RenerCycle, a leader in circular economy solutions, has entered the capital of Waste2Fiber. The plant will use its own heat treatment method, will be operational in 2025 and will have a processing capacity of 6,000 tons of material per year
ACCIONA, ACCIONA Energía and RenerCycle today announced the construction of Waste2Fiber, a wind blade recycling plant in Lumbier (Navarra). The facility will be operational in 2025 and will employ more than 100 people.
The project combines ACCIONA’s experience in the use of composite materials, ACCIONA Energía’s access to disused wind turbine blades and its track record in innovative solutions for the circular economy, and RenerCycle’s activities in the decommissioning of wind turbines as well as in the development of technologies and services in the field of the circular economy in renewables.
The Waste2Fiber plant has received €5.3 million in funding from the Spanish Government’s Strategic Projects for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE) Programme.
The facility will be the first in Spain to use its own pioneering heat treatment technology to recycle the composite materials present in wind turbine blades. This technology, based on the use of moderate and controlled temperature and atmosphere conditions, will make it possible to preserve the properties of the reinforcing fibres, reuse the organic fractions and transform the composite materials into secondary raw materials with high added value, which can be used in new production processes with a quality comparable to that of virgin raw materials. It therefore represents a considerable environmental and safety improvement for the transformation of waste into secondary raw materials in compliance with European waste management directives.
Recycled glass materials and carbon fibres will be used, in different formats, in sectors such as the automotive and construction industries, while organic composites will have applications in the chemical industry.
Construction of the recycling plant will begin in the first half of 2024. With a processing capacity of 6,000 tons of material per year, the plant will cover all stages of the production process, from the dismantling and fragmentation of the blades to the output and quality control of the final products.
Compared to the production of virgin fibres, this recovery of the components will mean a reduction in the carbon footprint of between 66% and 95% for glass fibres and carbon fibres respectively, contributing very positively to the decarbonisation of the planet.
With more than 4,000 wind turbines currently in operation in Spain, blade recycling is a critical issue for the wind industry and Waste2Fiber is another step in the right direction towards long-term sustainable recycling solutions, while closing the circle of the circular economy.
About RenerCycle
RenerCycle offers innovative circular economy solutions for the wind energy sector. The company was created in 2022 and has 10 industrial partners with extensive experience in the renewable sector that allows it to cover all areas of the value chain.
Thus, RenerCycle boosts its business activity at a national and international level in the promotion of a new model of non-linear production and consumption, a circular model in which the value of products, materials and resources is maintained in the economy for as long as possible, the generation of waste is reduced to a minimum and those that cannot be eliminated are used to the greatest extent possible. All this in order to contribute to achieve a sustainable, decarbonized economy that is more efficient in the use of natural resources, while at the same time favoring the competitiveness of the renewable industry, aligned with the main initiatives to safeguard the environment.
About ACCIONA
ACCIONA is a global company, a leader in the provision of regenerative solutions for a decarbonized economy. Its business offer includes renewable energy, water treatment and management, eco-efficient transport and mobility systems, resilient infrastructures, etc. The company has been carbon neutral since 2016. ACCIONA recorded sales of €11,195 million in 2022 and has a business presence in more than 40 countries. www.acciona.com/es
About ACCIONA Energía ACCIONA Energía is the world’s largest 100% renewable energy company with no fossil legacy. It has 12.27GW of renewables and commercial operations in more than 20 countries. With more than 30 years of experience, ACCIONA Energía offers a broad portfolio of tailor-made energy solutions for its corporate and institutional clients to meet their decarbonisation targets. ACCIONA Energía is governed by the most demanding environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) criteria. ACCIONA S.A., a leading global company in the provision of regenerative solutions for a decarbonised economy, is a reference shareholder of ACCIONA Energía.
www.acciona-energia.com
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