German energy company RWE and turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa have installed recyclable rotor blades at the UK’s Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, marking the nation’s first large-scale rollout of circular wind turbine technology.
The two companies fitted half out of the planned 150 recyclable blades across 50 of the project’s 100 offshore turbines earlier this month. The remaining installations will be completed by the end of the year.
Located approximately 121 miles (about 195 kilometers) off the northeast coast of England on Dogger Bank, Sofia is among the largest offshore renewable energy projects currently under construction on the old continent.
Once fully operational, the wind farm is projected to deliver up to 1.4 gigawatts (GW) of renewable electricity. This is reportedly enough to power around 1.2 million homes in the country with clean electricity.
Circular wind innovation
According to Thomas Michel, RWE Offshore Wind’s COO, the highly unique rotor blades are made of an innovative resin designed for circular recycling.
“This installation represents an important moment for RWE and Sofia,” Michel explained. “Deploying recyclable blades at this scale is an indicator of RWE’s drive to deliver sustainability across its renewables fleet.”
Once a blade reaches the end of its operating life, the various materials can be easily separated and recycled into products ranging from vehicle components to consumer goods like helmets and suitcases.
The Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, located in Hull, UK.
Credit: Jonny Brownsteen / RWE UK
Siemens Gamesa’s first installed its recyclable blades on a pilot basis at RWE’s Kaskasi wind farm in Germany. The Sofia project builds on that initial deployment, scaling the innovation to one of the most ambitious offshore energy projects in the UK.
The UK wind farm is now being equipped with a total of 150 recyclable blades following a 2023 deal with Siemens Gamesa. Half of the blades have already been installed across 50 of the site’s 100 turbines, with the remaining units set to be fitted throughout the end of the year.
“By working with partners like Siemens Gamesa, we are setting a new sustainability benchmark for renewables development and helping significantly improve the circularity of offshore wind technology,” Michel added.
Powering UK homes
Darren Davidson, Siemens Energy UK&I and Siemens Gamesa UK vice president described the installation of the first recyclable blades in UK waters as a major landmark moment.
“This is a great example of how we can share knowledge and work together to deliver on both energy security and a net zero future,” Davidson elaborated. “Our Hull factory is at the cutting edge of blade technology development and manufacturing.”
It is expected to power 1.2 million typical UK homes once fully operational.
Credit: Jonny Brownsteen / RWE UK
The wind farm is being equipped with Siemens Gamesa SG 14-222 turbines, featuring 354-feet-long (108-meter-long) blades and a rotor diameter of 728 feet (222 meters). At full capacity, the wind farm will generate 1.4 GW of renewable energy.
Set to start operating in 2026, the wind should produce enough renewable power for about 1.2 million UK homes. “As a global leader in energy technology, we’re proud to be partnering with RWE on Sofia, one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world,” Davidson concluded in a press release.