The project is the first in Spain dedicated to the complete dismantling and recycling of wind turbines. Likewise, it will recondition part of the removed elements for sale and will market the components, thus closing the complete chain of the circular economy linked to this type of renewable installations.
Spain will have to dismantle 10 GW of installed wind power in the coming years. The withdrawal of obsolete materials represents a market value of 250 million euros. To this figure, another 300 million more are added in valuation of the components.
This new initiative is part of Naturgy’s commitment to sustainability and the circular economy.
Naturgy and Ruralia, the holding company of Caja Rural de Soria, promote the first company in Spain to be dedicated to the dismantling and comprehensive recycling of wind farms. The facilities of the new company, GIRA Wind, will be located in the Soriano municipality of Almazán and will contribute to strengthening the industrial fabric of Castilla y León in the field of recycling and second life of materials.
The objective of this pioneering initiative is to recondition and value the largest possible volume of equipment, as well as components, materials and complete turbines for subsequent marketing. Among other processes, the recovery of fiberglass in blades, hub covers and hoods will be carried out to reincorporate this material into the market.
From the Almazán pilot plant, the new company will offer a circular economy project, with a complete material dismantling and recycling service; both turbines and blades; and with the recovery of components and equipment for their partial or complete reuse. As part of the initiative, alliances with other projects are also being analyzed and this business model will be replicated in other geographies, with the collaboration of local and national companies, as well as the different Administrations.
The General Director of Renewables, New Businesses and Innovation at Naturgy, Jorge Barredo, stated that “GIRA Wind was born with the aim of promoting the energy transition through the circular economy, and unlike other initiatives, it will provide a comprehensive solution to recycling and It will allow the integration of other companies and agents of the ecosystem in our value chain”.
More than 250 million euros in dismantling of wind farms in Spain
The renewal of wind farms in Spain is a reality. According to data from Ruralia, the removal needs of these renewable projects in Spain currently reach a market value of more than 250 million euros in dismantling work alone, to which another 300 million more would have to be added, which would mean the recovery of all the elements that make up wind turbines.
Currently, park owners are required to bear the costs of dismantling and transfer to landfill. However, as of 2025, most of these materials will not be accepted at these facilities, offering a great opportunity to reprocess and recycle wind turbines from fiberglass to turbines and electrical equipment.
Between 2023 and 2028, in Spain alone, it is planned to dismantle 10 GW of wind projects, while at an international level 160 GW of installed wind power will have to be dismantled between 2000 and 2004, according to data from the Association of Wind Promoters of Castilla y Lion.
Castilla y León is precisely the autonomous community with the most installed capacity in Spain and the first to address the repowering and renovation of the current park, so the location of GIRA Wind in Almazán will contribute to the economic revitalization of the area.
GIRA Wind
GIRA Wind (Integral Wind Turbine Recycling Management) will also have the participation of two industrial companies, Postelectrica Fabricación, from the materials recycling sector, and Huso 29 Renovables, dedicated to the installation and maintenance of wind farms.
The launch of this initiative comes after previous years of collaboration with the Center for the Development of Renewable Energies (CEDER) dependent on the Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT); with the universities of Alicante, Valladolid and Zaragoza; with the CIRCE Foundation and the CARTIF Technological Center, as well as with different consulting and engineering firms.
Commitment to the energy transition
This new Naturgy initiative is part of its commitment to sustainability and the circular economy, and is aligned with its 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, with which it will promote its role in the energy transition and decarbonisation.
The company has the ambitious objective of achieving emission neutrality in 2050 and an installed capacity from renewable sources close to 60%. For this, it plans to invest 14,000 million euros during the term of the Plan, of which approximately two thirds will be dedicated to promoting renewable generation, to go from the current 5.2 GW in operation to the more than 14 GW planned to be operational. in December 2025.
These investments confirm the company’s strategic shift towards a more sustainable energy mix and its commitment to the energy transition. All this, without abandoning the fundamental objectives of creating value and growth for each of the businesses, as well as the objectives in terms of ESG.
In the environmental field, the company continued with its policy of increasing emission-free production by 13.8% during 2021. It also significantly reduced direct emissions of Greenhouse Gases (GHG), by 9.1%. less than in 2020, as a result of the new installed renewable capacity and the closure of coal-fired generation plants.
