An EU-funded project called FOREST, coordinated by AIMPLAS in Spain, has validated lightweight composite parts for cars, aircraft, and buses. The demonstrators cut component weight by 30 to 35% versus conventional parts while using more than 50% sustainable material content, including bio-based resins and recycled carbon fiber. The project also reported 15 to 25% lower process energy use and 20 to 40% faster cycle times. Three bio-based resin systems were validated at pilot scale, and recovered carbon fiber retained most of its original mechanical performance. These results point to a practical route for reducing transport emissions and making composite manufacturing more circular.
