Moonshot

The Moonshot practice fosters collaboration between academia, policy, and industry to enhance the sustainability of the  wind sector. By using an inclusive approach, it successfully incorporated circularity into offshore wind tenders in the Netherlands and created valuable partnerships. The practice leads to industry-wide change and offers scalability for future applications also in other domains.

Highlights

• Engaged 300 stakeholders from policy, industry, and academia in the circular wind sector.
• Integrated circularity into Dutch offshore wind farm tenders, impacting 4 GW worth of offshore wind capacity starting in 2023.
• Created the DecomCockpit consortium for circular wind farm decommissioning and many other spin-offs.

About this Practice

The Moonshot practice is an ambitious, collaborative initiative designed to drive the  wind energy sector towards circularity. In response to the growing demand for sustainability, the practice was developed in the Dutch wind sector to bring together a wide range of stakeholders from policy, academia, and industry. Its primary goal is to tackle the complex challenge of improving the circularity of wind energy by fostering open dialogue, rapid knowledge sharing, and the co-creation of actionable solutions. 

At the heart of the Moonshot practice are three key hubs: (1) the Knowledge Hub, which identifies knowledge gaps and supports research; (2) the Policy Hub, which recognises the need for regulatory change and crafts policy recommendations; and (3) the Industry Hub, which focuses on practical industry demonstrations and priorities. This structure ensures that each solution is both holistic and practical, considering the perspectives and needs of all key stakeholders.

One of the standout achievements of the practice was the inclusion of circularity criteria in the Dutch offshore wind farm tender processes, a first for the sector. The introduction of a Material Passport has become a critical requirement, adding transparency to the supply chain and ensuring that environmental impacts are clearly tracked. This move is expected to have long-term positive effects on the industry, promoting circular business models and sustainable project development.

Another major outcome of the Moonshot practice was the creation of the DecomCockpit consortium, a collaborative effort that focuses on the circular decommissioning of wind farms. This consortium is working on extending the lifespan of wind farm components and ensuring their sustainable recycling and reuse.

The inclusive nature of the practice is one of its key strengths. It engaged over 300 stakeholders, including policy makers, industry leaders, and academic experts, to collectively address the challenges of sustainability. This inclusive, open approach fosters fast learning, accelerates decision-making, and ensures high levels of stakeholder buy-in.

The scalability of the Moonshot practice is another significant factor. While it has been highly effective in the Dutch wind sector, the model is designed to be adaptable to other industries and regions that face complex, multi-stakeholder, sustainability challenges. Its success lies in its ability to unite diverse stakeholders in pursuit of long-lasting, impactful change.