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Today, the problem has grown so large that around 43 million tons of blade waste are generated annually. Most of it ends up in landfills or is incinerated because current composite materials are too complex and costly to recycle. This conflict, clean energy produced from unclean materials, stands in the way of Europe’s ambition to reach climate neutrality under the European Green Deal.
But a new international M-Era.Net project, BAS4WIND, launched in September 2025, aims to change that.
Wind turbine blades are typically made from glass- and carbon-fiber composites and petroleum-based resins. These materials are strong and lightweight, but they also have serious drawbacks: they are energy-intensive to manufacture, rely on petroleum-derived resins, and are nearly impossible to recycle at scale. Their short service lifetime adds to the waste burden.
As wind energy expands globally, these issues become more urgent and more visible.
The BAS4WIND project tackles the blade waste problem at its root: the materials themselves. Instead of using traditional, petroleum-based composites, the project will develop innovative alternatives built from sustainable, recyclable components, including basalt fibers, bio-based epoxy resins, bio-additives, and thermoplastic bio-nonwovens.
Basalt fibers are made by melting natural volcanic rock. They are strong, durable, and environmentally friendly. They require less energy to produce than carbon fibers and are easier to recycle.
Bio-based epoxy resins are derived from renewable resources, reducing carbon footprints and environmental toxicity.
Bio-additives and thermoplastic bio-nonwovens improve recyclability while maintaining the mechanical strength needed for large-scale wind turbine production.
Together, these materials aim to create a new generation of composites that are not only robust but also far greener.
The challenge is immense: turbine blades must withstand harsh weather, high mechanical stress, and constant fatigue. BAS4WIND researchers will test and optimize the new composites for several structural blade parts: spar caps, skins, flanges, and girders. The same materials could also benefit other industries, such as construction and automotive manufacturing, which are actively seeking sustainable composite solutions.
BAS4WIND brings together a transdisciplinary consortium with expertise spanning materials science, engineering, sustainability assessment, and industrial implementation. The partners include four universities and two SMEs from Poland (Warsaw University of Technology, TMBK Partners), Latvia (University of Latvia), Denmark (Technical University of Denmark, FiberJoints), and Türkiye (Izmir Katip Çelebi University). This international cooperation ensures that solutions are scalable, industry-ready, and aligned with the needs of European wind energy markets.
The article was prepared within the ERA-NET COFUND M-Era.Net project “Basalt Fiber Composites for Sustainable Wind Energy” (acronym-BAS4WIND), contract No. ES RTD/2025/20.
