Can wind turbines be recycled when they reach retirement?
In 2024, wind was the single largest renewable energy sector at 13.4% of Australia’s total electricity generation, according to the Clean Energy Council. This was followed by rooftop solar at 11.2%. In total, renewable energy provided 40% of Australia’s total electricity generation.
As wind farms continue to be rolled out across the country, questions are emerging about what happens to turbines at the end of their typically 20-to-30-year operational life. So how much of a wind turbine can be recycled and what measures are in place to minimise waste?
Can wind turbines be recycled?
Around 90% of materials found in wind turbines such as steel, copper and concrete are readily recyclable. Rotor blades are more challenging to recycle as they are made of composite materials such as fibreglass, resin and carbon fibre. Industry is adapting turbine design to minimise the use of non-recyclable materials.
Meanwhile, Spanish renewable energy developer Acciona is exploring innovative ways to repurpose retired wind turbine blades into new materials and products through their Turbine Made initiative.
Creating a second life for wind turbine blades
In Australia, professional surfer Josh Kerr and his surfboard brand, Draft Surf, have partnered with Acciona to create surfboards crafted from decommissioned wind turbine blades. Last year, an initial range of 10 prototype surfboards were produced using material from a retired blade from Victoria’s Waubra Wind Farm.
The company recently announced they have teamed up with Australian surf brand Bolero Surf to launch the world’s first commercially available surfboard fins made entirely from recycled wind turbine blades.
In Europe, Acciona are collaborating with fashion brand El Ganso to create sneakers with recycled blade material, from a wind farm in Spain, in their soles.
Giving wind turbine blades a second life as a surfboard
What other initiatives are underway to address the challenge of wind turbine blade recycling?
- The Australian Government awarded a $3 million grant to Melbourne-based company Industrial Property Maintenance and partners. The grant was given to develop a new processing treatment and a pilot recycling facility for any type of wind turbine blade. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.
- Siemens Gamesa started producing 100% recyclable wind blades for offshore wind usage.
- Vestas is developing a new method to recycle old epoxy-based wind turbine blades. By using a new chemical process, they can break down epoxy resin into base materials to be reused.
- Several other manufacturers have pledged to produce zero waste wind turbines by 2030.