17th October 2026
A new project at the Port of Inverness could create around 70 jobs by tackling one of the less visible problems facing Scotland's renewable energy industry: what to do with wind-turbine blades when they reach the end of their working lives.
Northern Ireland-based company Plaswire has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Port of Inverness to establish a facility for recycling wind-turbine blades. The company says the plant could create 70 jobs when operating at capacity, providing a new industrial opportunity for the Highlands.
The project addresses a growing challenge for the wind industry. As older turbines are replaced by newer, more efficient machines, increasing numbers of large blades will need to be removed and dealt with. Made from composite materials, the blades are difficult to recycle using conventional methods and can be costly to transport and dispose of.
Plaswire believes a facility in Inverness could allow more of this material to be processed in Scotland rather than transported elsewhere or sent for incineration. Its recycling process is designed to turn industrial waste into materials that can be used in products as alternatives to wood, concrete and hard plastics. The commercial success of the project will depend on securing sufficient supplies of discarded blades and markets for the recycled material.
The location is significant. The Port of Inverness already has experience handling wind-farm components, while the wider Inverness and Cromarty Firth area is seeking to establish itself as a centre for renewable energy, offshore wind and decommissioning work.
The project could also have implications beyond the initial 70 jobs. Transport, handling, maintenance and related industrial services may benefit if the facility attracts a steady flow of material from across Scotland and the wider offshore wind industry.
However, the announcement should be seen as the beginning of a development rather than evidence that all the jobs are already secured. The agreement is a memorandum of understanding, and the stated employment figure relates to the plant operating at capacity. Construction, investment, planning and the supply of sufficient material will determine how quickly the opportunity becomes reality.
For the Highlands, the project offers a practical example of how renewable energy can support industrial activity beyond the construction of wind farms themselves. A successful recycling operation could retain more of the value of the renewable energy supply chain in Scotland while reducing the need to transport bulky waste over long distances.
There is also a wider lesson. Building renewable energy capacity creates economic opportunities, but it creates responsibilities too. Turbines do not last forever, and the industry needs credible plans for the equipment that eventually reaches the end of its life.
If the Inverness project progresses as intended, it could turn a growing waste problem into a source of skilled employment and a new industrial service for the north of Scotland.