At Ilmatar, we are committed to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals – including the responsible use of materials and improving recycling practices.
Renewable energy plays a critical role in the clean transition. But genuine responsibility also means acknowledging and addressing the challenges that come with it. The plastic footprint of renewable energy production is one such issue, and it is drawing increasing attention.
Composite Materials as a Recycling Challenge
In renewable energy production – particularly in the manufacturing of wind turbine blades – lightweight and durable, yet hard-to-recycle, plastic composite materials are widely used.
Plastic composites consist of plastic and a reinforcing material, such as glass fibre. They may also include fillers, additives, and core materials. A wind turbine blade is a mix of plastics, glass and carbon fibres, epoxy, polyester, wood, and metals. Plastic composites are typically lightweight, corrosion-resistant, strong, durable, and low-maintenance.
Ilmatar recognises the recycling challenge and is prepared to take responsibility.
“The vast majority – up to 95% – of a wind turbine’s total mass is recyclable. The challenge lies with the blades, which are made of plastic composites. The different materials are difficult to separate, although metals can be recovered. However, the industry is aware of the issue, and significant progress has been made in developing recycling solutions,” says Antti Lehtinen, Director, Procurement.
In addition to wind turbine blades, glass fibre-reinforced plastic composites are widely used in boats, cars, and sports equipment. While not classified as hazardous waste, these materials pose significant challenges when it comes to recycling. In Finland, wind turbine blades and other composite waste are recycled by crushing them for use in cement production. Half of the crushed material replaces fossil fuels in the process, while the other half is used as raw material for cement.
“Although wind turbine structures last up to 30–40 years, we already take recycling into account. Ilmatar was the first energy company in Finland to commit to recycling all wind turbine blades using Stena Recycling’s solutions,” says Anna-Maria Palmroos, CLO, CHRO.
“Recycling technologies – such as thermal treatment and chemical decomposition – are in development. In the future, plastics can be more efficiently separated and reused. We believe increasingly effective solutions will be found to this challenge,” Palmroos continues.
The plastic content in solar panels is typically only a few percent and consists mainly of protective films and laminates. Unlike wind turbine blades, these plastics are not embedded in composite structures.
“As a responsible operator, we also recycle plastic packaging waste generated at our construction sites and offices, and we aim to minimise unnecessary plastic waste,” she adds.
Towards Truly Sustainable Energy
As we do not manufacture turbines or panels ourselves, our sustainability efforts focus especially on our supply chain. We work with suppliers who are developing more recyclable solutions and are committed to material traceability.
“The energy of the future must not only be fossil-free – it must also avoid unnecessary environmental risks. That’s why we continuously assess how different parts of our supply chain can support less plastic-intensive and truly sustainable energy production,” Lehtinen concludes.
