• Energy Research

La mise en œuvre de stratégies d'économie circulaire (EC) est récemment devenue l'une des stratégies essentielles pour le développement durable et la responsabilité sociale des entreprises. Cependant, malgré le rôle prometteur et les avantages potentiels de la CE pour les entreprises et la société, il n'y a toujours pas eu d'analyse suffisante pour examiner les défis de la transition circulaire auxquels sont confrontées les micro, petites et moyennes entreprises (MPME) et le rôle que jouent les normes, telles que la norme britannique (BS) 8001:2017, pendant le processus de transition des pratiques de l'économie linéaire vers l'économie circulaire. Dans ce contexte et pour mieux comprendre les facteurs empêchant la transition du linéaire à l'EC, cette étude vise à évaluer la mise en œuvre de l'EC dans les MPME dans les économies en développement à la lumière de la BS 8001:2017 à travers une enquête auprès des MPME brésiliennes. Les principales conclusions soulignent que les pratiques d'EC de la dimension Administration occupaient les premières positions dans le classement de la mise en œuvre, ainsi qu'une pratique de la dimension Innovation. Cependant, les résultats montrent que plusieurs pratiques associées à la transparence et à l'optimisation des produits dans la chaîne de valeur constituaient le dernier niveau de preuve de la mise en œuvre. Les résultats suggèrent que l'évaluation des MPME par BS 8001:2017 est bénéfique pour les aider à analyser et à reconsidérer leurs pratiques liées aux modèles commerciaux linéaires conventionnels de prise-utilisation-disposition. Collectivement, les résultats améliorent notre compréhension du niveau d'adoption de la mise en œuvre des composantes de l'EC, des pratiques les plus et les moins adoptées pendant la transition vers l'EC. L'étude fournit également des implications pour les politiques, la théorie et les applications pratiques dans les cas où il existe un intérêt à évaluer la maturité de la mise en œuvre de l'EC au sein des MPME dans les économies en développement. La implementación de estrategias de Economía Circular (CE) se ha convertido recientemente en una de las estrategias esenciales para el desarrollo sostenible y la responsabilidad social corporativa. Sin embargo, a pesar del papel prometedor y los beneficios potenciales de la CE para las empresas y la sociedad, todavía no se ha realizado un análisis suficiente que examine los desafíos para la transición circular que enfrentan las micro, pequeñas y medianas empresas (MIPYME) y el papel que desempeñan las normas, como la Norma Británica (BS) 8001:2017, durante el proceso de transición de las prácticas de economía lineal a circular. Dado este contexto y para aumentar aún más nuestra comprensión de los factores que impiden la transición de lineal a CE, este estudio tiene como objetivo evaluar la implementación de CE en las MIPYMES en las economías en desarrollo a la luz de BS 8001:2017 a través de una encuesta con las MIPYMES brasileñas. Los hallazgos principales enfatizan que las prácticas de CE de la dimensión de Administración ocuparon las primeras posiciones en el ranking de implementación, junto con una práctica de la dimensión de Innovación. Sin embargo, los resultados muestran que varias prácticas asociadas con la Transparencia y la Optimización del Producto en la cadena de valor tenían el último nivel de evidencia de implementación. Los hallazgos sugieren que la evaluación de las MIPYMES a través de BS 8001:2017 es beneficiosa para ayudarlas a analizar y reconsiderar sus prácticas relacionadas con los modelos comerciales lineales convencionales de tomar-usar-eliminar. En conjunto, los hallazgos mejoran nuestra comprensión del nivel de adopción de la implementación de componentes de CE, las prácticas más y menos adoptadas durante la transición de CE. El estudio también proporciona implicaciones para las políticas, la teoría y las aplicaciones prácticas en los casos en que existe un interés en evaluar la madurez de la implementación de la CE dentro de las MIPYMES en las economías en desarrollo. Implementing Circular Economy (CE) strategies has recently become one of the essential strategies for sustainable development and corporate social responsibility. However, despite the promising role and potential benefits of the CE for companies and society, there has still been insufficient analysis examining the challenges for circular transition faced by micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and the role that standards, such as British Standard (BS) 8001:2017, play during the transition process from linear to circular economy practices. Given this context and to further increase our understanding of the factors preventing the transition from linear to CE, this study aims to assess the CE implementation in MSMEs in developing economies in light of BS 8001:2017 through a survey with Brazilian MSMEs. The primary findings emphasize that CE practices from the Administration dimension occupied top positions in the ranking of implementation, along with one practice from the Innovation dimension. However, the results show that several practices associated with Transparency and Product Optimization in the value chain held the last level of evidence of implementation. Findings suggest that assessing MSMEs through BS 8001:2017 is beneficial for aiding them in analysing and reconsidering their practices related to the conventional linear business models of take-use-dispose. Collectively, the findings improve our understanding of the level of adoption of CE components implementation, the most and the least adopted practices during the CE transition. The study also provides implications for policy, theory, and practical applications in cases where there is an interest in assessing the maturity of CE implementation within MSMEs in developing economies. أصبح تنفيذ استراتيجيات الاقتصاد الدائري (CE) مؤخرًا أحد الاستراتيجيات الأساسية للتنمية المستدامة والمسؤولية الاجتماعية للشركات. ومع ذلك، على الرغم من الدور الواعد والفوائد المحتملة لـ CE للشركات والمجتمع، إلا أنه لا يزال هناك تحليل غير كافٍ لفحص تحديات الانتقال الدائري التي تواجهها الشركات متناهية الصغر والصغيرة والمتوسطة (MSMEs) والدور الذي تلعبه المعايير، مثل المعيار البريطاني (BS) 8001:2017، أثناء عملية الانتقال من ممارسات الاقتصاد الخطي إلى الاقتصاد الدائري. بالنظر إلى هذا السياق ولزيادة فهمنا للعوامل التي تمنع الانتقال من الخطية إلى CE، تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى تقييم تنفيذ CE في المشروعات المتوسطة والصغيرة ومتناهية الصغر في الاقتصادات النامية في ضوء BS 8001:2017 من خلال دراسة استقصائية مع المشروعات المتوسطة والصغيرة ومتناهية الصغر البرازيلية. تؤكد النتائج الأولية على أن ممارسات التعليم المستمر من بعد الإدارة احتلت المراكز الأولى في ترتيب التنفيذ، إلى جانب ممارسة واحدة من بعد الابتكار. ومع ذلك، تظهر النتائج أن العديد من الممارسات المرتبطة بالشفافية وتحسين المنتجات في سلسلة القيمة احتفظت بالمستوى الأخير من أدلة التنفيذ. تشير النتائج إلى أن تقييم المشروعات متناهية الصغر والصغيرة والمتوسطة من خلال معيار BS 8001:2017 مفيد لمساعدتها في تحليل وإعادة النظر في ممارساتها المتعلقة بنماذج الأعمال الخطية التقليدية للتخلص والاستخدام. بشكل جماعي، تعمل النتائج على تحسين فهمنا لمستوى اعتماد تنفيذ مكونات التعليم المستمر، والممارسات الأكثر اعتمادًا والأقل اعتمادًا خلال انتقال التعليم المستمر. كما توفر الدراسة الآثار المترتبة على السياسة والنظرية والتطبيقات العملية في الحالات التي يوجد فيها اهتمام بتقييم نضج تنفيذ CE داخل المشروعات المتوسطة والصغيرة ومتناهية الصغر في الاقتصادات النامية.

Most micro and small businesses (MSEs) are limited in organizational structure, financial resources, technology, and management strategies. Due to these limitations, there are many risks involved in this sector. Understanding the aspects that contribute to the risk of mortality among MSEs is important to guide entrepreneurs in the development of strategic actions and to assist governments in the elaboration of policies that support the creation of new ventures. For this, it is important to know the key factors that contribute to the risk of business mortality. Thus, the following research questions emerge: What is the state of the art on the subject of business mortality in MSE? What are the factors that contribute to the risk of mortality in MSE? What is the relationship between the factors that contribute to the risk of mortality in MSE? The objective of this research was to analyze what the risk factors are for MSE mortality and how they are related to each other. From a systematic literature review, the state of the art on the topic of business mortality in MSEs was evidenced and its risk factors were identified. One hundred and six articles, published from January 2000 to February 2021, were analyzed. The results showed 36 mortality risk factors and highlighted the risks associated with innovative processes, business management, and the characteristics of the entrepreneur. This study contributes to a theoretical framework on corporate mortality and provides an agenda for future research, showing gaps to be explored. In terms of managerial implications, we suggest that entrepreneurs prioritize training initiatives, investing in education, that MSEs participate in cooperation networks to establish partnerships between stakeholders, and that they invest in technological tools to make companies more competitive in the market.

Despite the large quantities and possibilities of reuse of the by-products (solids and liquids) generated by the brewing industry, the proper disposal of these by-products has imposed severe problems for circular and cleaner production transitions worldwide. These challenges are still more salient for the small breweries due to the recognized lack of resources, such as knowledge, finances, and skilled staff. To address this problem, this article aims to identify sustainable strategies for waste management and biomass valorization that can be implemented in the value chain of small breweries. A mixed-method approach was implemented for the data collection and analysis to expand the evidence of the findings, including interviews with 18 small breweries and six specialists in the sector. We found that breweries mainly dispose of the by-products for animal feeding, although industry experts and the specialized literature indicate that at least 21 reuse and recycling alternatives have not been implemented in the value chain. Findings add to the literature five new alternatives informed by companies and six informed by experts for circular and cleaner production realization in small breweries' value chains. Furthermore, the article proposes a novel conceptual model to facilitate waste management and biomass valorization realization in small breweries value chains. Findings provide new insights that complement previous studies to overcome the challenges for waste management and biomass valorization in the sector. The article offers implications for theory, policymakers and managerial practice with repercussions on the production, environmental and financial issues.

To ensure business continuity in the post-COVID-19 era, decision-makers should reconfigure their traditional supply chain (SC) networks, assisted by the development and implementation of cutting-edge technologies. Recently, Industry 5.0 (I5.0) has gained increasing attention as a paradigm offering salient features for the creation of resilient and inclusive operations by ensuring long-standing SC sustainability. However, there has been insufficient analysis of the challenges of implementing I5.0 in SCs. Therefore, this study aims to understand the challenges of implementing I5.0 when managing the impact of SC disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic in an emerging economy. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used for this research. First, the challenges to I5.0 implementation were identified through a literature review and experts’ feedback. Those challenges were examined and prioritised using the Best-Worst Method (BWM). Second, the contextual relationships amongst these challenges were analysed using interpretive structural modelling (ISM) with cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) analysis. Findings showed that to adopt I5.0 initiatives successfully in order to manage the post-COVID-19 impact on SC sustainability, the active involvement of senior managers is required in the execution process. Findings also showed that financial support and funding (e.g., tax reduction, short loans, etc.) from investors and the government play a pivotal role in enabling sustainability in SCs. Finally, the challenges were classified using MICMAC analysis to provide valuable insights for managing future disruptions. This study is expected to help managers and decision-makers successfully overcome the challenges of implementing I5.0 in SCs and thus improve SC sustainability.

The world is undergoing a transition to a more sustainable energy sector dominated by renewable energy sources. This paper proposes an innovative solution that consists of catching water from streams at high altitudes to fill storage containers and transport them down a mountain, converting the potential energy of water into electricity with the regenerative braking systems of electric trucks and storing it in the truck's battery. The energy stored in the electric truck can be sold to the grid or used by the truck to transport other goods. Results show that the levelized cost of the electricity truck hydropower is 30–100 USD/MWh, which is cheap when compared with conventional hydropower 50–200 USD/MWh. The electricity generation world potential for the technology is estimated to be 1.2 PWh per year, which is equivalent to around 4% of the global energy consumption in 2019. Apart from being a low cost and impact electricity generation technology, electric truck hydropower can operate in combination with solar and wind resources and provide energy storage services to the grid.

The Circular Economy (CE) concept has emerged as a promising alternative for addressing the serious challenges faced by industries with high involvement in environmental pollution and waste generation. CE can contribute to minimizing waste generation and ecological degradation and ensuring environmental protection while maximizing the utilization of the available resources. Although research has analyzed the CE from different perspectives, insufficient emphasis in the extant empirical literature is given to Electronics Manufacturing (EM) industries in emerging economies. The overall generation of electronic and e-waste has grown exponentially, mainly due to the massive increase in the sale and use of modern electronic gadgets. This study aims to identify and prioritize the barriers to implementing CE in the EM industry and analyze their interrelationships. The process begins by identifying 15 significant barriers from the literature review. An integrated Best–Worst Method (BWM) and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) with Matrice d'Impacts Croisés Multiplication Aappliquée à un Cclassement (MICMAC) framework were then utilized to prioritize the barriers based on their significance level. Lastly, we identify systemic interrelationships among these barriers. We show that the three topmost significant barriers behind CE adoption are the need for high initial investment and financial backing, lack of proper legislative support, and lack of support from top management. This study contributes to the current body of CE knowledge, guiding managers and policymakers in emerging economies to take proper actions for improving sustainability and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through sustainable and responsible resource utilization.

Le secteur des transports traverse une transition rapide vers les véhicules électriques afin de minimiser notre dépendance aux combustibles fossiles et de réduire les émissions de CO2. Cela se produit également dans le secteur du transport de marchandises, avec un déploiement rapide des camions électriques. Ce document propose que le remplacement des camions diesel par des camions électriques ait lieu d'abord sur les itinéraires où la cargaison est livrée d'un endroit à une altitude plus élevée à un endroit à une altitude plus basse. De cette façon, le système de freinage à récupération du camion peut recharger complètement la batterie du camion. Cet article étudie des scénarios où les camions électriques pourraient fonctionner indéfiniment sans électricité du réseau pour charger leurs batteries. Ce concept a été nommé camion électrique à mouvement perpétuel (PMET). Les résultats montrent qu'avec une pente moyenne de 5 %, une vitesse de 60 km/h, le poids de la cargaison doit être au moins 1,32 fois le poids du camion, ce qui permet d'atteindre la PMET. Le PMET est une alternative intéressante pour réduire la demande d'électricité et accroître la durabilité du secteur des transports. El sector del transporte está pasando por una rápida transición a los vehículos eléctricos para minimizar nuestra dependencia de los combustibles fósiles y reducir las emisiones de CO2. Esto también está sucediendo en el sector del transporte de carga, con un rápido despliegue de camiones eléctricos. Este documento propone que el reemplazo de camiones diésel por camiones eléctricos debe ocurrir primero en rutas donde la carga se entrega desde un lugar con mayor altitud a un lugar con menor altitud. De esta manera, el sistema de frenado regenerativo del camión puede recargar completamente la batería del camión. Este documento investiga escenarios en los que los camiones eléctricos podrían operar indefinidamente sin electricidad de la red para cargar sus baterías. Este concepto se denominó camión eléctrico de movimiento perpetuo (PMET). Los resultados muestran que con una pendiente media de la carretera del 5%, velocidad de 60 km/h, el peso de la carga debe ser al menos 1.32 veces el peso del camión, se puede lograr PMET. El PMET es una alternativa interesante para reducir la demanda eléctrica y aumentar la sostenibilidad del sector del transporte. The transportation sector is going through a rapid transition to electric vehicles to minimize our reliance on fossil fuels and reduce CO2 emissions. This is also happening in the cargo transport sector, with a rapid deployment of electric trucks. This paper proposes that the replacement of diesel trucks with electric trucks should first happen on routes where cargo is delivered from a location with a higher altitude to a location with a lower altitude. This way, the regenerative braking system of the truck can completely recharge the truck's battery. This paper investigates scenarios where electric trucks could operate indefinitely without grid electricity to charge their batteries. This concept was named perpetual motion electric truck (PMET). Results show that with an average road slope of 5 %, 60 km/h speed, the weight of the cargo should be at least 1.32 times the weight of the truck, PMET can be achieved. PMET is an interesting alternative to reduce electricity demand and increase the sustainability of the transport sector. يمر قطاع النقل بمرحلة انتقال سريعة إلى السيارات الكهربائية لتقليل اعتمادنا على الوقود الأحفوري وتقليل انبعاثات ثاني أكسيد الكربون. ويحدث هذا أيضًا في قطاع نقل البضائع، مع الانتشار السريع للشاحنات الكهربائية. تقترح هذه الورقة أن يتم استبدال شاحنات الديزل بالشاحنات الكهربائية أولاً على الطرق التي يتم فيها تسليم البضائع من موقع ذي ارتفاع أعلى إلى موقع ذي ارتفاع أقل. وبهذه الطريقة، يمكن لنظام الكبح المتجدد للشاحنة إعادة شحن بطارية الشاحنة بالكامل. تبحث هذه الورقة في السيناريوهات التي يمكن أن تعمل فيها الشاحنات الكهربائية إلى أجل غير مسمى بدون كهرباء الشبكة لشحن بطارياتها. أطلق على هذا المفهوم اسم الشاحنة الكهربائية ذات الحركة الدائمة (PMET). تظهر النتائج أنه مع متوسط انحدار الطريق بنسبة 5 ٪، وسرعة 60 كم/ساعة، يجب أن يكون وزن الحمولة 1.32 مرة على الأقل من وزن الشاحنة، ويمكن تحقيق PMET. تعد PMET بديلاً مثيرًا للاهتمام لتقليل الطلب على الكهرباء وزيادة استدامة قطاع النقل.