Critical Minerals used in rotor blades

Critical Minerals used in the gearbox

Critical Minerals used in the generator

In the generator, it is estimated that 400 – 4,000 kg of copper windings are used per turbine, depending upon the technology and size of the turbine.

High-tech steel to enhance longevity and performance

Critical Minerals used in the nacelle and tower

Critical Minerals used in LFP battery storage technology

Critical Minerals used in the submarine cables

Recycling of wind turbine blades

Ruthenium-based catalysts have the potential to facilitate the recycling of wind turbine blades, which are constructed from epoxy resin that is reinforced with glass fibre strands to enhance durability. However, this robustness complicates the recycling process. By 2050, it's projected that over 40 million tons of wind turbine blade waste will accumulate globally, with China holding 40% of this waste, Europe 25%, the United States 16%, and the rest of the world 19%. To combat the environmental and economic challenges of recycling these blades, a consortium of European industrial and academic partners is creating technologies to promote the recyclability of these thermoset composite materials. CETEC, an acronym for Circular Economy for Thermosets Epoxy Composites, has successfully recycled these materials and produced new epoxy on a laboratory scale. Furthermore, CETEC has managed to reclaim glass fibres of sufficient quality for reuse in making new fibre-reinforced epoxy composites akin to the original wind turbine blades. This process of glass fibre recovery could potentially reduce future demand for platinum/rhodium alloys currently used in producing glass fibres.

Wind energy producers in North America

Wind energy producers in Europe

Wind energy producers in Central America and The Caribbean

Wind energy producers in South America

Wind energy producers in Africa

Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy producers in the Middle East

Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy producers in Asia

Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy producers in Southeast Asia

Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy producers in Australasia

Meet the Critical Minerals team

Trusted advice from a dedicated team of experts.