Scott Strazik, CEO of GE Vernova, emphasized the historic scale of the coming infrastructure buildout:
“You’ve got to go back to 1945 and the end of World War II — that’s the infrastructure boom we’re going to have.”
As the U.S. electricity grid braces for a surge in power demand over the next 15 years, a parallel transformation is underway in the country's onshore wind sector. More than 75,000 turbines—many built 15 to 20 years ago—are reaching the end of their original design life, and a new industrial cycle is emerging: repowering.
This process involves upgrading or fully replacing aging turbines with larger, more efficient models that can increase output by up to 50%, extend asset life, and significantly improve grid performance. It’s rapidly becoming a major business segment for leading turbine manufacturers like GE Vernova, Vestas, and Siemens Gamesa, as well as developers such as RWE, Clearway, and MidAmerican Energy.
The State of U.S. Onshore Wind: Maturing, But Ready for Renewal
The U.S. onshore wind industry now comprises approximately 1,500 utility-scale wind farms, located across 45 states, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Wind currently generates nearly 11% of the nation’s electricity, making it the largest source of renewable energy in the U.S.—ahead of solar and hydropower—and at times exceeding coal-fired generation.
Top wind-producing states include Texas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Illinois, and Kansas, each home to thousands of installed turbines. Many of these projects were built between 2000 and 2010, making them prime candidates for modernization or decommissioning.
According to Wood Mackenzie, about 7 GW of capacity has already been fully repowered, with another 12 GW partially upgraded.
“What’s becoming clear is that more and more of the U.S. installed base [of onshore turbines] has exceeded its operational design life,” said Charles Coppins, a global wind analyst at the firm. “Operators are looking to replace those aging turbines with the latest [ones].”
Turbine Makers Regain Momentum
After several challenging years of cost pressures and supply chain disruptions, the repowering trend has brought a resurgence to leading OEMs:
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GE Vernova led U.S. onshore wind installations in 2024, capturing 56% of the market.
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Vestas, the Danish wind leader, held 40% of installations.
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Siemens Gamesa, a Siemens Energy subsidiary, secured 4% of the U.S. market.
All three firms reported revenue growth in 2024, a signal of growing repower activity. GE Vernova, for example, said it received more than 1 GW of U.S. repowering orders in 2024 alone.
Major Projects Fueling the Repower Boom
Real-world projects are bringing the benefits of repowering to life:
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RWE’s Forest Creek Wind Farm (Texas)
Commissioned in 2006, Forest Creek featured 54 Siemens Gamesa turbines. In 2024, the project began replacing those with 45 new GE Vernova turbines, which are expected to extend the wind farm's life by another 30 years.
Adjacent to the repowered facility, RWE and GE are constructing a new site that will add 64 additional turbines, ultimately delivering 308 MW of clean energy.
“This investment is in response to growing regional demand—especially from oil and gas operations in Texas,” said Andrew Flanagan, CEO of RWE Clean Energy. “It’s great to see our wind generation drive the all-of-the-above energy approach.” He added that the project will bring $30 million in local tax revenue and peak employment for 250 construction workers.
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Clearway’s Mount Storm Wind Farm (West Virginia)
This repowering project with Vestas involves replacing 132 older turbines with just 78 new, more powerful units, resulting in an 85% increase in generation while reducing the total number of turbines by 40%.
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MidAmerican Energy’s Rolling Hills (Iowa)
In 2019, Siemens Gamesa upgraded the site by replacing 193 aging turbines with 163 newer models, built at its plants in Iowa and Kansas. MidAmerican, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, operates 3,500 turbines across 38 wind farms in Iowa alone.
Also repowered by Siemens Gamesa, the 127-MW site is replacing 41 turbines with upgraded nacelles and blades, while adding six new turbines to increase overall capacity.
Why Repowering Makes Economic Sense
From an investment standpoint, repowering offers lower capital intensity and faster ROI compared to building new greenfield projects. Key benefits include:
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No new land acquisition required
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Use of existing infrastructure and grid interconnection
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Higher efficiency with fewer turbines
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Extended project lifespan by 20–30 years
However, operators must navigate limitations around interconnection capacity and local permitting. “As long as the operator is not surpassing the allowed interconnection volume agreed to with the local utility, they can add electricity to the project and still send it to the grid,” said Stephen Maldonado, U.S. onshore wind analyst at Wood Mackenzie.
Creating a Circular Economy Through Recycling
As more turbines are decommissioned, the wind industry is also giving rise to a new sector: turbine recycling.
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Carbon Rivers partners with OEMs to recover glass fiber, carbon fiber, and resin systems from decommissioned blades to create new materials used in aerospace, auto parts, and marine vessels.
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Veolia North America processes blades into alternative fuels for cement kilns. Its Missouri facility has handled over 6,500 wind blades and is expanding to meet demand.
Today’s turbines are 85–95% recyclable, and OEMs are working toward 100% recyclable designs in the coming years.
Looking Ahead: Load Growth and Opportunity
The repowering trend is also aligned with a broader surge in electricity demand. According to John Hensley, SVP at the American Clean Power Association, “We’re expecting a 35% to 50% increase in load between now and 2040. It’s like adding a new Louisiana to the grid every year for 15 years.”
