Circular Economy Innovation Network
The Circular Economy Innovation Network aims to enable stronger, more resilient industries working together, connecting, collaborating, and sharing experiences to achieve Net Zero through circular innovation.
About the network
In the UK most of what we use and consume flows through a take, make, waste economy. By contrast in a Circular Economy products or their component parts are returned or processed so they can be repaired for reuse, resold, refurbished or remanufactured, or reduced to composite elements for recycling.
Material flows in a circular supply chain focus on retaining the value of materials at the highest value for the longest time, i.e. extending the lifecycle of a product: instead of just recycling the material or sending it to a landfill, an item is returned to begin a new journey in the supply chain. A Circular Economy supply chain can help ameliorate the upfront investments made in carbon, energy, water, chemicals, labour, money etc. by designing out waste from the outset.
By adopting a Circular Economy framework and building collaborative communities aligned to three key principles: Circular Design, Circular Business Models, and Circular Recovery; we aim to inspire industry members to come together to reduce environmental impact and achieve Net Zero goals through circular innovation.
Working Together to Find Solutions
Research shows specialist collaborations produce results that wouldn’t be possible when people think and work in isolation. We are focused on three Challenge Communities: Wool, Aluminium, and Chemicals; which will convene and consult across the value chain to co-create a Circular Innovation Action Plan for each of the sectors. These Action Plans will identify the key barriers preventing progress towards Net Zero and highlight how Innovation for a Circular Economy can help overcome these barriers.
Click here to read the Action Plan for Transforming Industrial Waste Gases (CO/CO2) to Chemicals (plans for the Wool and Aluminium sectors coming soon).
As part of this process, each of the cross-sector communities will agree on two challenges they want to tackle together. We will seek potential solutions and broker new relationships and collaborations between established industries, innovators and academia, for example, by using our Innovation Exchange, or the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships platforms.
These and other IUK KTN Programmes can facilitate these relationships, matching the right businesses and institutions to work together. Engaging in the Circular Economy Innovation Network could help you and your business build knowledge in this important area, access research teams and strengthen connections across sectors to maximise the benefits, economic, environmental and societal, for everyone.
Transforming Industrial Waste Gases to Chemicals
This plan sets out a vision for using CO/CO2 in the manufacture of higher-value chemicals to support a circular carbon future. It aims to create a chemical sector and associated supply chains that can thrive in a circular, net zero world and promote the existing and emerging technologies to benefit the chemicals supply chain in the UK.
Download the Action Plan
Circular Economy focus areas
Circular Design
From choosing the material type, considering the way products and services interact with people and systems through to end-of-life disposal, Design is a critically important pillar of Circular Economy systems.
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Circular Business Models
By taking into account how materials & products move around the economy or how an organisation creates and delivers value to a wide range of stakeholders while eliminating waste and environmental damage, Circular Business Models can offer new commercial opportunities.
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Circular Recovery
Focusing on retaining every asset possible across the value chains and the procurement processes to reduce the amount of new feedstocks needed can result in reduced expense and increased risk mitigation in the supply chains.
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Circular Economy launch event
In April 2022 we launched the Circular Innovation Network. This inaugural event attracted a wide audience across many sectors who heard from circular economy experts Fiona Charnley of the National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research (NICER), and Amy Peace from Innovate UK, who joined together with industry leaders to discuss the alternatives to using high carbon materials in support of UK industries in reaching net zero.
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Related Events and Recordings
Our Experts
Related Opportunities
ISCF SSPP Collecting flexible plastic packaging waste at home
Opens: 27/02/2023 Closes: 12/04/2023
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £250,000 to develop innovative ideas that help with the collection of flexible packaging waste from households.
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Water Discovery Challenge 2023
Opens: 25/01/2023 Closes: 05/04/2023
A £4 million competition for bold and ingenious innovation that can help solve the biggest challenges facing the water sector today and in the future.
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Resource efficiency for materials and manufacturing: CR&D
Opens: 31/03/2023 Closes: 26/05/2023
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £12 million for ambitious collaborative R&D projects to support UK materials and manufacturing organisations to become significantly more resource efficient.
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Cross-Sector Battery Systems
The Cross-Sector Battery Systems Innovation Network is a collaborative community of technology developers and end-users from multiple sectors.
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Made Smarter
From 2021 to 2025, KTN will be working on behalf of UKRI to join communities together to transform UK manufacturing and drive positive change.
Read moreJoin the Circular Economy Innovation Network
If you would like to take part in the discussion and be kept updated of our activities, grants and funding opportunities, join our Community.