Retired Wind Turbine Blades Donated to University of North Dakota for Recycling Research

Three retired wind turbine blades donated by Great River Energy will be used by University of North Dakota engineering students to research material degradation and recycling techniques.

The 1,600-pound blades came from a 200-kilowatt turbine that originally operated in the Netherlands beginning in 1994 and later served at Great River Energy’s headquarters in Maple Grove, Minnesota, until the end of 2025. Instead of disposing of the blades, the cooperative donated them to UND’s College of Engineering & Mines.

The three blades each weigh approximately 1,600 pounds and came from a 200-kilowatt wind turbine that stood at Great River Energy’s Maple Grove, Minnesota, headquarters. The turbine originally entered service in the Netherlands in 1994 and was acquired by the utility in 2007.

The company retired the equipment at the end of 2025 to make way for a newer 100-kilowatt turbine. Instead of sending the blades for disposal, Great River Energy offered them to the university’s College of Engineering & Mines.

“Instead of it just being taken down and thrown away, it’ll go on to support the research of emerging engineers,” said Chris Campbell, the utility’s manager of facilities services.

UND mechanical engineering professor Surojit Gupta is directing a $3.7 million research project announced in 2024 to develop ways of recycling retired turbine components. Their composite materials, designed to withstand decades of stress, are challenging to separate for reuse.

Students will begin by examining the decades-old blades for cracks and other forms of deterioration. Techniques will include ultrasonic testing and infrared-based analysis, which could also help inform more durable blade designs.

“We already have a group of senior design students who are all excited to start working on it,” Gupta said. Access to full-size blades on campus means students can undertake experiments without traveling to remote wind facilities.

Another focus is recovering fibers and polymers for use in new products. The team is considering applications in automobiles, boats and materials for three-dimensional printing.

The donation builds on ties between the cooperative and UND. Great River Energy President and CEO David Saggau earned undergraduate and law degrees at the university, and the company has supported scholarships and other engineering efforts.

Campbell said recycling is a recurring public question about wind energy. The university hopes its research will help convert a costly waste stream into materials with commercial value as the nation’s wind infrastructure ages.

Professor Surojit Gupta is leading a $3.7 million project to recover fibers and polymers from turbine composites. Students will use ultrasonic and infrared testing to study defects and explore using reclaimed materials in manufacturing and 3D printing. The donation gives researchers access to full-size retired blades without traveling to wind farms.

By: Montana Newsroom wire