Adjust turbine end-of-life age and your scrap buy prices. All outputs update in real time. Prices preset to April 2026 spot (GBP).
Thousand tonnes by material, 2026–2035
£ million by material, 2026–2035
Wind turbine material intensities (t/MW installed) — vintage-dependent
The UK onshore fleet reaching end-of-life 2026–2035 was installed 2001–2015. Material intensity per MW varies with turbine class and generation. Sub-2 MW machines (dominant pre-2008) carry higher per-MW steel and lower composite than modern 3+ MW platforms.
| Deployment vintage | Class | Steel | Cast iron | Composite | Copper | Aluminium | Zinc | NdPr RE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-2005 | Sub-1.5 MW | 128 t/MW | 42 t/MW | 8 t/MW | 3.5 t/MW | 1.5 t/MW | 0.8 t/MW | — |
| 2005–2009 | 1.5–2.5 MW | 109 t/MW | 36 t/MW | 11 t/MW | 2.8 t/MW | 1.3 t/MW | 0.6 t/MW | 10 kg/MW |
| 2010–2014 | 2–3 MW | 101 t/MW | 34 t/MW | 13 t/MW | 2.3 t/MW | 1.3 t/MW | 0.6 t/MW | 30 kg/MW |
| 2015+ | 3–4.5 MW | 90 t/MW | 30 t/MW | 15 t/MW | 2.0 t/MW | 1.2 t/MW | 0.5 t/MW | 50 kg/MW |
Sources: NREL REMPD (2023), Vestas LCA reports, IRENA (2017), USGS Wind Turbine Database.
Recovery rates
Steel 95% (shredder/EAF). Cast iron 95%. Copper 90% (strip + smelt). Aluminium 92% (remelt). Zinc 85%. Rare earth oxides 60% (magnet recycling route). Composite GRP 0% (no commercial pathway at scale). Polymers/cables 0% in recovery value calculation.
GBP scrap prices (spot April 2026)
Defaults: Steel HMS 1&2 £276/t (Argus UK ferrous scrap index). Cast iron £193/t (UK dealer mid). Copper No.2 scrap £6,000/t (LME-referenced UK dealer). Aluminium mixed scrap £1,100/t (LME-referenced UK shredded). Old zinc scrap £1,250/t (LME-referenced European dealer). NdPr recovered from magnets £20,000/t (Fastmarkets rare earth oxide, European ex-works basis). All prices reflect UK/European scrap market rates, not LME primary-metal benchmarks. Prices are adjustable via the sliders above. Realised values depend on form, contamination, lot size and logistics.
UK regional installation data
Annual onshore wind installations split by UK nation. Scotland accounts for approximately 57% of UK onshore capacity installed 2005–2015 — the cohort entering decommissioning 2026–2035. England ~29%, Wales ~9%, Northern Ireland ~5%. Regional proportions derived from REPD (Renewable Energy Planning Database) cumulative capacity by nation. Sources: BEIS/DESNZ REPD, Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), WindEurope country reports.
Scope & repowering assumption
UK onshore wind only. Offshore wind excluded. The core assumption is repowering: old turbines (nacelle, rotor, tower) are dismantled and removed; buried inter-turbine cables, export cables, and concrete foundations are left in place. Copper intensities therefore reflect turbine-only copper (generator windings, nacelle wiring) and exclude inter-turbine cable. Concrete foundations excluded (recycled as bulk fill, not a commodity opportunity). Volumes shown are gross embedded material; recoverable value applies recovery rates to each fraction.
This tool is provided for indicative planning purposes only. Volumes and commodity values are derived from publicly available installation data and material intensity benchmarks. They are not investment advice and do not constitute a formal commodity or recycling market forecast. Actual volumes, timing, and realisable values will vary depending on asset-specific characteristics, decommissioning schedules, commodity prices, and processing pathway availability. Powered by Endenex decommissioning intelligence.