Upcycled Turbines

Wind turbines in a wind farm typically have an operational lifespan of around thirty years. But what happens when that time is up? How can we reuse their parts as effectively as possible once they are dismantled? To explore this question, Vattenfall launched a design lab in collaboration with Dutch Design Foundation. Together with designers, they are developing scenarios in which wind farms leave little to no material footprint, while the energy output of each turbine is maximised throughout its lifetime.

Designers from diverse disciplines – including industrial design, systems thinking and architecture – were invited to create concepts for reusing the materials and components of decommissioned turbines.

They presented imaginative and forward-thinking solutions, ranging from a circular future vision for the entire energy sector to one of the public highlights of DDW24: a cosy, sustainable tiny house.

• cepezed proposed repurposing turbine blades as floating platforms to help tackle issues such as housing shortages and rising sea levels.
• Superuse Studios transformed turbine nacelles into fully functional tiny houses, offering a sustainable alternative for housing while extending the life of turbine components.
• Interactivist introduced Turbine Times, a concept that reimagines turbines as sentient entities that communicate their life cycles and remain connected to society.
• Studio Carbon developed a vision for 2050, proposing the creation of Wind Forests: wind farms that generate energy while also supporting ecological regeneration.