Avangrid Partners with Startup WindLoop to Test Innovative Process for Wind Turbine Blade Recycling
Avangrid has partnered with WindLoop, a startup by Yale students, to test a new process for recycling wind turbine blades. Avangrid donated 300 pounds of decommissioned blades from its Baffin wind farm for the initiative. WindLoop’s approach includes an on-site shredder, reducing transportation costs, and a green chemistry method to separate blade materials for reuse. The company claims it can recover over 90% of blade materials and 97% of the overall value. Avangrid aims to recycle 100% of its decommissioned blades by 2030, supporting its commitment to sustainability and the circular economy.
- Avangrid's donation of 300 pounds of blades demonstrates commitment to sustainability.
- WindLoop's innovative recycling process claims to recover over 90% of blade material.
- The on-site shredder reduces transportation costs for wind turbine blades.
- The process aims to recover 97% of the overall value of turbine blades.
- Partnership supports Avangrid’s goal to recycle 100% of decommissioned blades by 2030.
- Project aligns with Avangrid’s top environmental priorities and commitment to a circular economy.
- High initial costs associated with the development and implementation of new recycling technologies.
- No mention of financial benefits or ROI for Avangrid from this partnership.
- details on the commercial scalability of WindLoop's recycling process.
- Potential risks if WindLoop's process fails to deliver the claimed recovery rates.
Avangrid recently donated 300 pounds of decommissioned wind turbine blades to WindLoop to test recycling process
“Avangrid is one of America’s most innovative leaders in renewable energy, and this is yet another example of our forward-thinking approach to accelerating a clean energy transition across the United States,” said Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra. “We recognize the great challenges in front of us, and we are helping lay the groundwork to find new and efficient methods to recycle blades that will improve the circularity of our industry.”
Wind turbine blade recycling has long been a challenge in the industry due to the high costs associated with transporting blades and difficulty extracting blade materials – including glass fiber and epoxy resin – in such a way that they that they can be reused. The donated turbine blades came from Avangrid’s Baffin wind farm in
WindLoop’s strategy includes two parts. It incorporates an on-site blade shredder which has been shown to significantly reduce transportation costs from wind farm to recycling facility. The company has also developed a process, using green chemistry principles, to effectively separate the fibers and resin in blades. WindLoop’s novel solution can recover over
“For a future powered by solar, wind, and energy storage, we need to minimize waste and ensure that materials are recycled for the next wave of clean energy manufacturing,” Shubh Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of WindLoop. “Currently, there is no large-scale industrial process for recycling wind turbine blades, and companies are facing increasing pressure to find recycling facilities that offer circular recycling solutions. WindLoop seeks to bridge this gap. Avangrid's support is essential for WindLoop to carry out advanced R&D and bring its novel recycling process for wind turbine blades to market. Our shared commitment to developing a circular economy for wind energy in America makes this partnership especially promising.”
Avangrid is committed to minimizing resource consumption and waste and establishing a circular process to keep materials in use and at high value for the long term. Engaging in a circular economy is one of the top three environmental priorities for Avangrid, resulting in a plan to recycle
“Sustainability is at the core of every decision we make at Avangrid, and serves as a guiding principle in our business," said Laney Brown, vice president of sustainability at Avangrid. "Blade recycling is a key component to the sustainable use of resources as we support the clean energy transition. We are pleased to work with forward-thinkers like WindLoop to develop circular solutions that minimize environmental impacts in our industry."
Finding a solution to recycling turbine components will become increasingly important to the maturing
WindLoop’s team comprises of four students at Yale School of the Environment in
About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in
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Keaton Thomas
Keaton.thomas@avangrid.com
503-956-9621
Source: AVANGRID, Inc.
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