Background

There are currently roughly 67,000 functioning wind turbines in the United States alone. Wind turbine blades are replaced, on average, every 10 years. Some old wind turbine blades are ground up and used as building materials, burned as fuel, or shipped to developing countries to be reused. However the vast majority turbine blades end up in land fills. There exists a great need to properly recycle wind turbine blades so that the wind energy industry can truly be considered sustainable

Technology Overview

Recycled wind turbine blades still retain most of their very impressive static strength. Researchers at the University of Colorado – Denver have developed novel applications of this high static strength material in civil engineering construction projects such as bridges, retaining walls, snow-breaks, and more.

Stage of Development

Technology Readiness Level (TRL): 4.

Benefits

• Inexpensive high strength building material
• Allows for the wind industry to be sustainable

Applications

• Bridges
• Retaining walls
• Snowbreaks
• Surfbreaks
• Highway off ramps
• Man-made island manufacturing