ACCIONA Energía has won the Communications and Campaign Award at the 2026 Clean Energy Council Awards, recognising the Turbine Made Bolero Fins campaign for its innovative approach to demonstrating wind turbine blade circularity to Australian audiences.
The campaign built on ACCIONA's Turbine Made initiative by partnering with Sydney surf brand Bolero Surf to create the first commercially available surfboard fins made from 100% recycled wind turbine blade material. Rather than simply announcing a recycling solution, ACCIONA used live competition, media partnerships and storytelling to put the product to the test in front of a real audience — shifting public perception of end-of-life turbine blade waste from a looming problem to a solution already in motion.
The fins made their competitive debut at the 2026 NRMA Insurance Australian Boardriders Battle on the Gold Coast, where professional surfer and Bungan Boardriders Club captain Darcy Crump put them through their paces. "Performance comes first. The fins feel solid and quick around turns. Knowing they are made from recycled turbine blades makes it even better," Crump said.
The fins were designed and crafted in Sydney by Bolero Surf founder Banjo Hunt, who spent years testing recycled fibreglass options before finding that the fibreglass inside decommissioned turbine blades offered the strength and consistency needed for high-performance surf hardware. "The fibreglass inside turbine blades is incredibly strong and consistent. It is exactly the type of material you want in a high-performance surfboard fin. By reusing it, we avoid one of the most expensive and labour-intensive parts of fin making. That advantage is helping us bring production back to Australia," Hunt said.
ACCIONA Energía's Brand & Digital Lead Hien Pham said the award reflected the value of practical, real-world partnerships in tackling an emerging industry challenge. "In the next five to 10 years, Australia will face a growing challenge in what to do with decommissioned wind turbine blades. Turbine Made is a platform inspiring Australians about product stewardship and creative innovation.," Pham said.
The Communications and Campaign Award recognises outstanding initiatives that have positively influenced awareness, sentiment or engagement in clean energy, celebrating strategic campaigns and compelling storytelling across traditional, digital and integrated channels.