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Circulating blame in the circular economy: The case of wood-waste biofuels and coal ash

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  • Millward-Hopkins, Joel
  • Purnell, Phil

Abstract

The transition from coal-based electricity to ‘carbon neutral’ biofuels derived from forests has catalysed a debate largely centred upon whether woody-biofuels drive deforestation. Consequently, a crucial point is often missed. Most wood pellets used in electricity production are derived from waste-wood; a practice considered acceptable by many otherwise strongly opposed to the industry. We highlight that, precisely because waste-wood is a ‘waste’, its carbon-neutral credentials should be questioned. We then examine a parallel development occurring within the same industrial system; the recovery of electricity producers’ combustion-ash residues for concrete production. Contrasting how accounting practices allocate upstream carbon to these ‘wastes’ in the cases of wood pellets and coal-ash reveals how decisions are shaped by industry imperatives, rather than established lifecycle techniques. If the politics of emissions allocation continue to evolve in this way, it may become increasingly difficult to distinguish where progress towards a low-carbon, environmentally sustainable and circular economy is real, from where it is an artefact of biased and inconsistent accounting practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Millward-Hopkins, Joel & Purnell, Phil, 2019. "Circulating blame in the circular economy: The case of wood-waste biofuels and coal ash," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 168-172.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:129:y:2019:i:c:p:168-172
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.02.019
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    Cited by:

    1. Finke, Jonas & Bertsch, Valentin & Di Cosmo, Valeria, 2023. "Exploring the feasibility of Europe’s renewable expansion plans based on their profitability in the market," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    2. Emilio Abad-Segura & Ana Batlles-delaFuente & Mariana-Daniela González-Zamar & Luis Jesús Belmonte-Ureña, 2021. "Implications for Sustainability of the Joint Application of Bioeconomy and Circular Economy: A Worldwide Trend Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-24, June.
    3. Finke, Jonas & Bertsch, Valentin, 2022. "Implementing a highly adaptable method for the multi-objective optimisation of energy systems," MPRA Paper 115504, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Mancini, M. & Rinnan, Å., 2021. "Near infrared technique as a tool for the rapid assessment of waste wood quality for energy applications," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 113-123.
    5. Beatriz de Souza Mello Gonçalves & Flávio Leonel de Carvalho & Paula de Camargo Fiorini, 2022. "Circular Economy and Financial Aspects: A Systematic Review of the Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-41, March.
    6. Claudia Marcela Betancourt Morales & Jhon Wilder Zartha Sossa, 2020. "Circular economy in Latin America: A systematic literature review," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(6), pages 2479-2497, September.
    7. Assunta Di Vaio & Sohail Hasan & Rosa Palladino & Rohail Hassan, 2023. "The transition towards circular economy and waste within accounting and accountability models: a systematic literature review and conceptual framework," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 734-810, January.
    8. Finke, Jonas & Bertsch, Valentin, 2023. "Implementing a highly adaptable method for the multi-objective optimisation of energy systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 332(C).
    9. Agnieszka Bielecka & Joanna Kulczycka, 2020. "Coal Combustion Products Management toward a Circular Economy—A Case Study of the Coal Power Plant Sector in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-15, July.
    10. Wiwik Utami & Lucky Nugroho & Kelum Jayasinghe, 2021. "Carbon Credit Risk Mitigation of Deforestation: A Study on the Performance of P2H Products and Services in Indonesia," International Journal of Financial Research, International Journal of Financial Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 12(2), pages 125-137, April.

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