A Chinese company seeks advanced technology from European market for recycling use of decommissioned wind turbine blades via a commercial agreement with technical assistance

Country of Origin: China
Reference Number: TRCN20210907001
Pubilcation Date: 2021-09-07

Summary

The Chinese company is specialised in R&D, manufacturing and marketing of thermal power equipment, environmental protection equipment, power plant auxiliaries, and coal gasification equipment in China.

In order to optimise sustainable recycling of decommissioned wind turbine blades and composites, it is looking for advanced technology for wind turbine blades recycling from the European market. Potential cooperation could be via a commercial agreement with technical assistance.

Description

The Chinese company was founded in 1966. It is committed to providing the advanced equipment and the first-class services for energy and environmental protection industries in the world. It is a professional supplier of thermal power equipment, environmental protection equipment, power plant auxiliaries, and coal gasification equipment in China.

Currently, the company has produced the utility boilers with a total output capacity of nearly 349 million kilowatts and over 179,300 tons of power plant auxiliaries had been produced and sold to 28 provinces in China, reaching a 30% domestic market share. Furthermore, the Chinese company’s products have been also exported to 30 foreign countries and regions.

Currently, the Chinese company is facing some technological problems for recycling use of decommissioned wind turbine blades. Composite materials are commonly used throughout the wind turbines manufacturing industry thanks to their good strength, long life cycle, and low weight properties. The wind turbine industry, in particular, consumes vast amounts of composites. As a natural part of the strong position within wind energy and manufacturing of wind turbines, the company handles a mass of waste from end-of-life wind turbine blades per year. The amount of waste is increasing as more wind facilities are constructed onshore and offshore, and many wind turbines have reached end-of-life state and are therefore dismantled.

So from a sustainable development aspect, the Chinese company looks for advanced technology, equipment and solutions for wind turbine blades recycling from the European market via a commercial agreement with technical assistance cooperation method.

Expertise sought

The Chinese company is looking for advanced technology and solutions for recycling decommissioned wind turbine blades from the European market.

Materials used for wind turbine blades:
The wind turbine blades are normally made of lightweight, high-strength, corrosion-resistant, and fatigue-resistant composite materials, which account for 90% of the whole blades. The outer shell of the blade is made of glass fiber reinforced resin, and the tip and main beam of the blade are made of higher-strength carbon fiber. The leading edge, trailing edge and shearing parts are often made of sandwich-structure composite materials.

The purpose of the company is to identify and develop new and existing strategies for sustainable recycling of composites to provide an environmental and economic solution. The company aims to reuse waste in a wide range of products, components, and structures, i.e. furniture, skateboards and applications in building components and paint, etc. Furthermore, the most important is that the company expects to look for a cost-effective solution using wind blades to make oil or natural gas or other energy to support the whole industry recycling. In line with the strategy, the company aims to reintroduce waste material to the cycle where they are reused as new resources for the benefit of the environment and the industry.

Requirements for new technology and solutions: suitable for large-scale promotion.

Stage of Development

Stage of Development Comment

Requested Partner

The Chinese company is open to talks with any related European partners who have wind turbine blades recycling solutions. Potential European partners are expected to provide on-site technical support services once a possible cooperation happens.

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