Environmental benefits of a new recyclable thermoplastic resin for wind turbine blades

Wind energy is a key renewable energy source in the current energy landscape, with further growth expected. Nevertheless, its expansion raises an important environmental challenge due to the End-of-Life management of Wind Turbine Blades (WTB), as landfill disposal and incineration are the most common options. To address this issue, more sustainable alternatives have emerged to improve blades recyclability and circularity, notably the use of recyclable thermoplastic resins. This study applies a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to compare the environmental impacts of a WTB manufactured with a recyclable thermoplastic resin and a conventional blade. The main advantage of recyclable resin is that it facilitates the separation of its main components, enabling them to be reused in new recyclable blades. The LCA considers three full life cycles for both blade configurations, separated by 25-year intervals. The results indicate a substantial reduction in environmental impacts in several categories evaluated after the second and third life cycles compared to the use of conventional resin. In particular, the recyclable blade achieves a 30% reduction in climate change impact category and a 50% improvement in the material resources: metals/minerals impact category. These results highlight the potential of ecodesign and recyclable materials to significantly enhance the long-term sustainability of the wind energy sector.