Siemens Gamesa has installed 50 per cent of the recyclable blades at RWE’s Sofia offshore wind farm in the UK, with the turbine manufacturer continuing installation throughout the rest of the year.
According to RWE, the company and Siemens Gamesa have achieved the first-ever large-scale installation of recyclable blades at a UK offshore wind farm.
The rotor blades are made using an innovative resin. At the end of the blade’s operating life, the various materials can be easily separated from the other components and recycled, for example, into vehicle parts and consumer goods such as bicycle helmets and suitcases.
“Deploying recyclable blades at this scale is an indicator of RWE’s drive to deliver sustainability across its renewables fleet. By working with partners like Siemens Gamesa, we are setting a new sustainability benchmark for renewables development and helping significantly improve the circularity of offshore wind technology,” said Thomas Michel , COO, RWE Offshore Wind.
Following an agreement signed in 2023 with Siemens Gamesa, RWE’s Sofia offshore wind farm, located off the northeast coast, is being fitted with a total of 150 recyclable blades, used across 50 of its 100 SG 14-222 DD turbines.
According to RWE, offshore construction at Sofia is progressing well and is being carried out by Siemens Gamesa using the wind turbine installation vessel Wind Peak , which is operated by Cadeler out of the Port of Hull.
Last month, Van Oord, using its jack-up vessel Aeolus, completed the installation of monopiles , manufactured by EEW.
The 1.4 GW Sofia offshore wind farm is scheduled to be completed in 2026. Once fully operational, the project will be capable of generating enough renewable electricity to power approximately 1.2 million UK households, according to the developer.
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