Ming Yang unveils world’s first fully recyclable wind turbine blade

Chinese energy company Ming Yang Smart Energy has unveiled the MySE23X, the world’s first fully recyclable carbon fiber wind turbine blade, measuring over 110 meters in length. This innovation addresses a significant environmental challenge in the wind energy sector: the difficulty of recycling turbine blades made from composite materials. Unlike conventional blades, which are permanently bonded and typically end up in landfills or as low-value filler, Ming Yang’s blade employs a novel chemical degradation process that operates at ambient temperature and pressure to dissolve the resin binding the fibers. This allows the recovery and reuse of high-value carbon fiber in new turbines or other applications, potentially reducing the estimated 43 million tonnes of blade waste expected by 2050. The MySE23X blade uses pultruded carbon fiber panels, which are lighter and stronger than traditional fiberglass, making it suitable for the most powerful offshore turbines where weight is critical. Ming Yang’s development is part of a broader industry trend toward circularity and sustainability, with competitors like Siemens Gamesa