ACCIONA Energía and El Ganso have given a new meaning to circularity with the second edition of their “wind sneakers.” The sneakers now feature soles utilizing blade particulate from a wind farm undergoing repowering.
Both companies have taken a further step toward full circularity with their new “wind sneakers” edition. The model incorporates recycled materials from a blade from Tahivilla, one of the oldest wind farms in Spain. The site is currently being repowered, replacing 98 aging turbines with 13 state-of-the-art wind turbines that dramatically increase efficiency and the capacity to generate 100% clean energy
After more than 20 years of generating clean energy, one of the wind turbine blades has been transformed into a new design containing real purpose: advancing toward a circular economy and creating solutions that leave a positive footprint on the planet.
Repowering a wind farm means replacing outdated turbines with new, more powerful, and more efficient models. At Tahivilla, 98 older wind turbines are being swapped out for 13 next-generation units. This upgrade significantly improves performance, boosts clean energy production, and reduces environmental impact. But what happens to the old turbines? That’s where the circular economy comes in. A key part of repowering is recycling the dismantled components. At Tahivilla, ACCIONA Energía is giving each part a second life—from the nacelle to the tower sections, concrete bases, cabling, and of course, the blades. The blades, for example, can be turned into torsion beams for solar power plants—or, as in this case, into the soles of wind-powered sneakers.
Nearly all materials used in a wind farm—mainly steel, copper, and concrete—are easy to recycle. The blades, however, pose a greater challenge due to their complex makeup: mostly composites (fiberglass or carbon fiber bonded with resins), and smaller amounts of wood, steel, plastic, paint, and more. Today, many decommissioned blades find a second life in the resale market as they’re replaced with newer turbine models. But the wind industry is already working on scalable solutions for the large volume of blades expected to reach end-of-life in the coming years. In Spain alone, it’s estimated that around 20,000 blades will need to be recycled in the near future.