Héctor Dopico, founding partner and chief operating officer of The same: "CDTI and the FEDER bet they Intact to give a second life to the wind blades"

Energy transition is situated in wind energy as one of the pillars to move towards a sustainable energy model. However, this development poses new challenges, such as wind turbine blades arriving at the end of its useful life. The galician company has taken up this challenge through the project Respite, focused on exploring new technologies of recycling and recovery.

“ our goal is to transform an environmental problem into an opportunity to recover materials of high added value and move towards genuine circular economy in the wind energy sector, ” explains Héctor Dopico, founder and director of operations.

The galician company was born in Galicia in 2011 with the vocation to become a partner in the baseline environmental for industry. “ we wanted to be a reliable partner and solvent that accompanies the clients in their environmental challenges, multiplying its successes and helping to reach its objectives, ” says Dopico.

In a little over a decade, the company has evolved since the provision of engineering and consultancy turnkey projects and operation of large scale, with an annual turnover of nearly 10 million euros. Now has more than 100 professionals, a multidisciplinary team that covers multiple branches engineers to biologists and chemicals.

“ our I + D + i is a transversal attitude. We do not have a specific department, but that the technical teams involved in the development of innovative solutions, "he says the director of operations.

The company maintains long-term relationships with large customers as Endesa, Naturgy, ArcelorMittal, Ence, Inditex or Alcoa, as well as many local smes. And since 2002 had been endorsed by the group Rodonita, pioneer of the environmental sector in Galicia, as a partner.

Recycling wind blades

The Respite arises with regard to draft a growing problem: the majority of the wind turbine blades end-of-life end up in landfills. “ After decades of development, many wind turbines are reaching the end of its useful life and, at present, there is a satisfactory solution to the recycling of shovels, ” explains Dopico.

The proposal of the company is to implement the pyrolysis process, a thermal breakdown that lets you convert materials in useful products. “ The goal of Respite is recovered fibres have a quality equal to that of virgin material, so that they can be reused in sectors such as construction. In the case of oil pirolítico, can be used as manufacturing resin or even as a form of energy, ” says.

The impact is twofold: it minimizes the volume of waste destined for landfills and recover valuable resources for other industrial sectors. “ Breathing Space aiming at the heart of the sustainability and the circular economy: convert a complex waste an opportunity for material recovery with high added value ”.

Technical challenges and partnership with CETIM

As any draft r + D + i, Respite is faced with challenges. One of the most important was to optimize the pyrolysis system to minimize the need to previous separation of property. “ Research projects are never easy; always involve overcoming difficulties. In this case, the challenge is to improve the efficiency of the process to be viable industrial scale ”, points Dopico.

Collaboration with the CETIM Technology Centre is a key element. “ we work with them for many years and have a great harmony. Their experience in pyrolysis is essential to transfer knowledge to the industrial field, ” says.

Laboratory galician company Intact Environmental Management

The impetus for innovative ecosystem

The project has the support of CDTI Innovation and european funds ERDF, support has enabled the company to raise the aspirations of its proposal and accelerated development. “ For us to have that support means that the project can be implemented with a consistent with the requirements of the market. This funding is a crucial impact on the ecosystem innovative english because it encourages companies to innovate and provides ideas to be realized in real solutions, "he says the director of operations.

Beyond business profit, Dopico emphasizes the impact on society: “ Makes us more competitive and contributes to creating and maintaining qualified jobs. In Addition, in this case, resolve an environmental challenge of first level ”.

Galicia, pole of wind innovation

The fact that an sme gallega lead this project has a great strategic value. “ In spain and Galicia we are in a privileged position to develop projects linked to the wind, a technology very introduced in our territory. The solutions we develop here would have application in any part of the world, ” says.

The company has already participated in international projects in Portugal, mexico, Cuba, always be combined with creative ideas. And seeks to consolidate its expansion into new markets. “ We are convinced that we have a combination of experience and skills necessary to put forward initiatives as a Break and that can have a major impact in the european wind energy sector, ” says.

Projection of future

The strategy is to strengthen its role in the recovery of critical commodities, an area in which europe is seeking solutions to ensure its autonomy. At the same time, bet on the application of biotechnologies and bioambientales solutions in order to increase the efficiency of processes.

In this context, Breathing Space represents a first step towards a paradigm shift in the management of waste. “ In five years will see how projects such as this will have completely transformed the way the wind turbine blades. The site will be obsolete ”, Héctor Dopico anticipated.

With such initiatives, Intact confirms its founding purpose and reinforces the impact of aid under the CDTI and the FEDER as engines of development in spain, offering innovative solutions that guarantee both the industrial development as the conservation of environmental assets.

CDTI Innovation

The centre for technological development and innovation, CDTI E.P.E. is a public company under the ministry of Science, innovation and universities, whose goal is the promotion of technological innovation in business. The CDTI mission is to ensure that the business fabric english generates and transform knowledge into growth científico-técnico globally competitive, sustainable and inclusive. By 2024, within the framework of a new strategic plan, the CDTI provided more than $2.3 billion euros of support for business startups and spain.

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