PreZero leads the construction of the BLADES2BUILD plant to recycle end-of-life wind turbine blades

March 26, 2025

· The plant aims to enable the circularity of wind turbine blades by converting them into secondary raw materials primarily intended for the construction industry.

· The shredded composite will be used as recycled aggregate in construction materials such as low-strength concrete, asphalt, insulation materials, and dry mortars. In addition, other materials recovered during pre-treatment—such as steel, aluminium, and copper—will be sent to authorized waste managers for recycling.

PreZero leads the construction of the BLADES2BUILD demonstration plant to recycle end-of-life wind turbine blades. The plant aims to enable the circularity of wind turbine blades by converting them into secondary raw materials primarily intended for the construction industry.

This project demonstrates at an industrial scale the feasibility of the recycling processes developed within the BLADES2BUILD project and provides a sustainable solution to the growing problem of wind blade waste.

Final products and applications

The main objective of the plant is to produce recycled materials from wind turbine blades for reuse in the construction industry, in addition to sending certain blade materials directly for recycling. The final products include:

· Shredded composite: It will be used as recycled aggregate in construction materials currently in the research, development, and testing phase within the BLADES2BUILD project, such as low-strength concrete, asphalt, insulation materials, and dry mortars.

· Recovered metals: Steel, aluminium, and copper extracted during the pre-treatment process will be sent to authorized waste managers for recycling.

With this initiative, PREZERO reinforces its commitment to the circular economy and sustainability, providing a viable solution to the challenge of wind blade waste management and promoting the reuse of materials in new industrial applications.

Plant location

The BLADES2BUILD demonstration plant will be located in the Tuduero Industrial Park, in the municipality of Tudela de Duero (Valladolid, Spain).

Its location is strategic within the Spanish wind energy sector, as Castilla y León—with 6,404 MW installed—represents 23% of the national total, making it the region with the highest installed wind power capacity. The plant’s area of influence also includes Galicia, with 3,866 MW (14% of the total), ranking fourth. In addition, the plant is close to regions with high installed capacity, such as northern Portugal (790 MW) and Asturias (162 MW).

Plant description

Designed by PREZERO, the plant is a modular, flexible, and versatile facility that employs a mechanical recycling process based on proven industrial technology. Its objective is to generate secondary raw materials adapted to the final consumer’s requirements, both in volume and in technical specifications.

The facility will cover an area of approximately 6,000 m², including a 1,600 m² enclosed building and a 3,000 m² outdoor area for waste storage.

The recycling of wind turbine blades, which currently end up in landfills, will be carried out through a comprehensive process that includes:

1. Reception and weighing: Wind turbine blades, previously cut into 5 to 6-meter sections, arrive at the plant and are stored in an outdoor area. The truck is weighed upon entry and exit to determine the weight of the unloaded blades.

2. Pre-treatment: The blade sections are transferred inside the plant, where a hydraulic shear removes metal components (cables, profiles, and other elements), separating as much fiberglass composite as possible from other materials such as wood or foam.

3. Mechanical recycling: The separated composite is shredded using specialized equipment. The shredded material is then processed to meet the final user’s specifications and stored for shipment. The resulting shredded composite will be mainly used in construction materials currently under research, development, and testing within the BLADES2BUILD project.