Measure Circularity
Circular economy is an extremely vast field, and in order to apply it successfully and evaluate results it is necessary to identify a measuring system: a set of parameters and indicators used to quantify the circularity of products and projects, based on the benefits of reducing virgin materials consumption.
The main difficulties stem from the fact that while some aspects - such as the amount of renewable materials or reusable items - are easily measurable, other benefits are less tangible, like the extension of a product’s life cycle, or all Sharing activities.
Enel has developed a circular measurement model that takes into account all five pillars of Circular Economy, applied by using a number of sub-indicators:
The model defines a single circularity index, whose calculation is based on two components:
- Flow circularity, which takes into account all the components of materials and energy in the phases of:
> input (whether renewable, recycled, reused, etc.)
> output (recycle, reuse, landfill).
- Usage circularity, which takes into account the material utilisation factor, either by extending its life cycle or by considering the application of the principles of sharing and "product as a service".
By measuring the circularity index, it will be easier to evaluate the success and effectiveness of the circular economy.
To learn more, download CirculAbility Model document.