Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market Size and Share
Market Overview
| Study Period | 2022 - 2031 |
|---|---|
| Forecast Data Period | 2026 - 2031 |
| Historical Data Period | 2022 - 2024 |
| Growth Rate | 4.44% CAGR |
| Fastest Growing Market | Europe |
| Largest Market | Asia-Pacific |
| Market Concentration | Medium |
Major Players *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0. | |
Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence
The Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market size is expected to register a CAGR of 4.44% during the forecast period.
The market was negatively impacted by COVID-19 in 2020. Presently the market has now reached pre-pandemic levels.
- Over the long term, the increasing number of offshore and onshore wind energy plants for decommissioning is expected to drive the growth of the market.
- On the other note, rising environmental and economic factors due to the wind turbine blade recycling process are hampering the market's growth.
- Nevertheless, according to a recent survey by the University of Cambridge, it is estimated that 43 million tonnes of wind turbine blade waste will be generated by the year 2050. This will create ample opportunities for the wind turbine blade recycling market in the near future.
- Europe is likely to witness significant growth in the wind turbine blade recycling market during the forecast period, mainly due to its favorable government initiatives toward wind turbine blade recycling across the region.
Note: Market size and forecast figures in this report are generated using Mordor Intelligence’s proprietary estimation framework, updated with the latest available data and insights as of 2026.
Global Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market Trends and Insights
Thermo-Chemical Recycling Process (Pyrolysis) to the Dominate the Market
- Wind energy is nowadays one of the energy sources with the fastest growth rate, and it can represent a valuable and economically sustainable solution to the problems of the shortage of fossil fuels and climate change. Global wind energy installed capacity accounted for 837 GW as of 2021. It is carbon-free, and about 85% of turbine components, including steel, copper wire, electronics, and gearing, can be recycled or reused.
- Recycling and reusing composite waste is probably the best choice based on the recent EU directives, while landfilling is the last option.
- Major companies are preferring for thermochemical recycling since it is an advanced technique in which the recovery of the reinforcing fibers through thermal or chemical methods and the matrix (generally with thermosetting nature) is decomposed.
- In October 2022, Carbon Rivers, Inc., a company involved in pyrolysis, commercialized its process to recover mechanically intact glass fiber from decommissioned wind turbine blades. The project is funded by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) in collaboration with the University of Tennessee and successfully scaled up a recovery process that has the capability to divert thousands of tons of waste that would otherwise be destined for landfills.
- Moreover, in March 2022, Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) and the Lithuanian Energy Institute invented a technique for recycling wind turbine blades through a thermochemical recycling process, which involves the breaking of composite materials into basic parts, i.e., fiber and phenol using pyrolysis, this method is essentially waste-free.
- Owing to the above points thermochemical recycling (pyrolysis) process is the best technique that dominates the Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market.
Europe is Likely to Dominate the Market
- Europe has one of the largest wind power installed capacities across the globe. The region is rich in offshore and onshore wind energy generation across the globe. Recently, it has aimed to decommission most of its aged wind plants.
- As a part of this, on June 2021, European Government announced that the region will decommission around 25,000 tonnes of blades per year by 2025 and 52,000 tonnes a year by 2030. Also, WindEurope, an association based in Brussels that promotes the use of wind power in Europe, has called on landfills to ban decommissioned wind turbine blades by 2025. The initiative includes the commitment of the European wind industry to recycle, reuse or reclaim all decommissioned blades. The ban will become effective by 2025. This, in turn, culminates in the growth of the wind turbine blade recycling market shortly.
- Moreover, in October 2022, The first blade recycling plant project presented in Spain received recognition from the European Union, granting more than EUR 12 million to the consortium in which the project is immersed. The new recycling plant that will be located in Cubillos del Sil (León) is part of Endesa's Future Plan for the Compostilla thermal power plant currently being dismantled.
- Furthermore, many countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain have pledged not to decommission European blades outside of Europe. Spain is the second-largest market for wind energy in Europe, joining Wind Europe in this initiative. There is already a ban on landfills in Austria, Germany, Finland, and the Netherlands.
- Owing to the above points, Europe is likely to dominate the wind turbine blade recycling market during the forecast period.
Regulatory Landscape
Policy pressure is tightening around end-of-life management of wind turbine blades, particularly in Europe and parts of the United States. In the European Union, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/718 introduces a public-procurement anchor for recyclability, mandating a minimum 70% recyclability rate for wind turbine blades in relevant procurement procedures from 30 June 2026. This requirement reinforces design-for-recyclability and documented end-of-life pathways across OEM and supplier bids.
In the United States, requirements are emerging through state-level statutes that embed blade handling into project contracts and disposal rules rather than a single federal mandate. Examples include Texas HB 3228 (effective 1 September 2025) requiring wind power facility agreements to include provisions for collecting, reusing, or recycling practicably recyclable components (including blades), Wyoming HB 89 (2025) restricting disposal of decommissioned blades in municipal solid waste facilities and steering blade handling to permitted on-site pathways, and Arkansas SB 452 (effective 1 January 2026) requiring installation contracts to include provisions for proper maintenance and recycling of turbine blades. Rhode Island S 2219 (2026 session) also proposes blade disposal or recycling requirements within the state. Separately, the US Department of Energy, through a USD 20 million funding opportunity under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, has been directing R&D support toward composite and related recycling technologies, with award negotiations noted in summer 2025.
Value Chain Analysis
The wind turbine blade recycling value chain starts with blade owners and operators (utilities, IPPs, and wind farm asset owners) planning decommissioning and repowering, then moves into dismantling, transport, and size-reduction steps (cutting, sectioning, and pre-processing). Material recovery follows through physical routes (shredding and co-processing) and, increasingly, thermo-chemical or chemical separation approaches to recover fibers and manage epoxy and resin systems. Recovered outputs then feed into downstream users in construction materials, cement kilns, composite intermediates, and other emerging applications that require tighter specifications for recycled glass or carbon fibers.
Industrialization is also changing the operating footprint, with activity shifting from pilot and laboratory work toward industrial validation and dedicated facilities. Iberdrola and FCC Ámbito inaugurated EnergyLOOP in Navarra, Spain in June 2025 as a dedicated blade-recycling facility on the Iberian Peninsula, reflecting a move toward localized processing hubs near mature wind fleets. On the technology side, Stena Recycling and Vestas moved their Blade Circularity Solution from laboratory to an industrial-scale testbed in Halmstad, Sweden during 2026, showing how OEMs and recyclers are pairing process capability with operating conditions. Bottlenecks remain concentrated upstream and midstream, including inconsistent feedstock volumes tied to repowering schedules, transport and handling costs for large blades, and the need for standardized grades and acceptance specifications so recovered fibers can be absorbed reliably by downstream manufacturing.
Competitive Landscape
The Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market is moderately fragmented. Some of the major companies (in no particular order) include LM Wind Power (a GE Renewable Energy business), Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA, Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Veolia Environnement S.A., and Arkema S.A.
Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Industry Leaders
LM Wind Power
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA
Vestas Wind Systems A/S
Veolia Environnement S.A.
Arkema S.A.
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
Market Opportunities and Future Outlook
Regulation-led procurement requirements and contract-level end-of-life obligations are creating a more defined commercial demand for verified recycling pathways, documentation, and compliant material recovery. Under the EU framework, the 70% minimum recyclability requirement for wind turbine blades in relevant public procurement procedures, applicable from 30 June 2026 under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/718, pushes OEMs and suppliers toward auditable recyclability claims and increases demand for industrial partners that can process epoxy-based composites and return usable material streams. In the United States, state statutes that require recycling provisions in wind facility or installation contracts, including Texas HB 3228 and Arkansas SB 452, create a channel for recyclers and service providers to package end-of-life services with compliance-ready contracting, chain-of-custody, and disposal diversion.
Opportunities are also tied to industrial infrastructure build-out and scale-up testbeds, where operating experience, offtake arrangements, and quality standards are still solidifying. The opening of EnergyLOOP in Navarra (Iberdrola and FCC Ámbito, June 2025) points to room for additional regional hubs that reduce transport costs and stabilize feedstock capture around repowering clusters. Stena Recycling and Vestas moving their chemical separation approach to an industrial-scale testbed in Halmstad during 2026 also suggests continued demand for chemical separation routes that can preserve more fiber value than basic shredding, alongside pre-processing services such as cutting and logistics, standardized recycled-fiber grades for composite users, and traceability tools linking blade origin to recycled output for procurement and reporting. Public-sector support further underpins near-term commercialization work, with the US Department of Energy running a USD 20 million funding opportunity aimed at advancing composite recycling technologies and supporting the transition from demonstration to repeatable industrial operations.
Recent Industry Developments
- May 2026: Stena Recycling and Vestas announced the move of their chemical separation technology for wind turbine blades from laboratory work to an industrial-scale testbed environment in Halmstad, Sweden. The update focuses on process validation, throughput learning, and material quality verification in an operating industrial setting, helping bridge the gap between pilot performance and bankable recycling capacity.
- April 2026: RWE confirmed the delivery and installation of Siemens Gamesa recyclable rotor blades for the 1.1 GW Thor offshore wind project in Denmark. Integrating recyclable blades into a large offshore project connects OEM design choices with end-of-life planning at scale and raises the bar for recycling-ready specifications in major turbine supply contracts.
- June 2025: Iberdrola and FCC Ámbito inaugurated the EnergyLOOP facility in Navarra, Spain, described as a dedicated wind turbine blade recycling site on the Iberian Peninsula supported by a EUR 10 million investment. Bringing a purpose-built facility online expands local collection and processing options and supports more consistent feedstock-to-output pathways for composite waste.
Research Methodology Framework and Report Scope
Market Definition and Coverage
This market captures revenues earned from collecting, transporting, processing, and converting end-of-life wind turbine blades into reusable materials or secondary products, using recycling routes such as mechanical size reduction and thermo-chemical treatment. Our coverage is global and follows blade retirement and repowering activity across major wind regions.
Scope exclusions: We exclude recycling of non-blade wind components (towers, nacelles, gearboxes) and on-site landfill or long-term storage that does not involve a paid recycling or recovery service.
Segmentation Overview
- Blade Material
- Carbon Fiber
- Glass Fiber
- Other Blade Materials
- Recycling Type
- Physical Recycling
- Thermo-Chemical Recycling (Pyrolysis)
- Geography
- North America
- Europe
- Asia-Pacific
- South America
- Middle East and Africa
Data Sources, Market Sizing, and Validation
Desk Research
Desk research started with public wind deployment and retirement signals so the waste stream could be grounded in real turbine activity rather than generic waste estimates. We leaned on sources such as IEA Wind, IRENA, US DOE and NREL publications, Eurostat waste and industry statistics, and national energy agencies where repowering timelines are discussed. These sources help clarify installed capacity growth, typical turbine lifetimes, and the timing of blade replacements.
To translate activity into market value, we complemented this with company filings, project announcements, environmental permitting notes, and reputable press coverage that mention recycling routes, logistics constraints, and facility openings. Patent databases and a shipment-level import-export database were used selectively to cross-check technology focus areas and cross-border movement of composite scrap and recovered fibers. The sources listed here are illustrative, and many other public references were also reviewed to collect data, validate assumptions, and clarify grey areas in the market boundary.
Primary Interviews and Surveys
Primary work focused on interviews and short surveys with recyclers, composite processors, waste handlers, wind asset owners, and regional experts who track repowering and permitting. We used these conversations to confirm practical pricing ranges, yield loss by method, transport cost behavior, and which recycling pathways are actually being used at scale across APAC, EMEA, and the Americas.
Distribution of primary research fieldwork respondents
| Company type | Respondent position | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Top tier: 29% | CXOs: 15% | APAC: 51% |
| Mid tier: 53% | Functional/Unit leaders: 41% | EMEA: 31% |
| Smaller Players: 18% | Managers: 44% | Americas: 18% |
Market-Sizing & Forecasting
Sizing is built from a top-down demand pool tied to blade end-of-life generation, where installed wind capacity and repowering schedules are converted into blade mass available for recycling, and then filtered by the share that is actually routed to recycling instead of storage or disposal. Since blades vary widely by turbine class and vintage, we used practical inputs such as average blade weight ranges, glass fiber versus carbon fiber mix, regional logistics distance patterns, and the split between mechanical processing and thermo-chemical routes (including pyrolysis) to shape volumes and pricing.
Those volumes are then valued using method-specific service pricing and recovery economics, which were informed through interviews and public signals around gate fees, transport intensity, and yield rates for recovered fibers and fillers. To keep the output realistic, we corroborated totals with selective bottom-up checks like facility capacity roll-ups in key regions, sampled price per ton quotes, and channel checks on where blade scrap is being accepted. When gaps appeared, such as unclear acceptance rates in early-stage markets, assumptions were anchored to permitting readiness and known offtake constraints, and then tested against expert feedback.
For forecasting, scenario analysis was used because policy push, recycling technology readiness, and repowering timing can shift quickly. We modeled three lanes of recycling adoption based on expected landfill restrictions, processing capacity additions, and cost trends in transport and pre-processing, and then converged to a central case after reconciling what interviewees view as achievable in the next five years.
Data Validation & Update Cycle
Validation is done through repeated cross-checks so the final numbers do not depend on a single assumption. We compare model outputs against independent signals such as repowering announcements, facility commissioning timelines, and consistency between implied recycled tonnage and realistic regional handling capacity. Where an outlier shows up, the drivers are reviewed step by step, and the relevant assumptions are revisited with targeted follow-up outreach.
Before sign-off, the model and narrative are reviewed by another analyst to confirm that inputs, unit conversions, and regional splits are consistent with the market definition. The report is refreshed at least once every year, and interim updates are triggered when material events occur, such as new landfill restrictions, major facility start-ups, or a visible change in blade retirement timing. Right before delivery, a final pass is completed so clients receive the latest updated view.
Mordor Intelligence's Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market Size Versus Other Published Estimates
Published market values for wind turbine blade recycling often differ because the market boundary is easy to stretch, and many inputs are still not standardized across countries. Differences usually come from what is counted as recycling revenue, how blade retirement timing is assumed, and whether pricing is based on gate fees, recovered material value, or both.
The table shows that the spread is mainly driven by how studies treat "repurposing" routes and how they convert tons of blades into dollars, especially when transport and pre-processing are bundled differently. Some estimates also push faster adoption by assuming immediate diversion away from landfill in every region, while others assume slower capacity build-out and longer storage periods, and this changes the near-term base year totals and the trajectory.
Benchmark comparison
| Source | Market Size | Gaps in Research Methodology |
|---|---|---|
| Mordor Intelligence | USD 0.00 B (2024) | |
| Industry Association A | USD 0.12 B (2024) | Includes blade repurposing into construction and infrastructure products as recycling revenue, and applies broad average pricing without separating transport-heavy regions from local processing cases. |
| Trade Journal B | USD 0.05 B (2025) | Uses a narrow set of pilot projects to infer global adoption, and values the market mainly from recovered material sales while undercounting paid collection and processing services. |
The table also highlights a scope choice, where in Mordor Intelligence's model the market value is counted only when a paid recycling or recovery service is delivered for blade material, and simple storage or informal reuse is not treated as revenue. With this discipline, the estimate stays traceable to blade retirement tonnage, regional routing shares, and method-specific pricing that can be checked and updated in a repeatable way.
Key Questions Answered in the Report
What is the current Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market size?
The Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market is projected to register a CAGR of 4.44% during the forecast period (2026-2031)
Who are the key players in Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market?
LM Wind Power, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA, Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Veolia Environnement S.A. and Arkema S.A. are the major companies operating in the Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market.
Which is the fastest growing region in Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market?
Europe is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period (2026-2031).
Which region has the biggest share in Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market?
In 2025, the Asia-Pacific accounts for the largest market share in Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market.
What years does this Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market cover?
The report covers the Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market historical market size for years: 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The report also forecasts the Wind Turbine Blade Recycling Market size for years: 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030 and 2031.
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