Regen Fiber opens wind turbine blade recycling facility

Regen Fiber (Fairfax, Iowa, U.S.) has hosted an opening ceremony and commenced production at the end-of-life (EOL) wind turbine blade recycling facility at its Fairfax headquarters. The facility has the potential to create an end market for wind turbine scrap while also creating recycled content solution for concrete and asphalt producers.

Owned by Travero (Fairfax), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy, Regen Fiber announced the launch of an eco-friendly wind blade recycling process in 2023. The company noted that rather than burning blades or burying them in landfills, its process shreds the blades, extracts usable components and transforms them into premium products that are used in construction materials, such as concrete, avoiding use of heat or chemicals. 

“Our process not only provides a sustainable method of disposing of wind turbine blades but also supports businesses’ in achieving their
sustainability goals and reducing the carbon footprint on construction projects that use our products,” says Lisha Coffey, president of Travero.

At the opening event, Regent Fiber officials demonstrated how the company’s recycling process supports a circular economy by repurposing blade materials for industrial applications, including concrete, mortar and asphalt. 

“Our process recycles 100% of the wind turbine blade, creating fibers and additives that enhance the durability and environmental resistance of concrete and asphalt,” adds Jeff Woods, director of business development at Travero. “This improves the structural integrity of roads and buildings,
making them more resilient.”

At full, one-shift production, Regen Fiber expects to process more than 30,000 tons of blades each year at the Fairfax facility, with the ability to increase production in the future.

In addition to its headquarters location, Regen Fiber has established strategic partnerships nationwide to further its growth and add value. These partnerships include a facility in Des Moines, Iowa, that recycles new turbine blade manufacturing scrap material, as well as a blade processing facility in Lubbock, Texas, strategically located to access blades throughout the southern U.S.