100% recycled fiberglass fabric can replace virgin fabric in wind turbine blades
A joint project between Verretex and Ryse Energy has demonstrated that 100% recycled glass fiber fabric can replace virgin fabric in wind turbine blades. The pilot project validated its "plug-and-play" compatibility, strength specifications, and circular carbon reduction benefits.
Verretex, a recycled glass fiber fabric innovator incubated by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), raised a total of CHF 150,000 (approximately US$169,705 at the time) in funding in February 2025. Ryse Energy, a global manufacturer of small wind turbines and off-grid hybrid systems, announced on September 2 that it had successfully completed a pilot study demonstrating that Verretex's 100% recycled glass fiber fabric can serve as a "plug-and-play" alternative to traditional virgin glass fiber fabric in wind turbine blade manufacturing.
The pilot project, conducted at Ryse Energy's production facility in Spain, was led by Neil Baxter, a composites technology expert at Ryse Energy. Trials have demonstrated that Veritex's recycled fabric can be processed using Les' existing blade layup and curing processes, without requiring adjustments to tooling or production cycles.
The resulting blades not only meet Les' stringent strength and stiffness standards for small wind turbine applications, but also comply with IEC 61400-2, the safety and durability standard for small wind turbines.
"We are constantly exploring ways to reduce our carbon footprint without sacrificing performance," said Neil Baxter, who led the Spanish pilot project. "Our team seamlessly integrated Veritex's recycled fabric, resulting in a test blade that met the core strength and durability requirements for wind turbine performance. This demonstrates the real-world potential of recycled composites in renewable energy manufacturing."
"This pilot demonstrates that Veritex can offer blade manufacturers a true 'plug-and-play' solution," said Mitchell Anderson, CEO and co-founder of Veritex. "We recycle fabric from end-of-life and production waste glass fiber to create a low-carbon material with properties close to virgin, which can be integrated into existing production lines without retraining staff or modifying equipment."
"Balancing Circularity with Performance"
A recent life cycle assessment (LCA) of glass fiber fabric conducted by European Tech-Fab (through PwC) revealed that the production of the glass fiber itself accounts for 89% of the final fabric's carbon footprint.
By eliminating the need to produce new glass fiber, the Veritex and Rice Energy pilot project achieved significant carbon reductions. Notably, Veritex's recycling process eliminates the need for remelting the glass fiber, a highly energy-intensive process.
Veritex is currently planning to expand its recycled glass fiber production capacity to meet customer demand and achieve competitive costs.
Rice Energy will then integrate this recycled material into its global supply chain (including its production sites in Spain, Europe, and the United States) and scale up production for these turbine models.