A new initiative in Spain has been established to focus on recycling components from old wind turbines.
RenerCycle’s founding companies include Acciona Energía, Enerfin Nordex, Ingeteam, Inpre, Laulagun Bearings, Mekatar, Hine, Frenos Iruña, Lizarte and Saprem.
The preliminary plans of the new company include an investment of €10m in the next three years and the creation of up to 50 jobs.
From 2023 RenerCycle will roll out three lines of business: dismantling and industrial refurbishment of the main components of wind turbines (blades, main shafts and gearboxes, electrical generators and converters, large bearings, hydraulic actuators and brakes as well as other electrical and electronic subcomponents), recovery of certain raw materials such as steel and also recycling of composite materials made of glass fibres and non-reusable resins.
The aim is to achieve zero waste in the wind industry.
RenerCycle has the support of the Government of Navarre, whose president María Chivite has described it as a strategic project for the region.
Javier Villanueva, chairman of the board of directors of RenerCycle, said: “RenerCycle is born to become an independent and important player in the renewable energy sector, to lead the industrial activity regarding the dismantling of wind farms that reach the end of their useful life and the refurbishment of the main components for their use in a second life, fully guaranteed and including the recycling of those parts from which raw material can be obtained, thus keeping it as long as possible in the economic cycle.”
RenerCycle is backed by the extensive experience of its founding partners in the renewable business, and in the wind energy sector in particular.
Acciona Energía, Enerfin and Grupo Enhol bring their long experience in developing and operating renewable plants with a combined fleet of more than 27GW worldwide.
Nordex brings experience in the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of wind turbines, with 40GW installed globally.
Ingeteam, Inpre, Laulagun Bearings, Grupo Hine Renovables, Mekatar Group, Frenos Iruña and Saprem are manufacturers of wind components and between them have more than 100GW of experience in the manufacture of mechanical and electrical components.
Tetrace, Sidenor, Lizarte and Sincro Mecánica contribute their experience in services as well as in the refurbishment and recycling of components, while Abintus Engineering, Eo6 Ingeniería and EIT Innoenergy respectively contribute their experience in strategic consultancy and management of renewable companies, engineering capabilities in wind and strategic investment in renewable energy programmes in accordance with the guidelines set by the European Commission.