Onshore and offshore wind : minimum blade recyclability rate set at 70 % by the Commission (OJEU)
An implementing regulation of the European Commission, published in the Official Journal of the EU on 23/03/2026, sets a minimum recyclability rate of 70% for the blades of onshore and offshore wind turbines, "in order to contribute to the total circularity of wind turbines".
These "minimum environmental sustainability requirements" for wind turbines complement the Regulation of 13/06/2024 on the establishment of a framework of measures to strengthen the European ecosystem for the production of "net-zero" technology products, in particular its Article 25.
According to the Commission, "although 80-95% of the total mass of a wind turbine can be recycled, given that it is mainly made of steel and iron, certain parts pose a problem. This is the case with the blades, which account for around 15% of a wind turbine's mass".
These blades generally contain "complex composite materials - a combination of reinforced fibres and a polymer matrix. Consequently, the blades are the part of a wind turbine that poses the greatest challenges when it comes to increasing recyclability. It is estimated that composite waste from dismantled wind turbine blades will reach around 400,000 tonnes by 2040".
Specifically, the text states that the recyclability rate, "calculated as the relative mass of recyclable materials", must be demonstrated "at the latest at the end of the performance of the contract".
The regulation, which will apply to procedures for awarding public contracts or technology concessions on 30/06/2026, also specifies that the minimum requirement set at 70% "will stimulate demand for recyclable blades and encourage research and development in this field".
"Some flexibility may be necessary".
According to the European standard (EN 45555:2019), methods for the recyclability of energy-related products have been defined. This standard "should therefore be used to assess the recyclability of wind turbine blades", according to the Commission.
Also, "appropriate adjustments to the level of technological maturity required will support the development of new and innovative blade recycling technologies".
The standard also requires blade recycling technologies to be economically viable at present. However, the Commission points out that "a certain amount of flexibility may be necessary for geographical areas with nascent blade recycling industries.
Contracting authorities may therefore adapt this requirement, for example by accepting technologies that are expected to become economically viable in the geographical area concerned during the operational lifetime of the wind turbines".
An assessment of the quality of material preservation may be required
"Different methods of blade recycling, such as chemical separation, thermal separation or mechanical shredding, can vary considerably in the degree of material preservation. In order to calculate the recyclability rate, contracting authorities/entities may therefore require an assessment of the quality of material preservation during the recycling process".
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