As wind turbine blades from the 1990s — the first big wave of wind power — reach the end of their working lives, where do they go? The composite fiberglass they're made of is light and strong but extremely tough to recycle. Which is why designers are turning to reuse.
In October 2021, Polish waste management firm Anmet completed a bridge that uses dismantled blades, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to cross the Szprotawa River. In January 2022, The Re-Wind Network constructed a 'BladeBridge' in County Cork, Ireland, in partnership with Munster Technological University and University College Cork.
The Re-Wind Network didn't just fabricate a single bridge but has released a complete catalog of ideas for repurposing turbine blades, from bridges and bus shelters to glamping pods and cattle partitions. (Other designers have created playgrounds and bicycle sheds.)
