Today I would like to talk to you about a problem that is increasingly being discussed, but which still surprises many people: what happens to the blades of the wind turbines when they are no longer useful? Because yes, they also “retire”, and when they do, they generate waste that is difficult to manage.
We all agree that wind energy is a marvel. It´s clean, renewable and a great ally against climate change. But, like almost everything in life, it also has its B side. The first thing that comes to mind when we think of a wind turbine, are those huge blades spinning in the wind to give us electricity without polluting. And yes, that´s great…while they´re working. The problem comes when these blades reach the end of their useful life and have to be disposed of. Then, what was a brilliant solution becomes a headache. And a big one at that. Becasue these paddles are designed to resist everything: wind, rain, sun, snow…That´s why they are light and very resistant, thanks to the materials they are made of: composite materials (fibreglass and resins) and balsa wood. The disadvantage is that, precisely because of these resistant materials, they aren´t easy to recycle. And of course, the question is inevitable: what we do with them?
For you to have an idea of the size of the problem, at the end of 2024 in Spain alone, there were 1,371 wind farms spread across 828 municipalities, with no less than 22,210 wind turbines and more than 65,000 installed blades1. And watch out, because almost 35% of these wind turbines were commissioned before 2002, which means that they have already exceed 20 years of useful life, which is usually between 15 and 25 years. In other words, in the coming years we will be faced with a veritable avalanche of blades that will have to bel dismantled and managed.
“In Spain, at the end of 2024, there were 1,371 wind farms with 22,210 wind turbines and more than 65,000 installed blades”
What if we look beyond our borders? In Europe, it´s estimated that by 2050, the volume of blades waste will generate more than 2 million tons per year, and that the cumulative total could reach 43 million of tons2. All these tonnes are best understood if we remember that a single badle can measure more than 50 metres and weigh around 6 tonnes- almost nothing! Tons and tons of badles that we can not simply sweep under the carpet (or rather in the landfill). And no, that´s obviously not a good option, nor is it sustainable. And the most worrying thing: there is still no generalised solution for all that material.
And in this is where our work comes in. At CARTIF, we have been working precisely on this, on finding a second life for these blades. One of the projects in which I have participated is called LIFE REFIBRE, and in it we have developed equipment to mechanically recycle these blades. What we do is crush them under very controlled conditions to recover the glass fibre they contain. And what do we do with that fibre? Well, we have incorporated it into asphalt road mixes. And it works! It provides extra properties that improve the durability of the road surface. So not only do we prevent this waste from ending up in landfill, but we also give added value to the roads, being a clear example ofcircular economy.
What is interesting is that there is no a single way to recycle these blades. In addition to mechanical recycling, at CARTIF we have also investigated other more advanced and promising ways, such as pyrolysis and chemical recycling.Pyrolisis is a thermal process in which the blades are heated in the absence of oxygen, which allows the resins to be broken down without burning them. This process produces gases, liquids and glass fibres. The gases and liquids can be recovered energetically, and the glass fibres are practically free of resin. At CARTIF we have worked on optimising the process conditions to maximise fibre recovery with its mechanical properties as intact as possible. On the other hand, chemical recycling consists of applying specific reagents to selectively degrade the resins and thus separate the glass fibres without damaging them and better preserving their structural properties. This allows them to be reused in higher valued-added applications, such as new composite materials, automotive componentes, etc. Both techniques present challenges, such as energy efficiency, by-products recovery or industrial scalability, but their potential is huge. Obtaining glass fibres without resin opens the door to reuse them in much more demanding products. At CARTIF we continue to investigate these avenues because we firmly believe that the future lies in solutions that not only avoid landfill, but also transform a complex waste into a valuable resource.
The important thing is not to look the other way and think about what happens when the mill stops turning. Because blades are not to be uses and thrown away, nor are they to be buried in disguise. They also deserve a second life, and that is why we need solutions that are truly sustainable and circular. And, from my experience, I can assure you that you can find them. Because yes, blades also have the right to a dignified retirement…..and a sustainable one.
1 Spanish eolic association/ Eolic Report 2024. The sector voice
2 Wind energy in Europe/ 2024 Statistics and the outlook for 2025-2030
When an organisation decides to invest in innovation, it often activates not only a technical or strategic process, but also an internal dynamic that complicates decision-making. What at first appears to be a clear commitment soon becomes a chain of uncertainties, cross-validations and multiple opinions. It is as if the organisational chart stretches vertically and widens horizontally. Where once there was a clear direction, new levels of decision-making appear… more departments are involved… new voices feel the need to evaluate, question or even redefine the proposal. And while this cross-cutting interest in innovation processes shows that the subject matters, it also introduces noise, friction and, often, paralysis… so much analysis!!!!
Innovation managers know this all too well. They face the daily challenge of justifying why it is necessary to invest in an idea that has not yet shown a return, and explaining why it is not possible to continue doing the same old thing, even if it seems safer. They live with tight budgets, uncertain timelines and the need to align expectations with multiple stakeholders, each with their own vision of what it means to ‘innovate’.
In this context, many key decisions end up depending more on the mood of the day than on the strategic logic that should support the decision. Innovation then becomes a sort of corporate game of chance. Like when, as children, we used to pluck a daisy to find out if someone loved us:
Generate by artificial intelligence
‘Now they approve of me… now they don’t. Now they see it clearly… now they don’t. Now we invest… now we don’t’.’
Although it may seem anecdotal, this dynamic has real consequences. Innovation cannot depend on chance, nor on a succession of subjective ‘yeses’ or ‘noes’. Because while there is doubt, the market moves on, opportunities expire, technologies consolidate and the one that improves competitiveness is someone else. And the most worrying thing is that when this logic is repeated many times, it ends up discouraging the teams that drive innovation from within. Frustration builds up, motivation drops, and what could have been a culture of change towards organisational prosperity becomes a culture of restraint and unease.
This is where technology centres play a key role. Our mission is not to replace business decision-making, but to reduce the risk that surrounds it. We act as agents that provide objectivity, knowledge and technical validation in the different phases of innovation projects:
We develop proofs of concept to anticipate the viability of a solution before a large investment is made.
We provide data and evidence to support decisions with greater confidence.
We connect science and technology with the real challenges of the productive fabric.
We create safe experimentation environments, where it is possible to fail quickly and cheaply, learn and adjust before scaling up.
In short, we help transform those ‘no’s’ born of fear or uncertainty into ‘yes’s’ backed by knowledge and long-term vision. But in addition to technical support, we help with something equally important: building organisational trust in innovation.
“Technology centres helps on building organisational trust in innovation”
We help to create the necessary framework of trust in the innovation teams that already exist within the company, so that little by little the cultural change that the markets are demanding can be created. We create confidence in the innovation teams: in their judgement, in their knowledge of the business and in their ability to explore, test and build new solutions.
Because innovation should not require redesigning the organisational chart every time something new is proposed. It should not multiply approval levels or cause a cascade of unnecessary revisions. If something has to change in the structure of a company as a result of an innovation project, it should be to enter a new market, launch a new line of business, or scale a differential product that did not exist before.
Innovation processes are not born to complicate the structure of an organisation and much less to complicate the people who are part of the organisation. Innovation will prepare you for the future. And for this, the formula is clear: autonomy, method and expert support. Innovation is not a luxury or a risky bet. It is a strategic necessity to remain relevant. And like any strategy, it must be managed with rigour, with structure and with allies that provide real value. That is what we at the technology centres are here for: to walk alongside those who are leading change, to reduce uncertainty and to help turn good ideas into tangible results.
Innovate for you, innovate for me, innovate for all of us
In a world seeking to reduce its carbon footprint and move towards a circular economy, anaerobic microorganisms are emerging as key players in the fight against climate change. These organisms, which thrive in environments without oxygen, have been used for decades in processes such as anaerobic digestion for waste treatment and biogas production. However, their potential goes far beyond this. Thanks to advances in biotechnology, anaerobic microorganisms are emerging as key tools for industrial decarbonisation through innovative processes such as gas fermentation, where they can transform CO2 or CO into high value-added products.
Heavy industries, such as steel, concrete and petrochemicals, generate large amounts of CO2 and CO as a by-product of their processes. Traditionally, these gases have been released into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. However, synthetic biology and biotechnology have opened up a new avenue to harness these emissions and convert them into valuable products through the action of specialised anaerobic micro-organisms.
Anaerobic bacteria, such as Clostridium, Moorella and Acetobacterium, can use CO2 and CO as a carbon source and transform them into organic compounds via specialised metabolic pathways. This process, known as gas fermentation, facilitates the conversion of industrial emissions into renewable chemicals, fuels and biomaterials, promoting a more sustainable economy. For example, Acetobacterium woodii and Moorella thermoacetica are acetogenic bacteria capable of converting CO2 in acetic acid, a key input for the chemical and food industry, while species as Clostridium Ijundahlii can produce acetate and ethanol, making them a viable alternative for the generation of biofuels and other products of industrial interest.
Image of Clostridium autoethanogenum growing from CO2/CO as a source of C.
In addition to ethanol or acetic acid, anaerobic bacteria are capable of generating other compounds of interest such as butanol, acetone and other organic acids like formic, propionic or butyric acid. These products are key in the manufacture of plastics, solvents and other chemical compounds with high industrial demand.
Biopolymers and bioplastics represent another promising avenue. Cupriavidus necator can transform CO2 into bioplastic precursors such as polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), biodegradable materials that provide a sustainable alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics.
Finally, single-cell proteins obtained from CO2 can be produced by various species of hydrogenotrophs, which convert gases such as CO2 and hydrogen into protein-rich biomass. These microbial proteins can be used as an alternative source for animal and even human food, contributing to global food security and reducing pressure on traditional agricultural resources.
“These microbial proteins can be used as an alternative source for animal and even human food”
The use of anaerobic microorganisms for the conversion of CO2 into valuable products offers multiple advantages. In first place, it reduces industrial emissions, mitigating the environmental impact of highly polluting sectors. In addition, it allows a sustainable production of chemical compounds and fuels without relying on fossil resources or agricultural crops.
Industrial gas fermentation processes already exist today and are proving their viability. For example, the company LanzaTech has developed technologies based on acetogenic bacteria to transform CO2 and CO into ethanol and other chemicals, using waste gases from the steel industry. This technology has been implemented in countries such as China and Belgium, where operational industrial plants have successfully converted emissions into biofuels and renewable materials. Another case is Carbon Recycling International (CRI), which uses microorganisms in Iceland to convert CO2 into methanol, a key compound in the chemical and transport industry.
However, despite its enormous potential, the implementation of gas fermentation on an industrial scale faces technical and economic challenges. These include optimising bioprocesses to improve CO2 conversion efficiency, reducing operating costs and developing bioreactors suitable for large-scale production. In addition, it is necessary to advance in the design of genetically modified microorganisms that can maximise the conversion of CO2 into specific products of industrial interest.
The Biotechnology and Sustainable Chemistry area of CARTIF has developed during the last years an intense research activity around gas fermentation technology and the management of anaerobic microorganisms. Specifically, the execution of R&D projects such as BioSFerA or CO2SMOShas allowed us to position ourselves in the European panorama as an entity capable of working successfully with this peculiar class of microorganisms and to specifically optimise their growth conditions in pressurised bioreactor, in order to increase production yields of various compounds such as acetic acid, ethanol or 2,3-butanediol.
As research and development continues to advance, these microorganisms will play an even m
ore fundamental role in the transition towards a more sustainable industry and a society with less environmental impact.
Rural territories often struggle with challenges that can hold back their growth and development. Infrastructure gaps, limited job opportunities, environmental risks, and the need for greater social inclusion are just some of the issues they face. However, they now have the chance to take control of their future and actively shape a more sustainable and thriving community, through the RURACTIVE project that CARTIF’s Heritage Area is part of.
A significant tool provided by RURACTIVE is the Adaptive Monitoring Programme. This is not just about collecting data – it is about understanding the rural territories reality and ensuring that the solutions they implement truly benefit their region in the long run.
A clear picture of where they stand
Before Dynamos (the regional units of the project) can plan for a better future, they need to understand where they stand today. That is exactly what the Dynamo Baseline does. It provides a snapshot of a rural territory’s social, economic, environmental, and cultural conditions. With 136 key indicators, they can finally see the full picture of their strengths and challenges, from employment trends to biodiversity levels. This baseline is not a one-size-fits-all approach – it is tailored to a specific situation. It helps rural territories compare their progress with regional, national, and even European benchmarks, ensuring that they are aligned with broader development goals.
A smarter way to identify and solve problems
The Monitoring Programme allows us to go beyond just identifying problems. It helps us track their evolution and detect early warning signs before they become serious crises. The Early Warning Indicators (EWIs) play a crucial role in this, giving us the ability to act before issues like economic decline or environmental degradation get out of control.
By continuously refining our list of indicators and including new, relevant ones, we ensure that the monitoring system remains flexible and adaptive. This means that as a region evolves, its ability to respond to new challenges also improves.
Empowering communities with data and knowledge
A major advantage of participating in RURACTIVE is that rural territories are not alone in this process. Through the RURACTIVE Digital Hub, Dynamos have access to a shared platform where they can visualize and analyse all collected data. This not only makes progress more transparent but also helps local leaders and citizens actively participate in shaping development strategies.
Moreover, the project encourages a participatory approach, meaning that community members, local businesses, and organizations all have a voice in defining priorities and evaluating progress. By engaging with this programme, rural territories gain stronger decision-making power based on real, measurable evidence.
Fig 1. Adaptive monitoring programme
The Figure shows the whole process when a Dynamo gets to the RURACTIVE Ecosystem and the Adaptive Monitoring Programme is applied. First, a complete baseline is developed describing the Dynamo’s current situation, based on the values of the Key Rural Empowerment Indicators (KREI). This modular baseline includes an extensive list of available indicators, but adapts to the specific conditions of the Dynamo being analysed. With the collected information a Dynamo situation diagnosis is elaborated, helping to identify the challenges and define the possible solutions that will be later used in the Local Action Plan (LAP). Next step is to fine tune the list of indicators, or even include new specific indicators adapted to the solutions, and identify which will be the early warning indicators (EWI). The Monitoring Tool manages data collection and processing, supporting the periodic reporting on the LAP evolution and Dynamo’s continuous consultations.
Building a stronger, more resilient dynamo
Joining RURACTIVEand using its monitoring tools is not just about tracking numbers -it is about transforming a region into a place that is more connected, resilient, and prosperous. With a structured, data-driven approach, rural territories can design strategies that truly work for them, ensuring that innovation, sustainability, and inclusion are at the heart of their development.
For a Dynamo, this is not just another project – it is an opportunity to take charge of its progress, backed by knowledge, collaboration, and cutting-edge tools.
Co-author
Maya Tasis. Graduated in Technical Industrial Mechanical Engineering by the Oviedo Unviersity. She has experience in the challenging sector of automotion, coordinating industrial works, international projects and management of multidisciplinar equipment. Researcher at CARTIF, where she collaborates in international projects of improvement of industrial processes and projects of the Natural and Cultural Heritage area.
In the world of software development, interoperability is the ability of different devices, systems, and applications to work together in a coordinated manner, much like musicians in the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, regardless of their origin or technology. This concept is essential in digital transformation, where systems, such as a robotic application, must integrate with multiple platforms, including robotic control systems, artificial intelligence solutions, and industrial IT management platforms like ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) or MES (Manufacturing Execution System).
The primary goal is to facilitate real-time data exchange for smarter decision-making. Interoperability plays a crucial role in robotics by enabling seamless integration between heterogeneous industrial production systems and digital platforms.
Benefits of interoperability
Adopting interoperability technologies in robotic application development brings multiple advantages, including:
Intelligent asset management and remote monitoring of robots and machine tools, allowing centralized, real-time control of distributed systems.
Optimized decision-making: With real-time data availability, organizations can enhance their responsiveness to unexpected events and optimize workflows.
Scalability and modularity: Enabling the integration of new technologies, sensors, and robots without the need for complete system redesigns, supporting adaptability to future industrial needs.
Cost and downtime reduction in production lines through the integration of heterogeneous systems, minimizing setup times and allowing quick reconfiguration and process flexibility in dynamic environments.
Predictive maintenance and resource optimization: Using AI-based models to anticipate failures, optimize spare part usage, and extend equipment lifespan without compromising productivity.
FIWARE as an interoperability enabler
For robotic systems to integrate efficiently, they must be compatible with standardized platforms that enable intelligent data management and communication. FIWARE, which we work with in the ARISE project, is a set of technologies, architectures, and standards that accelerate the development and deployment of open-source solutions. As a leading technology in the European Union, FIWARE primarily contributes to the creation of interoperable tools and services for real-time data management and analysis, ensuring persistence, flexibility, and scalability, thereby enabling the development of customized applications without excessive costs.
Another key value proposition is its multi-sector nature. FIWARE’s standardized reference components and architectures allow any solution designed for a specific sector—such as manufacturing, logistics, or services—to be inherently interoperable with other verticals, including energy management, mobility, or emerging data spaces.
In ARISE, we develop robotic applications for human-robot interaction by integrating our ARISE middleware (a middleware solution that incorporates Vulcanexus, ROS2, FIWARE, and ROS4HRI) into four experimental environments. These environments explore connected robotic solutions with FIWARE in an Industry 5.0 scenario. One of these environments is in CARTIF, a laboratory for testing and validating technology in controlled environments (TRL 4-5). Figure 1 below shows this experimental setup:
Fig 1. CARTIF testing environment
FIWARE plays a fundamental role in providing tools that enable interoperability between heterogeneous systems, ensuring seamless integration of real-time data and IoT devices, as well as dynamic data management from the operational level, allowing communication between different systems, devices, and platforms toward the analytical level. This ensures deep integration with enterprise IT/OT infrastructures (see Figure 2):
Fig 2. ARISE middleware ecosystem
Designing a FIWARE architecture and key components
The design of a FIWARE architecture follows a modular approach, where components are integrated according to application needs. The architecture is built around its core component, the Context Broker, which manages real-time data flows. To implement FIWARE effectively, it is recommended to follow these steps:
Define the use case: identify the application’s objectives and requirements.
Select the appropriate architecture: include the Context Broker, IoT Agents, and other components as needed, converting heterogeneous protocols into FIWARE-compatible data. For example, the OPC-UA IoT Agent enables real-time management of data collected in industrial environments, facilitating interoperability with other systems.
Integrate devices and systems: connect sensors, robots, or other systems via OPC-UA, MQTT, or other protocols.
Implement security and access control: use Keyrock and PEP Proxy to ensure data protection, authentication, and access control.
Store and analyze data: utilize Cygnus, Draco, or QuantumLeap for valuable insights, historical data storage, persistence, and Big Data analysis.
Deploy in the cloud or local environments: consider FIWARE Lab or private infrastructure for hosting services.
Monitoring and optimization: evaluate system performance and improve integration with platforms like AI-on-Demand or Digital Robotics. Wirecloud enables the creation of custom visual dashboards, facilitating easy integration with applications like Grafana and Apache Superset.
Fig 3. FIWARE architecture modules and application example
At CARTIF, we continue to invest in these technologies to build a future where system and platform collaboration is the key to success. Recently, we joined the FIWARE iHubs network under the name CARTIFactory. As an official iHub, it will not only promote FIWARE adoption but also serve as a reference center with its experimentation lab, fostering interoperability in robotic applications within our community and industrial ecosystem.
Interoperability is not just a technical requirement but a fundamental pillar for the success of digital transformation in industry. Technologies like FIWARE enable the connection of systems, process optimization, and the development of a flexible and scalable ecosystem. Thanks to this capability, companies can integrate artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced automation seamlessly.
Co-authors
Aníbal Reñones. Head of the Industry 4.0 Area, Industrial and Digital Systems Division
Francisco Meléndez. Robotics Expert and FIWARE Evangelist, Technical Coordinator of the ARISE Project (FIWARE Foundation)
In a previous blog post, we talked about the importance of interoperability and how it allows different systems to communicate with each other without barriers. We used the metaphor of the digital Tower of Babel to explain the challenges that arise when multiple technologies, devices and platforms try to share information without common language. In this context, one of the pillars facilitating semantic interoperability is the use of ontologies.
But what is an ontology and why is it so relevant for the digital and energy efficiency world? Let´s explain it in a simple way.
Machine language: how we understand?
To understand what an ontology is, let´s think about how human beings communicate. We do not all speak the same language, and each language has its own grammatical structure, sounds and written symbols. Even within a language, there are dialects and regional variations that can make communication more complex.
Machines and digital systems face a similar problem. Each manufacturer of sensors, devices or software may use its own “language” to represent data. One building´s air conditioning system may report the temperature in degrees Celsius, while another reports it in Fahrenheit. Some devices may call a value “room temperature”, while others simply label it “temp” o “T”. If these systems do not have a common dictionary, communication between them will be difficult or even impossible. This is where ontologies come into the picture..
What is an ontology ?
In the field of computer science and AI, an ontology is a structure that defines concepts and the relationships between them within a specific domain. In other words, it is a way of organising information so that different systems understand it in the same way.
Returning to the language analogy, an ontology is like a multilingual dictionary with clear grammatical rules. It not only establishes equivalences between concepts belonging to different languages, but also establishes the relationships between them. For example, if an ontology says that “room temperature” and “temp” means the same thing, a system using this ontology will consider both expressions as equivalent. Moreover, an ontology allows inferring new information from the knowledge that is already defined in it. That is, it not only stores data, but can also use it to infer things that weren´t explicitly written down.
To fix the concept of ontology let´s imagine a house, in which we could define:
Relationships: a door conects rooms, windows are in walls, a bathroom is a type of room….
With all this described and well formulated, an artificial intelligence could answer questions such as, can a window be on the roof? or can there be more than one door in a house?
Ontologies help machines reason about information, allowing them to understand concepts in a more structured way, and not just as loose data. In fact, ontologies are often used in intelligent search engines, robotics, chatbots, etc.
Ontologies and semantic interoperability
As mentioned in our previous post, interoperability has several dimensions: technical, syntactic, semantil and organisational. In this case, ontologies play a crucial role in semantic interoperability, ensuring that systems understand and interpret information in the same way.
Imagine a platform that manages the energy efficiency of a smart building. It receives data from multiple sensors and systems: lighting, air conditioning, electricity consumption, air quality, etc. If each of these devices uses a different way of representing the information, without an ontology to standardise this data, it would be a chaotic to try to process and analyse it in a unified way.
The use of a pre-established ontology will allow this platform to recognise that “temperature sensor”, “thermometer” and “internal climate” are related, ensuring that the information is processed in a consistent and homogeneous way.
“An ontology is a structure structure that defines concepts and the relationships between them within a specific domain”
Ontologies in everyday life and energy efficiency
Ontologies are not only a exclusive concept on digital world. In our everyday life, without knowing, we use similar structures to organize information. For example:
In a supermarket, products are organised into sections: fruits, dairy products, meat, bakery etc. This scheme helps us to find what we are looking for quickly.
In a library, books are classified by genre, author and subject, making them easier to find.
In the medical field, there are classification systems for diseases and medicines so that health professionals speak the same language.
In the field of energy efficiency, ontologies are essential to develop services that turn buildings into smart buildings capable of self-managing and optimising their consumption. By using a common ontology, different systems can exchange information without misinterpretation, allowing lighting, HVAC and other devices to work together efficiently.
In addition, ontologies allow reasoning (drawing conclusions), which facilitates the development of decision support systems to optimise energy use, reduce waste and improve the operational efficiency of buildings.
There are several projects in which CARTIF analyses and applies standard ontologies to ensure that data from different buildings are understandable and reusable in advanced digital solutions, such as the DEDALUSand DigiBUILD projects. In both projects, the use of ontologies allows the information to be unified, thus facilitating the generation of joint building automation and control strategies and decision making based on real data. Furthermore, the use of ontologies allows the different systems being developed in these projects to “speak the same language”, which means that they can easily exchange information and understandeach other, even if they have been designed by different entities or for different functions.
Through the use of ontologies, we incorporate a new technological enabler that allow us to build a more digital and sustainable future, where information flows without barriers and where buildings are truly intelligent, thus contributing to the decarbonisation and sustainability of the planet.
