Surfer Turns Old Wind Turbine Blades Into Surfboard Fins

Forty-meter wind turbine blades that once powered Victoria are now carving through waves off the coast of New South Wales, and it's solving a problem nobody saw coming.

Sydney surfer Banjo Hunt has cracked the code on repurposing decommissioned wind farm blades into surfboard fins. While 90 percent of a wind turbine can be recycled, the blades remain stubbornly difficult to break down, creating a mounting waste challenge for the renewable energy industry.

Hunt discovered that the same properties making turbine blades nearly impossible to recycle also make them perfect for surfboard fins. The composite material's strength and durability translate directly to high-performance equipment.

"I'd tried caravan walls and boat walls, but all of that has a super loose weave fibreglass that doesn't really lend itself to surfboard fins," Hunt explained. That search led him to wind turbines at the Waubra Wind Farm near Ballarat.

The timing couldn't be better. Australia has 31 wind farms over 15 years old, and by 2034, decommissioned farms will produce an estimated 15,000 tonnes of blade waste. Hunt's innovation offers a blueprint for managing this approaching wave of material.

Professional surfer Darcy Crump tested the turbine blade fins at the 2026 Australian Boardriders Battle on the Gold Coast. "Having these fins made out of wind turbine blades was pretty special, and it turned a lot of heads," Crump said. He found them comparable to major commercial brands, though slightly stiffer than traditional fins.

The environmental math adds up beautifully. The single turbine blade Hunt used generated 14,773 megawatt-hours of clean energy during its operational life, avoiding 19,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Now it's getting a second act instead of heading to landfill.

The Ripple Effect

Hunt's workshop represents more than clever recycling. By reusing turbine material, he's avoiding the expensive, toxic manufacturing processes that typically ship fin production overseas. His fins are made entirely in Australia from 100 percent turbine blade material.

Caroline Pinter, general manager at Acciona's Waubra Wind Farm, acknowledged the challenge ahead. "Finding solutions for these complex composite materials is not easy, especially because wind turbine blades are so long," she said. Modern blades stretch 80 meters, making transport and processing a logistical puzzle.

Andrew Bray from RE-Alliance, an organization helping communities navigate renewable transitions, sees Hunt's innovation as part of a larger solution. Overseas, old blades have become bus shelters, skis, furniture, and playground equipment. Australia is just getting started.

The good news extends beyond surfing. Newer turbine blades are being designed for easier recycling, meaning the waste crisis has a built-in sunset date. For older blades, creative thinkers like Hunt are proving that what looks like trash might just be treasure waiting for the right wave.