About BladeBridge
Blade Repurposing Innovation doesn't just happen...
BladeBridge is the start-up company formed by Cork, Ireland based researchers from the Re-Wind Network. The purpose of the Re-Wind Network is to develop repurposing solutions for decommissioned wind turbine blades which are environmentally and socially superior to conventional products and disposal methods, as supported by research. The Re-Wind Network is a collection of faculty, staff and students at five academic institutions – Georgia Institute of Technology, University College Cork, Queen’s University Belfast, City University of New York and Munster Technological University – and industry affiliates. If you would like to read more aboout the Re-Wind Network follow here www.re-wind.info
The BladeBridge Team
Dr. Angie Nagle
CEO
Angie has a lifelong interest in community and business development in the area of waste repurposing. Her PhD research focused on combining Life Cycle Assessment and the Sustainable Development Goals to assess products made from discarded wind blade material. Previously, Angie started up The Baby Markets, and previous to that, was a process engineer for Boston Scientific and Intel. She has a BSc in Mechanical Engineering and Public Policy, an MSc in Biomedical Engineering, and a PhD in Environmental Engineering.Kieran Ruane
CTO
Kieran is a Chartered Civil and Structural Engineer and a lecturer in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering at MTU. Kieran is a former director of RPS where he was Head of Bridges and he has 30 years’ experience in the design and delivery of civil engineering works of all scales. Kieran has an extensive industry and academic network in the engineering sector in Ireland. He was Chair of the Institution of Structural Engineers, Republic of Ireland Group in 2018 and 2019 and he is currently President of the Civil Engineering Research Association of Ireland. Kieran has active research projects in the area of repurposing composite materials including a recent award from SEAI. He designed and oversaw the fabrication and construction of the BladeBridge for Cork County Council.
Dr. Paul Leahy
Head of R&D
Paul is a senior lecturer in Wind Energy in UCC’s School of Engineering and Architecture, and brings professional connections to the wind sector. He is a member of the Climate Change & Environmental Sciences Committee of the Royal Irish Academy and is on the Steering Group of IEA Task 45 on Wind Turbine Blade Recycling. He has mentored and managed over 15 graduate students and 10 research staff and worked in partnership with SMEs and MNCs to deliver R&D in the energy and environmental sectors. He can maintain our connection with the Re-Wind Network, and address IP issues with technology coming from the project.Louise Hickey
Office Manager
In 2023, Louise completed her advanced certificate in Business Management at Mallow College, where she not only received an Academic Achievement Award but also contributed to a team that won the Entrepreneurship Award for the Best Marketing Plan. Louise is known for her attention to detail and effective communication skills. She is dedicated to building a workspace that boosts efficiency and contributes to the success of the BladeBridge team.
Simon and Phil from Perch
Design Team
We specialise in research-led design for applied human movement. We conduct quantitative and qualitative research, to find out how people communicate, congregate, work and learn. Our passion is developing new solutions in emergent fields, to improve the quality of life for people. Before we ever think about an end-product, we have observed and researched human behaviour and movement to gain new critical insights, as inspiration. Perch exists to bring new, fresh thinking and relevant solutions to the world. We are designers, with an insatiable thirst for elegance, beauty and problem solving. We believe that great design can have a meaningful impact on people’s lives.Roger Nagle
Operations Manager
Roger has a keen interest in material repurposing and reuse as well as making and repairing which has led to his role in operations at BladeBridge. He brings 27 years of industrial experience from his time at Intel as a process engineer and later as a semiconductor research program manager based in academia. He recently started the North Cork Repair Cafes as a way to help encourage reuse, repair and minimising waste generation in the community. Roger has a Bachelors and an Msc in Electrical Engineering, an Msc in Technology Management and an MSc in Sustainable Energy Production and Demand Management.
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