Electric propulsion system manufacturer Torqeedo is using ocean-bound plastics in the manufacture of its propellers.
The company said it is using recycled PET and PP plastic pellets, which are estimated to reduce the source material’s CO2 impact by more than 80% and are close in quality to virgin plastic. Torqeedo said that prototype props have performed well in initial testing.
“The typical way to integrate new materials is to start with a small percentage — maybe with just 10% or 20% recycled content,” Florian Deger, leader of the project within Torqeedo’s new advanced engineering team, said in a statement. “However, we decided to aim higher. We made our prototype propellers from 100% recycled ocean plastics, and we’re thrilled to report that they surpassed all benchmarks in the first round of environmental and stress testing.”
The advanced engineering team explores alternative materials to further minimize the environmental impact of Torqeedo products.
“We’re helping to develop a circular plastic economy and transforming used plastics from trash to treasure,” CEO Fabia Benz said in the statement. “Collecting used plastic for recycling only becomes economically viable when there is a market for the recycled material, and we’re proud to lead the way in closing the loop. … If the next testing rounds are as successful as expected, the first Torqeedo products containing ocean-bound plastics will hit the market within the next year.”
