RWE completes installation of recyclable blades in Sofia offshore wind farm

The German company RWE has succeeded in installing the 150 recyclable blades at the Sofia offshore wind farm, located some 195 kilometers off the northeast coast of England. This mark corresponds to the equipping of 50 turbines, all with rotor components that can be recycled at the end of their useful life.

The project, which involves a total of 100 offshore offshore turbinesThe project, which includes a total of 100 offshore turbines, is already more than 60% complete. The turbines used are Siemens Gamesa SG 14-222 DD, with an individual capacity of 14 megawatts and a total height of 252 meters. Each rotor has three 108-meter-long blades with a diameter of 222 meters.

Recyclable shovel technology from the British shore

The blades were manufactured by Siemens Gamesa at its Hull plant in the east of the United Kingdom. They are composed of a special resin that allows their materials to be easily separated, which facilitates recycling into products such as suitcases, bicycles or automotive parts.

This is the first time a UK offshore wind facility has adopted recyclable blades on a large scale, demonstrating RWE’s commitment to the circular economy and clean energy practices.

Towards commercial operation in 2026

So far, 62 of the 100 planned turbines have been completed. RWE expects to complete the total installation in the first half of 2026, with the goal of commercial operations in September of the same year. of the same year. Once in operation, the park will have the capacity to generate clean electricity to supply approximately 1.2 million UK homes.

The Sofia wind farm is built on the Dogger Banka key area of the North Sea, and represents an essential part of the UK’s strategy to increase renewable energy generation from the sea.

Technology replicated from Germany and projected to Denmark

The initiative builds on RWE’s previous experience at the Kaskasi wind farm in Germany, where recyclable blades were installed for the first time. In addition, the company plans to use this technology in future projects such as the offshore wind farm Thoroff the coast of Denmark.

This technological continuity underscores RWE’s goal of moving towards an energy infrastructure based on sustainability, efficiency and reuse of materials.

Source and photo: RWE