JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #108 - October 2016 - 32

WIND ENERGY recycling
Focus

Fig. 2:
The first new-generation
wind turbine blade

Expected results
- Innovation: Effiwind will constitute a major technological innovation for the wind
turbine sector. Lowering the weight of the
blades will make it possible to increase rotor efficiency with more lightweight blades
or, for equal weight, longer ones.
- Economic and social: thermoplastic composites can be more easily repaired and
facilitate maintenance operations. These
benefits can then lead to lower operational
costs and a potentially important impact
on the value chain.
- Environment: the environmental benefits
will affect the entire life cycle of the blades
and nacelles: lower material consumption,
a manufacturing process that avoids exposure to toxic or otherwise harmful products; easier repair and recyclability.

Application and upgrade
Effiwind technology will be applicable
to all large composite parts. The first
upgrade products will be the blades for
the retrofit market (replacing parts on a
wind turbine but maintaining its initial
configuration) and the nacelle covers of
offshore wind turbines.
Over the medium and long term, markets like extra-large land-based and offshore wind turbines will be targeted.
A coordinator involved
in composites
Canoe contributes its know-how in the
acrylic resin infusion process to this
project, thereby ensuring the feasibility
of the process. Using its experience with
this manufacturing technique, the plat-

Your partner at the heart
of an innovation network
Canoe is a technology transfer platform created
in France in 2009 at the initiative of the Aquitaine
Regional Authorities. This centre for research
and technological innovation focuses on the development of innovative organic nanostructured
composite and coating technologies.
Canoe promotes technology transfer and the
development of industrial supply chains (from
raw material to finished product) that integrate
SMEs and large groups in the field of aeronautics, transport (automotive, yachting) and renewable energy (photovoltaics, wind power, green
chemistry).

form is enabling the creation of a new
generation of wind turbine blades by
validating the different infusion strategies for recyclable acrylic resin.
In an extension of the project, Canoe is
partnering with Arkema and Plastinov
for two projects: Reverplast, a state-approved project under the first four dossiers of state commitments for ecologically
sustainable growth that aims to create the
first recycling stream for acrylic thermoplastic materials for the automotive, wind
energy, photovoltaic, and boating markets; and the Porcinette demonstration
platform project on energy transition.
More information:
www.plateforme-canoe.com
www.ademe.fr

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jec composites magazine / No108 October 2016

http://www.plateforme-canoe.com http://www.ademe.fr http://www.netzsch.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #108 - October 2016