ACCIONA and Holcim have produced a prototype concrete slab measuring upward of 120 m² by using an innovative low-carbon formula that incorporates materials from wind turbine blades in fiber form as a partial replacement for natural aggregates. The slab has been built at the Demopark of ACCIONA’s Technology Center, located at the company’s Central Workshops in Algete (Madrid).

The new material is based on Holcim’s own ECOPact concrete featuring ECOCycle® technology, which includes 11% recycled material in the form of recycled aggregates and, as a novel addition, shredded wind turbine blades that have reached the end of their useful life. The prototype also features ECOPlanet CEM V/A (Q-S) 42.5N cement, which has a small carbon footprint thanks to its low clinker content, resulting in a 49% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with the reference cement (sectoral EPD CEM I).

This latest example of the circular economy in action marks a key milestone within the wider European innovation project known as BLADES2BUILD; a consortium involving both companies that aims to develop new recovery pathways for composite materials sourced from wind turbines.

This initiative is closely aligned with ACCIONA’s efforts to incorporate innovative, low environmental impact materials into its projects, championing the reuse of resources and emissions reduction to offer its clients more sustainable, efficient and innovative construction solutions in line with its decarbonization strategy. 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the autor(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.