CRRC completes 110-meter recyclable wind turbine blade production

CRRC has completed the production of its 110-meter, high-performance recyclable wind turbine blade, developed in-house. The blade, produced in Sheyang, Jiangsu province, is designed for efficient material separation and recovery, achieving a recovery rate exceeding 95% for key raw materials. This milestone represents a significant step toward commercial-scale recycling of ultra-large wind turbine blades and offers a solution for end-of-life blade management.

China's renewable energy expansion is driving demand for dismantling and waste disposal. The country's new onshore and offshore wind installations are projected to exceed 470 GW in the coming years. This rapid growth presents a growing challenge: as an increasing number of wind turbines reach the end of their operational life, managing the resulting waste is becoming a critical issue for the sector's sustainable growth. Industry estimates suggest that by 2030, over 30,000 wind turbines in China will be retired, representing 44.73 GW of capacity and generating 947,900 metric tons of wind power-related waste.

The blade incorporates advanced recyclable materials and recycling technology, featuring a detachable, high-efficiency infusion resin system. While meeting demanding performance requirements for strength, stiffness, and fatigue life, the blade utilizes reversible chemical unbonding technology to efficiently separate the resin from reinforcing fibers. Recovered materials, including resin and fibers, can be reused in wind power equipment, automotive manufacturing, infrastructure construction, and other high-value applications, moving beyond the traditional single-use model.

CRRC continues to invest in circular economy solutions for the wind power industry. In March 2025, the company developed China's first recyclable thermosetting resin blade. Furthermore, in April 2025, CRRC launched China's first mobile, high-efficiency, and intelligent processing system for decommissioned wind turbine blades, creating a flexibly deployable "smart mobile recycling factory." This system overcomes the geographical limitations of fixed facilities and reduces transportation challenges, enabling large-scale processing and reuse of composite materials.