Living in one wind turbine it is possible (and also with great style)
Last year, around 24 TWh of wind energy was produced in Italy, according to Terna data. A positive result for renewable sources, although still far from the objective of 28.1 GW of operational capacity by 2030, established by the PNIEC (Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan).
If on the one hand the development of wind power is good news for the energy transition, on the other hand it is giving rise to a new challenge: the disposal of end-of-life turbines, which are bulky and difficult to manage. In fact, in the coming decades, thousands of turbines will have to be dismantled or replaced. Much of their components, such as metal and concrete, are recyclable and circular economy opportunities are emerging to transform them, for example, into bridges.
Just recently, during the latest edition of Dutch Design Week, an innovative tiny house was presented, built inside a decommissioned wind turbine that operated for 20 years in Austria.
From the outside the origin of the structure is evident, but inside everything is set up for a comfortable stay, with kitchen, bathroom and living area. The house is also equipped with a heat pump, solar panels and a solar water heater, all managed by intelligent systems.
This tiny house is an idea by Vattenfall, a Swedish energy production company, developed by the Superuse design studio in collaboration with Blade-Made and Woodwave. The team chose to design a house that complies with building regulations, using the smallest possible wind nacelle, coming from a 2MW V80 turbine. Newer turbine nacelles would offer much more space, but despite its limited size, the tiny house complies with building regulations and can be used as a home or holiday home.
Jos de Krieger, partner at Superuse and Blade-Made, said:
At least ten thousand spacecraft of this generation are available worldwide, many of which have yet to be dismantled. This situation represents a prospect and a challenge for owners and dismantlers. If it is possible to transform a complex structure such as a house, then numerous simpler solutions are equally feasible and scalable.
The small home is furnished with sustainable, second-hand furniture, including a table made with materials from a recycled wind turbine.
Looking ahead, there are plans for floating islands built from decommissioned wind turbines, artwork based on turbine production data, and a vision for the future of reusing parts of these structures. The secondary raw material will not be lacking.
