Thermoplastic composites can be a solution for the circular economy of the wind industry. Some studies have focused on addressing the challenges of reusing raw materials and reducing both the economic costs and environmental damage. Thermoset composites have been crucial in increasing the size of wind turbines (WT), achieving longer and structurally more resistant blades, but they are difficult to recycle at the end of life and sometimes end up in landfills. Thermoplastic composites are being tested as an alternative to thermoset composites because of their similar structural properties and substantial advantages, such as ease of recycling. This article presents the results of the structural properties of a 2-m-long thermoplastic WT blade manufactured with a new thermoplastic resin called Akelite to obtain progress in the implementation of thermoplastic composites in this type of product. The new blade has been compared to an epoxy WT blade built with the same procedure. Property, static, and fatigue tests were performed on these blades to characterize them. The results of this comparison were quite similar, with less than 5% displacement in the static tests and a sensitivity change of less than 2% after the fatigue tests. Future studies should be conducted to extend this study to larger-scale blades.

The wind energy industry is constantly seeking lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and also to improve its environmental and social sustainability. Thermoplastic resins are considered to be key to recycling wind turbine blades in the best possible way to reuse the main raw materials at the end of their life. In this work, a new thermoplastic liquid resin, AKELITE, patented by CSIC, is used to produce a new generation of 100% circular, sustainable wind turbine blades. The aim is to recover the two main components, the fibres and the resin, in optimal conditions to produce a new wind blade. First, the recycling protocol of composite laminates was optimised and the properties of the recycled composite were analysed. Interestingly, the first recycling process resulted in an improvement in the mechanical properties compared to the original laminate, which is ascribed to the presence of a thin layer of resin on the fibre surface that improves the adhesion between the layers. Thus, it is expected that the new blade will have a good performance, using almost 100% of recyclable materials. A 1.9 m recycled wind turbine blade is currently being manufactured to validate the results of this study. The successful development of such blades could have a significant impact on the sustainability of wind energy, providing a path towards circularity and reducing the environmental impact of wind turbine blades at the end of their life cycle.

While most components of wind turbines (WTs) can be recycled, the blades present a significant challenge. Made from thermoset resin composites, these blades are difficult to recycle at the end of their service life. Although several recycling methods are under development, none allows for the recovery of the resin, and the reclaimed fibres exhibit lower mechanical performance compared to virgin materials. Certain thermoplastic resins offer a more sustainable alternative due to their inherent recyclability, enabling not only the thermoforming of composites but also the recovery of both resin and fibres for reuse in future manufacturing processes. This study demonstrates the manufacturing process of a small wind turbine blade using Akelite, a high-performance liquid acrylic resin with excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability. After undergoing fatigue testing, the blade was successfully recycled, and its constituent materials were reused to manufacture a new WT blade. This process significantly enhances the sustainability of wind energy systems by enabling the full recovery of blade materials at the end of their operational life. Moreover, it aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG-12), by promoting responsible consumption and production, and establishes a circular economy model that could transform blade manufacturing practices across the renewable energy sector.