Date added: 2025-07-23
A Decommissioned Wind Turbine Blade Turned into a Bicycle Shelter
– The service life of wind turbine blades is approximately 20–25 years. After that, they are most often sent to landfills or buried underground. Other disposal methods are also employed, such as pyrolysis – thermal decomposition at high temperatures in the absence of oxygen – or solvolysis, which involves dissolving materials in appropriate solvents. However, these methods are relatively energy-intensive. Therefore, we proposed a solution that utilizes the natural load-bearing capacity of the blade – says Prof. Magdalena Rucka, project leader from the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
As Prof. Rucka emphasizes, wind turbine blades are made from a valuable composite material that combines high strength with low weight. They consist of high-quality components – such as glass or carbon fibers embedded in resin – and the structural layers are separated by a core made of PET or PVC foam. This construction renders the blades relatively lightweight in comparison to the loads they can bear. They also exhibit high durability and resistance to degradation, which simultaneously makes their disposal a significant technological and environmental challenge.
– We aimed to utilize this composite material while interfering as little as possible with its structure. Thus, we made only two transverse cuts in the used blade to obtain a segment of the desired length, which we then mounted on concrete supports – explains Prof. Rucka. – To allow users to see the internal structure of the blade, we covered both ends of the shelter with a transparent material. Along the blade profile, we installed LED lighting powered by solar panels mounted on the top side of the roof. As a result, after dark, the distinctive cross-section is visible, resembling the aerodynamic profile of a wing.
Concrete with Increased Crack Resistance
To construct the shelter’s supports, the researchers used concrete in which a portion of the coarse aggregate was replaced with shredded composite material derived from the turbine blade.
– This type of concrete demonstrates very favorable properties, primarily greater resistance to cracking, as the presence of fibers helps limit the formation and propagation of cracks – explains Marzena Kurpińska, PhD, Eng., a member of the research team. – Other parameters, such as frost resistance and water tightness, have also improved. The results of our studies are promising, and the developed formulations of this composite will be patented.
Pedestrian Bridge
The bicycle shelter and the newly developed concrete are only part of the ongoing research. Additional designs for small architectural elements are planned, including a pedestrian bridge span.
– Ultimately, decommissioned wind turbine blades are intended to be repurposed primarily in transportation infrastructure – says Mikołaj Miśkiewicz, PhD, DSc, Eng., Professor at Gdańsk Tech, who is leading the subproject focused on assessing the feasibility of using blade fragments as load-bearing elements in structural and infrastructural applications.
The researchers also identify potential uses for larger blade segments, including various types of canopies – such as for walkways – fences, climbing walls, or foundation structures.
– We anticipate that in Poland, with the rapid development of wind energy – particularly offshore wind – the issue of decommissioned turbine blades disposal will intensify, as is already the case in other European countries. Our objective is to develop practical solutions ready for implementation once the scale of this challenge becomes critical – explains Prof. Magdalena Rucka. – Recycling wind turbine blades is a major challenge that numerous research centers around the world are addressing. However, many aspects still require investigation, or can be approached in innovative ways and this is precisely what our team is working on – she adds.
The shelter is located on the Gdańsk Tech campus next to the Żelbet building – number 21 on the campus map.