(Archive) Future Currents

solving two problems at once

Decommissioning wind turbines presents both challenges and opportunities for material reuse. cepezed took on the challenge of reusing wind turbine blades particularly because of their unique material properties. After serving their initial purpose, an increasing number of blades will require repurposing because the demand for green energy grows and more turbines are installed. Yet until now, most decommissioned blades have ended up in landfills, with only a small amount being recycled—an energy-intensive process.

floating islands

cepezed focused on finding a useful second life for these blades. The premise was to apply the blades as a whole: re-use instead of recycle. cepezed’s study of the specific characteristics lead to the idea of using the blades as floaters. Interlinked they can form islands, in squares, circles or lines. The islands could be used for solar farms, agriculture, greenhouses, or even new cities. In the Netherlands, where land is scarce but water is abundant, floating platforms could offer a welcome alternative.

a hopeful future

In the IJsselmeer, Vattenfall and cepezed tested a prototype consisting of two interlinked blades forming a small island. The results are promising: the blades floated high on the water and were sturdy, meeting the designers’ expectations. These positive outcomes encourage conducting further, more diverse, and larger-scale tests.