Traceability for Wind Blade Recycling: Balancing Transparency, Privacy, and Data Integrity

The growing demand for sustainable energy solutions has led to a substantial increase in wind energy installations. As the first wind farms reach the end of their operational life, the rising volume of waste from wind blades underscores the need for efficient recycling practices. This paper explores the current landscape of wind blade recovery, identifying key actors and practices. We analyze challenges in traceability and data privacy within the recycling process. To address these, we propose a blockchain-based architecture that follows industry standards. Our solution enables comprehensive tracking of wind blades and recycled materials while keeping critical information private. We explore data privacy complexities and present four alternatives, highlighting the importance of zero-knowledge proofs to preserve decentralization.