Across the United States, more than 70,000 wind turbines are powering the nation鈥檚 wind energy future, supplying more than 10% of the nation鈥檚 electricity. As these wind turbines near the end of their impressive 30-year lifespans, a new chapter is being written鈥攐ne that ensures these renewable energy giants can be recycled and contribute to a circular economy long after their service.
Thanks to the winners of the Wind Turbine Materials Recycling Prize, innovations are paving the way for a future where wind turbines are a cornerstone of both renewable energy and a sustainable economy. The $5.1 million prize, which was launched by the U.S. Department of Energy鈥檚 (DOE鈥檚) Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) and is administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, is tackling the challenge of recycling turbine blades and other hard-to-recycle components.
In September 2024, six visionary teams were awarded $600,000 each in cash prizes and technical vouchers for their groundbreaking approaches to advancing wind turbine recycling technologies. Here is how some of these innovators are shaping the future of wind energy recycling and commercializing solutions to grow the U.S. wind turbine recycling ecosystem.