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 ofsmall wind turbines and hybrid off-grid systems, today announced the successfulcompletion of a pilot study demonstrating that Verretex’s 100% recycledglass-fiber textile can be used as a drop-in replacement forconventional virgin glass-fiber fabrics in the manufacture of wind turbineblades.
The pilot was conducted at Ryse Energy’s Spanishmanufacturing facility, led by Neil Baxter, Technical CompositeSpecialist at Ryse Energy. The project successfully demonstrated thatVerretex’s recycled textile could be processed using Ryse’s existing bladelay-up and curing methods with no tooling or cycle time modifications.
“Circularity without compromise.”
“We are constantly evaluating ways to reduce our carbonfootprint without sacrificing performance,” said Neil Baxter whospearheaded the pilot in Spain. “Our team was able to integrate Verretex’srecycled textile seamlessly, and the resulting test blades met the strength anddurability 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 solutionfor blade makers,” said Mitchell Anderson, CEO & Co-founder ofVerretex. “We regenerate textiles from end-of-life and production scrap glassfibers to create virgin-like, low-carbon materials that fitexisting 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 theproduction of the glass fiber itself is responsible for 89% of the carbonfootprint of the final fabric, from raw material extraction to the factorygate.
By avoiding the need to reproduce new glass fiber, thanks toVerretex's regeneration process, the pilot unlocks significant carbon savingsand 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 isplanning to scale its production capacity to meet customer demand and bringcosts in line with industry standards. Once volumes and price allow, RyseEnergy plans to move into scaled production on turbine models to reduce theircarbon footprint savings at commercial volume.
