Think of them as the "Sanford and Son" of the wind industry. A small, but growing, number of companies like Halus Power Systems are specializing in refurbished wind turbines says Green Inc. Unlike solar panels, which live fairly passive lives, wind turbines are regularly abused by the elements. Plus, they are mechanical by nature so wind turbines are prone to break down. (Only a portion of solar installations come with pivoting frames and even then it's a fairly controlled motion. Because the sun doesn't change its pace, the speed of the pivoting panels remains fairly constant.) The refurbished turbines go for around $700 to $800 per kilowatt versus $1,400 to $1,600 for new ones. It might work. Recycling certainly plays in other markets. Several companies, such as Multis Group and Electronic Recyclers have created growing businesses out of refurbishing old computers. Solar panels can also be repaired in the event of breakage. (Bob Cart, CEO of GreenVolts, actually got started in solar after repairing damaged solar panels he found on South Pacific islands during an extended break from work. Yachts were leaving them.) Again, computers and solar panels have easier lives, but it doesn't mean it can't work elsewhere. The challenge will be in how well the refurbed turbines function. Regulators are going to scrutinize the handiwork. One thing the refurbishers will have going for them is the complexity involved in building turbines. Until the economic crash, there was a large backlog of turbines, caused by both high demand and the long manufacturing time. If you ordered a turbine in early 2008, the expected delivery time was late 2009 or early 2010. It rapidly eased in October, but it could easily return.