RAREPlastic offers an alternative end-of-life to landfill within the wind energy sector.

RAREPlastic is a €100k funded project which is being funded under the Green Enterprise: Innovation for a Circular Economy programme by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).

RAREPlastic aims to develop an innovative manufacturing process that uses recyclable reinforced plastic for producing wind turbine blades using:

• ÉireGP – glass fibre reinforced polypropylene.
• ÉC patented heated mould tooling for thermoforming the final product.

RAREPlastic aligns with plastic waste prevention in supporting the circular economy in Ireland by:

• Manufacturing wind turbine blades with a novel glass fibre reinforced polypropylene which is recyclable at end of life instead of traditional non-recyclable glass fibre reinforced polymers.
• Using modified thermoplastic materials allow for components to be repaired and then remoulded at high temps (180°C) with the potential to be remoulded into different high-value products.
• ÉireGP technology allows for one-shot blade consolidation which eliminates the need to adhesively bond blade-subcomponents together..

The new process also reduces waste during the kitting of the glass fibres.