November 18 (Renewables Now) - A pilot to develop the UK’s first wind turbine blade recycling project will get underway after securing a GBP-1.3-million (USD 1.7m/EUR 1.5m) grant from Innovate UK, the UK government’s innovation agency, Norway’s Aker Offshore Wind said today.

Together with Scottish researchers, Aker Offshore Wind is leading a consortium that will implement the GBP-2-million three-year project. The company is contributing GBP 500,000 towards the initiative.

The aim of the project is to commercialise a method developed by the University of Strathclyde to separate the glass-fibre and resin components in composites and recover the glass-fibre component for reuse in other industries like motor trade and construction.

The team includes Aker Offshore Wind, trade body Composites UK and researchers at the University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Composites Group and Lightweight Manufacturing Centre. They will also partner with Nottingham University, global waste management group SUEZ, composite distributor GRP Solutions Ltd and composite part maker Cubis.

Aker Offshore Wind supports the call by tade body WindEurope for a Europe-wide landfill ban on decommissioned wind turbine blades by 2025.

The University of Strathclyde in April unveiled a memorandum of understanding with Aker Offshore Wind and Aker Horizons on advancing recycling glass fibre products.

(GBP 1 = USD 1.346/EUR 1.189)

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