A groundbreaking initiative led by researchers from the U.S., U.K., and Ireland is exploring the transformation of decommissioned wind turbine blades into practical street furniture, aiming to curb the millions of tons of waste generated by these non-recyclable components.
While the towers and motors of wind turbines are recyclable, the blades, typically made from Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP), pose a recycling challenge. To address this, experts from the British Isles, Georgia Technical College, and City University in New York have united to repurpose these blades.
Marios Soutsos, a materials professor at Queen’s University, Belfast, explained that rather than crushing the blades for aggregate use in concrete, they envisioned repurposing them due to the high-strength, expensive material they are constructed from. The team has already built two bridges using wind turbine blades as supports, one of which is currently in use in Ireland.
Wind turbine blades are typically discarded after a design life of 20-25 years, contributing to a substantial environmental challenge. The United States alone boasts 70,800 wind turbines, potentially resulting in over 2.9 million tons of blades going to waste.
Soutsos emphasized that GFRP’s degradation is not significant, and its high tensile strength and lightweight nature make it suitable for outdoor structures. Currently, many blades are incinerated or sent to landfills, with the fibers being the costly component in the blade.
In addition to street furniture like bus stops and power line masts, the project envisions repurposing the blades for playgrounds and bike shelters. By 2042, the initiative estimates that 8.6 million tons of blades could be given a new purpose.
The team emphasized that repurposing wind turbine blades aligns with sustainability goals, reducing waste and contributing to environmental, economic, and social sustainability. While addressing waste from wind turbine blades, the researchers acknowledge the environmental and social concerns associated with other aspects of clean energy, such as the mining of rare earth elements.
Touchwind, a Dutch startup, is developing single-bladed wind turbines anchored to the sea floor, offering a potential solution to reduce waste and environmental impact in the clean energy sector.