A consortium made up of German companies Voodin Blade Technology and Anker-Tec, together with Lithuanian firms VMG Wood Invest and VMG Technics, is planning to build a pioneering wind-turbine wooden blade factory in Navarra. The projected investment exceeds €100 million, and the project has secured €48.18 million in funding from the European Union’s Innovation Fund.
A fully recyclable material as an alternative to fibreglass
Named VB1F, the future plant would specialise in manufacturing wind-turbine blades made from laminated veneer lumber (LVL), a material that, according to its backers, will make it possible to produce fully recyclable components as an alternative to traditional fibreglass blades.
Voodin Blade Technology notes that the wind industry has built a $50 billion market on a material that cannot be recycled due to its structure, meaning around 78% of decommissioned fibreglass blades end up in landfill. With the VB1F project, the company is proposing an alternative: fully recyclable wooden turbine blades, produced without moulds and through a fully automated process.
Up to 450 local jobs and capacity for 160 blade sets a year
The consortium expects the facility to become operational in 2031 and to reach a production capacity of up to 160 blade sets a year. According to its estimates, the project will generate around 13.5 million MWh of electricity over the next decade and avoid the emission of more than 2.4 million tonnes of CO2, as well as creating around 450 local jobs.
Source: Navarra Capital