Circular Supply Chain Development for the Wind Industry

A rapid scaling from 1 TW to more than 10 TW of wind capacity is necessary until 2050 for the transformation of the energy system. As the installation of the required wind turbines will demand a significant input of materials and resources, the transition to a circular economy is seen as a promising approach to contribute to a sustainable and resilient scaling of supply chains in the wind industry. Despite, this recognition, research on circular supply chain management (CSCM) for the wind industry is rare, particularly for second lifecycle pathways of decommissioned wind turbines. In addition, understanding the circular economy pathways for rotor blades is critical to helping the industry build the recycling infrastructure for composites, which has yet to be established on an industrial scale. The study takes a first step towards understanding CSCM and circular supply chains for second lifecycle pathways through the implementation of a mixed methods research design and by exploring the mature onshore wind markets Denmark and Germany from a multi-stakeholder perspective. A systemic and multi-level conceptual framework for CSCM in the wind industry is developed that details the circular flows of wind turbines, components and materials. Furthermore, interviews are conducted with industry experts and the results of the analysis reveal that a second lifecycle for decommissioned onshore wind turbines is common in Denmark and Germany.