Spanish plastics technology centre Aimplas (Valencia; www.aimplas.net) said it is developing the Eros project, which seeks to implement a circular economy system by recycling wind turbine blades and waste from the aeronautics sector. The organisaton is working with Spanish ceramics institute ITC (Almassora; www.itc.uji.es/en) and said the goal is to recover materials so they can be returned to the production process and used in transport and other sectors such as the ceramics industry.

“To understand the dimension of this problem, it is estimated that 10,000 aircrafts will be withdrawn from service all over the world in the next 20 years,” Aimplas said, noting that half of Europe’s installed wind turbine capacity will be 20 years old by 2030.

Related: First recyclable wind turbine blades produced in Denmark

Aimplas said the project will use mechanical and chemical recycling processes such as solvolysis and pyrolysis to produce glass fibres, carbon fibres and glycols. Glass fibre is to be used in the form of ceramic supports, frits, and glazes to reduce tile firing temperatures. The glycols are destined for ink manufacturing, and plans for reclaimed carbon fibre will focus on sustainable composites for the transport sector.

Compatriot companies involved in the project include composites recycler Reciclalia (Madrid; www.reciclaliacomposite.com), ceramic tile maker Keraben (Nules; www.keraben.com), ceramic products firm Fritta (Onda; www.fritta.com/en) and aerospace manufacturer Sofitec (Seville; www.sofitec.es), all of which will work to ensure that the results reach the entire value chain, Aimplas said.