Cement Makers Burn Turbine Blades as Wind Power Faces Recycling Headache

Incinerating blades in cement-factory kilns instead of sending them to landfill reduces emissions overall, researchers say

Wind turbine blades at a Siemens Gamesa factory in Hull, northeast England. Last year, more than 12,000 blades were scrapped globally, according to data provider BloombergNEF.

Photo: paul ellis/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
By
Dieter Holger and
Giulia Petroni

Old wind-turbine blades are getting a best casino sites 0 lease on life—in cement.

Turbines are mostly made of steel, a widely recyclable material. But their blades are constructed of complex composite materials such as fiberglass and balsa wood that are difficult to separate and process, presenting a recycling challenge. As a result, blades that reach the end of their lives often end up in landfill.

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