EuReComp: Advancing the Circular Economy in Composite Materials Across Europe

The EuReComp project continues to lead the way in building a circular future for composite materials, with remarkable developments in recent months. From high-profile workshops and major event participation to pioneering demonstrators and key research publications, the project is reinforcing its impact across research, industry, and policy.

3rd EuReComp Workshop: Collaboration in Action

On March 19, 2025, EuReComp hosted its 3rd Workshop at the National Technical University of Athens, bringing together a dynamic mix of researchers, industry leaders, and EU-funded projects.

Sessions addressed real-world applications in wind blade recycling, bio-based composite materials, and multi-criteria decision-making tools for circularity. Projects such as REPOXYBLE, REFRESH, r-LightBioCom, and BLADES2BUILD contributed valuable insights, fostering interdisciplinary knowledge exchange.

With vibrant participation both in-person and online, the workshop demonstrated the growing momentum behind sustainable composite solutions.

Presence at Key European Events

EuReComp maintained a strong presence at several major events:

At JEC World 2025, partners from NTUA, AIMEN, and INEGI showcased the project’s achievements and vision to global composites stakeholders.

During EU Industry Days 2025, the project’s booth generated strong interest in its approach to end-of-life composite management through reuse, repurpose, and recycling.

At IndTech 2025, project coordinator Kate Trombeta (NTUA) shared EuReComp's progress and innovative technologies with fellow leaders in industrial sustainability.

Recent Webinars & Digital Outreach

EuReComp recently concluded its 6th Webinar, titled "The Digital Leap: Enhancing End-of-Life Recovery with Digital Product Passports", featuring speakers from Circularise, Dallara, and B&T Composites. This session explored how DPPs can improve transparency and traceability across product lifecycles.

The 5th Webinar, which took place in February 2025, focused on "Inspection and Identification Technologies for Composite Recycling", with insightful contributions from Camilo Prieto and Miguel Gómez Fernández of AIMEN.

These knowledge-sharing sessions are complemented by the release of the 5th EuReComp Newsletter, highlighting:

• WP4’s innovations in solvolysis-based recycling.
• WP7’s launch of an interactive e-learning platform to support circularity training across generations and sectors.

From Waste to Innovation: The Floating PV Demonstrator

A standout achievement was the repurposing of end-of-life wind turbine blades into a fully functional floating photovoltaic platform. The demonstrator:

• Uses 3.6m blade segments as floating supports.
• Replaces aluminum frames with sustainable FRP beams made from recycled materials.
• Was successfully tested for water stability.

Led by INEGI, HTWK Leipzig, and AIMEN, this proof-of-concept illustrates how circularity can be transformed into tangible, high-value applications.

New Research Contributions

Recent peer-reviewed publications demonstrate EuReComp’s scientific impact:

• “Computational Fluid Dynamics as a Digital Tool for Enhancing Safety Uptake in Advanced Manufacturing Environments” (Materials MDPI) explores a Safe-by-Design strategy to improve recycling process safety.
• “Performance Restoration of Chemically Recycled Carbon Fibres Through Surface Modification with Sizing” presents promising methods to enhance the performance of recycled carbon fibres, making them viable for demanding reuse applications.
• “Business Guidance on Conformity Assessment of Reuse and Repair for Aeronautics and Wind Energy” outlines key regulatory, economic, and technical frameworks for scaling composite reuse practices across sectors.

Team Spotlights: People Behind the Progress

EuReComp continues to highlight the diverse expertise driving its success:

• Stratos Saliakas (IRES) leads Work Package 6 on safety and environmental evaluation, developing a holistic framework to assess composite recycling technologies.
• Andreia Araújo (INEGI) contributes through the development of advanced bio-based composites and large-scale repurpose demonstrators.
• Thomais Tiriakidou (B&T Composites) connects material innovation with financial and technical leadership across demonstrator development and carbon fiber reuse.
• Robert Kupfer (TU Dresden) pioneers research on water-based solvolysis and circular ecosystems, helping define scalable recycling pathways.

36-Month Review Meeting Successfully Completed

The 36-month project review took place in Athens, hosted by NTUA’s R-NanoLab, and was attended by the Project Officer George Kotsikos and Project Monitor Alexander Mark Robinson. Partners presented progress across all WPs, received valuable feedback, and aligned on priorities for the final project phase.

Looking Ahead

As EuReComp enters its final stretch, the project continues to push the boundaries of composite sustainability through collaborative innovation, hands-on demonstrations, and targeted policy engagement.

Stay tuned for more outcomes as we continue to advance the circular transformation of high-performance composite materials across Europe.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HADEA. Neither the European Union nor HADEA can be held responsible for them.