Voodin Blade Technology has developed recyclable wooden blades made from laminated veneer that are 28% cheaper and produce 78% less carbon dioxide during manufacturing. The first tests of the blades have already been carried out in Germany, and the technology could significantly change the industry in the future.
Recycling wind turbine blades made from fiberglass and carbon fiber remains a difficult task: around 800,000 tonnes of old blades are sent to landfill or burned every year. Some countries, including Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Finland, have banned landfilling, encouraging the search for new solutions—from reusing blades in infrastructure projects, such as bicycle bridges in the Netherlands, to less conventional ideas, such as turning retired blades into surfboards, as Australian company Draft Surf has done.
Developments like these could make wind power even more sustainable by reducing waste and its carbon footprint, marking another step towards waste-free green energy.
