Gross and indicative net recovery value for decommissioned onshore wind turbines, after tower sections have been cut and loaded for transport. Adjust merchant margin and distance to scrap yard to explore the range of outcomes.
UK domestic scrap prices, delivered consumer. Fastmarkets / Argus Scrap Markets, March 2026.
What this estimate includes and excludes
Included deductions: Merchant margin (processing, sorting, grading, contamination discount, buyer profit) and flatbed/lowboy haulage from site to scrap yard (fixed loading & site access component plus variable per-km rate).
Not included: Primary dismantling (crane, blade removal, tower felling). Cutting of tower sections into transport-ready lengths. Contractor profit on dismantling works. These are cost items that reduce the operator's net decommissioning position beyond the figure above.
Assessed scrap market prices, March 2026. Source: Fastmarkets and Argus Scrap Markets published assessments — not LME primary metal prices. Electrical steel scrap has no liquid published series at this grade; the figure is an indicative premium over HMS based on industry practice. Actual realisation depends on grade purity, volume, and merchant.
| Scrap grade | UK · £/t | EEA · €/t | US · $/t |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structural steel — HMS 1&2 Fastmarkets MB-STE-0077 (UK) · MB-STE-0169 E3 Germany (EEA) · AMM East Coast (US) | 207 | 300 | 330 |
| Cast iron scrap 30% discount to HMS 1&2 — standard market practice, no independent published series | 145 | 210 | 231 |
| Electrical steel — stator/rotor punchings Indicative ~60% premium to HMS — no liquid published series at this grade | 330 | 420 | 380 |
| Copper — heavy & cable grades Argus Scrap Markets, LME discount basis; mixed generator winding / cable grades | 6,500 | 7,600 | 8,600 |
| Aluminium — old cast / mixed cast Argus Scrap Markets, old cast basis; ~62% LME payable | 1,250 | 1,350 | 1,400 |
| Haulage — fixed (loading, site access) Per tonne of recoverable material | 10 /t | 9 /t | 8 /t |
| Haulage — variable (flatbed / lowboy) 44T artic, 23t payload, RHA basis | 0.075 /t·km | 0.070 /t·km | 0.060 /t·km |
Component masses
Nacelle and hub masses are model-specific, drawn from manufacturer published LCAs (Vestas V112, V136 series), Enercon product specifications, Siemens Gamesa EPDs, and Nordex product documentation. Tower mass scales with hub height using the h1.5 engineering relationship for tubular steel towers, anchored to a model-specific reference mass and height. Foundation steel and concrete are excluded — scope is above-ground turbine components only.
Merchant margin
Applied as a percentage of total gross value before haulage. Covers processing, sorting, grading, contamination discounts, and buyer profit. Range 10–50%: the low end represents a large clean load sold direct to a steel mill with the buyer absorbing most logistics; the high end reflects a small, contaminated or remote load in a thin market. Default 30% is consistent with observed all-in deductions on wind farm scrap transactions where the merchant also covers torch cutting.
Haulage model
Flatbed trucks and lowboy trailers transporting cut tower sections, nacelle sub-assemblies, and hub pieces to scrap merchant or processing facility. Variable rate is derived from benchmark for a 44-tonne artic at 23t payload for heavy steel sections. Fixed component covers crane loading at site, weighbridge, and remote access road premium. EEA and US rates reflect comparable published benchmarks in those markets. Tower is assumed cut to 4–6 m sections before loading.