Name
Gill Cashion
Job title
Executive Director
Organisation
Rennie Advisory
Speaker biography
Gill is a strategic and transformation leader with deep expertise across energy, public sector and infrastructure. She combines management consulting experience with an engineering foundation gained as an R&D engineer at Vestas Wind Systems, enabling her to deliver complex, high‑stakes programs that advance smarter, cleaner and more efficient systems. Gill has led major reform initiatives, commercial growth strategies in clean energy, and large‑scale operating model redesigns in government. With roles at Vestas, PwC and Scyne Advisory, she offers a rare blend of technical insight, commercial acumen and transformation expertise across the full energy value chain.
Speaking At
Presentation title
Maximising wind turbine recycling opportunities in Australia
Presentation summary
As Australia accelerates its clean energy transition, the volume of wind turbines approaching end-of-life will grow significantly over the coming decades. This presents both a challenge and a major opportunity: recovering high-value materials such as rare earth elements, metals, composites and engineered polymers, and establishing an onshore circular economy that supports jobs, reduces waste and strengthens supply chain resilience.
This presentation explores emerging technology innovations that are reshaping what is possible in turbine end-of-life management. Advances in thermal and chemical recycling processes are enabling higher-quality recovery of glass and carbon fibres from blades; new hydrometallurgical techniques are improving the extraction of rare earth elements from permanent magnets; and next-generation solvolysis, modular blade design and thermoplastic resins are creating pathways for true closed-loop recycling in future fleets.
Alongside these innovations, the session will examine the policy settings required to maximise the extent to which these materials can be recovered within Australia. Key levers include targeted R&D support, clear end-of-life standards, investment incentives for recycling infrastructure, harmonised national waste regulations, and market development mechanisms to stimulate demand for recycled materials. Together, these measures can position Australia as a regional leader in sustainable wind asset lifecycle management and advanced materials recovery.
This presentation explores emerging technology innovations that are reshaping what is possible in turbine end-of-life management. Advances in thermal and chemical recycling processes are enabling higher-quality recovery of glass and carbon fibres from blades; new hydrometallurgical techniques are improving the extraction of rare earth elements from permanent magnets; and next-generation solvolysis, modular blade design and thermoplastic resins are creating pathways for true closed-loop recycling in future fleets.
Alongside these innovations, the session will examine the policy settings required to maximise the extent to which these materials can be recovered within Australia. Key levers include targeted R&D support, clear end-of-life standards, investment incentives for recycling infrastructure, harmonised national waste regulations, and market development mechanisms to stimulate demand for recycled materials. Together, these measures can position Australia as a regional leader in sustainable wind asset lifecycle management and advanced materials recovery.
