Introducing Principles of Circular Economy into Traditional Energy Sector: Barriers and Prospectives

— The shift from a linear economy to a closed-loop economy is a prominent topic in climate and environmental conservation. Applying the principles of circular economy in industry can significantly reduce the negative impact on the environment and increase the efficiency of using natural capital. However, the shift to this new economic paradigm encounters numerous obstacles, especially in the energy sector, which has many specific features. This study aims at identifying the main barriers to introduce both circular economy principles for traditional energy companies and the most promising ways to minimize them. A list of key barriers was identified, and a set of recommendations for implementing circular economy concepts at energy enterprises was proposed. Additionally, a circular economy framework adapted for traditional energy companies was designed