THE EDIT
Your monthly briefing on the journey to fossil freedom
Issue #38 Circularity in practice, November 2026
Reused wind turbine blades form part of the façade of a car park in Lund, Sweden. Photo: Vattenfall and Hadil El-imam
Turning circularity into action
What to know: While 86 per cent of Nordic companies have incorporated circularity into their core business strategies, few have started implementing circular processes in their operations. Closing that gap means going beyond reuse and recycling to rethink material use, business models and collaboration across the value chain. A new guide developed by Cradlenet and eight companies, including Vattenfall, explores how companies can make the shift.
Why it matters: Circularity is increasingly about more than sustainability. Geopolitical uncertainty and disrupted supply chains have put access to materials in focus, making circularity a question of resilience too. Moving from linear to circular value chains could help companies reduce their dependence on vulnerable supply chains – but doing so requires collaboration, investment and new ways of working.
The EU is raising its use of circular materials, according to the European Environment Agency. In 2010, the circular material use rate stood at 10.7 per cent. Today, it's 12.2, and the use of circular materials in categories such as biomass, non-metallic minerals and fossil energy materials/carriers has all increased.
Low-emission steel at the Juliusburg/Krukow solar park in Germany. Photo: Vattenfall
Lower emissions before the first kilowatt-hour
Solar power generates electricity without fossil fuels – but its climate footprints start before the first kilowatt-hour reaches the grid. At Vattenfall’s Juliusburg/Krukow solar park in Germany, low-emission steel is being used for the panel substructures. As the production of the steel emits 67 per cent less CO₂ per tonne than conventional steel, the project’s total footprint is reduced from the outset.
Visualisation of the planned battery storage facility in Brunsbüttel, Germany. Image: Vattenfall
From power plant to power storage
The site of the former Brunsbüttel nuclear power plant in Germany is getting a new role in the energy system. Vattenfall plans to build a 254 MW battery storage facility there and once operational, it will almost double Vattenfall’s owned battery capacity – helping integrate more renewable electricity as the need for flexibility grows.
News flash
3 x quick updates from the energy world
Photo: Adobe Stock
Recycling solar silicon
Recycling silicon from old solar panels has long been a challenge. Now, Dutch researchers have developed a laser-based process that separates the valuable silicon from other materials in used modules.
(pv-magazine.com)
Photo: Adobe Stock
Nuclear in space
Solar panels are a natural energy source in space – but they won't work without sunlight. Researchers have therefore begun developing technology that uses by-products from nuclear reactors to power space missions.
(nature.com)
Photo: Gazelle Wind Power
Weathering the storm
When winds become too strong, wind turbines can struggle to operate. That could change with the development of floating offshore platforms designed to function even in typhoon conditions.
(offshorewind.biz)
And finally …
Tropical breeze makes you feel fine
Who needs air conditioning when you've got a tropical breeze? Roland Garros Airport on Réunion Island is designed to keep visitors cool using natural ventilation, thereby saving energy, reports The Guardian. The small island off the coast of Madagascar has a tropical climate, but the architects of the airport have used a unique roof design and natural ventilation to create a breeze that can make the temperature inside the terminal feel four to five degrees cooler.