Wind energy is an important part of Europe’s shift to clean power, with €45 billion raised for new wind projects across the region in 2025. But that investment comes with a sustainability challenge: today’s wind turbine blades are made of fibreglass, a material that is difficult to recycle.
Around 78 per cent of decommissioned blades end up buried in landfills, raising serious environmental and cost concerns for the industry.
To tackle this challenge, Germany's Voodin Blade Technology and three partners have secured a €48.18 million grant from the EU Innovation Fund for the Voodin Blade 1st Factory (VB1F) project.
The initiative will scale the production of fully recyclable wind turbine blades made from Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL), replacing conventional composite materials with engineered wood.
The consortium comprises project coordinator VMG Wood Invest and VMG Technics from Lithuania, together with Germany's Voodin Blade Technology and Anker-Tec.
Voodin Blade Technology has developed a fully automated, mold-free manufacturing process, which can produce wooden wind turbine blades anywhere in the world where clean energy is needed.
This approach avoids the limitations of centralised factories and enables blade production with less specialised labour and investment.
“Our manufacturing system is designed for fast-scale deployment,” says Tom Siekmann, Co-Founder and CEO of Voodin Blade Technology.
“By enabling local blade production, we can help build stronger, more resilient European supply chains, reduce dependence on overseas manufacturing, and accelerate the deployment of wind energy where it is needed most. Our approach is designed for both scale and flexibility.”
A first-of-its-kind factory in Navarre, Spain, will be established to create an all-European sustainable supply chain in line with the European Green Deal, the Net-Zero Industry Act, and REPowerEU.
VB1F as the first automated, mold-free wind turbine blade factory in Spain
Launched in 2031, the Navarre facility will produce up to 160 sets of blades per year, supporting the manufacture of wind turbines that can collectively generate around 13.5 million MWh of electricity over a decade. The process relies on advanced automation in a fully electric, mold-free environment, enabling flexible production without retooling for each new blade design.
The operation is expected to support about 450 local jobs at full capacity. The technology not only removes supply bottlenecks but also helps meet Europe’s ambitious energy and climate targets.
The plant can be licensed and replicated in other regions worldwide.
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