More than 86,000 wind turbines were built in 45 states (plus Guam and Puerto Rico) from 1981 through early 2024. More than 11,000 of those have been decommissioned since 1992. Decommissioning refers to removing a wind energy project (wind turbines and associated infrastructure) and restoring any land used as part of the project.1
Most of the decommissioned wind turbines were first and second-generation models much smaller than today’s machines. Many were decommissioned simultaneously in single large batches in California where the domestic wind industry was launched. For example, 690 turbines were decommissioned in 2015 at the Green Ridge Power wind farm located near Altamont, an area in Alameda County, California. These turbines began operating in the early- to mid-1980s and had capacities in the range of 100 kW. By way of comparison, the average capacity of new onshore wind turbines in the United States in 2023 was 3.4 megawatts (MW) with an average hub height of 103 meters (~339 feet).2
Similarly, 163 wind turbines were decommissioned in the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area 1 in 2020. Located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi Mountains in California, the region is considered the birthplace of wind power in North America. The first turbines were installed in the early 1980s and stood 45 to 60 feet tall.
Wind turbine decommissioning presents a major waste management challenge. After 20 or so years of production, most turbines are decommissioned. Many metals in the electronics, gearbox, generator, nacelle, and tower can be recycled. The concrete foundation is potentially reusable. However, the giant blades are extremely difficult to recycle because they are made from fiberglass, carbon fiber, or epoxy resin that lack recycling “channels” and are very hard to break down into their component ingredients. Blades are now cut up and stored in landfills, also known as “wind turbine graveyards.” This is not a sustainable solution given the massive number of decommissioned turbines that will soon result from the expansion of wind energy.
There are some promising potential solutions to the blade recycling problem. Research is now underway to produce blades that are both recyclable and compatible with existing manufacturing facilities. One example is a new turbine blade made from plant material that can be recycled. The new substance is made from inedible sugar extracted from wood, plant remains in used cooking oil, and agricultural waste.3
1 U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office, Wind Energy End-of-Service Guide, accessed September 5, 2024, https://windexchange.energy.gov/end-of-service-guide#undefined
2 U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, “Wind Turbines: The Bigger, the Better,” August 21, 2024, https://tinyurl.com/bdhykfsx
3 Kim, Minho, “Turbine Blades Have Piled Up in Landfills. A Solution May Be Coming,” New York Times, August 30, 2024, Link
