Along the A58 near Oirschot lies something special: not new wind turbines, but their discarded blades as a sound barrier. For the first time in the world, old wind turbine blades are being used to block traffic noise.
This experiment, conducted by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, is not only innovative but also provides a solution to a growing waste problem. The blades come from old, discarded turbines and are being used to create a sound barrier. The sound barrier is 60 metres long, 3.5 metres high and consists of two old wind turbine blades, each 37 metres long, which slightly overlap each other.
Recycling the blades of wind turbines, as well as those of aircraft wings and many boats, remains very challenging. At the very least, it is considerably more difficult than recycling materials like steel or paper. Simply melting them down, as with metals, is not an option.
Buried
“The discarded blades were initially buried underground,” says a spokesperson for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. “That burial is no longer permitted. In the coming years, thousands more discarded blades will be added.” Therefore, efforts are now being made to explore other ways to reuse the wind turbine blades.
The company Blade-Made, based in Rotterdam, has been creating playgrounds and street furniture from discarded wind turbine blades. They also came up with the idea of building sound barriers from them. These are now being tested along the A58. The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is optimistic that it will be effective. “We only implement innovations that have surpassed the level of a bedroom project,” says the spokesperson.
Test Location
Near Oirschot, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has a test site along the A58, where it is testing innovations. “At this location, we will measure whether they work in practice,” the spokesperson said. “There are many requirements for sound barriers.” The screen will be tested until the end of 2026. Who knows, we may see many more wind turbine blades along the motorway in the future.
Source:Studio040.nl
Translated by: Kirti Singh
