Iberdrola and FCC launch EnergyLOOP to recycle disused wind turbine blades.

Sara Muñoz Cortes (Navarra), June 17 (EFE).- EnergyLOOP, a company promoted by Iberdrola and FCC Enviro's subsidiary, FCC Ámbito, has inaugurated the first plant dedicated specifically to recycling wind turbine blades in the Iberian Peninsula, which aims to become a European reference center for the treatment of this waste.

Located in the Navarrese town of Cortes, the plant, which has required an investment of approximately ten million euros and is designed to process up to 10,000 tons per year, is strategically located due to its proximity to some of the country's largest wind farms and its excellent connections to other regions with major wind farms. The project has received support from the Regional Government and a grant from the IDAE, a subsidiary of the Ministry for Ecological Transition, through the Circular Repowering Perte grants.

During her speech, the President of Navarre, María Chivite, welcomed this initiative, which comes at a time, she said, when some are "self-servingly questioning" the energy model based on renewables.

According to EnergyLOOP's managing director, Federico Sanmartín, the plant "aspires to become a European reference center" for the treatment of these services, contributing to a "sustainable" value chain.

The initiative, which will create 100 direct and indirect jobs over the next decade, is open to any national or international operator that needs to recycle its blades, which reaffirms the company's commitment to sector collaboration and technological neutrality, he noted.

Why recycle shovels?

According to the latest data published by the Wind Energy Business Association (AEE), Spain's installed wind power capacity accounts for 3% of the world's total, ranking sixth in the world—behind China, the US, Germany, India, and Brazil—and second in Europe.

According to the 2025 Wind Yearbook, Spain has more than 1,400 wind farms with 22,486 wind turbines and a total installed capacity of 31,679 megawatts (MW), producing more than 59,000 gigawatt hours (GWh), consolidating its position as the leading technology in the national mix, accounting for 22.9% of all electricity generation.

To maintain its leading position, the sector advocates modernizing wind farms, both in terms of age and efficiency.

This involves repowering, that is, replacing old, lower-power equipment with new, higher-capacity, higher-performance machines.

One consequence is the need to provide a sustainable solution for the blades of replaced wind turbines, which are made of fiberglass-reinforced polyester or carbon fiber. These materials can be used in a recovery process if the blade cannot find a second life.

"The future of renewable energy must be sustainable at all stages," said FCC Enviro CEO Iñigo Sanz, who believes it is essential to promote aid for the repowering of wind farms and for the recycling of blades.

And repowering "closes the circle of the benefits of wind energy," stressed Iberdrola Spain CEO Mario Ruiz-Tagle, who assured that the company will continue investing in this type of technology.

How did the plant develop?

Three years ago, Iberdrola, through its Perseo startup program, and FCC Ámbito announced the launch of EnergyLOOP to lead the recycling of renewable energy facility components and contribute to boosting the circular economy in Spain.

The initial objective was precisely the recovery of wind turbine blade components—mostly fiberglass, carbon fibers, and resins—and their reuse in sectors such as energy, aerospace, automotive, textiles, chemicals, and construction.

The project is planned to address the various stages that enable the circularity of wind turbine blades, such as on-site pretreatment and conditioning, waste transportation logistics, recycling technologies, and the marketing of recycled products.

Last December, Iberdrola announced that it had awarded EnergyLOOP the contract to recycle the blades and manage the waste components from the Isabela and Molar de Molinar wind farms in Albacete, the energy company's first wind farms to be repowered in Spain. This involves dismantling 139 wind turbines, representing 417 blades and more than 800 tons.

Aside from wind energy, FCC Ámbito and Iberdrola signed a strategic collaboration agreement in 2024 to promote industrial-scale recycling of photovoltaic panels, committing to recovering 100% of the materials. EFE smv/grc

Photograph: Iberdrola wind turbines. EFE Archive / Julián Pérez