During recent months, the ESB Innovation team, working at the X_Site hub dedicated to sustainable innovation, has partnered with the Cork-based company, BladeBridge, to explore fresh approaches in repurposing wind turbine blades.
As a result of this partnership, a mutually advantageous pilot program has been devised to construct a new e-mobility Hub using repurposed, decommissioned wind turbine blades.
The project will support the circular economy and align with ESB's goal of Net Zero by 2040 through three key objectives; decarbonising energy, building resilient infrastructure, and empowering customers to live more sustainably.
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Donal Phelan, Head of Innovation at ESB Group, said: "We are delighted to be working with BladeBridge to repurpose wind turbine blades through the development of an exciting e-mobility Hub that will showcase that this type of infrastructure can still serve a purpose after decommissioning while preventing further landfill waste. Our expertise in understanding the civic environment, safety and electrical standards, and engineering and design capabilities, together with BladeBridge's expertise in blade reverse engineering for repurposing, are what make this project possible."
Dr. Angie Nagle, CEO of BladeBridge, said: "Wind turbines have a 25-year lifespan, and the blade is the only part of the turbine that is not commercially recyclable – which poses a huge problem for wind farm owners. Once decommissioned, these blades still have a lot of life left in them, as they are crafted from composite materials that withstand massive forces and extreme weather conditions. Current methods of disposal include sending turbine blades to landfill, which will be banned in Europe by 2025. In collaboration with ESB Group we will repurpose decommissioned wind turbine blades into sustainable infrastructure with the construction of a new e-mobility Hub."
