Wyoming coal mines can now fill old pits with wind turbine blades

Wyoming has changed its rules to allow decommissioned wind turbine blades and towers to be used as backfill in old surface coal mine pits. This means that instead of sending these large turbine parts to landfills, they can be buried in existing mine voids.

Wind turbine blades are made of composite materials that are difficult and expensive to recycle. This rule change offers a new, cheaper way to dispose of them, which could reduce the cost of decommissioning wind farms. It also creates a new revenue stream for coal mine operators, who can charge for accepting these materials.