Accelerating circular solutions for wind turbine blades with SMART-Blades
Turning decommissioned wind turbine blades into valuable structural elements through smarter modelling and rapid testing.
The offshore wind sector faces a growing challenge: how to deal with the increasing volume of decommissioned wind turbine blades. Within the GROW programme, the SMART-Blades project addresses this by focusing on advanced modelling and rapid testing of end-of-life blades.
The project SMART-Blades, which stands for: Swift Modelling And Rapid Testing of Decommissioned Blades, aims to develop efficient methods to assess the structural behaviour and reuse potential of decommissioned blades. By developing a standardised testing protocol, SMART-Blades enables blade reuse on a large scale through faster and more reliable decision-making on second-life applications.
From waste to value As more turbines reach the end of their lifetime, sustainable solutions for blade materials are becoming increasingly urgent. SMART-Blades improves insight into blade characteristics, helping to determine how and where blades can be reused.
The project is carried out by TU Delft and InfraBlades, combining academic expertise with practical innovation in blade reuse.
Towards a circular wind industry By linking modelling and rapid testing through a standardised testing protocol, SMART-Blades contributes to smarter design strategies and more efficient handling of decommissioned blades—enabling reuse on a large scale and supporting the transition towards a circular offshore wind sector.
More information is available on the SMART-Blades project page:
