Spanish wind farm replaces 27 old turbines with three that can power twice as many homes, recovering 99.82% of dismantled materials
When we consider what’s necessary for the clean energy of the future, it might have more to do with the past than we think.
With the demand for sustainable renewable power growing, aging wind farms must continue to contribute without creating any waste.
But then what happens to old infrastructure? And could an existing wind farm offer a better way forward?
Could California’s approach to replacing hundreds of old turbines with fewer, more powerful machines offer another glimpse into the future of wind energy?
The winds of change are blowing in Spain
For 27 years, the Muel wind farm near Zaragoza, in Spain’s Aragón region, had been generating electricity.
As such, its 27 turbines were in desperate need of an upgrade.
Energy company, RWE, started a repowering project in April 2025, where it disconnected older machines in preparation for their replacement.
The goal? To increase output while simultaneously modernizing the site instead of just installing more turbines somewhere else.
Construction was handled by Spanish contractor, Global Energy Services (GES), with circularity specialist, RenerCycle, managing the dismantling, refurbishment and recycling during the course of the project.
It took eight months to complete the project.
By repowering established sites, it gives them a second life, while also making better use of existing land and grid infrastructure.
Old blades can have a bright future
What avoided the waste stream during the construction process is just as significant as what now stands on the hills at Muel.
According to RWE, 99.82% of materials from the former wind farm could be recovered or recycled, which earned the facility a ZeroWaste certificate from Bureau Veritas.
The materials included components, metals and turbine blades.
The company announced that 1,350 components were being refurbished for use in other RWE wind farms, and another 1,825 metric tonnes of ferrous material are being recovered.
The biggest challenge were the blades, as they are manufactured using composite materials, including fibreglass and resins.
But, this project includes all 81 turbine blades, with the company determined to recover the materials for use in other industies.
More power from less infrastructure
It’s the scale of this upgrade that makes it so striking.
Instead of 27 older Nordtank turbines, there are now three modern Nordtank machines. Because fewer turbines don’t mean less electricity.
Compared with the 16.2 megawatts output previously, the new turbines have a combined capacity of 19.97 MW.
This means that the same grid connection can now serve more households than before, with the supply expected to jump from 9,400 to 21,000 Spanish homes.
Small numbers, serious power
As with most things, the modern turbines are a lot more powerful than the models of 27 years ago.
This means that three larger units are able to generate more electricity than the previous infrastructure.
Where nothing goes to waste
Planning for a turbine’s end of life matters.
This is why RenerCycle coordinated the recovery, including parts that can be returned to be of service elsewhere in RWE’s wind fleet.
The metal parts were easy to recycle, with the 81 blades presenting more of a challenge due to their composite construction.
The fibreglass and resins in them, however, will be utilized for new applications.
Setting a new standard
As older Spanish wind farms approach the end of their working lives, repowering offers a new way to increase renewable electricity production across the country.
This will also curb the demand for new land and grid connections.
A breath of fresh air
The transformation at Muel reminds us that progress doesn’t mean having to start from scratch.
Simply upgrading existing infrastructure and finding new uses for old materials means that renewable energy can become more efficient and less wasteful.
And it’s not just Spain giving aging wind farms a serious makeover. Could California’s approach to replacing hundreds of old turbines with fewer, more powerful machines offer another glimpse into the future of wind energy?
