SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): Eastern Iowa-based REGEN Fiber, owned by Travera, has announced launch of a new recycling process for wind turbine blades. The patent-pending process aims to convert the decommissioned blades into other reusable materials, thus preventing them from ending up in landfills. The process boasts of reduced carbon footprint, when compared with current decommissioning methods.

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According to Jeff Woods, Director of Business Development, Travero, the proposed process will deliver a truly sustainable solution to wind turbine blades recycling by recycling them and putting the products generated from the recycling process back into the supply chain. The process does not use chemicals of any sort or heat to extract and separate the materials. It will be largely mechanical in nature, he added.

The fibers generated by the recycling process could be used in mortar and concrete to reinforce sidewalks and roads. The process will immensely benefit road construction and concrete industry, as the reusable materials from the process could be used as replacement for materials such as cement, silica and fly ash materials.

Earlier in 2021, the company had set up a pilot facility in Des Moines. A new commercial facility is under construction in Fairfax, which will have a capacity to process nearly 3,000 decommissioned blades every year.