Iowa Company Finds Use for Discarded Wind Turbine Blades

Quality journalism needs your support to thrive. Donate and keep the facts flowing. It's the latest project from Renewablade, a company in Bondurant that has found a way to use the materials and, in turn, alleviate the issue of what to do with the massive hunks of fiberglass and resin. Brian Meng with Renewablade said the company is finally in production after several years of research and development to figure out the best way to grind up the blades and incorporate them into the concrete. Right now, Renewablade makes three main products: the retaining wall blocks, like those used at the Premier Credit Union project, commercial highway barriers, and larger barriers used to bunker agricultural materials. "We're not going to be building any superhighways with it—yet. We're not going to be building skyscrapers with it. But certainly non-structural, free-cast concrete, I think it's a great situation," Meng said. Premier Credit Union CEO Megan Tjernagel said the decision to use the recycled-blade blocks shows how the company cares for its environment. "By incorporating recycled wind turbine blades into this project, we're showing that financial institutions can lead with purpose, embrace sustainable solutions, and make investments that benefit both our members and the communities we serve," Tjernagel said in a press release. Building a blade recycling program Meng has spent his career in the recycling industry and several years ago started to notice the need for recycling the blades, which by nature must be replaced about every 20 years. One study estimated by 2050 there would be more than 2 million tons of retired wind turbine blades in the U.S. Lawsuits cropped up in Iowa and other states as officials took notice of areas where the blades were being dumped and abandoned. It turned out the parties dumping the blades had been paid to recycle them but weren't doing so. "There's a lot of people that have said they were going to be able to do that," Meng said. "We're one of the rare companies that actually recycles them into a product." Another Iowa-based company, REGEN Fiber, processes the blades into a grind that can be added to various types of concrete. A company in Boone has focused on the turbine generators and recycles rare earth materials from decommissioned wind turbines. Meng said Renewablade collects the blades from Iowa turbines, which are easier to transport to the company's processing facility in Earlham, and from as far as Seattle and Maine. Meng said it "works well" when the decommissioned blades are close to home. For example, Renewablade recycled some of the blades that were damaged in a tornado near Greenfield in 2024. The blades can be around 200 feet long, or about the wingspan of a Boeing 747 jet, which makes transportation difficult and expensive. The scale also means these blades take up a lot of space in a landfill. And yet, once ground up into concrete blocks, Renewablade was able to repurpose the blades from one whole turbine in just one small parking lot wall. "The size reduction is a big part of it," Meng said. Despite early pushback in Earlham towards the business, Meng said the company is fully operational this year with big plans to expand. Meng said the company is eying expansions into the UK and Texas. "Now it really is just a matter of being able to have more customers come in and want to take the products," Meng said. Elevate your inbox with the DecorahNews.com newsletter! Receive free thought-provoking articles, actionable advice and inspiring stories every week.