Can wind energy be made greener?

Did you know that, ironically, motor blades in wind turbines are non-recyclable and end up in landfills? Discover how Recyclamine, Aditya Birla Chemicals’ patented technology, is making wind energy more sustainable

In 1887, when inventor and electrician Charles F. Brush introduced wind turbines, few could have imagined that it would emerge as a key source of renewable energy. Wind energy presents the ideal solution to the global energy crisis, offering an extremely cost-effective alternative to traditional fossil fuels at zero carbon emissions. Moreover, despite variations in wind availability in certain regions, advancements in renewable storage and turbine technology can ensure reliable power generation.

Unfortunately, there's more to the story. While wind energy can no doubt redeem the energy sector by heavily slashing its greenhouse gas emissions, the rotor blades used in wind turbines inevitably find their way into landfills. These blades are made from thermosets which cannot be recycled. Ironic, isn't it?

As most of the wind turbines installed in the late 1990s are now getting decommissioned, this poses a significant waste management challenge for the world. If a solution isn't found — and soon — projections indicate that there will be 43 million tonnes of blade waste accumulated in landfills by 2050.

Sustainability being at the core of Aditya Birla Group's research and development endeavours, its chemicals business took the lead in developing an innovative solution to this crisis: Recyclamine.

The recycling challenge

Epoxy resin provides a strong and durable matrix for composite materials, while the reinforcing fibres add strength and stiffness to the final product. This results in a high strength-to-weight ratio, making epoxy composites ideal for applications requiring lightweight materials, such as wind turbine blades, aircraft components, structural components, etc. However, recycling epoxy composites is challenging because the way they are constructed makes it difficult to separate and recycle individual components.

A permanent and sustainable solution

Recyclamine is the world's first permanent solution to the end-of-life management of epoxy composites. Developed over a decade ago by Aditya Birla Chemicals’ Advanced Materials Business, Recyclamine technology has facilitated the manufacturing of high-performance wind turbine blades that can be fully recycled and reused – thus facilitating the transition from a linear take-make-dispose economy to a more circular one. This solution turns out to be just the missing link needed to make wind energy truly green!

The patented Recyclamine technology allows non-recyclable epoxy thermosets to be recovered, reused, and repurposed. It works by employing unique amine-based curing agents containing specifically engineered cleavage points at cross-linking sites. Under specific conditions, they convert epoxy thermosets into thermoplastics, allowing them to be recycled. Similarly, the reinforcing fibres can be recovered, the performance properties of which are comparable to virgin fibres. The technical team of Advanced Materials Business engages closely with wind energy providers to understand their specialised requirements and support their transition to Recyclamine — a technology that has the potential to create a paradigm shift in their sustainability journey.

Aditya Birla Chemicals is proud to offer a sustainable solution for the many industries that rely exclusively on epoxy-based composites as a primary material. Its portfolio comprises two categories of products based on Recyclamine technology — Recyclamine Building Blocks and Briozen Recyclable Series, both designed for use in a variety of manufacturing processes. Hopefully, ecological, environmental, and societal impacts caused by composite waste will soon become a thing of the past!