Circular economy principles in community energy initiatives through stakeholder perspectives

Abstract

The world is looking toward clean and reliable energy solutions that could empower society to mitigate carbon emissions and provide a sustainable way ahead. The circular economy (CE) principles in community energy initiatives can help shift the existing energy pattern and transform society to better understand the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study aims to structure and evaluate the preference of stakeholders' objectives for community energy formation in the era of the CE to accelerate clean energy transitions. The conscious use of energy while participating in energy projects helps reduce energy consumption, reuse waste, and redesign community grid expansion with climate protection objectives. These links are explored systematically by integrating the value-focused thinking (VFT) approach and analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Using the VFT approach helped uncover strategic objectives of maximizing values of community energy using CE measures. Moreover, AHP assisted in identifying the preferred set of values as the results indicate that technical categories are fundamental pressure points for implementing CE principles in such initiatives. This study's contribution falls at the intersection of these concepts, where community energy initiatives provide a platform to integrate CE strategies. This study helps realize the rebound effects of consumer-centric community energy initiatives considering CE principles from a governance literature perspective. From a strategical standpoint, it signifies the potential links between CE and community energy initiatives. The adoption of CE measures has been seen as a “win-win” solution to the community energy business models and improves economic, environmental, and social sustainability.