ACG leads major new wind turbine blade recycling project

Consortium wins funding for UK-based research

The ACG is delighted to be continuing our cutting edge composite recycling research in the UK as part of a new consortium. The £2M three-year project will be overseen by industry lead Aker Offshore Wind, trade boy Composites UK and researchers at the University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Composites Group and Lightweight Manufacturing Centre, which is a part of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland Group.

Other partners within the consortium include the University of Nottingham, global waste management firm SUEZ, composite distributor GRP Solutions and composite part manufacturer Cubis.

The project is set up to commercialise a revolutionary method developed by the University of Strathclyde to separate the glass-fibre and resin components in composites and recover the glass-fibre component which can then be reprocessed, moulded, and reused in other industries, such as the motor trade and the construction industry.

Further information can be found in this article by Composites UK.

Wind energy is a key component of the transition to net zero and it is essential that the technology and materials that provide renewable energy are as sustainable as they can be...

This project, and our partnership with Aker Offshore Wind, are examples of the research and industrial engagement which has placed Strathclyde at the forefront of innovation in renewable energy and composites sustainability.

 Prof Sir Jim McDonald, Strathclyde Principal