ScottishPower Renewables successfully recycled or reused 99.9% of materials from 26 wind turbines removed from the Hagshaw Hill wind farm in Scotland. The result demonstrates the possibilities offered by the circular economy for managing wind turbines that reach the end of their operational life.
The post-decommissioning analysis was prepared by consultancy Mott MacDonald for ScottishPower Renewables. In addition to material recovery, the project involved at least 10 supply chain companies located in Scotland and other areas of the United Kingdom.
Wind Turbine Recycling Reaches 79.5%
Specifically, the project achieved a recycling rate of 79.5% of materials and reused another 20.4%. In this way, virtually all removed components found a new application or entered material recovery processes.
Furthermore, a significant portion of the supply chain used during the works was located near Hagshaw Hill. This proximity enabled linking the decommissioning of the wind turbines with industrial activity and specialized services related to wind energy.
Ross Galbraith, Director of Onshore Construction and Operations at ScottishPower Renewables, explained that one of the central objectives was precisely to maximize the reuse and recycling of the 26 turbines and their components.
What Happens to Wind Turbine Blades?
On the other hand, blades represent one of the elements requiring specific solutions when a turbine reaches the end of its operation. In this project, the company Plaswire participates in their recovery through a process that enables converting them into new materials.
The company transforms retired blades into materials that can be used in the construction and engineering sectors. In this way, components that previously posed treatment difficulties can be incorporated into new production chains.
Plaswire also plans to expand this activity. The company received authorization to process blades from outside the United Kingdom, which expands its potential market toward Europe and other territories.
Hagshaw Hill Paves the Way for a New Generation of Turbines
Hagshaw Hill 1 is located in South Lanarkshire and began operating in 1995, becoming Scotland’s first commercial wind farm. The original turbines were subsequently removed as part of the facility’s modernization process.
This type of intervention, known as wind farm repowering, enables replacing old equipment with more modern and efficient turbines while leveraging infrastructure and a site that have already been used for renewable generation.
Likewise, recycling of retired equipment adds another dimension to the process. Modernization can combine increased generation efficiency with material recovery from previous wind turbines.
Source and photo: ScottishPower
