Closing the Loop: Designing a Verifiable End-of-Life Chain for Decommissioned Wind Turbines
students with backgrounds in Supply Chain Management & Logistics; Sustainability & Environmental Sciences; Mechanical, Offshore, or Materials Engineering; Business Administration, Auditing, or Quality Management
1. Description of the Challenge
The Problem As wind turbines reach the end of their operational lifecycle, managing the transition from active service to verified disposal or reuse presents significant logistical, environmental, and tracking hurdles. Operators often face uncertainty regarding the optimal end-of-life routes, the safe transport of massive components, and the lack of independent evidence and certification to substantiate genuine recycling and circularity claims.
The Challenge Your mission is to map out and structure a streamlined end-of-life chain for offshore (and onshore) wind farms. You will evaluate how to optimize the full trajectory, covering safe transport, quayside handling, temporary storage, component inspection, material sorting (steel, copper, cables, composites), and chain-of-custody tracking across key service areas.
2. Expected Outcome
A concrete, verifiable roadmap or strategy detailing the best end-of-life routes for decommissioned wind components. The final deliverable must incorporate actionable frameworks for logistics, condition inspections, weight and volume controls, and a credible verification or certification scheme to validate sustainability and circularity claims.
About Peterson Control Union
Royal Peterson Control Union Group (RPCU) is a global, family-owned business with over a century of heritage. Founded in 1920 as an inspection company for grain, it has evolved into an international partner in risk management, logistics, testing, inspection, certification (TIC), and sustainability consultancy. Operating through specialized entities such as Peterson and Control Union, the group combines quality and integrity to navigate supply chain challenges and build a sustainable future. In recognition of its 100-year milestone, the company was awarded the Dutch Royal Designation in 2020.