The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and RenewableUK are pleased to invite you to a virtual conference on Circular Economy in the Wind Sector on Tuesday 29th June. This is the industry’s first major event on the journey towards energy that is not just renewable but also zero waste in its production.

If you work in wind, you’ll find inspiration from a variety of sectors working on the same challenges. And if you are new to wind, you’ll find out how one sector is aiming to go circular and zero waste!

Journalist and author Kate Russell will host the event and lead discussion with each of our speakers throughout the day. You will hear from wind industry leaders as well as experts in circular economy approaches drawn from a variety of sectors, nations and backgrounds. From disruptive tech start-ups to global manufacturers, thought leaders and policymakers – you will gain a unique mix of knowledge and experience.

This busy day will feature technology showcases, livelinks to our facilities, panel discussions and expert Q&As on such topics as composite plastics, sourcing of minerals (such as rare earth, copper, cobalt), lifetime extension and designing out waste from the start.

Our event is free to attend, simply register and share with your networks.

AGENDA

09.00 – 09.10: Introduction

Hosts Kate Russell and Alex Louden introduce themselves and the event

09.10-09.30: Keynote Speech

Huub den Rooijen, Director of Energy, Minerals and Infrastructure, The Crown Estate

09.30 – 09.45: Discussion of keynote themes

• Huub den Rooijen, Director of Energy, Minerals and Infrastructure, The Crown Estate
• Melanie Onn, Deputy Chief Executive, RenewableUK
• Dr Steven Wyatt, Director of Research and Disruptive Innovation, Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult

09.45 – 10.15: Driving clean technology supply chains + Q&A

Professor Will Drury, Challenge Director, Driving the Electric Revolution at UK Research and Innovation

10.15-10.45: The zero-waste ambition for offshore wind + Q&A

Allan Korsgaard Poulsen, Head of Advanced Structures and Sustainability at Vestas

10.45 – 11.15: Closing the Blades Recycling Gap

Torben K. Jacobsen, Senior Director Advanced Technology Systems, LM, presents on the ZEBRA project

11.15-11.25: Coffee break

11.25 – 11.55: Emerging technologies  – how do they apply to wind?

Graeme Cruickshank, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Centre for Process Innovation

11.55 – 12.15: Blades: Livelink to ORE Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre

• Dr Peter Greaves, Senior Research Structural Engineer, ORE Catapult (at the facility)
• Lorna Bennet, Project Engineer, ORE Catapult

12.15 – 13.00: SME Corner

Founders of three disruptive companies in the circular economy discuss their ground-breaking approaches with the event hosts:

• Andrew Hine, Executive Director, Greenspur, discusses alternatives to rare earths
• Gordon Mina, Head of Sales for Renewable Parts, discusses their circular economy business model for refurbishing turbines
• Tom Birbeck, Founder and CEO, ARC Marine on sustainable reefs for marine life

13.00 – 13.30: Beyond Recycling: Moving operations up the zero waste hierarchy

• Dr Anne Velenturf, Research Impact Fellow in Circular Economy, University of Leeds
• Callie Babbitt, Associate Professor at the Golisano Institute for Sustainability, Rochester Institute for Technology

13.30-13.45: Coffee Break

13.45 – 14.15: All about minerals – ensuring sustainability 

• Dr Ross Jaggers, Programme Manager, Royal Society of Chemistry

14.15 – 15.00: Close-Out Panel Discussion

• Graeme Cruickshank
• Dr Steven Wyatt
• Dr Anne Velenturf
• Allan Korsgaard Poulsen