Denmark’s largest offshore wind farm to date will feature recyclable wind turbine blades made by Siemens Gamesa.
In 2022, renewable energy giant RWE became the first commercial, large-scale offshore developer to install Siemens Gamesa’s recyclable wind turbine blade technology, RecyclableBlade, at its Kaskasi offshore wind farm in Germany. (The blades pictured above are at Kaskasi.) RecyclableBlades will also be installed on 44 out of 100 turbines at the Sofia wind farm, which RWE is building off the UK’s northeast coast.
And now, RWE has chosen RecyclableBlade for Thor – Denmark’s largest offshore wind farm to date. Forty out of 72 SG 14-236 DD turbines will be equipped with Siemens Gamesa’s “worldwide-first” recyclable blades.
Siemens Gamesa’s RecyclableBlade technology enables the full reclamation of the wind turbine blade’s components at end-of-life: resin, fiberglass, and wood, among others, are separated using a mild acid solution.
(I’ve asked RWE’s spokesperson why it’s not using only recyclable turbine blades on Sofia and Thor, and will update when I hear back.)
RWE will build Thor in the Danish North Sea, around 22 kilometers (13.6 miles) from the west coast of Jutland. The 1,000 megawatt (MW) Thor will be able to produce enough clean electricity to supply more than 1 million Danish households – that’s 1 in 3 households in Denmark. It’s expected to come online no later than the end of 2027.
Thor will also be the world’s first wind farm to install Siemens Gamesa’s carbon dioxide-reduced steel towers. The GreenerTower will reduce CO2 of at least 63% in the tower steel plates compared to conventional steel.
In the US, RWE is a fast-growing new offshore wind player, acquiring 4 GW of seabed capacity during the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s 2022 New York Bight and California seabed lease auctions.
Sam Eaton, CEO of RWE Offshore Wind Holdings, said in a statement sent to Electrek about using recyclable blades in its US projects:
RWE has demonstrated a clear commitment to lead on circularity across the offshore wind sector by using recyclable blades at now three offshore wind projects.
The adoption of recyclable wind turbine blades is an integral part of achieving RWE’s net-zero targets and presents a great opportunity to make sustainability inherent to the burgeoning US offshore wind industry.
Read more: A Danish wind turbine giant just discovered how to recycle all blades
Photo: RWE
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20 to 30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –ad*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
