind sector into a true circular economy through investment in integral recycling solutions for blades.

Likewise, this initiative will also improve its competitiveness and sustainability thanks to the research and implementation of new recycling technologies, which will allow it to absorb the growing amounts of waste and adopt increasingly efficient solutions.

The project will act in the different stages that allow the circularity of the wind turbine blades, among others, the pretreatment and conditioning 'in situ', the logistics of transporting the waste, the recycling technologies and the commercialization of recycled products.