Recycle wind turbine blades to make us… 100% sustainable surfboards. The curious and worthy idea was developed by Acciona, the Spanish company specialized in civil engineering, construction and green infrastructure. It is a virtuous example of The circular economy: when the wind farm is no longer active and needs to be dismantled and replaced, the materials that the blades are made of, namely fiberglass, carbon fiber, wood and resin, are reused to manufacture other products, in this case surfboards. This is certainly not a large-scale revolution, since surfing is a niche sport, although according to estimates by the International Surfing Association it is still practiced by 35 million people all over the world, not exactly very few. And even the market of “surfing equipment” (boards but also wetsuits, leashes, pads, paraffin etc.) is not so irrelevant: according to the Surfing Industry Manufacturers Association it is worth almost 4 billion dollars globally.
Australia is riding the green wave
Much of this market is related to theAustralia, notoriously a land of surfers and it is precisely there that Acciona, which in 2024 had a turnover of 5,7 billion euros with profits growing by 300%, has just concluded the pilot project called “Turbine Made”, in collaboration with the Brand Draft Surf and with the professional surfer who owns it, the 41 year old Australian Josh Kerr, already number 5 in the world ranking. According to the Spanish multinational, the first surfboard experience recycling a wind turbine It is not only eco friendly but it also offers more resistance, more control of the instrument and even more speed. The first ten prototypes manufactured are 100% handmade, Acciona also said: “We know that within 10-15 years countries like Australia will have to replace more than 30 wind farms, so we are moving now to recover the materials and use them to make other products”, he declared Mariola Domenech, Global Director of Sustainability at Acciona Energia.
Waubra: From Turbines to Sustainable Surfboards
In detail, the material used for the “Turbine Made” prototype came from the Waubra wind farm, in the State of Victoria, which had been active since 2009. During its operation, the plant generated 14.773 MWh of clean energy, avoiding the emission of 19.000 tons of CO2, the equivalent of planting 5.715 trees. The initiative has a precedent, although at that time the wind blades were recycled by Acciona to package sneakers, in partnership in that case with the Iberian clothing brand The Goose. “The idea of the surfboard – Domenech added – shows how we must always be able to rethink any material, in the logic of the circular economy. Sustainability is not only waste reduction, but also product management, ensuring that what we build today does not become a problem tomorrow. By collaborating with manufacturers, designers and innovators, we can find solutions that are beneficial for both industry and the environment”.
