IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i18p10467-d639552.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Digital Twins for the Circular Economy

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Preut

    (Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, 44227 Dortmund, Germany)

  • Jan-Philip Kopka

    (Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, 44227 Dortmund, Germany)

  • Uwe Clausen

    (Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, 44227 Dortmund, Germany)

Abstract

Accurate information plays an important role for the circulation of materials and products. It influences the economically and ecologically successful execution of processes such as reconditioning and the corresponding supply chain management. Digitization concepts, such as digital twins, enable the relevant information to be made available to the right actor at the right time in a decentralized manner. It is assumed that digital twins will play an important role in the future and can contribute, among other things, to the successful implementation of circular economy strategies. However, there is no uniform definition of the term digital twin yet and the exploration and use of digital twins in the context of circular economy products and supply chains is still in its infancy. This article presents potential contributions of digital twins to the circularity of products and the management of circular supply chains. To this end, the derivation and validation of a definition for the term digital twin is described. A stakeholder analysis with a special focus on the processes of the individual stakeholders results in an overview of potentials and information requirements of circular supply chains for a digital twin. The paper concludes that circular supply chains can benefit from digital twins, but that there is still a need for research and development, particularly regarding product and use case-specific implementations of the concept.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Preut & Jan-Philip Kopka & Uwe Clausen, 2021. "Digital Twins for the Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-15, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:18:p:10467-:d:639552
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/18/10467/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/18/10467/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ramesh Subramoniam & Erik Sundin & Suresh Subramoniam & Donald Huisingh, 2021. "Riding the Digital Product Life Cycle Waves towards a Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-23, August.
    2. Kirchherr, Julian & Reike, Denise & Hekkert, Marko, 2017. "Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 221-232.
    3. Rocío González-Sánchez & Davide Settembre-Blundo & Anna Maria Ferrari & Fernando E. García-Muiña, 2020. "Main Dimensions in the Building of the Circular Supply Chain: A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-25, March.
    4. Gianmarco Bressanelli & Federico Adrodegari & Marco Perona & Nicola Saccani, 2018. "Exploring How Usage-Focused Business Models Enable Circular Economy through Digital Technologies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-21, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Gianmarco Bressanelli & Federico Adrodegari & Daniela C. A. Pigosso & Vinit Parida, 2022. "Circular Economy in the Digital Age," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-6, May.
    2. Gianmarco Bressanelli & Federico Adrodegari & Daniela C. A. Pigosso & Vinit Parida, 2022. "Towards the Smart Circular Economy Paradigm: A Definition, Conceptualization, and Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-20, April.
    3. Janine Mügge & Julian Grosse Erdmann & Theresa Riedelsheimer & Marvin Michael Manoury & Sophie-Odette Smolka & Sabine Wichmann & Kai Lindow, 2023. "Empowering End-of-Life Vehicle Decision Making with Cross-Company Data Exchange and Data Sovereignty via Catena-X," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-24, April.
    4. Xianhai Meng & Simran Das & Junyu Meng, 2023. "Integration of Digital Twin and Circular Economy in the Construction Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-14, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sara Alonso-Muñoz & Rocío González-Sánchez & Cristina Siligardi & Fernando Enrique García-Muiña, 2021. "Building Exploitation Routines in the Circular Supply Chain to Obtain Radical Innovations," Resources, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-18, March.
    2. German Arana‐Landin & Waleska Sigüenza & Beñat Landeta‐Manzano & Iker Laskurain‐Iturbe, 2024. "Circular economy: On the road to ISO 59000 family of standards," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 1977-2009, May.
    3. Gianmarco Bressanelli & Federico Adrodegari & Daniela C. A. Pigosso & Vinit Parida, 2022. "Towards the Smart Circular Economy Paradigm: A Definition, Conceptualization, and Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-20, April.
    4. Roberto Hernández-Chea & Akriti Jain & Nancy M. P. Bocken & Anjula Gurtoo, 2021. "The Business Model in Sustainability Transitions: A Conceptualization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-25, May.
    5. Jing Shao & Cedric Aneye & Alyona Kharitonova & Wei Fang, 2023. "Essential innovation capability of producer‐service enterprises towards circular business model: Motivators and barriers," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4548-4567, November.
    6. Zain Anwar Ali & Mahreen Zain & M. Salman Pathan & Peter Mooney, 2024. "Contributions of artificial intelligence for circular economy transition leading toward sustainability: an explorative study in agriculture and food industries of Pakistan," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(8), pages 19131-19175, August.
    7. Alessandra Neri & Marta Negri & Enrico Cagno & Vikas Kumar & Jose Arturo Garza‐Reyes, 2023. "What digital‐enabled dynamic capabilities support the circular economy? A multiple case study approach," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 5083-5101, November.
    8. Dwivedi, Ashish & Moktadir, Md. Abdul & Chiappetta Jabbour, Charbel José & de Carvalho, Daniel Estima, 2022. "Integrating the circular economy and industry 4.0 for sustainable development: Implications for responsible footwear production in a big data-driven world," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    9. Arijit Bhattacharya & Shefali Srivastava & Abhijit Majumdar, 2024. "Circular supply chains in manufacturing—Quo vadis? Accomplishments, challenges and future opportunities," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4397-4423, July.
    10. Adriane Cavalieri & João Reis & Marlene Amorim, 2021. "Circular Economy and Internet of Things: Mapping Science of Case Studies in Manufacturing Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-32, March.
    11. Kristoffersen, Eivind & Mikalef, Patrick & Blomsma, Fenna & Li, Jingyue, 2021. "Towards a business analytics capability for the circular economy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    12. Alessandra Neri & Marta Negri & Enrico Cagno & Simone Franzò & Vikas Kumar & Tommaso Lampertico & Carlo Andrea Bassani, 2023. "The role of digital technologies in supporting the implementation of circular economy practices by industrial small and medium enterprises," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4693-4718, November.
    13. Laura Montag, 2023. "Circular Economy and Supply Chains: Definitions, Conceptualizations, and Research Agenda of the Circular Supply Chain Framework," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 35-75, March.
    14. Rosangela de Fátima Pereira Marquesone & Tereza Cristina Melo de Brito Carvalho, 2022. "Examining the Nexus between the Vs of Big Data and the Sustainable Challenges in the Textile Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-17, April.
    15. Sorin-Daniel GHEORGHE, 2023. "Internet of Things and Circular Economy: A State-of-the-Art Review," Informatica Economica, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 27(4), pages 44-60.
    16. Yasanur Kayikci & Nazlican Gozacan‐Chase & Abderahman Rejeb, 2024. "Blockchain entrepreneurship roles for circular supply chain transition," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 197-222, February.
    17. Rohit Agrawal & Vishal A. Wankhede & Anil Kumar & Sunil Luthra & Donald Huisingh, 2022. "Progress and trends in integrating Industry 4.0 within Circular Economy: A comprehensive literature review and future research propositions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 559-579, January.
    18. Kerem Toker & Ali Görener, 2023. "Evaluation of circular economy business models for SMEs using spherical fuzzy TOPSIS: an application from a developing countries’ perspective," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 1700-1741, February.
    19. Ya Cheng & Mohammad Masukujjaman & Farid Ahammad Sobhani & Muhammad Hamayun & Syed Shah Alam, 2023. "Green Logistics, Green Human Capital, and Circular Economy: The Mediating Role of Sustainable Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-22, January.
    20. Stefano Brogi & Tamara Menichini, 2024. "The pathway towards circular economy: Measuring circular advantage of eco‐innovations," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 3005-3038, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:18:p:10467-:d:639552. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.