Situating coupled circular economy and energy transition in an emerging economy

Chukwuebuka Okafor; Christian Madu; Charles Ajaero; Juliet Ibekwe; Festus Otunomo; Chukwuebuka Okafor; Christian Madu; Charles Ajaero; Juliet Ibekwe; Festus Otunomo

doi:10.3934/energy.2021031

AIMS Energy

2021, Volume 9, Issue 4: 651-675. doi: 10.3934/energy.2021031

Previous Article Next Article

Review Special Issues

Situating coupled circular economy and energy transition in an emerging economy

1.
SHELL Center for Environmental Management and Control, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, 410001, Nigeria
2.
Department of Management and Management Science, Lubin School of Business, Pace University, New York, NY 10038, USA
3.
Nuclear Science and Technology, Department of Engineering, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 11 Hoffman Street, Potchefstroom, South Africa

Received: 17 March 2021 Accepted: 30 May 2021 Published: 08 June 2021

Fossilized energy system and linear economy model are associated with many of the environmental challenges facing the globe today. The current take-make-dispose model of production causes resource depletion and waste generation; while the highly fossilized energy system is associated with greenhouse gases emissions and climate change. Hence, the current study examined the challenges and opportunities of implementing coupled circular economy and energy transition model in Nigeria. Review and synthesis of literature was adopted for the study. Transitions to the two models are highly situated in socio-technical context. The barriers and potentials connected with both and their coupled transitions is dependent on the country's development stage (economic and infrastructure development), institutions, technological capacity and political will (evident in effective and enforceable legislations). Industrial symbiosis and waste-to-energy path are some of the operational approaches that couples CE and ET. Both also allows for resource efficiency and sustainability—environmental, social and economic. Effective policy actions and sustainable financing are critical enablers for developed CE and ET.
- circular economy,
- energy transition,
- sustainability,
- socio-technical system,
- waste management,
- renewable and low-carbon energy,
- biomass,
- economic development
Citation: Chukwuebuka Okafor, Christian Madu, Charles Ajaero, Juliet Ibekwe, Festus Otunomo. Situating coupled circular economy and energy transition in an emerging economy[J]. AIMS Energy, 2021, 9(4): 651-675. doi: 10.3934/energy.2021031

Related Papers:

Abstract

Fossilized energy system and linear economy model are associated with many of the environmental challenges facing the globe today. The current take-make-dispose model of production causes resource depletion and waste generation; while the highly fossilized energy system is associated with greenhouse gases emissions and climate change. Hence, the current study examined the challenges and opportunities of implementing coupled circular economy and energy transition model in Nigeria. Review and synthesis of literature was adopted for the study. Transitions to the two models are highly situated in socio-technical context. The barriers and potentials connected with both and their coupled transitions is dependent on the country's development stage (economic and infrastructure development), institutions, technological capacity and political will (evident in effective and enforceable legislations). Industrial symbiosis and waste-to-energy path are some of the operational approaches that couples CE and ET. Both also allows for resource efficiency and sustainability—environmental, social and economic. Effective policy actions and sustainable financing are critical enablers for developed CE and ET.

References

[1]	Falcone PM (2018) Analyzing stakeholders' perspectives towards a socio-technical change: The energy transition journey in Gela municipality. AIMS Energy 6: 645-657. doi: 10.3934/energy.2018.4.645
[2]	Chen W-M, Kim C (2019) Circular economy and energy transition: A nexus focusing on the non-energy use of fuels. Energy Environ 30: 586-600. doi: 10.1177/0958305X19845759
[3]	European Commission (2012) A circular economy plan to boost energy transition in Europe, Available from: https://cordis.europa.eu/article/id/423201-a-circular-economy-plan-to-boost-energy-transition-in-europe.
[4]	Kalchenko O, Evseeva S, Evseeva O, et al. (2019) Circular economy for the energy transition in Saint Petersburg, Russia. E3S Web of Conferences 110: 1-10. doi: 10.1051/e3sconf/201911002030
[5]	Lago C, Herrera I, Caldes N, et al. (2018) Nexus bionergy-bioeconomy. Resour Technol Sustain Policy, 3-24.
[6]	Chowdhury Md, Rahman K, Chowdhury T, et al. (2020) An overview of solar photovoltaic panels' end-of-life material recycling. Energy Strateg Rev 27: 1-11.
[7]	Salguero-Puerta L, Levya-Diaz J, Cortes-Garcia F, et al. (2019) Sustainability indicators concerning waste management for implementation of the circular economy model on the University of Lome (Togo) Campus. Int J Environ Res Public Health 16: 1-21. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16122234
[8]	Okafor C, Ajaero C, Madu C, et al. (2020) Implementation of circular economy principles in management of end-of-life tyres in a developing country (Nigeria). AIMS Environ Sci 7: 406-433. doi: 10.3934/environsci.2020027
[9]	Okafor C, Madu C, Ajaero C, et al. (2021) Moving beyond fossil fuel in an oil-exporting and emerging economy. AIMS Energy 9: 379-413. doi: 10.3934/energy.2021020
[10]	Ben-Iwo J, Manovic V, Longhurst P (2016) Biomass resources and biofuels potential or the production of transportation fuel in Nigeria. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 63: 172-192. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2016.05.050
[11]	Adewuyi O, Kiptoo, M, Afolayan A, et al. (2020) Challenges and prospects of Nigeria's sustainable energy transition. Energy Rep, 993-1009.
[12]	Nnorom I, Odeyingbo O (2020) Electronic waste management practices in Nigeria. Handbook of Electronic Waste Management, 323-354.
[13]	Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2013) Towards the circular economy: Opportunities for the consumer goods sector, Available from: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/publications/towards-the-circular-economy-vol-2-opportunities-for-the-consumer-goods-sector.
[14]	Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017) A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion's future. Available from: http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/publications.
[15]	Brears R (2015) The circular economy and the water-energy-food nexus. NFG policy paper no. 7/2015, NGF Research Group, Asian Perceptions of the EU. Freie Universität Berlin.
[16]	Upadhyay A, Kumar A, Akter S (2021) An analysis of UK retailers' initiatives towards circular economy transition and policy-driven directions. Clean Technol Environ Pol, 1-21.
[17]	Uphadhay A, Mukhuty S, Kumar V, et al. (2021) Blockchain technology and the circular economy: Implications for sustainability and social responsibility. J Clean Prod 293: 126130. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126130
[18]	Narayan R, Tidström A (2020) Tokenizing coopetition in a blockchain for a transition to circular economy. J Clean Prod 263: 12143. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121437
[19]	Jæger B, Menebo M, Upadhyay A (2021) Identification of environmental supply chain bottlenecks: a case study of the Ethiopian healthcare supply chain. Manag Environ Quality An Int J 14: 1-26.
[20]	Renewable and non-renewable energy/EM SC 240N: Energy and sustainability in contemporary culture. Available from: https://www.e-education.psu.edu/emsc240/node/506.
[21]	Zou C, Zhao Q, Zhang GS, et al. (2016) Energy revolution: From a fossil fuel energy era to a new energy era. Nat Gas Ind B 3: 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.ngib.2016.02.001
[22]	Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (2018) The rise of renewables and energy transition: what adaptation strategy for oil companies and oil-exporting countries? OIES Paper: MEP 19: 1-25.
[23]	Thombs R (2019) When democracy meets energy transitions: A typology of social power and energy system scale. Energy Res Soc Sci 52: 159-168. doi: 10.1016/j.erss.2019.02.020
[24]	Kalmykova Y, Sadagopan M, Rosado L (2018) Circular economy-From review of theories and practices to development of implementation tools. Resour Conserv Recycl 135: 190-201. doi: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.10.034
[25]	IRENA and IEA-PVPS (2016) End-of-life management: Solar photovoltaic panels, International Renewable Agency and International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems.
[26]	SEIA, Solar Energy Industries Association, 2019, End-of-life considerations for solar photovoltaics: Engaging the circular economy approach.
[27]	Fall T, Renewable energy growth depends on a circular economy for batteries, GreenBiz, December 18, 2020. Available from: https://www.greenbiz.com/article/renewable-energy-growth-depends-circular-economy-batteries.
[28]	FAO (2016) An overview of how sustainability is addressed in official bioeconomy strategies at international, national and regional levels. Environment and natural resources management Working paper 63: 1-48.
[29]	Stegmann P, Londo M, Junginger M (2020) The circular bioeconomy: Its elements and role in European bioeconomy clusters. Resour, Conserv Recycl X 6: 1-17.
[30]	Searcy E, Lamers P, Deutmeyer M, et al. (2016) Chapter 6—Commodity-scale biomass trade and integration with other supply chains. Dev Global Bioeconomy, 115-137.
[31]	EU Science Hub, Green and circular economy, 2016. Available from: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/research-topic/green-and-resource-efficient-europe.
[32]	Fraccascia L, Yazdanpanah V, Yazan D (2020) Energy-based industrial symbiosis: A literature review for circular energy transition. Environ Dev Sustain 23: 4791-4825. doi: 10.1007/s10668-020-00840-9
[33]	Chertow M, Ashton W, Espinosa J (2008) Industrial symbiosis in Puerto Rico: Environmentally related agglomeration economies. Reg Stud 42: 1299-1312. doi: 10.1080/00343400701874123
[34]	Ntasiou M, Andreou E (2017) The standard of industrial symbiosis. Environmental criteria and methodology on the establishment and operation of industrial and business parks. Procedia Environ Sci 38: 744-751.
[35]	Munro F, Cairney P (2020) A systematic review of energy systems: The role of policymaking in sustainable transitions. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 119: 1-10.
[36]	Zurlini G, Petrosillo I, Cataldi M (2008) Socioecological systems, In Jergensen SE, Fath BD (Editor-in-Chief), Systems Ecology, Encycl Ecol 4: 3264-3269.
[37]	Falcone PM, Lopolito A, Sica E (2017) Policy mixes towards sustainability transition in the Italian biofuel sector: Dealing with alternative crisis scenarios. Energy Res Soc Sci 35: 105-114. doi: 10.1016/j.erss.2017.09.007
[38]	Brooks A, Rich H (2016) Sustainable construction and socio-technical transitions in London's mega-projects. The Geogr J, 1-11.
[39]	Al-Abrrow H, Alnoor A, Abdullah H, et al. (2020) How does socio-technical approach influence sustainability? Considering the roles of decision making environment. IntechOpen, 1-20.
[40]	Ghisellini P, Ulgiati S (2020), Managing the transition to the circular economy, In: Brando M, Lazarevic D, Finnveden G (ed), Handbook of the circular economy, Edward Elgar Publishing, 37: 491-504.
[41]	De Boer J, Zuidema C, Gugerell K (2018) New interaction paths in the energy landscape: the role of local energy initiatives. Landsc Res 43: 489-502. doi: 10.1080/01426397.2018.1444154
[42]	PwC, PriceWaterCoopers (2016), Nigeria: Looking beyond oil, 1-32.
[43]	Netherlands Enterprise Agency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2020) Scoping mission waste and circular economy to Lagos, Nigeria.
[44]	US Energy Information Administration, Biomass explained: Waste-to-energy (Municipal solid waste), 2019. Available from: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/biomass/waste-to-energy.php.
[45]	Hafner M, Tagliapietra S (2020) The geopolitics of the global energy transition. Springer Open: Lecture Notes in Energy 73: 1-398.
[46]	Cervigni R, Rogers J, Henrion M (2013) Low-carbon development: Opportunities for Nigeria. Directions in development, Washington DC: The World Bank.
[47]	Staffas L, Gustavsson M, McCormick K (2013) Strategies and policies for the bioeconomy and bio-based economy: An analysis of official national approaches. Sustain 5: 2751-2769. doi: 10.3390/su5062751
[48]	Heshmati A (2015) A review of the circular economy and its implementation. Institute for the Study of Labour Discussion Paper No. 9611, Bonn Germany.
[49]	ENTeR, Expert Network on Textile Recycling, Strategic agenda on textile waste management and recycling, European Regional Development Fund. Available from: https://www.interreg-central.eu/Content.Node/Stategic-Agenda-1.pdf.
[50]	Isoaho K, Karhunmaa K (2019) A critical review of discursive approaches in energy transitions. Energy Policy 128: 930-942. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.01.043
[51]	Vezzoli C, Ceschin F, Osanjo L, et al. (2018) Energy and sustainable development. In: Designing sustainable energy for all. Green energy and Technology, Springer, Cham.
[52]	McKinsey & Company (2020) How the European Union could achieve net-zero emissions at net-zero cost. December 3, 2020 Report. Available from: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainability/our-insights/how-the-european-union-could-achieve-net-zero-emissions-at-net-zero-cost#.
[53]	Owen R, Brennan G, Lyon F (2018) Enabling investment for the transition to a low carbon economy: Government policy to finance early stage green innovation. Submitted to Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability Special Issue for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Cycle and Special Report on Global Warming.
[54]	Falcone PM (2020) Environmental regulation and green investments: The role of green finance. Int J Green Econ 14: 159-173. doi: 10.1504/IJGE.2020.109735
[55]	Falcone PM, Morone P, Sica E (2018) Greening of the financial system and fueling a sustainability transition: A discursive approach to assess landscape pressures on the Italian financial system. Technol Forecast Soc Chang 127: 23-37. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2017.05.020
[56]	Akanonu PC (2017) Climate policy and finance: Designing an effective carbon pricing system for Nigeria's oil and gas sector. Center for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) Working Paper DPS/17/02.
[57]	Yu Ⅲ, V.P.B. 2009, Developing country perspectives on carbon-based competitiveness, trade and climate change linkages. Energy, Environment and Development Programme Paper: 09/04. Chatham House.
[58]	Akinwande G (2014) The prospects and challenges of the proposed carbon tax regime in South Africa: Lessons from the Nigerian experience. J Sustain Dev Law Pol 3: 177-188.
[59]	Kemfert C, Schäfer D, Semmler W (2020) Great green transition and finance. Climate Policy, Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, 181-186.
[60]	BusinessDay, Nigerians consumed 20.8 billion litres of petrol in 2019—NBS, 2020. Available from: https://businessday.ng/energy/oilandgas/article/nigerians-consumed-20-8billion-litres-of-petrol-in-2019-nbs/amp/.

Reader Comments

Your name:*

Email:*
© 2021 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)