Stora Enso and Voodin Blade Technology Announce Partnership to Develop Sustainable Wind Turbine Blades

Stora Enso and Voodin Blade Technology, a German-based startup, announced on Tuesday (11-15-22) that they have signed a partnership agreement to develop sustainable wind turbine blades made of wood. Under the agreement, the two companies are committed to developing sustainable alternatives for wind turbine blades and creating a competitive and reliable supply chain.

Currently, they are producing and installing a 20-meter blade for a 0.5 MW turbine and have plans for an 80-meter blade.

Wind power blades are typically produced with fiberglass and carbon fiber, energy-intensive non-renewable plastics made from petrochemicals that cannot be easily recycled. By developing blades with sustainable wood, Stora Enso and Voodin Blades can make the blades lighter and reduced the overall dependency on fossil fuel extraction.

Stora Enso is providing 100% sustainable wood for the new blades. The first 20-meter blade will be developed using Stora Enso’s LVL, a mass timber product that has a high load-bearing capacity that easily supports largescale rotary blades. The 20-meter blade will be installed on a 0.5MW turbine near Warburg, Germany, by the end of 2022.