The Future of Wind Turbine Blade Recycling: From Energy Production to Ski Manufacturing

As the first generation of turbines reaches the end of their life, thousands of turbines worldwide will be decommissioned or replaced over the next few years. Swedish utility Vattenfall has found an innovative way to reuse these turbines, particularly their blades which pose a significant recycling challenge due to their composite construction.

In a bold move towards sustainability, Vattenfall aims to recycle 100% of its wind turbine blades by 2030. To achieve this goal, the company has partnered with Norwegian company Gjenkraft, which specializes in extracting valuable materials like fibreglass and carbon fiber from end-of-service blades.

One of the most exciting projects resulting from this partnership is the collaboration with Norwegian ski company EVI. The blades from the decommissioned Dutch wind farm Irene Vorrink were sent to Norway for processing, and the extracted carbon fibers are now being used to reinforce EVI’s skis, enhancing their durability and performance.

“As a Norwegian company with team members who are enthusiastic about skiing, deciding to manufacture skis was a natural fit. We are very excited to see this concept come to fruition,” said Marcin Rusin, co-founder of Gjenkraft.

Vattenfall has already placed an order for 15 pairs of skis with EVI, including alpine skis, carving skis, and one pair of race skis. Skiers of all levels will have the opportunity to experience the potential of sustainable manufacturing through these innovative skis.

Visitors of the World Cup Women’s slalom event in Åre will have the chance to test these unique skis, showcasing the circular economy in action and inspiring others to explore sustainable alternatives in manufacturing.

“By moving from a linear take-make-waste economy to a circular economy, we can close the loop and use materials again through recycling. This project perfectly illustrates how technology provides a sustainable alternative to traditional ski-making materials. We hope it will inspire others and foster new ideas for accelerating circularity,” said Gustav Frid, environment and sustainability specialist at Vattenfall.