American startup turns old wind turbine blades into tables and chairs

Canvus, an Ohio-based startup, recycles decommissioned wind turbine blades into products that are both useful and aesthetically pleasing.

Chair made from recycled wind turbine blades. Photo: Canvus — Chair made from recycled wind turbine blades. Photo: *Canvus*

According to WindEurope, by 2025, Europe will have up to 25,000 tons of wind turbine blades discarded each year, equivalent to more than 6,000 Hummer SUVs. This shows the urgency of finding environmentally friendly solutions to handle the giant turbine blades, Interesting Engineering reported on November 26.

Founded in 2021 and based in Rocky River, Ohio, Canvus turns decommissioned wind turbine blades into useful, attractively designed products like benches, picnic tables, and planters that have been used in a variety of locations to create sustainable spaces.

Wind turbine blades coated in epoxy resin and made primarily of fiberglass pose a major challenge to recycling because they are so strong and contain few easily recycled materials. “We’re giving these materials a second life,” said Parker Kowalski, co-founder of Canvus.

The recycling process involves breaking down turbine blades into smaller pieces at Canvus’ 10,200-square-foot factory in Avon, Ohio, where they are further reworked into durable, environmentally friendly products by more than 30 workers.

Canvus isn’t the only company recycling wind turbine blades, but it has a unique business model. Unlike other companies, Canvus primarily caters to corporate clients who want to donate reusable products to public spaces. Each product acts as a marketing tool for the business, with a name tag and QR code that leads to the business’s website. Canvus’ products cost between $3,500 and $9,500, while renting a billboard in the US costs at least $250 a month, according to Kowalski. So, this is an affordable and quite effective solution for businesses to both promote and contribute to sustainable activities.

Canvus not only uses old wind turbine blades, but also incorporates other recycled materials such as rubber tires, shoes, and plastic waste into its products. However, experts are conducting a full lifecycle assessment, including the energy used to transport and process the blades.

Thu Thao (According to Interesting Engineering )

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