$20 Million to Improve the Recycling of Wind Energy Technologies

Dec. 11, 2024

Carbonfiber is a common material in wind energy technologies. A new funding opportunity aims to improve recyclability of such composite materials. Photo from Carbon Rivers

Currently, 90% or more of the mass of materials in a wind turbine can be economically recycled, with the remaining unrecycled materials being largely fiber-reinforced composites or metallic components with significant amounts of critical materials, such as rare earth element magnets found in generators.

The U.S. Department of Energy is investing up to $20 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help advance the United States supply chain so wind energy industry and R&D supporters can develop technology solutions to improve that recyclability, especially for fiber-reinforced composites in blades and nacelles and rare earth element magnets in generators.

Read the full announcement from the Wind Energy Technologies Office.