World-leader in sustainable materials, EMR, is taking another significant step towards creating an at-scale circular economy for decommissioned wind turbines by joining the influential industry body Regen, the company has announced.
After more than a decade in which policymakers oversaw a defacto ban on onshore wind in England, the industry now faces both the opportunity of rapid growth and the challenge of reaching ambitious capacity targets by 2030.
As a membership organisation with more than 200 members, Regen brings together clean energy developers, businesses, local authorities, community energy groups and research organisations across the energy sector to drive this change. The non-profit group provides technical expertise, industry research and in-depth policy insights to unlock clean energy opportunities in both the public and private sectors.
EMR is the first sustainable materials company to join Regen, helping the renewable energy sector take an important step closer to circularity.
The news follows the recent opening of EMR’s game-changing Wind Turbine Processing Centre in Glasgow, which explores ways to give a second useful life to the growing number of decommissioned renewable assets, including new uses for hard-to-recycle wind turbine blades.
With the UK government having now set a target of 30GW of onshore wind power generation by the end of the decade – and connectivity, planning and supply chain challenges remaining profound – it is likely that repowering existing wind farms with superior, new technology will play a vital role in meeting this target. Having a sustainable end-of-life route available for decommissioned assets has, therefore, quickly become a priority for the industry as a whole.
EMR has made a long-standing science-based commitment to reach net-zero by 2040 and is also innovating in a range of other areas to drive sustainability and circularity in renewable power.
The company’s new battery recycling facility in Birmingham is, for example, developing new ways to reuse powerful end-of-life electric vehicle (EV) batteries – including using them for energy storage. Regen manages the Electricity Storage Network (ESN) – an industry group which champions the grid-scale electricity storage industry – highlighting the breadth of opportunities where EMR can collaborate with Regen members.
EMR has also developed a new supply chain for reusable steel which will inform the company’s efforts to decarbonise the wind turbine industry in a similar way. Meanwhile, investment in electrified cranes, material handlers and energy-efficient shredder motors are among the many other ways EMR is delivering on its commitment to decarbonise its operations.
Charlotte Stamper – Strategic Partnerships Manager, EMR
As EMR emerges as a UK leader in managing the material pathways for this crucial technology, we’re very excited to connect with the many businesses and organisations which have joined Regen in recent years.
The UK now faces the formidable challenge of doubling its onshore wind generation – from 15GW to 30GW – by 2030, the equivalent of manufacturing, constructing, and grid connecting around 4,000 turbines in just over five years.
Repowering existing wind farms with considerably more advanced, modern wind turbines, will be a key element of meeting this target; however, this can only happen if the industry is confident that a circular economy exists for the valuable materials contained in decommissioned assets.
As the industry unites to meet these challenges together, Regen will be an essential forum and platform where EMR can make its case that such a circular economy is achievable, scalable, and cost-effective.
Hannah Stanley – Stakeholder Manager, Regen:
We’re pleased to welcome EMR to the Regen network. Their expertise in sustainable materials management comes at a crucial time for the energy sector, as we work to establish more circular pathways for decommissioned wind turbines and other renewable assets.
Meeting the UK’s onshore wind targets will require both new technology and effective end-of-life solutions for existing infrastructure. EMR’s focus on reuse and recycling aligns well with Regen’s mission to support a sustainable, resilient energy system.
