Renewable Parts Ltd was established in 2011 as a supply chain specialist for the wind industry. The company is based in Argyll, Scotland. In 2018, it expanded into remanufacturing to reduce costs and lead times whilst cutting the company’s carbon footprint.
The company specialises in hydromechanical wind turbine components, including yaw gears, pitch systems and pitch rams. All components have a high steel content. Component weight is not a limiting factor in the design process.
OEMs have historically managed to extend the life span of the highest-value turbine components (gearboxes and generators). A lack of focus on the aftermarket beyond this has resulted in low levels of parts recirculation across the industry.
To remedy this, Renewable Parts has spent the past two years agitating the industry to demonstrate the benefits of :
- Improved parts availability
- Reduced lead times
- 40% reduction in component prices
- Reduction of carbon footprint
In September 2021, Renewable Parts opened its new facility, the Innovation Centre in Scotland, a development designed to advance the availability of circular economy parts solutions within the wind industry.
In May 2022, Renewable Parts signed an MoU with the University of Strathclyde on the circular economy (with the SSE renewables), and to advance the UK-based remanufacturing supply chain.
Key impacts:
In 2021, Renewable Parts Ltd activities diverted 15 tonnes of steel from scrap and landfill thanks to its remanufacturing activities, resulting in 30 tonnes of avoided CO2 emissions.
From 2019 to 2022, Renewable Parts Ltd diverted 111 tonnes of waste from landfill and saved 230 tonnes of CO2 emissions through remanufacturing.
Key takeaways:
There are benefits in moving away from a ‘winner only’ business approach to prioritising collaboration. New entrants can agitate for a ‘circular’ change in the sector, as low-agility OEMs could struggle to compete. The post-COVID market is demanding more circularity and lower carbon, with more steel expected to be retained in these loops.