What happens when wind turbines wear out?
Wind turbines, like all mechanical equipment, have a limited useful life. The design useful life for a modern wind turbine exceeds 20 years. While these turbines could operate beyond 20 years, with regular maintenance, improvements in technology could justify earlier replacement of turbines or components. Zoning ordinances will often contain provisions regarding the de-commissioning of the wind farm, and the agreements with each landowner will typically specify the details for the removal of equipment at the end of the project.