When the circular economy diverges: The co-evolution of biogas business models and material circuits in Finland

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107025
• Publication Date: 2021-03-21T14:36:46Z
• Authors: Helena Valve; David Lazarevic; Niko Humalisto
• Keywords: Circular Economy; Dispose pattern; Business ecosystem; Value (mathematics); Business transformation; Value capture

The circular economy operates as an umbrella concept for attempts to find sustainable alternatives linear 'take-make-dispose' production and consumption systems. Making a transformation has sparked interest in business models means decouple value creation the use of virgin raw materials. However, so far, little attention been given differentiating capacities enhance circularity. Using Finnish biogas case study, this paper shows how operating within single economic domain uniform institutional conditions differ terms they organise material circuits. Four are differentiated based on what wastes side-flows enable be recovered, how. Because co-evolve, their potentials analysed relation model ecosystem. An emerging competes with dominating model. newcomer would help generate more closed loops, but existing landscape fails provide support its modes capture. Two other qualify niche solutions coexisting models. Knowing ecosystem opens up prospects policy revisions that can foster economy.