100% Recycled Glass-Fiber Textile Used as a Drop-In Material for Wind Turbine Blades
Verretex SA, an EPFL spin-off pioneering regeneratedglass-fiber textiles, and Ryse Energy, a global manufacturer of small wind turbines and hybrid off-grid systems, today announced the successful completion of a pilot study demonstrating that Verretex’s 100% recycledglass-fiber textile can be used as a drop-in replacement for conventional virgin glass-fiber fabrics in the manufacture of wind turbine blades.
The pilot was conducted at Ryse Energy’s Spanish manufacturing facility, led by Neil Baxter, Technical CompositeSpecialist at Ryse Energy. The project successfully demonstrated that Verretex’s recycled textile could be processed using Ryse’s existing blade lay-up and curing methods with no tooling or cycle time modifications.
“Circularity without compromise.”
“We are constantly evaluating ways to reduce our carbon footprint without sacrificing performance,” said Neil Baxter who spearheaded the pilot in Spain. “Our team was able to integrate Verretex’s recycled textile seamlessly, and the resulting test blades met the strength and durability requirements essential for wind turbine performance. This shows thereal-world potential of recycled composites in renewable energy manufacturing.”
“A clear path to low-carbon blades.”
“This pilot validates Verretex as a true drop-in solution for blade makers,” said Mitchell Anderson, CEO & Co-founder ofVerretex. “We regenerate textiles from end-of-life and production scrap glass fibers to create virgin-like, low-carbon materials that fit existing production, no retraining, no retooling.”
CO₂ Emissions Hotspot: Spotlight from the LCA
A recent Life‑Cycle Assessment (LCA) of glass‑fiberfabrics conducted by TECH‑FAB Europe (via PwC) revealed that the production of the glass fiber itself is responsible for 89% of the carbon footprint of the final fabric, from raw material extraction to the factory gate.
By avoiding the need to reproduce new glass fiber, thanks toVerretex's regeneration process, the pilot unlocks significant carbon savings and tackles the most impactful stage of the product lifecycle.
Performance & Manufacturability
- Drop‑in compatibility confirmed: The trial at Ryse’s Spain facility required no alterations to the production equipment or schedule.
- Strength targets achieved: Blades produced during the pilot met Ryse’s rigorous strength and stiffness standards for small wind turbine applications.
- Compliance with IEC standards: These turbines are designed to comply with IEC 61400‑2, the standard for small wind turbine safety and durability.
Commitment to Circularity
- Verretex repurposes end‑of‑life and production scrap glass fibers into new, high‑quality textiles, without requiring the energy-intensive remelting of glass fiber, advancing the circular composites economy.
- Ryse Energy plans to integrate these circular materials across its global footprint, from production facilities in Spain, Europe, and the US, aligning renewable energy manufacturing with low-carbon, circular principles.
Next Steps
Following the success of this Spain-based pilot, Verretex is planning to scale its production capacity to meet customer demand and bring costs in line with industry standards. Once volumes and price allow, Ryse Energy plans to move into scaled production on turbine models to reduce their carbon footprint savings at commercial volume.
