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With Trump pivot back to pro-oil and gas policies, one renewable energy finds favor

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Written By: Jennifer McDermott Associated Press
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As promised, President Donald Trump began reversing the country’s energy policies his first day in office with a spate of orders largely favoring oil, gas and coal. But there is one renewable energy that did find favor: geothermal.

Energy experts say that makes sense — geothermal energy makes electricity 24/7. Many people working in the field came from the oil and gas industry and they use much of the same technology for drilling wells. Trump strongly supports and gets support from the oil and gas industry. And there’s bipartisan support in Congress for geothermal.

“The embrace of advanced geothermal under this new administration, I’d say is not a giant surprise,” said Alex Kania, a managing director at Marathon Capital. “It’s reliable, it’s efficient, and frankly their ties to the more conventional forms of energy production, I think, is probably not lost on some people.”

Geothermal creates electricity cleanly by making steam from the Earth’s natural heat and using that steam to spin a turbine. It’s a climate solution because it reduces the need for traditional power plants that burn fossil fuels and cause climate change.

Trump declared an energy emergency on Monday, and included geothermal heat as one of the domestic energy resources that could help ensure a reliable, diversified and affordable supply of energy. Solar, wind and battery storage were omitted, and wind was singled out in a separate order with measures intended to slow it down.

“Geothermal is heating up and the Trump administration is going to empower the industry over the next four years to achieve its potential,” said Bryant Jones, executive director of the geothermal trade association, Geothermal Rising.

It’s a vibrant business right now.

New geothermal companies are adapting technology and practices from oil and gas to create steam from ubiquitous hot rock. That would make this kind of electricity possible in many more places. The Energy Department estimates the next generation of geothermal projects could provide some 90 gigawatts in the U.S. by 2050 — enough to power 65 million homes or more. Former Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm supported geothermal as a climate solution.

Trump’s pick for energy secretary, Chris Wright, is a fossil fuel executive who values geothermal, too. His company, Denver-based Liberty Energy, invested in Fervo Energy, a Houston-based geothermal company. Wright said at his confirmation hearing that he’s excited about geothermal as an “an enormous, abundant energy resource below everyone’s feet.”

Wright’s appointment is a clear signal that this administration will support geothermal, said Terra Rogers, a program director who focuses on the technology at the nonprofit Clean Air Task Force.

“He’s well-informed of its risks and opportunities, and continues to be a strong advocate for what it could be,” Rogers said.

The United States is a world leader in electricity made from geothermal energy, but it still accounts for less than half a percent of the nation’s total large-scale generation, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The big states are California, Nevada, Utah, Hawaii, Oregon, Idaho and New Mexico, where reservoirs of steam, or very hot water, lie close to the surface.

In its first actions this week, the new administration also indicated support for nuclear power and removing obstacles to mining uranium, which can be refined into nuclear fuel. Like geothermal, nuclear power does not cause climate change. The executive order also backs hydropower.

Solar is the fastest-growing source of electricity generation in the United States.

Trump wants to increase production of oil and gas in order for the U.S. to have the lowest-cost energy and electricity of any nation in the world, he says. He took aim at wind energy, temporarily halting offshore wind lease sales in federal waters and pausing federal approvals, permits and loans for projects both onshore and offshore.

Trump says wind turbines are horrible, only work with subsidies and are “many, many times” more expensive than natural gas. Offshore wind is one of the most expensive sources of new power generation, but onshore wind is cheaper than new natural gas plants, according to estimates from the Energy Information Administration.

Jones, at Geothermal Rising, said the industry hopes the support for geothermal energy will lead to streamlined permitting, more federal research and tax credits to promote innovation.

Sage Geosystems in Houston is a geothermal company launched by former executives at oil and gas giant Shell. CEO Cindy Taff said it’s exciting to see more momentum building for geothermal. She hopes it will spur investment in large projects, including those that meet surging demand for electricity from data centers and artificial intelligence, and projects to make military facilities energy resilient.

If geothermal projects could multiply fast across the country, she said, it would bring the cost down, and that would be good for everyone.

“This could be the decade of geothermal,” Taff said.

Trump orders pause on IRA spending, declares ‘energy emergency,’ lays out new America-first policies

Posted on by abrahamwien18

Written by: Paul Gerke
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President Donald Trump has wasted no time following through on previous pledges to neuter clean energy legislation enacted by his predecessor and establish new policies that promote the burning of more fossil fuels under the guise of putting America first.

Amidst a spate of executive orders signed Monday, Trump halted the disbursement of all funding provided by the bipartisan Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), policies he calls the “Green New Scam.” He also cleared the way for drilling on federal lands to combat an “energy emergency” blamed on the previous administration, halted leasing and permitting for offshore wind projects, and restarted the process of withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty combatting climate change.

The IRA funding pipeline gets plugged

Per an executive order titled “Unleashing American Energy,” Trump advises all federal agencies to immediately pause doling out IRA and IIJA funding including (but not limited to) money for electric vehicle charging stations made available through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program.

The new administration will review the processes, policies, and programs for issuing grants, loans, contracts, or any other financial disbursements of such appropriated funds for consistency with the law and a new energy policy outlined elsewhere in the order (detailed below). Within 90 days, all agency heads must submit a report to the Director of the National Economic Council (NEC) and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) detailing the findings of this review, including recommendations to enhance their alignment with the new America-first energy policy.

Although the order does not appear to apply to funding already allocated, which would be very difficult to recall, it’s apparent that not another cent will flow from IRA coffers until those directors sign off on how the money will be used. The order also instructs entities procuring goods and services, making decisions about leases, and efforting other arrangements tapping into federal funds to prioritize cost-effectiveness, American workers and businesses, and the sensible use of taxpayer money, to the greatest extent.

On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to rescind any unspent IRA funding, prompting federal agencies to rush billions of dollars out the door over the last few weeks before the new U.S. President was sworn in. During President Biden’s tenure, the landmark IRA and associated legislation poured hundreds of billions of dollars into clean energy, electric infrastructure, and other climate initiatives. The Department of Energy has committed to disbursing more than $170 billion in grants and loans for wind, solar, hydrogen, and electric vehicle projects and supporting a mishmash of new and novel technologies. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently reported it had awarded 93% of the grant money received via the IRA.

America’s new energy policy

In the same executive order, Trump terminated Biden’s American Climate Corps, a New Deal-inspired jobs program to fight climate change, and ordered the EPA to consider eliminating the “social cost of carbon,” a metric used to estimate the potential economic damage caused by global warming and extreme weather. The benchmark has been previously used to establish environmental policies.

Trump also outlined a new national energy policy to “unleash America’s affordable and reliable energy and natural resources,” which is as follows:

It is the policy of the United States:

(a)  to encourage energy exploration and production on Federal lands and waters, including on the Outer Continental Shelf, in order to meet the needs of our citizens and solidify the United States as a global energy leader long into the future;

(b)  to establish our position as the leading producer and processor of non-fuel minerals, including rare earth minerals, which will create jobs and prosperity at home, strengthen supply chains for the United States and its allies, and reduce the global influence of malign and adversarial states;

(c)  to protect the United States’s economic and national security and military preparedness by ensuring that an abundant supply of reliable energy is readily accessible in every State and territory of the Nation;

(d)  to ensure that all regulatory requirements related to energy are grounded in clearly applicable law;

(e)  to eliminate the “electric vehicle (EV) mandate” and promote true consumer choice, which is essential for economic growth and innovation, by removing regulatory barriers to motor vehicle access; by ensuring a level regulatory playing field for consumer choice in vehicles; by terminating, where appropriate, state emissions waivers that function to limit sales of gasoline-powered automobiles; and by considering the elimination of unfair subsidies and other ill-conceived government-imposed market distortions that favor EVs over other technologies and effectively mandate their purchase by individuals, private businesses, and government entities alike by rendering other types of vehicles unaffordable;           

(f)  to safeguard the American people’s freedom to choose from a variety of goods and appliances, including but not limited to lightbulbs, dishwashers, washing machines, gas stoves, water heaters, toilets, and shower heads, and to promote market competition and innovation within the manufacturing and appliance industries;

(g)  to ensure that the global effects of a rule, regulation, or action shall, whenever evaluated, be reported separately from its domestic costs and benefits, in order to promote sound regulatory decision making and prioritize the interests of the American people;

(h)  to guarantee that all executive departments and agencies (agencies) provide opportunity for public comment and rigorous, peer-reviewed scientific analysis; and

(i)  to ensure that no Federal funding be employed in a manner contrary to the principles outlined in this section, unless required by law.  

Other energy orders

In his order declaring an “energy emergency,” Trump took thinly veiled potshots at renewables, suggesting their intermittency makes them inherently unreliable.

“A precariously inadequate and intermittent energy supply, and an increasingly unreliable grid, require swift and decisive action. Without immediate remedy, this situation will dramatically deteriorate in the near future due to a high demand for energy and natural resources to power the next generation of technology,” reads part of the order. “The United States’ ability to remain at the forefront of technological innovation depends on a reliable supply of energy and the integrity of our Nation’s electrical grid.  Our Nation’s current inadequate development of domestic energy resources leaves us vulnerable to hostile foreign actors and poses an imminent and growing threat to the United States’ prosperity and national security.”

The order determines the problems are most pronounced in the Northeast and on the West Coast, “where dangerous state and local policies jeopardize our nation’s core national defense and security needs, and devastate the prosperity of not only local residents but the entire United States population.” Those regions are classically associated with renewable energy, although Texas (which has gone red in 11 straight elections) is the new boomtown for clean tech. A slew of new solar, wind, and storage assets helped keep the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid stable this summer during record demand– a far cry from the year prior.

Trump also signed an executive order Monday that once again directed the United States to withdraw from the Paris Accord, a global climate agreement once championed by the U.S. that has the support of its closest allies. Trump abandoned the agreement in 2017 during his first term; Biden reversed course during his time in office. The pact allows countries to provide targets for emission reductions caused by the burning of fossil fuels. Last month, the outgoing Biden administration set a goal to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60% by 2035. The ambitious edict will almost certainly be disregarded by the Trump Administration.

EV range anxiety could be a thing of the past thanks to Mercedes’ new solar paint – which promises thousands of free miles a year

Posted on by abrahamwien18

By:  Leon Poultney
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Drivers in sunnier climes get could 7,400 free miles each year

(Image Credit: Mercedes-Benz)
  • Mercedes has unveiled a series of future innovations during workshops
  • Its ‘solar paint’ contains no rare earths and no toxic materials
  • Aerodynamic braking and power converters aim to improve EV efficiencies

The utopian dream of solar-powered motoring might not be so distant, as Mercedes-Benz recently opened the doors to some of its most forward-thinking engineering laboratories – and it turns out photovoltaic surfaces are very much on the agenda.

During a number of workshops in its home city of Stuttgart, Germany, Mercedes-Benz lifted the lid on how it has been working on a new kind of solar surface that could generate enough electricity for folks in sunnier climates to cover their daily commuting requirements.

According to the German marque, the ‘solar modules’ measure just five micrometers in thickness – significantly thinner than a human hair – and weigh just 50 grams per square meter. They can be applied to almost any substrate, with applications of future vehicles likely coming in the form of a “wafer-thin layer of paste” that will cover most of the body work.

Mercedes-Benz has past experience with solar panels and the impact they can have on the electric range of EVs, as the company’s record-breaking EQXX concept (the rolling lab that drove more than 620 miles on a single charge) used a small solar panel on the roof that added around 30km (18 miles) of additional range during one of its long distance record attempts.

But the breakthrough in photovoltaic surface treatments means much more of a vehicle could be covered, equating to a much greater increase in additional EV mileage.

No giant solar panels needed

(Image Credit: Mercedes-Benz)

Taking a fairly standard mid-sized SUV like the marque’s EQS as an example, Mercedes engineers claim the 11 square meter surface area and the 20% solar efficiencies of the technology would be enough to generate around 7,400-miles of motoring per year in somewhere sunny, like Los Angeles.

Nanoparticle-based paint would also allow 94% of the sun’s energy to pass through to the solar coating, meaning future EVs won’t necessarily have to look like giant solar panels.

Studying the daily driving habits of EV owners in Stuttgart, Germany, those close to the project found they cover an average of 52 kilometers (around 32 miles) a day. Around 62% of this distance would be covered using solar energy, the company says, despite the often poor weather conditions.

Again, if you live somewhere with plenty of excess sunshine, the ‘always-on’ nature of a photovoltaic surface means the vehicle could effectively be charging, even when parked.

As a result, LA owners could cover 100% of their driving distance on average by solar energy. Any surplus achieved could be fed directly into the home network via bidirectional charging, in theory.

Braking down inefficiencies

(Image Credit: Mercedes-Benz)

Alongside pondering the state of future cities and speeding up AI decisions with neuromorphic computing, Mercedes-Benz also touched on the fact that it is also working on an EV braking system that removes the need for standard discs, drums and pads.

Effectively ridding the world of harmful particles emitted in the form of brake dust, Mercedes’ innovation is integrated into the electric drive unit at the front or rear axle, negating the need for in-wheel brakes.

Not only would this be subject to minimal wear and take up less space, it would also mean the company could look at much lighter wheel and tyre combinations, reducing the overall mass of an EV, as well as exploring fully-enclosed rims for optimized aerodynamics, as openings for brake cooling would no longer be required.

Plus, the company’s research into electrical inverter systems could see the integration of micro-converters directly at battery-cell level, which would allow for greater control over individual cells.

It is complicated stuff, but it would result in more efficient battery performance, increased the longevity of battery pack lifespans and greater freedom when it comes to packaging – allowing engineers to use varying cell designs throughout the vehicle.

All of these advancements are still a long way from making production, but it is good to see Mercedes-Benz busy exploring innovations that offer its future customers real-world value.

Curtailment and costs: Can storage help us waste less energy?

Posted on by abrahamwien18

Contributed by Dr. Brennan Gantner, CEO and co-founder of Skip Technology
View the original article here

This article is part two of a two-part series addressing energy curtailment. Part one was published earlier this week on Renewable Energy World.

While a thought experiment involving the free construction of infinite wind energy generation capacity elucidates the economics of generation vs. curtailment, it sidesteps the problem of time-shifted generation vs. usage peaks. Wind may blow at any time, in any location, so a sufficiently large number of turbines could conceivably cover peak usage needs with large curtailment off-peak. Solar, however, is locked to overhead sunlight hours, so it cannot be harvested at all desired usage times, at least without very long-distance transmission, which represents a much larger problem. To convert to a renewable energy (RE) world, with large amounts of solar production, energy storage isn’t just an economic problem, it is fundamentally required.

Lithium (li)-ion storage is, currently, the dominant player in grid-scale energy storage, but there is insufficient capacity in current leading li-ion battery technology to supply the grid-scale storage necessary to accommodate even the current levels of RE generation. This supply side failure is a direct driver of curtailment in California and many other markets. Exploration of alternative solutions that offer to offset the resource restrictions that impact li-ion energy storage include pumped hydro (Lake Mead), electro-mechanical (Energy Vault), thermal (Ambri), and alternative electro-chemistries (Form, ESS Inc.), but always at a high economic or land-use cost. Many solutions are simply worse than lithium but are still being investigated due to the overwhelming necessity of storage for a functional RE grid.

Each of the above, including li-ion storage, comes at a higher cost in the current market than the costs resulting from curtailment. Again, this is a direct driver for why energy curtailment happens at large scales: it is simply cheaper, currently, to build more RE generation than it is to store large amounts of energy. As the above technologies reach developmental maturity, however, costs should fall quickly.

How can we better address curtailment in the future?

The next generation of energy storage is almost certainly going to be composed of many different storage solutions. Li-ion continues to come down in costs, and may eventually reach parity with generation costs. Without a huge breakthrough in the technology, however, it still presents many issues related to sourcing, mining, processing, and recycling the rare earth metal(s) involved. Solid-state batteries, just starting to appear on the market, are likely game-changing in many areas.

Moreover, much of the standard battery construction capacity for the foreseeable future is likely to be taken up in the transition from internal combustion vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs), where weight, size, and charge characteristics are incredibly important. These requirements make alternative solutions difficult to implement, as evinced by how long it took for electric vehicles to become commercially viable from initial inception. The first EV was created in 1828 by Hungarian Anyos Jedlik, meaning battery storage technology took almost 200 years to arrive at a commercially viable solution.

A cheaper storage model is clearly needed. Since the requirements for stationary energy storage are more relaxed, one likely option is cost-competitive alternative electro-chemistries. Among many working on this, Skip Tech is developing a high power density, high energy density, liquid system for long-duration energy storage (LDES). In comparison to traditional li-ion batteries, the electrolytic solution is not integrated into the structure of the system, but stored separately and passed through the power cells, where the energy stored in the electrolytic fluids can be extracted or stored by reversing the flow. Flow battery technologies, like the Skip Tech liquid battery, offer many advantages including the ability to customize the duration of storage separately from the amount of power delivered, and in some cases can even support “refueling” approaches, where the fuels used in the system are “charged” at one site and then are transported to the energy storage system, allowing “recharging” without direct grid connection.

A system in which the electrolytic “fuel” is removable can be operated in the more traditional manner of fossil fuel power plants by removing the fuel from the potential RE site and transporting it to an electricity-generating plant elsewhere. This, in turn, allows for the reuse of much of the existing infrastructure around fuel storage, transport, and usage. In particular, the US military has studied power usage and generation in the field and determined that it may be unfeasible to construct long-term, on-site RE generation equipment and facilities. Transitioning this existing high-usage system away from fossil fuels may require a fuel delivery system of much the same nature as existing infrastructure. Transitioning to an electrolytic fuel may be that solution: power can be captured elsewhere, such as wind farms in remote locations, stored in the electrolytic fuel, and transported in the same equipment used to transport fossil fuels today. It can then be extracted at the necessary location by a second set of reversible cells in operation much like a traditional power plant, at a steady power, amperage, voltage, and frequency output to better support existing systems that have come to rely on that stability.

The Skip Tech solutions target the key 10-hour duration market and can scale to higher and lower amounts of energy storage. They do so at a competitive price point (<$100/kWh) and with very long expected system lifetimes (20+ years). This same supply chain is replicable in other parts of the world. Their technological breakthrough, utilizing flowing fluid dynamic membranes rather than classical plastic (e.g. Nafion) membranes, solves the longstanding and key problem that has held back flow batteries from wide adoption. While doing so, it also opens up an electro-chemistry that was incompatible with prior membranes. In particular, Skip Tech can use hydrogen and bromine as the reaction couple, which has an incredibly simple reaction chemistry and very favorable reaction energetics.

The key technological innovation in the Skip Tech system lies in the reaction cell. Traditional flow batteries require a separator membrane to allow electron transport but prevent bulk material migration. Skip Tech has developed cells where traditional plastic membranes have been replaced by flowing liquid membranes formed from hydrobromic acid; the resulting system is a “liquid battery.” Liquid batteries hold the promise of greatly reduced costs and longer lifetimes, while also enabling the use of highly reactive chemicals that are not compatible with traditional membranes. Skip Tech is developing these systems into compact, LDES solutions, using hydrogen and bromine as the primary reactive elements. The hydrogen bromine (HBr) reaction has fast kinetics, leading to high power, typically a few kW/m2. It is also easily reversible, leading to high round trip efficiencies, typically >80% DC-DC. Bromine is readily stored in solution within hydrobromic acid, which leads to high energy densities. The hydrogen and bromine are stored in separate tanks, effectively eliminating self-discharge, and this energy storage solution is scalable to meet Department of Energy (DOE) long duration storage shot cost targets. HBr batteries can also operate at a wide range of environmental conditions, specifically in places where heat or cold require temperature regulation for li-ion batteries.

Based on conservative cost modeling, Skip Tech expects to achieve storage costs below $50/kWh in the long run, and levelized costs of storage below $0.05/kWh-cycle, where storage becomes cheaper than extra RE generation capacity. At their current design point, the capital cost of the power system, including labor, is CP =$396/kW ($33/kWh), while the capital cost of the energy system is CE =$56/kWh. These costs decrease further for longer duration systems (e.g., 24 hours of storage costs less per kWh than 12 hours).

Curtailment presents real economic costs that are measurable and additional ethical problems related to waste that are more difficult to quantify. Everyone can agree, however, it is better to produce in proportion to what we need, so long as the costs to do so are advantageous. To that end, we can decrease curtailment with investment in and exploration of new storage technologies to better match electricity generation with usage. This will bring the costs associated with storage down sufficiently so that it becomes more economically viable to store excess energy generation instead of simply wasting it freeing up resources we can devote to more and better pursuits and decreasing human impact on the climate. Thus, investment in storage technologies is a win for everyone.

Floating Infrastructure for More Sustainable Cruising

Posted on by abrahamwien18

By: Jasmin Jessen
View the original article here

Intelligent floating infrastructure could make cruises more sustainable

Companies including Royal Caribbean Group and ELIRE Group are working to make cruises more sustainable with innovations such as floating infrastructure

Cruise holidays offer a unique blend of relaxation, exploration and fine dining, all without leaving your floating hotel.

The Cruise Lines International Association forecasts an impressive 35.7 million global passengers in 2024 and the global cruise market is more than US$8bn.

Alongside its expansion, the cruise industry faces significant environmental challenges.

Cruise ships produce significant air pollution and have large carbon footprints, considerably surpassing those of flying or driving.

A medium-sized cruise ship can discharge upwards of 1 billion gallons of untreated sewage into the ocean, threatening delicate marine ecosystems like coral reefs with irreversible damage. 

The industry is trying to pivot towards greener practices, facilitated by innovative collaborations and pioneering technology.

Jason Liberty, President and CEO at Royal Caribbean Group, says: “As a cruise company, we know we’re only as vibrant as both the destinations we visit and the oceans we sail. That’s why our strategies extend from our ships to our shoreside operations as well. 

Jason Liberty, President and CEO at Royal Caribbean Group

“From the tour operators we drive to pursue sustainability certifications to how we are intentionally diversifying our supplier base, with more local sourcing, we are focused on innovating across all aspects of our company, especially in our work to advance sustainability in the communities we visit.”

Amsterdam’s solution to cruising’s problems

In Amsterdam, the influx of 190 cruise ships per year brings a lot of tourists, but also poses serious environmental and residential challenges.

To combat this, the city has initiated plans to drastically reduce the number of cruise ships permitted to dock.

Amsterdam hosts more than 20 million tourists every year

By 2026, the limit will be set at 100, with a complete ban on cruise docking in the city centre envisioned by 2035.

A new terminal, situated 16 miles away, will serve future cruise ships, which from 2027 must employ onshore power instead of traditional oil-fired generators.

Lubomila Jordanova, Founder and CEO of Plan A and Co-Founder of the Greentech Alliance, says: “Amsterdam’s proactive measures reflect a commitment to creating a more sustainable and liveable city by tackling the dual issues of overtourism and pollution head-on.”

Lubomila Jordanova, Founder and CEO of Plan A and Co-Founder of the
Greentech Alliance

How floating platforms could support sustainability

The concept of floating smart hubs presents a groundbreaking approach to enhancing cruise sustainability.

These floating infrastructures typically inflict minimal environmental harm compared to permanent port expansions, but current versions usually serve one purpose and are sunk after their useful life.

Smart Hubs offer cost-effective and sustainable long-term solutions with a lifespan
of more than 30 years

The floating infrastructure market, set to reach US$18.5bn by 2030, could serve various industries, improving operational sustainability across the board.

ELIRE Group’s hexagonal Smart Hubs can be assembled or dismantled as necessary and aim to support cruising to become more sustainable.

Luke Jenkinson, Founder & Group CEO at ELIRE Group, explains: “The innovative engineering behind our Smart Hubs, combined with the versatility of a unique multi-modal hexagon design, allows for endless configurations tailored to specific cases and locations.

“These range from large coastal wind farm assembly setups to smaller last-mile midstream river cargo configurations to reduce CO₂ emissions.

Luke Jenkinson, Founder & Group CEO at ELIRE Group

“We conducted a study in partnership with an independent decarbonisation consulting company MH Tech and discovered that a network of SmartHubs in ten small regions across the Mediterranean including Malta, a location known for its congested roads, could save the equivalent of 10 million tonnes of CO₂ over a 10 year period.

“In addition, it can take 30% of HGV vehicles off the roads by enabling logistics via electric waterborne transport.” 

How Royal Caribbean Group is becoming more sustainable

Royal Caribbean Group has not only committed to stringent sustainability targets but is also pioneering extensive research and technologies to reduce environmental impact.

As of 2023, the company is more than halfway towards its 2025 carbon intensity reduction goals and has diverted 87% of its waste from landfills.

Nick Rose, Vice President, Head of ESG at Royal Caribbean, says: “I am proud of the continued effort Royal Caribbean Group has made to protect our beautiful oceans and find unique ways to reach our communities.”

Nick Rose, Vice President, Head of ESG at Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean Group has created the first at-sea waste-to-energy systems and started construction on its first methanol-capable ship.

The company is committed to net zero and has partnered with companies including Mærsk and the WWF to develop new technologies and solutions.

Turning plastic waste into low-cost hydrogen fuels

Posted on by abrahamwien18

By Victoria Corless 
View the original article here

A flash heating technique breaks down plastic waste and converts it to pure hydrogen and graphene with significantly less emissions and at a low cost.

As the impacts of the ongoing climate crisis and environmental challenges like pollution and ecosystem degradation become increasingly evident, the need for innovative solutions that address these complex issues on multiple fronts grows more urgent.

In a recent study published in Advanced Materials, researchers led by Boris Yakobson and James Tour from the Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering at Rice University in the US are doing just this with a new technology that converts waste plastic into clean hydrogen gas and high-purity graphene without any carbon dioxide (CO2).

“What if we turned waste plastic into something much more valuable than recycled plastic while at the same time capturing the hydrogen that is locked inside?” asked Kevin Wyss, a chemist at SLB (formerly known as Schlumberger) who completed the project as part of his Ph.D. thesis.

This idea led to a transformative solution that not only mitigates environmental harm but also harnesses untapped value from problematic waste materials.

The desire for hydrogen

Hydrogen stands out as a clean and attractive fuel source due to its ability to yield substantial energy per unit weight while generating water as its sole byproduct.

“This is what makes it sustainable or ‘green’ compared to current gas, coal, or oil fuels, which emit lots of CO2,” said Wyss. “And unlike batteries or renewable power sources, hydrogen can be stored and re-fueled quickly without waiting hours to charge. For this reason, many automobile manufacturers are thinking about transitioning to hydrogen fuel.”

In 2021, the global consumption of hydrogen reached a staggering 94 million tonnes, and demand is projected to surge in the coming decade. However, the dilemma lies in the fact that, despite hydrogen’s reputation as a green fuel, the dominant method of hydrogen production still relies on fossil fuels through a process called steam-methane reforming, which is not only energy intensive, but results in CO2 emissions as a byproduct. “In fact, for every ton of hydrogen made industrially right now, 10-12 tons of CO2 are produced,” said Wyss.

An emerging alternative is to produce hydrogen gas through a process known as electrolysis, where water is split into its constituent elements using electricity. While the electricity source can be renewable, such as solar, wind, or geothermal energy, ensuring this remains a challenge. These processes also require additional materials, such as catalysts, and cost around $3-5 USD per kg of hydrogen, making it difficult to compete with the reforming process at ~$2 USD per kg.

“You can see why we need methods to produce hydrogen in an efficient and low-cost method that does not produce large amounts of CO2,” said Wyss.

The problem with plastics and hydrogen fuels

Wyss explained that the challenges posed by plastic waste pollution and low-carbon hydrogen production are problems that scientists have successfully addressed decades ago.

“In the case of plastic waste pollution, we know how to recycle plastics — the problem lies in the fact that recycling is so expensive, with the high costs of manually separating plastic types, washing the waste, and then re-melting the polymers,” he said. “As a result, recycled plastics often cost more than new plastics, so there is not an economic incentive to recycle and thus, pollution is still a problem decades later.

“In the case of hydrogen production, we know how to make hydrogen fuel without producing CO2, but is two to three times more expensive than methods that produce hydrogen with lots of CO2.”

Hence, the real challenge lies not in solving these problems, but rather finding ways to reduce the cost of their solutions — a challenge Wyss and his colleagues are tackling head on.

Flash Joule heating breaks down plastics

Their approach uses flash Joule heating, a cutting-edge technique for rapidly heating materials to extremely high temperatures. To achieve this, an electric current is run through a material that has electrical resistance, which swiftly converts the electricity into heat, achieving temperatures of thousands of Kelvins in mere seconds.

“We discharge current through the sample of plastic, with a small amount of added ash to make it conductive, and achieve temperatures up to 2,500°C within a tenth of a second, before the sample cools back down within a few seconds,” said Wyss. “This rapid heating reorganizes the chemical bonds in the plastic — the carbon atoms in the plastic convert to the [carbon-carbon] bonds of graphene, and the hydrogen atoms convert to H2 [gas].”

“This process upcycles the waste plastics with high efficiency using no catalyst or other solvents,” he continued. “Once our plastics have undergone the reaction, we also get pure, valuable graphene, used for strengthening cars, cement, or even making flexible electronics and touchscreens, and which currently has a value of $60,000-$200,000 per ton.”

Wyss says that his lab at Rice University has been working on flash Joule heating for the past five years, but their main focus was previously on making graphene from plastics. But he says that, after some time, they realized that many plastic polymers also contain atomic hydrogen. “If we end up with graphene, which is 100% pure carbon, where is all the atomic hydrogen locked in the plastic going?” he asked.

They therefore set about trapping and studying the volatile gases emitted during their flash Joule heating process, and to their surprise discovered they were liberating almost 93% of the atomic hydrogen and were able to recover up to 64% of it as pure hydrogen — yields that are comparable to current industrial methods that emit five to six times more CO2.

“Our method produces 84% less CO2 and greenhouse gases per ton of hydrogen produced, compared to the current popular industrial method of steam methane reforming, […] and uses less energy than current ‘green’ hydrogen production methods, such as electrolysis,” Wyss said.

Making an EarthShot

This aligns with the US Department of Energy’s EarthShot Initiative, modeled after the historic “Moonshot Challenge”, which aimed to put a man on the moon in the 1960s. Similarly, the EarthShot initiative seeks to mobilize resources and creativity to achieve ambitious environmental goals.

These goals are intended to be scalable, achievable, and designed to tackle critical issues related to climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and other environmental crises. “The climate crisis calls for a different kind of moonshot,” they wrote on the website. “Energy Earthshots [such as the Hydrogen Shot] will accelerate breakthroughs of more abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy solutions within the decade.”

The goal is to make 1kg of clean hydrogen cost $1 USD within the next decade, where clean hydrogen is defined as any that is produced with less then 4 kg of CO2 as a byproduct.

“Our research has shown that we can do that now, if the [flash Joule heating] process is scaled up, converting waste plastics into clean hydrogen and graphene,” said Wyss. “Currently, 95% of hydrogen produced globally results in 10-12 kg of CO2 being produced as a byproduct. Our process produces as little as 1.8 kg of CO2 per kg of hydrogen.”

Before this can happen, Wyss acknowledges that scale-up is still an issue. As hydrogen is a flammable gas, its safe capture and purification requires some careful planning and engineering. But Wyss is hopeful it can be done.

“A company named Universal Matter was started three years ago to scale-up the flash Joule heating process to make graphene,” Wyss said. “In that short time, [they have] scaled from gram-per-day levels to ton-per-day graphene production. So, we are very optimistic that this hydrogen production method can be similarly scaled successfully as the core principles are identical.”

Reference: Boris I. Yakobson, James M. Tour, et al., Synthesis of Clean Hydrogen Gas from Waste Plastic at Zero Net Cost, Advanced Materials (2023). DOI: 10.1002/adma.202306763

Feature image credit: tanvi sharma on Unsplash

Plastic to Power: Transforming Trash into World-Changing Hydrogen

Posted on by abrahamwien18

By Alicia Moore
View the original article here

The Scale of the US Plastic Waste Problem

The United States is projected to generate 220 million tons of plastic waste in 2024, a 7.11% increase from 2021. Over a third of this waste is expected to be mishandled, contributing significantly to global plastic pollution. With only 19.8% of PET, HDPE, and PP plastics being recycled, the remainder often ends up in landfills, oceans, or incinerators.

The theoretical Plastic Overshoot Day for 2024 is set for this week, September 5, marking when plastic waste production surpasses the planet’s management capacity. A study by EA Earth Action identifies the top offenders in per capita waste generation:

  1. Michigan
  2. Indiana
  3. Illinois

The concept of converting plastic waste into hydrogen fuel offers a potential solution to both waste management and energy challenges. This process involves:

  • Collection
  • Sorting
  • Shredding
  • Pyrolysis
  • Steam reforming

Each step contributes to a cleaner planet while producing a valuable resource. Hydrogen fuel, a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels, could aid in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and ensure that plastic waste is put to purposeful use.

Implementing such a system would require carefully designed infrastructure, stringent regulations, and public cooperation. While challenging, the impact on the environment, human health, and biodiversity warrants such an endeavor. Given that 94% of Americans are inclined to recycle plastics and limit single-use plastic, there is potential for such transformative systems to take root.1

Rice University Breakthrough

Researchers at Rice University have pioneered a easy to scale-up method to convert mixed plastic waste into high-yield hydrogen gas and graphene through rapid flash Joule heating. This breakthrough not only generates clean hydrogen but also creates valuable graphene.

Summary of How it Works and Benefits of Their Process:

  • Flash Joule heating is a process used to convert plastic waste into hydrogen gas and graphene.
  • The method rapidly heats plastic waste to high temperatures, causing hydrogen to vaporize and leaving behind graphene.
  • This process is scalable, low in complexity, and environmentally friendly.
  • The production of graphene helps offset the costs of hydrogen production, making it economically viable.
  • Flash Joule heating can produce high-value nanomaterials efficiently and at a low cost.
  • The process results in reduced carbon emissions compared to traditional methods.
  • It can synthesize various graphitic materials, such as holey and wrinkled graphene, which have increased surface areas for applications in energy storage and water purification.
  • The method demonstrates high yields of hydrogen gas from common consumer waste plastics.
  • Life-cycle assessments show this method releases less CO2 than most current hydrogen production methods.
  • The approach supports sustainable energy transitions and addresses plastic waste effectively.

Nanyang Technological University Innovation

NTU in Singapore has developed an energy-efficient method using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a commercially available vanadium catalyst. This process operates at room temperature, drastically reducing the energy footprint compared to traditional heat-driven recycling methods.3

Combining these cutting-edge technologies into a unified system could yield significant environmental and economic benefits. By deploying LED-based pyrolysis followed by advanced steam reforming techniques, the process efficiency can be maximized while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.

“Integrating these technologies into a circular economy framework, where waste is treated as a resource rather than a disposal problem, will also drive market acceptance and investment.”

This approach reduces the plastic burden on landfills and oceans, and addresses energy security issues by providing an alternative, sustainable fuel source.

Environmental and Economic Impact

Upcycling plastic waste into hydrogen fuel offers significant environmental and economic benefits. By diverting plastic waste from landfills and oceans, this process can mitigate:

  • Soil contamination
  • Leachate production
  • Marine pollution

The reduction in microplastics entering the food chain would have positive implications for both marine life and human health.

Economic Benefits

Creating and operating hydrogen production facilities from plastic waste would generate new jobs across various sectors, from engineering to facility management. The demand for specialized skills in pyrolysis, steam reforming, and hydrogen purification would foster new educational and vocational opportunities.

The shift to hydrogen fuel derived from plastic waste can offer a competitive edge in the face of increasing regulatory pressures to reduce carbon footprints and fluctuating fossil fuel prices. Advancements in technology promise to reduce the cost and energy requirements of hydrogen production, enhancing the feasibility and affordability of scaling up these processes.

In Summary, converting plastic waste into hydrogen and graphene offers a multitude of environmental benefits. This innovative process drastically reduces the amount of plastic ending up in landfills and oceans, where it can leach harmful substances into the ground and marine ecosystems.

By transforming plastic waste, not only is pollution minimized, but valuable graphene is produced, which can be used across various industries, from electronics to materials science. Furthermore, the hydrogen generated serves as a clean energy source, as it emits only water when used as fuel, contributing to a sustainable energy future. This water emission is so clean that some consider it drinkable, showcasing the immense potential of this technology to support environmental and energy goals.

Exploring the full potential of upcycling plastic waste into hydrogen fuel allows the United States to address both environmental sustainability and economic viability. With strategic investments, supportive regulations, and public engagement, this approach can mitigate plastic pollution, foster a circular economy, and position the nation on a sustainable path towards energy transition and environmental stewardship.

  1. Geyer R, Jambeck JR, Law KL. Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. Sci Adv. 2017;3(7):e1700782.
  2. Wyss B, Luong DX, Tour JM. Recycling plastic waste into graphene and clean hydrogen. Carbon Energy. 2021;3(3):475-485.
  3. Salehzadeh Einabad M, Dehghani H, Nagarajan D, et al. Light-driven plastic waste valorisation to hydrogen fuel and carbon nanomaterials. Nat Catal. 2022;5:706-716.

Addressing The E-Waste Crisis: Embrace Device Reuse Over Destruction

Posted on by abrahamwien18

Written By: Namrata Sengupta
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The global surge in electronic waste (e-waste) poses a critical environmental and health challenge. In fact, according to the UN’s recent Global E-Waste Monitor Report, “The world’s generation of electronic waste is rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling.”

The report estimates that in “only 12 years, the amount of e-waste generated per year worldwide almost doubled, to 62 billion kilograms in 2022. It is projected to increase to 120 billion kilograms in 2030.” Most of the e-waste ends up in landfills, as currently, only 22.3% of e-waste is collected and recycled. The problem here is that e-waste is nonbiodegradable. It also poses a significant health hazard and pollutes land, water and air.

The primary factors behind e-waste growth are the ever-expanding global data sphere, rapidly evolving technology, shorter device refresh cycles, increased appetite for electronic devices and insufficient recycling of e-waste.

Businesses, in their bid to safeguard data privacy, also contribute significantly to the e-waste crisis by employing traditional physical device-destruction methods like shredding, degaussing or burning to protect data when retiring or disposing of IT assets.

Many of these devices could have been reused after repair and refurbishing. If we talk about e-waste generated due to the physical destruction of potentially usable drives, the numbers are astonishing.

Device reuse will be an important factor in mitigating the hazardous effects of e-waste on the environment and human health.

Device reuse is the practice of prolonging the life of IT devices by refurbishing and repairing them for reuse rather than disposing of them physically. It plays a major role in reducing the generation of e-waste and its impact on the environment.

Organizations should practice secure media sanitization over device destruction to promote device reuse. Global bodies like NIST with their Special Publication 800-88 and the IEEE with Standard for Sanitizing Storage have stated that media sanitization techniques like overwriting, cryptographic erasure, block erasure, etc., are sufficient for permanent data removal beyond the scope of recovery, eliminating the need for physical destruction. Erased devices can be reused without the fear of compromising data confidentiality.

There are several ways that device reuse addresses the e-waste crisis. Here are a few to consider:

• Reduction Of E-Waste In Landfills: Repairing and refurbishing increases the life span of IT devices, and they can be used for longer durations. This helps prevent operational devices from ending up in landfills and stops the leaching of hazardous material into soil and water resources.

• Reduction Of Dependency On Mining: When IT devices are used for longer, they reduce the dependency on mining for new raw materials. It helps reduce the ecological impact of mining, like deforestation, loss of natural habitat and environmental degradation.

• Energy Conservation And Reduction In Emission: A significant portion of the energy consumed by a laptop in its entire life cycle is used during the manufacturing process. Reusing devices significantly cut down on energy consumption and carbon emissions during manufacturing and transportation. It thereby reduces the carbon footprint of an organization and helps diminish the effects of e-waste.

• Promotes A Circular Economy: Reuse is a crucial component of a circular economy. It supports circularity by keeping devices and materials in use for longer durations, creating a sustainable business model that prioritizes refurbishment and recycling over physical destruction.

Ways To Implement Effective Device Reuse Strategies

As e-waste reaches alarming levels, the need for sustainable practices is more urgent than ever. Merely destroying devices worsens the crisis, endangering both the environment and human health. Embracing device reuse not only mitigates the adverse effects of e-waste but also fosters a circular economy, advocating sustainability and mindful consumption.

Implementing an effective device reuse strategy requires careful consideration. Based on the considerations above, organizations should adopt a holistic approach to ensure their strategies are in line with their organizational sustainability goals and that their device reuse practices can be easily integrated with their ongoing operations.

Here are a few ways that businesses can implement device reuse within their organization:

1. Create a device reuse policy. An organizational device reuse policy should establish clear parameters for selecting IT assets that can be reused. This policy should consider parameters like devices’ computing power, feasibility of repurposing, cost of repair, upgrades required, device refresh cycles, etc.

2. Perform data erasure. Removing sensitive data from the devices before they are reused is a must to ensure data confidentiality and comply with data privacy laws. Use a certified data wiping tool to ensure permanent data removal and also generate proof of destruction for audit purposes.

3. Repair or refurbish. Perform hardware diagnostics to get a real-time picture of the device’s health. Repair or replace the parts that are faulty and reuse the device to its fullest extent.

4. Repurpose devices. Older devices should be repurposed for different roles. For example, a laptop previously used by the R&D team for high computing tasks can be reassigned to the admin department, where only basic computing power is needed.

5. Recycle faulty parts. Computer components that have stopped working or are faulty should be responsibly recycled to ensure that they don’t end up in landfills. Recycling conserves resources and reduces the environmental impact of mining for new raw materials, reducing Scope 3 emissions and thereby promoting sustainability.

The time has come to prioritize reuse over destruction and proactively tackle the e-waste challenge. With these best practices, organizations can take the necessary proactive steps to help effectively address the e-waste crisis.

Top 10: Brands Embracing the Circular Economy

Posted on by abrahamwien18

By: Lucy Bucholz
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Credit: Getty Images

Brands are adopting a circular economy to promote sustainability and economic benefits, thus meeting consumer demand. Here, we pick out the top 10 of 2023

More brands have been embracing the concept of a circular economy over the past few years as a way of promoting sustainable development and reducing the impact of human activity on the environment. 

A circular economy is an economic model that emphasises the efficient use and reuse of resources, products and materials in order to minimise waste and pollution. By prioritising circular economies, brands are able to capitalise on economic benefits, while also meeting the ever-rising demand for sustainable strategists from consumers. 

That’s why, we’ve rounded up our top 10 brands embracing the circular economy in 2023.

1. Patagonia 

Patagonia has been at the forefront of the circular economy movement since first making a sustainability commitment in 1986. The apparel brand aims to reduce its environmental impact through a number of different initiatives, including The Worn Wear programme, which encourages customers to repair, reuse, and recycle their garments. The programme offers a repair service that addresses any damages to the clothing, as well as a trade-in option where customers are provided with store credits for used Patagonia clothing. Through this initiative, Patagonia has successfully prolonged the lifespan of its products while also minimising waste.

The brand also introduced a line of clothing that incorporates recycled materials and uses organic cotton and other sustainable fibres. By adopting sustainable materials, Patagonia is making strides to reduce the environmental impact of its products and promote a circular economy.

2. IKEA

Swedish home-retail conglomerate IKEA has made strides towards a circular economy and sustainability initiatives with three main commitments: The take-back programme, circular services and investing in sustainable materials. 

Firstly, the Take-Back programme allows IKEA customers to return their furniture to be either repurposed or recycled, helping to promote a circular economy. The company also allows customers to rent items or buy refurbished furniture to promote the reuse of products and encourage customers to practise sustainable shopping habits. Finally, many products are made from FSC-certified wood and recycled plastic to reduce the company’s impact.

3. Unilever

Unilever, a multinational consumer goods corporation, has prioritised sustainability and circular economy goals by undertaking various measures to advance its objectives. For example, all products use sustainable ingredients, such as ethically-sourced palm oil, to mitigate their environmental impact. The company has also pledged to reduce packaging waste by 2025 by 2025, while also establishing a recycling programme to increase education and enhance recycling rates. 

4. Accenture 

Accenture is a company that utilises advanced technologies and partners with leading organisations like Mastercard, Amazon Web Services, Everledger, and Mercy Corps to advance its circular supply chain capability. The aim of this capability is to enhance financial inclusion, promote sustainable practices, and empower consumers. With this approach, Accenture ensures that its clients achieve their corporate sustainability goals through better resource planning and utilisation.

5. H&M

Fashion giant H&M has made a significant commitment to its ESG initiatives, such as reducing waste and promoting sustainable practices. One of these initiatives is its garment collection programme, which enables customers to return used clothing for recycling or repurposing. Additionally, H&M is dedicated to utilising sustainable materials like organic cotton and recycled polyester in its products, which has reduced the environmental impact of its products while promoting the circular economy. 

6. Adidas 

Adidas is a prime example of how a big business can change and take responsibility for its role in the plastic problem and pledge to use its influence to make a positive impact. The sportswear giant launched the ‘Three Loop Strategy’ consisting of three interrelated initiatives. The first loop involves recycling plastic waste, the second involves designing shoes that can be remade and the third loop focuses on regeneration, where Adidas aims to use biodegradable materials that will disintegrate naturally into their surroundings. 

7. Interface

Flooring company Interface has taken a strong stance towards sustainability and promoting a circular economy by initiating various measures to achieve its goal. One of their significant approaches is adopting a closed-loop manufacturing process, using recycled materials to make their carpet tiles. When tiles have reached the end of their life, they are collected and recycled into new products, reducing waste and fostering a circular economy. 

8. HP 

HP has been incorporating circular practices into its operations for nearly two decades by collecting used ink cartridges. In recent years, the company has further intensified its recycling efforts, by launching the world’s first monitor and an entire PC made from ocean-bound plastics. The company’s overall goal is to become net-zero by 2040, with 100% renewable energy.

9. TrusTrace 

TrusTrace is on a mission to introduce transparency to both producers and consumers in the fashion industry, which accounts for 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions. With its cutting-edge digital platform, the company aims to raise awareness about individual responsibilities and promote best practices, having already attracted over 10,000 users. The company’s exceptional dedication to sustainability and circular economy has earned it the prestigious Solar Impulse label.

10. Mud Jean 

Mud Jean uses recycled denim to make new pairs of jeans, which customers can lease for just under €10 per month. This initiative allows customers to avoid buying jeans they will rarely wear, thus contributing to a closed-material loop. To participate in the Mud Jeans leasing programme, customers can send in an old pair of jeans and receive their first month of leasing for free. From there, customers can choose to continue their subscription and receive a new pair of Muds each month or end their subscription after the initial month.

Get Acquainted With the Core Principles of a Circular Economy

Posted on by abrahamwien18

By: Inogen Alliance
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Modern industry has long perpetuated a linear economy. This model relies on the continued extraction of new materials and ultimately leads to an accumulation of waste. A circular economy, on the other hand, strives to function in ways that reduce waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in circulation for longer.

Read on to learn more about the practices and principles of a circular economy, and its economic, environmental, and social benefits.

The 4 Rs That Underpin a Circular Economy

Before we examine the core principles of a circular economy, let’s first revisit the basics. It’s fair to say that most people are familiar with the concept of “reduce, reuse, recycle.” What is less commonly discussed – yet extremely important to developing a true circular economy – is the fourth R: recover.

Here is what each of these practices means when applied to business:

  • Reduce: Minimizing waste before it’s even created by engaging in design and production processes that prioritize lifespan and sustainability.
  • Reuse: Finding new ways to use products or materials, extending the functional lifespan of the item and enabling it to circulate within the economy for as long as possible.
  • Recycle: Breaking down products into their raw materials and manufacturing new items from them. While this is by far the most publicized, recycling is often seen as a last resort in the hierarchy of circular practices.
  • Recover: Reclaiming materials or energy from products that can no longer be reused or recycled. This can mean everything from composting organic materials to capturing energy from waste.

The 3 Core Principles of a Circular Economy

The following three principles are central to establishing a circular economy within your business.

Eliminating waste

This principle involves rethinking how resources are used at every stage of a product’s lifecycle, from design to disposal.

For businesses, this could mean:

  • Using recycled material in manufacturing rather than raw materials.
  • Designing products with modularity, allowing for easy repair or upgrade.
  • Choosing manufacturing processes that minimize offcuts and scrap.

Keeping materials in use

To break the cycle of the use-and-dispose economy, keeping materials in use as long as possible is crucial.

Here are examples of how you can apply this principle:

  • Developing take-back schemes or leasing models where products are returned to you after use, ensuring they are either reused, refurbished, or responsibly recycled.
  • Facilitating a secondary market for your products or materials, extending their lifecycle beyond initial use.

Regenerating natural systems

Engaging in the circular economy isn’t simply about reducing negative impacts on the environment – it focuses on using regenerative practices to restore natural systems and enhance biodiversity.

In practice, this may look like:

  • Investing in technologies or processes that restore soil health, clean water, and air quality through your business operations.
  • Partnering with organizations working towards reforestation or ocean clean-ups to offset the ecological footprint of your operations.

Circular Economy Benefits and Advantages

Embracing a circular economy presents many benefits that span environmental, economic, and social spheres.

Environmental benefits

Through engaging in the practices of reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover, your company can have a net-positive impact on the environment. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, businesses can also contribute to better soil and water conditions by reducing waste across all product lifecycle touchpoints, such as material extraction, manufacturing and packaging.

In terms of regenerative efforts, businesses that proactively design campuses with restoration in mind can have a hand in expanding natural habitats, contributing to cleaner water sheds, and promoting soil health.

Economic benefits

Reducing material costs through reuse, recycling, and recovery can lead to significant financial savings. Additionally, circular economy models like product-as-a-service offer new revenue streams and financial incentives that challenge traditional business models.

Following the principles of a circular economy can also appeal to investors, who are continuing to prioritize sustainability. A recent report by Morgan Stanley found that “A majority of investors … believe that companies should address environmental and social issues.” These investors reported being motivated by the financial performance of sustainable investments and new climate science findings.

Social benefits

Circular economy initiatives often involve collaboration between businesses, local governments, and communities. These joint efforts help each party better understand the needs and challenges of the other, and can lead to stronger community relationships.

The principles of circular economy do not allow for planned obsolescence, meaning products are built to be more durable and long-lasting, offering consumers a break from having to replace important items every few years.

Implementing Circular Economy Principles

While organizational needs can vary greatly from industry to industry, there are some key steps that must be taken in order to effectively implement circular economy principles.

1. Conduct a thorough assessment

Begin by evaluating your current operations, supply chain, and products or services to identify areas where circular economy principles can be applied. This assessment will help you understand the potential impact and feasibility of implementing circular practices within your business. 

2. Set clear goals and targets

Establish specific, measurable, and achievable goals for your circular economy initiatives. Whether it’s reducing waste, increasing resource efficiency, or designing products for reuse and recycling, having clear targets will enable you to track progress and adjust goals as needed as well as promote your progress to customers.

3. Collaborate with stakeholders

Engage with suppliers, customers, industry partners, and other stakeholders to gain a broader perspective of your organization’s impact. Building partnerships can help overcome challenges, access resources, and drive innovation in implementing circular economy practices.

Embrace the Circular Economy: Begin a New Cycle

The benefits of a circular economy are clear – and the need is urgent. As the human and financial toll of climate change continues to grow around the world, governments, businesses, and social institutions are collaborating to reduce impact and improve well-being. The circular economy model is a significant step toward these goals.