Circular economy in the Finnish energy sector – a study on the current state, future outlook, and strategic priorities

The transition of Finland’s energy system from combustion-based production to investment-intensive wind and nuclear power is shifting the sector’s circular economy focus from fuels to construction materials. The objective of this project was to deepen the understanding of this transition and the current state of the circular economy in the energy sector, identify future challenges, and formulate strategic recommendations to promote resource wisdom within the industry.

We conducted the study by combining analytical research with stakeholder engagement:

• We gathered data on regulation, technologies, and best practices through desktop research, and deepened our understanding through expert interviews.

• We created a comprehensive overview of the circular economy in the energy sector to support the development of circular practices across different forms of energy production.

• We validated the findings and further refined the action recommendations in collaboration with key stakeholders in the sector.

The study defined four strategic levels for the circular economy in the energy sector: strategic planning, life-cycle extension, value recovery through cycling, and molecular recovery. Based on the results, recommendations were developed to support the sector in advancing system-level resource wisdom and security of supply.

”With the energy transition, the circular economy is emerging as a strategic sustainability and security of supply issue in the energy sector. The study conducted by Tyrsky provides a clear direction on how the industry can transition towards system-level resource wisdom and proactively manage future material flows.” – Marja Rankila, Finnish Energy (Energiateollisuus ry)