As the global push for sustainability intensifies, industries are increasingly under pressure to innovate solutions that minimize environmental impact. The wind-energy sector, while championing renewable energy, faces its own set of environmental challenges, particularly in managing the disposal of materials such as glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP).
In order to deal with this growing challenge, new methods must be developed in order to offer the wind energy industry a sustainable pathway to material reuse and energy production.
The Challenge of GFRP Disposal
GFRP is a composite material widely used in the wind-energy sector due to its excellent strength-to-weight ratio, durability, and resistance to environmental factors. These properties make GFRP an ideal material for manufacturing wind-turbine blades and other critical components. However, these same properties also present a significant challenge: GFRP does not degrade easily and is notoriously difficult to recycle. Traditionally, end-of-life GFRP has been disposed of in landfills or incinerated, both of which have significant environmental drawbacks. Landfilling GFRP contributes to long-term waste accumulation, while incineration releases harmful emissions, including carbon dioxide, further exacerbating the climate crisis.
The inability to effectively recycle GFRP has been a major obstacle in the wind-energy industry’s sustainability efforts. With wind-turbine blades often exceeding 45 meters in length and a growing trend for taller turbines such as those found offshore, blades can span as much as 80 to 90 meters. It’s an industry that is growing rapidly, which means the volume of GFRP waste is set to increase substantially. Addressing this issue is not just a matter of environmental responsibility but also a necessity for continued growth and public acceptance of wind energy as a sustainable alternative.
A Time Critical Issue
The first wind turbines began life in the mid-to-late 1990s and so are now approaching their 25-year lifespan. Austria, Finland, Germany, and The Netherlands have already banned the disposal of wind-turbine blades to landfill, and by 2025, more European countries are expected to follow suit. GlobalData has estimated there are, at present, more than 329,000 active turbines around the world making it time-critical to find a greener pathway to deal with recycling retired GFPR from this renewable form of energy.
A Breakthrough in GFRP Recycling
To help battle this industry challenge, for example, a new process has been developed by Global Gateways Ltd. called Fiberloop. Global Gateways specializes in developing carbon-negative solutions.
By recycling GFRP, this process has the potential to offer the wind-energy industry a sustainable pathway to material reuse and energy production. This patented, chemical-free mechanical process is specifically designed to recycle GFRP efficiently and sustainably. Fiberloop offers a twofold solution: It separates and recycles fiberglass to near-virgin quality and converts the extracted plastic resins into e-fuels such as methanol and hydrogen through a carbon negative waste-to-energy process.
How Fiberloop Works
The Fiberloop process begins by shredding the old material into 3- to 4-square-centimeter pieces before the mechanical liberation of fiberglass from the plastic resin matrix that binds it. Fiberloop’s sorting process removes components such as balsa, foam, resins, and metals, creating a clean fraction of fiberglass. Unlike chemical recycling methods that can degrade the quality of fiberglass, Fiberloop preserves the integrity of the fibers, resulting in recycled fiberglass with near-virgin characteristics.
During performed laboratory tests where Fiberloop’s recycled fibers were used as reinforcement in a polypropylene matrix, the recycled fibers demonstrated similar characteristics as the reference composite using virgin fibers. This high-quality recycled fiberglass can then be looped back into different manufacturing processes, allowing it to be used in the production of various new GFRP products. Since the recycled fibers only consume a minimal fraction of CO2 when produced, compared to the manufacturing of virgin fibers, they contribute to Fiberloop’s already carbon negative process. For the wind-energy industry, this means old turbine blades can be transformed into new components, reducing the need for virgin materials and minimizing waste.
In addition to fiberglass recovery, Fiberloop addresses the challenge of resin disposal. The resins, which are often considered waste in traditional recycling methods, are instead fed into a patented carbon negative waste-to-energy process. Here, these resins are added to a mix of municipal solid waste (household black bag waste) where they are broken down and converted into valuable e-fuels such as methanol and hydrogen. These e-fuels can be used as clean-energy sources, further reducing the carbon footprint of industries. The resulting biochar from the process is then used to refill abandoned open-pit mines, thereby storing the CO2 back in the ground.
Environmental and Economic Benefits
A carbon-negative solution: One of the most compelling aspects of Fiberloop is its carbon-negative impact. By recycling GFRP and converting waste resins into e-fuels, Fiberloop not only reduces the carbon emissions associated with traditional disposal methods but also contributes to the generation of clean energy. This positions Fiberloop as a key technology in the fight against climate change, offering the wind-energy industry a way to manage its material lifecycle in an environmentally responsible manner.
Economic efficiency: From an economic standpoint, Fiberloop offers substantial cost savings. The ability to recycle fiberglass to near-virgin quality reduces the need for expensive virgin materials, while the production of e-fuels from waste resins creates an additional revenue stream. These economic benefits, combined with the environmental advantages, make Fiberloop a highly attractive option for companies in the wind energy sector.
Technology readiness: As of early 2024, Fiberloop has actively addressed potential clients not only in the wind industry, but also other industries such as leisure boat manufacturing or industries that produce GFRP waste in their manufacturing process. The message has been well received and volumes have started to build up.
Currently, Fiberloop is prepared to receive feedstock from the market at its industrial scale production facility in Ventspils, Latvia. The facility has excellent production capabilities, large scale storage, and streamlined logistics.
Conclusion
Fiberloop technology represents a transformative solution for the wind-energy industry’s GFRP waste challenge. By offering a patented, chemical-free process that recycles fiberglass to near-virgin quality and converts waste resins into clean e-fuels, Fiberloop enables the industry to close the loop on GFRP materials, supporting both environmental and economic sustainability.
As the wind-energy industry continues to grow, the adoption of new technologies such as Fiberloop will be critical in ensuring this growth is sustainable. By embracing this innovative approach, the industry can reduce its environmental impact, conserve valuable resources, and contribute to the global fight against climate change.
About the authors
Patrik Ryrberg is CEO of Fiberloop SIA. Will Timmons is a board member of Global Gateways Infrastructure Ltd. Global Gateways (GG) Group of companies creates and commercializes innovative solutions that provide answers to many of the environmental, social, and economic challenges the world is facing today. The driver of its objectives is the belief that promoting and conducting actions to counteract the devastating effects of climate change on humanity is paramount. To this end currently the company’s efforts include carbon negative waste to energy resulting in production of hydrogen rich gas, recycling commercial and household waste, the development of protein concentrates for food, organic soil enhancers, and the recycling of glass fiber reinforced plastics. For more information, go to www.globalgateways.eu/fiberloop.
