Decentralized Energy Systems and the Circular Economy: Business Models for Sustainable Energy Transitions

To address current rising northern environmental concerns, and a remarkable increase in energy demand, this research aims to investigate the feasibility of implementing both decentralized energy systems and circular economy approach for successful sustainable energy transformations. As a general goal of this research, the aim is to compare different business models of agent-based decentralized energy production according to circular economy principles of efficiency, waste reduction, and secure sources of supply chains. It adopted both quantitative treatment of energy data pertaining to decentralized systems in European and Asian countries and qualitative findings generated from industry case studies. The study shows that business models include energy as a service and community power which plays an important role in energy saving resulting in operational efficiency after the application of the analyzed models leading to a decrease in energy losses ranging between 1530%. The major contribution of this study is to provide an integrative framework that not only emphasises the possibility of decentralised scenarios but also reveals how they can contribute to circular economy aims such as resource circulation and low carbon. Based on the findings of this study, there are insights drawn that speaker to policymakers, business strategists, and environmental organizations as these details a coherent explanation of models of sustainable energy as well as coming up with practical models that can be adopted in largescale manner. The approach of this research within its quantitative and practical methodologies provides valuable insights to inform the analysis of decentralised energy as it contributes to international agenda towards sustainability.