Tens of billions of pounds could be generated for the UK economy from the re-use, refurbishment and re-engineering of broken wind turbine parts, according to a new circular supply chain coalition.
Building the capabilities to refurbish wind turbine parts in the UK could also generate more than 20,000 full-time equivalent jobs by 2035, and prevent more than 800,000 tonnes of parts from being scrapped.
The group, which so far comprises SSE Renewables, the University of Strathclyde, the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland and Renewable Parts, made the statement as they launched the Coalition for Wind Industry Circularity (CWIC).
Typically, when wind turbine parts fail or reach the end of their life, they are replaced by new components, with old parts mostly ending up as scrap. CWIC aims to change this, establishing a new, UK-based industry capable of moving towards a circular approach for replacing onshore and offshore wind components.
Analysis, which was commissioned by the coalition and undertaken by BVG Associates, found around 120,000 wind turbines - or around 584 GW of capacity - are forecast to be operational across the UK, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden by 2035.
According to this new analysis, a UK supply chain capable of refurbishing just 10 out of the thousands of parts which make up a single wind turbine could access a European-wide market worth almost £10bn to UK GDP between 2025 and 2035.
CWIC has today also released the most extensive research ever undertaken on the barriers to circularity in the wind industry, which was completed by the University of Strathclyde and the National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland.
It found that most organisations were supportive of the circular economy, but struggled with implementation. This new initiative from the coalition seeks to drive forward a solution.
At yesterday's launch event, wind turbine manufacturers Vestas, GE Renewables, Nordex and Enercon came together in Glasgow to participate in a panel discussion chaired by Scottish Renewables chief executive Claire Mack to share challenges and the need for greater collaboration across the industry.
A ‘greenprint’ for this new coalition outlines how this collaboration can develop over the next 12 months, five years and longer term, with clear ambitions and actions which CWIC will aim to deliver.
Stephen Wheeler, managing director of SSE Renewables, commented: "If the renewables sector exists to deliver the green energy the world needs for net zero, then we must face an uncomfortable truth: we can’t be sustainable without fighting climate change, but we can fight climate change in an unsustainable way.
"As a company we have already seen the direct commercial benefits from implementing circular solutions - from lower upfront costs to significantly reduced lead time for parts, and as the new analysis from BVG Associates shows, there is massive potential from putting this approach on steroids.
"Circularity is good for business, good for the economy, good for society and good for the planet too – which is why SSE Renewables, together with our partners the University of Strathclyde and Renewable Parts, have created CWIC."
Sir Jim McDonald, principal and vice chancellor of the University of Strathclyde, said: "Collectively, Strathclyde and NMIS will leverage the knowledge and expertise gained from delivering several large-scale joint government-industry-academia programmes across sectors to maximise the pace and scale of impact from working with partners to support the nationally important wind sector."
James Barry, chief executive of Renewables Parts, added: "The wind industry has led the UK’s green energy transition so far, but as we look forwards, the development of a green and sustainable supply chain will mark a new and important chapter in the growth of wind power.
"Our collective commitment to net zero means parts reuse must become the norm, not the exception.
"By rigorously applying circular economy philosophy, we can develop the technology to routinely remanufacture used parts and reduce carbon intensity."
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