Mission: Promote sustainable practices and solutions through innovative circular (bio)economy principles, based on resource and energy optimization.
Aims:
1. Advance Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) methodologies to comprehensively evaluate the environmental impacts of circular economy strategies.
2. Optimize resource use, minimize environmental impacts, and enhance productivity across sectors through innovative circular solutions.
3. Investigate the integration of sustainable energy with circular economy principles to facilitate the transition to a low-carbon future.
4. Develop methodologies for valorizing organic by-products and co-products, unlocking the potential of waste and side streams.
5. Foster partnerships for sustainable resource management and energy efficiency, promoting strong collaboration between industry, academia, policy and other stakeholders.
The research within the Circular Economy, Resources, and Energy Optimization research group (RG6) aligns with the need to transition towards a circular economy, address resource scarcity, and mitigate the climate crisis. It directly supports initiatives like the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 2, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. Additionally, the research contributes to the EU Missions ‘Ocean & Waters’, ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’, and ‘Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities’, while also supporting EU policies such as the Green Deal with its zero-pollution ambition, the Circular Economy Action Plan, the Bioeconomy Strategy, and the Energy Efficiency Directive, promoting a transition to a clean and resource-efficient economy. The group’s work also aligns with global initiatives promoting sustainable production, consumption, renewable energy adoption, and waste-to-resource strategies.
RG6 directly supports:
TL3: Socio-Ecological Systems and Resources – RG6 research focuses on developing and implementing circular (bio)economy models, optimizing resource use, and designing solutions for a zero-waste future.
TL2: Environmental Management, Pollution and Modelling – RG6 contributes through the development and application of LCA methodologies, assessing the potential environmental impacts and benefits of circular strategies & technologies.