Reducing material criticality through circular business models: Challenges in renewable energy
2021; Elsevier BV; Volume: 4; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/j.oneear.2021.02.016
ISSN2590-3330
AutoresAnne P.M. Velenturf, Phil Purnell, Paul D. Jensen,
Tópico(s)Mining and Resource Management
ResumoGlobal decarbonization relies on technologies such as solar and wind energy that require "critical" materials. In this issue of One Earth, Babbitt et al. propose circular economy interventions that preserve critical materials. Here we discuss how the lack of research and industry and policy readiness are challenging the adoption of such practices. Global decarbonization relies on technologies such as solar and wind energy that require "critical" materials. In this issue of One Earth, Babbitt et al. propose circular economy interventions that preserve critical materials. Here we discuss how the lack of research and industry and policy readiness are challenging the adoption of such practices. The deployment of renewable energy technologies is essential for meeting UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as SDG7 on affordable and clean energy and SDG13 on climate action.1United NationsTransforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/21252030%20Agenda%20for%20Sustainable%20Development%20web.pdfDate: 2015Google Scholar Producing renewable infrastructure, however, requires increasing amounts of materials such as indium, gallium, and rare-earth metals. This risk displaces environmental impacts, rather than significantly reducing them, with unsustainable exploitation of fossil fuels being replaced by unsustainable exploitation of materials critical for renewable energy.2Vidal O. Goffé B. Arndt N. Metals for a low-carbon society.Nat. Geosci. 2013; 6: 894-896Crossref Scopus (175) Google Scholar For example, metal ore extraction and processing for low-carbon technologies has profound and widespread environmental impacts (e.g., water, human, and eco-toxicity).3Stamford L. Azapagic A. Life cycle sustainability assessment of electricity options for the UK.Int. J. Energy Res. 2012; 36: 1263-1290Crossref Scopus (108) Google Scholar This risks the creation of trade-offs with SDG6 on clean water, SDG10 on reducing inequalities, and SDG14 and SDG15 on nature conservation in marine and terrestrial environments.1United NationsTransforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/21252030%20Agenda%20for%20Sustainable%20Development%20web.pdfDate: 2015Google Scholar Circular economy strategies that make better use of materials and products can offer solutions, in line with SDG12 on sustainable consumption and production.1United NationsTransforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/21252030%20Agenda%20for%20Sustainable%20Development%20web.pdfDate: 2015Google Scholar,4Velenturf A.P.M. Purnell P. Principles for a Sustainable Circular Economy.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2021; (In press)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.02.018Crossref Scopus (83) Google Scholar A sustainable circular economy aims to maintain or enhance social well-being, environmental quality, and economic prosperity.4Velenturf A.P.M. Purnell P. Principles for a Sustainable Circular Economy.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2021; (In press)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.02.018Crossref Scopus (83) Google Scholar It is a whole-system approach to optimize social, environmental, technical, and economic values of products and materials throughout their consecutive life cycles. This can be achieved with strategies such as dematerialization, repair, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling (Figure 1). Circular economy has gained momentum through its potential to decouple environmental impacts from economic growth, but sufficient decoupling is unlikely to be achieved through generic resource efficiency measures such as recycling.5Parrique T. Barth J. Briens F. Spangenber J. Decoupling Debunked: Evidence and arguments against green growth as a sole strategy for sustainability. European Environmental Bureau, 2019Google Scholar A greater focus on reduced average energy and material resource use per person is necessary. Such changes cannot be achieved by technological innovation alone, and whole-system transformations including changes in social, political and economic systems, and practices—including business models, consumer behavior, and regulation—are essential to achieve a sustainable and "circular" future.4Velenturf A.P.M. Purnell P. Principles for a Sustainable Circular Economy.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2021; (In press)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.02.018Crossref Scopus (83) Google Scholar In this issue of One Earth, Babbitt et al.6Babbitt C.W. Althaf S. Rios F.C. Bilec M. Graedel T.E. The role of design in circular economy solutions for critical materials.One Earth. 2021; 4 (this issue): 353-362Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (16) Google Scholar show that material criticality is now a universal concern for resource availability and sustainable development of renewable energy. For example, materials such as indium and gallium required for solar PV, and neodymium and dysprosium required for many wind turbines, are deemed critical in the EU and US. Circular economy strategies could offer sustainable solutions, but uptake in the renewables sector is low.7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar Despite the importance of the challenge, the subject appears under-investigated. Scopus lists only 141 articles on circular economy and "solar" energy, 82 on wind, and 79 on electric vehicles (as of February 17, 2021). The lack of evidence offers little platform on which to base actions for industry and government. Renewable energy infrastructure has been deployed at exponential speed driven by the urgency of climate agendas. Sustainability issues emanating from mining and processing of increasingly critical materials, and the end-of-life management of renewables infrastructure (both to recover materials and dispose of problematic composites), have avoided the spotlight. Babbitt et al.6Babbitt C.W. Althaf S. Rios F.C. Bilec M. Graedel T.E. The role of design in circular economy solutions for critical materials.One Earth. 2021; 4 (this issue): 353-362Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (16) Google Scholar outline circular economy strategies, including ex ante evaluations of material requirements of technological innovations at the R&D stage; sustainable material selection; design of resilient supply chains, design for disassembly, dematerialization, durability, and recycling; circular business models; material tracking technology; and circularity passports. For offshore wind, drivers for adopting such strategies include reduced resource use and cost savings, business diversification, reduced decommissioning risks, potential job creation, social acceptance, and potential carbon savings.8Velenturf A.P.M. Circular Economy Business Opportunities in Offshore Wind: Workshop proceedings.in: A Sustainable Circular Economy for Offshore Wind. University of Leeds, 2021Google Scholar Circular economy adoption is, however, seen to be challenging. For instance, the offshore wind industry is under pressure to reduce costs, competing against artificially low fossil fuel prices. The offshore wind industry is moving from industrial exploration into exploitation, accompanied by a notable consolidation of market actors, increasing performance expectations, and efficiency improvements to minimize costs in the short term. However, cost reductions squeeze funds for innovation capacity, limiting the uptake of circular economy solutions. The industry functions under political-economic systems that measure costs and benefits primarily in monetary terms, with social and environmental performance being a secondary consideration. Short-termism and continued pressure on companies to reduce costs make it difficult to articulate circular economy business cases that focus on long-term benefits. Offshore wind companies are largely functioning in silos along wind-farm life cycles, posing challenges to collaborative learning and innovation across supply chains.7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar, 8Velenturf A.P.M. Circular Economy Business Opportunities in Offshore Wind: Workshop proceedings.in: A Sustainable Circular Economy for Offshore Wind. University of Leeds, 2021Google Scholar, 9Lapko Y. Trianni A. Nuur C. Masi D. In Pursuit of Closed-Loop Supply Chains for Critical Materials: An Exploratory Study in the Green Energy Sector.J. Ind. Ecol. 2019; 23: 182-196Crossref Scopus (34) Google Scholar For example, design pays insufficient attention to disassembly and recycling at end-of-use, timely communication between decommissioning and recycling is missing, and recyclers and miners are not collaborating to ensure reliable supplies of materials to manufacturers.9Lapko Y. Trianni A. Nuur C. Masi D. In Pursuit of Closed-Loop Supply Chains for Critical Materials: An Exploratory Study in the Green Energy Sector.J. Ind. Ecol. 2019; 23: 182-196Crossref Scopus (34) Google Scholar Developing circular economy supply chains will require more engagement between supply-chain actors7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar,9Lapko Y. Trianni A. Nuur C. Masi D. In Pursuit of Closed-Loop Supply Chains for Critical Materials: An Exploratory Study in the Green Energy Sector.J. Ind. Ecol. 2019; 23: 182-196Crossref Scopus (34) Google Scholar and the sharing of data and information.7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar, 8Velenturf A.P.M. Circular Economy Business Opportunities in Offshore Wind: Workshop proceedings.in: A Sustainable Circular Economy for Offshore Wind. University of Leeds, 2021Google Scholar, 9Lapko Y. Trianni A. Nuur C. Masi D. In Pursuit of Closed-Loop Supply Chains for Critical Materials: An Exploratory Study in the Green Energy Sector.J. Ind. Ecol. 2019; 23: 182-196Crossref Scopus (34) Google Scholar Tracking volumes and qualities of materials and components is essential for the shaping of business cases, technological innovation, guaranteeing material and component specifications, and developing policies.4Velenturf A.P.M. Purnell P. Principles for a Sustainable Circular Economy.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2021; (In press)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.02.018Crossref Scopus (83) Google Scholar,6Babbitt C.W. Althaf S. Rios F.C. Bilec M. Graedel T.E. The role of design in circular economy solutions for critical materials.One Earth. 2021; 4 (this issue): 353-362Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (16) Google Scholar,7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar This is currently constrained by complex ownership structures and a lack of clarity regarding responsibilities of actors at the various wind-farm life cycle stages.8Velenturf A.P.M. Circular Economy Business Opportunities in Offshore Wind: Workshop proceedings.in: A Sustainable Circular Economy for Offshore Wind. University of Leeds, 2021Google Scholar Due to a rapid increase in the physical size of components, driven by the quest for cost reduction, demand for reused smaller parts is limited.8Velenturf A.P.M. Circular Economy Business Opportunities in Offshore Wind: Workshop proceedings.in: A Sustainable Circular Economy for Offshore Wind. University of Leeds, 2021Google Scholar Moreover, manufacturers do not retain ownership of components and do not expect to deal with them at end-of-use. As such, designing components for longevity and reuse is not their priority. Despite the greater opportunities for reducing environmental impacts offered by component durability and reuse, recycling remains the main end-of-use strategy for business and governments. Yet even recycling and reintegration of critical materials into renewable technology supply chains are not taking place on any notable commercial scale.6Babbitt C.W. Althaf S. Rios F.C. Bilec M. Graedel T.E. The role of design in circular economy solutions for critical materials.One Earth. 2021; 4 (this issue): 353-362Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (16) Google Scholar,7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar This is due to a lack of development, perceived quality concerns over recycled critical materials, and high-performance requirements of offshore wind components,10Diehl O. Schönfeldt M. Brouwer E. Dirks A. Rachut K. Gassmann J. Güth K. Buckow A. Gauß R. Stauber R. Gutfleisch O. Towards an Alloy Recycling of Nd–Fe–B Permanent Magnets in a Circular Economy.Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy. 2018; 4: 163-175Crossref Scopus (17) Google Scholar with manufacturers finding it more convenient to use new raw materials.9Lapko Y. Trianni A. Nuur C. Masi D. In Pursuit of Closed-Loop Supply Chains for Critical Materials: An Exploratory Study in the Green Energy Sector.J. Ind. Ecol. 2019; 23: 182-196Crossref Scopus (34) Google Scholar This could be addressed by improved sorting and identification of specific material grades, better dismantling techniques than shredding, and more suitable pre-treatments of materials.10Diehl O. Schönfeldt M. Brouwer E. Dirks A. Rachut K. Gassmann J. Güth K. Buckow A. Gauß R. Stauber R. Gutfleisch O. Towards an Alloy Recycling of Nd–Fe–B Permanent Magnets in a Circular Economy.Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy. 2018; 4: 163-175Crossref Scopus (17) Google Scholar But, without the demand for recyclates, investment into advanced recycling technologies appears unattractive.9Lapko Y. Trianni A. Nuur C. Masi D. In Pursuit of Closed-Loop Supply Chains for Critical Materials: An Exploratory Study in the Green Energy Sector.J. Ind. Ecol. 2019; 23: 182-196Crossref Scopus (34) Google Scholar The lack of secondary use of critical materials in offshore wind is downplayed as an issue, with arguments that only low volumes are required and a belief that innovations will emerge when criticality becomes pressing.7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar, 8Velenturf A.P.M. Circular Economy Business Opportunities in Offshore Wind: Workshop proceedings.in: A Sustainable Circular Economy for Offshore Wind. University of Leeds, 2021Google Scholar, 9Lapko Y. Trianni A. Nuur C. Masi D. In Pursuit of Closed-Loop Supply Chains for Critical Materials: An Exploratory Study in the Green Energy Sector.J. Ind. Ecol. 2019; 23: 182-196Crossref Scopus (34) Google Scholar This demonstrates a lack of cross-sectoral thinking, because multiple modern technologies rely on the same limited resources such as lithium, cobalt, and rare-earth metals.7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar,11Dawson D.A. Purnell P. Roelich K. Busch J. Steinberger J.K. Low carbon technology performance vs infrastructure vulnerability: analysis through the local and global properties space.Environ. Sci. Technol. 2014; 48: 12970-12977Crossref PubMed Scopus (8) Google Scholar It also shows a limited insight into solutions using completely different technologies. For instance, using electromagnetic instead of permanent magnet technologies for wind power or electric vehicles can eliminate their shared reliance on rare-earth metals with manageable loss of technical efficiency.11Dawson D.A. Purnell P. Roelich K. Busch J. Steinberger J.K. Low carbon technology performance vs infrastructure vulnerability: analysis through the local and global properties space.Environ. Sci. Technol. 2014; 48: 12970-12977Crossref PubMed Scopus (8) Google Scholar The huge global drive for electric vehicles and battery storage means demand for lithium and cobalt will soon outstrip supply, yet alternative solutions for subsurface energy storage (e.g., compressed air energy storage in disused mines, gas fields, or natural caverns) go unnoticed. The benefits for cross-sectoral collaboration and learning are well recognized, but successful implementation remains challenging.8Velenturf A.P.M. Circular Economy Business Opportunities in Offshore Wind: Workshop proceedings.in: A Sustainable Circular Economy for Offshore Wind. University of Leeds, 2021Google Scholar With low demand for recycled critical materials in offshore wind, insight into such demand from other sectors is necessary in the articulation of business cases for investment into recycling facilities.8Velenturf A.P.M. Circular Economy Business Opportunities in Offshore Wind: Workshop proceedings.in: A Sustainable Circular Economy for Offshore Wind. University of Leeds, 2021Google Scholar,9Lapko Y. Trianni A. Nuur C. Masi D. In Pursuit of Closed-Loop Supply Chains for Critical Materials: An Exploratory Study in the Green Energy Sector.J. Ind. Ecol. 2019; 23: 182-196Crossref Scopus (34) Google Scholar Depending on already established infrastructure, it is likely that investment in new end-of-use logistical, disassembly, and recycling infrastructure is required.8Velenturf A.P.M. Circular Economy Business Opportunities in Offshore Wind: Workshop proceedings.in: A Sustainable Circular Economy for Offshore Wind. University of Leeds, 2021Google Scholar,9Lapko Y. Trianni A. Nuur C. Masi D. In Pursuit of Closed-Loop Supply Chains for Critical Materials: An Exploratory Study in the Green Energy Sector.J. Ind. Ecol. 2019; 23: 182-196Crossref Scopus (34) Google Scholar For a viable business case, recyclers must match the availability of items to recycle with demand for secondary resources by manufacturers.8Velenturf A.P.M. Circular Economy Business Opportunities in Offshore Wind: Workshop proceedings.in: A Sustainable Circular Economy for Offshore Wind. University of Leeds, 2021Google Scholar,9Lapko Y. Trianni A. Nuur C. Masi D. In Pursuit of Closed-Loop Supply Chains for Critical Materials: An Exploratory Study in the Green Energy Sector.J. Ind. Ecol. 2019; 23: 182-196Crossref Scopus (34) Google Scholar To incorporate secondary resources into production processes, manufacturers must be confident in a steady supply of materials. Volatile market prices for secondary resources raise further challenges.9Lapko Y. Trianni A. Nuur C. Masi D. In Pursuit of Closed-Loop Supply Chains for Critical Materials: An Exploratory Study in the Green Energy Sector.J. Ind. Ecol. 2019; 23: 182-196Crossref Scopus (34) Google Scholar The disconnect between the impacts and implications of current and future material demands does not create the business case impetus to promote the urgent adoption of circular economy strategies.7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar This creates an important role for policy and regulation to nurture the conditions that drive a circular economy in offshore wind and related technologies.7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar, 8Velenturf A.P.M. Circular Economy Business Opportunities in Offshore Wind: Workshop proceedings.in: A Sustainable Circular Economy for Offshore Wind. University of Leeds, 2021Google Scholar, 9Lapko Y. Trianni A. Nuur C. Masi D. In Pursuit of Closed-Loop Supply Chains for Critical Materials: An Exploratory Study in the Green Energy Sector.J. Ind. Ecol. 2019; 23: 182-196Crossref Scopus (34) Google Scholar Environmental regulation must be properly implemented to avoid loss of materials to rogue operators and illegal exports and adapted to support high-value specialist recycling (instead of low-value bulk recycling) and correct application of the waste hierarchy.7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar, 8Velenturf A.P.M. Circular Economy Business Opportunities in Offshore Wind: Workshop proceedings.in: A Sustainable Circular Economy for Offshore Wind. University of Leeds, 2021Google Scholar, 9Lapko Y. Trianni A. Nuur C. Masi D. In Pursuit of Closed-Loop Supply Chains for Critical Materials: An Exploratory Study in the Green Energy Sector.J. Ind. Ecol. 2019; 23: 182-196Crossref Scopus (34) Google Scholar The waste hierarchy prioritizes waste prevention and preparation of components for reuse. The current industry preoccupation with recycling could be seen as dismissing legal obligations.7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar Where solutions for end-of-use management are not available when renewable infrastructures are built, precautionary principles should be respected via a gap analysis of missing solutions and preparation of plans to cover such gaps within decommissioning plans written as part of the permitting process at the start of the wind-farm life cycle.7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar Extended producer responsibility is currently too weak for manufacturers to transparently consider design for sustainable end-of-use management. This shortcoming is exacerbated by short-sighted decarbonization policy that neglects potential burdens on the environment and society. Legislation must set minimum sustainability standards for the here and now, combined with a strategy for future ambitions that set the direction of travel and support investor confidence. For example, design for durability and component reuse as well as material recycling should be enforced thoughtfully, bearing in mind the technological progress and age of renewables.7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar Such governance measures should apply to renewables and other sectors, creating a level playing field where sustainable practices are rewarded so that renewables can sustainably outcompete unsustainable energy options.4Velenturf A.P.M. Purnell P. Principles for a Sustainable Circular Economy.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2021; (In press)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.02.018Crossref Scopus (83) Google Scholar Development and implementation of governance systems and industry practices that contribute to a sustainable circular economy also require novel data systems on the volumes and qualities of materials and components used across sectors.4Velenturf A.P.M. Purnell P. Principles for a Sustainable Circular Economy.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2021; (In press)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.02.018Crossref Scopus (83) Google Scholar,7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar This would, for example, enable ex ante evaluations of the material requirements of technological innovations and support reuse markets and product passports.6Babbitt C.W. Althaf S. Rios F.C. Bilec M. Graedel T.E. The role of design in circular economy solutions for critical materials.One Earth. 2021; 4 (this issue): 353-362Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (16) Google Scholar Such data systems rely on the development of more advanced methods for durability testing and residual life monitoring.7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar Better data systems is one of the many inter-disciplinary research challenges for the uptake of circular economy strategies in the design, operation, and end-of-use management of low-carbon infrastructure, with a view to reduce the risks that material criticality poses for ongoing renewable energy growth6Babbitt C.W. Althaf S. Rios F.C. Bilec M. Graedel T.E. The role of design in circular economy solutions for critical materials.One Earth. 2021; 4 (this issue): 353-362Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (16) Google Scholar and maximize sustainable development opportunities.1United NationsTransforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/21252030%20Agenda%20for%20Sustainable%20Development%20web.pdfDate: 2015Google Scholar Other key challenges include the investigation of ownership structures to clarify who should be responsible for—and who carries the burden and/or receives the benefits of—particular circular economy solutions, development of circular business models, and creating an understanding of how learning and innovation within renewables and across sectors can be supported.8Velenturf A.P.M. Circular Economy Business Opportunities in Offshore Wind: Workshop proceedings.in: A Sustainable Circular Economy for Offshore Wind. University of Leeds, 2021Google Scholar The criticality of materials and deployment of renewable energy technologies are interlinked. An integrated approach incorporating material demands and ambitions across renewable technologies—within the broader context of sustainable development—must be taken.7Jensen P.D. Purnell P. Velenturf A.P.M. Highlighting the need to embed circular economy in low carbon infrastructure decommissioning: The case of offshore wind.Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 24: 266-280Crossref Scopus (21) Google Scholar,12Roelich K. Dawson D. Purnell P. Knoeri C. Revell R. Busch J. Steinberger J. Assessing the dynamic material criticality of infrastructure transitions: A case of low carbon electricity.Appl. Energy. 2014; 123: 378-386Crossref Scopus (79) Google Scholar The authors declare no competing interests. The role of design in circular economy solutions for critical materialsBabbitt et al.One EarthMarch 19, 2021In BriefAccelerating resource consumption has led to new risks to long-term availability of many "critical materials" that play an essential role in modern technologies. Circular economy offers potential solutions to alleviate these risks by decoupling economic growth from resource depletion through material and product reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling. This perspective builds on past literature on criticality and circularity to outline a path for mitigating critical material risks through design interventions mapped across the technology life cycle. Full-Text PDF Open Archive
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