Circular business models and value chains for wind turbine blade end-of-life management: A roadmap for turning waste into value

Circular and sustainable business models (CSBMs) offer promising solutions to address the resource and environmental challenges related to the life cycle management (LCM) of wind turbine blades (WTB). However, most literature and industry practice focus on material and technological innovation, overlooking systemic business model transformation. This paper presents a comprehensive roadmap for implementing and upscaling CSBMs for the efficient end-of-life (EoL) management of WTBs, built upon the definition and characterisation of 15 CSBM typologies and 29 circular innovation patterns. The findings draw on a systematic review of 98 academic and industry sources, 15 expert interviews, and a stakeholder group workshop with 24 participants from 10 organisations. CSBMs are examined across five EoL phases: WTB decommissioning, recycling, material upgrading, end industrial end-use and transversal supporting businesses. For each, the key value creation mechanisms, enablers, and barriers are identified, including sustainability considerations. Subsequently, a three-phase roadmap (2025–2035) is developed to align technological readiness, policy drivers, market conditions, and required resources and competences, supporting the transition from a fragmented, landfill-dependent system to a mature, circular ecosystem. Key opportunities identified include vertical business integration, development of material passports, regional recycling hubs, and advanced recycling methods, such as low-carbon pyrolysis and green solvolysis. Strategic recommendations for industry, policymakers, and researchers to coordinate efforts and unlock circular value at scale, while also offering insights applicable to other composite-intensive sectors undergoing circular transitions, are also provided. • Review of 98 articles and reports on WTBs end of life management. • Expert input from interviews and group workshop with 24 wind industry stakeholders. • Characterisation of 15 circular business models and 29 innovations. • Proposal of strategic roadmap (2025–2035) for WTB-EoL management. • Guidelines for policy, industry and research are provided.