Commercial scale wind turbines typically have a life expectancy of 20-30 years. When a turbine reaches the end of its useful life it can be retrofitted or removed altogether.

When the OPSB grants a certificate to a project, it is under a condition that the company must decommission the facility, or individual turbines, at its own expense. In addition, the site must be restored to the same topography that existed prior to construction upon decommissioning.