The decision to relocate Indonesia’s capital city from Jakarta to East Kalimantan is driven by a range of factors, including the need to decentralize economic activity and address Jakarta’s environmental issues. The New Capital City (IKN) is being developed as a sustainable urban center with the goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2045. Law No. 3 of 2022 mandates that IKN will rely on 100 percent renewable electricity by 2045, underscoring the Indonesian government’s commitment to sustainability in the city. However, achieving this ambitious target presents significant challenges, particularly in terms of energy demand, renewable energy availability, and coordination across multiple sectors.
This research focuses on addressing these challenges by exploring the most cost-effective renewable energy sources for IKN and the necessary policies and actions to support their development and implementation. The backcasting approach was employed, which involves defining the desired future and working backward to determine the necessary steps to achieve it. Energy modeling, carried out using Calliope software, was used to simulate the future electricity system of the entire Kalimantan Island, including IKN, and to identify the least-cost combination of renewable energy sources to meet projected demand.
The study assumes that IKN’s peak electricity demand by 2045 will reach 792 MW. The least-cost vision suggests that this demand can be met primarily through solar PV and hydropower, with installed capacities of 890 MW and 792 MW, respectively. This combination results in the lowest Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE), calculated at 4.57 cents per kWh. Another vision explored in this study involves diversifying the energy mix by incorporating other renewable energy sources, such as floating solar PV, biomass, and battery storage. As reliance on hydropower and solar PV is reduced, the LCOE rises progressively, reaching 5.35 cents per kWh when the capacities of these two key sources are reduced by 50 percent.
While the technical feasibility of these renewable energy scenarios is promising, the political and economic barriers present the most significant challenges to their implementation. Politically, uncertainty in regulations, inconsistencies in policy frameworks, and the continuation of fossil fuel subsidies create hurdles. Economically, the lack of long-term financing options and limited resources available to developers and the national utility (PLN) present obstacles to renewable energy growth. Additionally, from a technological perspective, the current grid infrastructure in Kalimantan is not fully equipped to handle the intermittent nature of renewable sources like solar PV.
To address these challenges, several key actions and policies changes must be put in place. One crucial solution is the immediate introduction of a comprehensive new renewable energy law designed to attract investors by providing a stable and favorable regulatory environment. Financial strategies, such as government-backed loan guarantees and concessional financing from international organizations, are also crucial for making renewable projects economically viable. In addition, promoting public engagement and encouraging behavior changes, such as energy efficiency and conservation, can reduce peak demand and lower overall investment costs.
This study contributes to the body of research by providing a comprehensive strategy for renewable energy development in IKN. By combining energy modeling with a PESTEL analysis of drivers and barriers, it offers a comprehensive framework for understanding the challenges and opportunities in transitioning to 100 percent renewable electricity in IKN. Furthermore, this research lays the groundwork for future studies that can build upon its findings to explore specific sectoral actions in more detail.

Indonesia is working toward renewable energy targets of a 23% share by 2025 and at least 31% by 2030. The role of local initiatives in advancing this transition becomes increasingly significant. Bali presents a unique case study within this national effort. The island's growing energy demand, combined with its commitment and attachment to sustainability value, makes it a focal point for exploring the potential of Community Energy (CE) initiatives—decentralized, community-driven projects aimed at producing and managing renewable energy. This thesis investigates the development of CE initiatives in Bali using the Strategic Niche Management (SNM) framework, set within the broader context of Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) theory. Despite Bali's proactive stance on renewable energy, evidenced by its local government’s energy plans, the region faces significant challenges, including regulatory barriers, limited financial resources, and technical constraints. These challenges hinder the growth of CE projects that could otherwise play a vital role in the island's energy transition. Through a comprehensive approach that combines desk research, media analysis, and interviews with key stakeholders—including government officials, NGOs, local practitioners, and academics—this study examines the socio-technical landscape of Bali's energy sector. It explores the interplay between local cultural practices, government policies, and external pressures, such as international commitments and economic crises, in shaping the development of CE initiatives.
The research findings reveal the critical importance of local networks and cultural practices, particularly the involvement of customary villages, in supporting CE projects. However, the economic viability of these initiatives is often compromised by the availability of subsidized electricity from the Java-Bali grid, which discourages local investment in renewable energy infrastructure. The thesis identifies key barriers and opportunities, highlighting the need for streamlined regulatory processes, enhanced funding mechanisms, and capacity-building programs to foster the growth of CE in Bali.

Climate change poses a significant threat to global lifestyles, necessitating urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). The Netherlands, committed to the Paris Climate Agreement, faces the challenge of meeting ambitious emission reduction targets set by the European Union's Fit for 55 initiative. However, the integration of renewable energy sources, particularly solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind, and the electrification of industrial processes, strain the electricity grid, leading to grid congestion.
This thesis addresses the pressing question of designing and implementing renewable energy configurations in mixed business parks to increase renewable electricity usage and reduce grid congestion. Through a comprehensive approach, stakeholders are engaged, and a novel simulation tool combining Excel, Python, and EnergyPLAN is developed to evaluate various configurations.
Nine criteria, spanning economic, technological, social, and environmental aspects, are used to assess different configurations. A configuration featuring 6 MWp rooftop solar PV in an East/West orientation and 15% demand flexibility emerges as the optimal solution, significantly reducing grid congestion while providing economic benefits. Wind energy configurations coupled with solar PV achieve notable CO2 reduction but face integration challenges and higher costs.
Implications of integrating solar PV and flexibility extend to economic benefits, adaptation requirements, and exemplar roles for park stakeholders, governments, and Distribution System Operators (DSOs). Recommendations are provided for stakeholders involved in the energy transition, emphasizing collaboration, investment, and capacity building.
Future research should focus on including other energy and material flows on mixed business parks; a broader evaluation of the value proposition beyond direct economic benefits for the users on the park; and an in-depth analysis of the electricity balance using a detailed representation of the grid infrastructure.

Human activities have increasingly affected Earth’s natural systems, threatening ecological balance and sustainability. Social-Ecological Systems (SESs) are complex structures where human and environmental processes interact. Within these systems exists the concept of “tipping points” thresholds where small changes can trigger non-linear, irreversible shifts towards a new state. This concept has been widely studied in the natural sciences and has recently become popular within the social sciences, as research on Social Tipping Points (STPs) looks to uncover the tipping mechanisms at play within societal systems.
Discourse and narratives, as key linguistic practices, play a crucial role in how humans perceive, understand, and disseminate information across all levels of society. This makes them particularly interesting for the study of STPs, as they may act as key tools for triggering feedback mechanisms within SESs. Such feedback mechanisms are identified as complex contagion and cascading effects. Social actors within SESs create and share discourses and narratives between them, which in turn influence these feedback mechanisms and shape social behaviours towards positive change.
The study introduces the Discourse and Narratives-Social Tipping Points (DN-STP) framework, integrating six societal spheres (Politics, Industry, Society, Media, Science and Culture) which house actors at institutional and individual levels. These actors, through discourse and narratives, interact within and across spheres to trigger feedback mechanisms and shape behaviours towards the management of an ecological system. The ozone layer issue, where damages to the stratosphere were reversed through global coordinated action, serves as an ideal case study for the DN-STP framework and highlights the role of discourse and narratives in guiding positive change.
The study finds that discourses and narratives are indeed powerful avenues for understanding societal change within an SES. Integrating them within the study of STPs showcases the vital role of actor spheres within a socio-ecological issue and aids in explaining its developments and dynamics. While the study establishes the relevance of including discourse and narratives within STP research, further studies are needed to credibly establish the specific role of narratives in influencing social behaviours at the system level. Further expansions of the DN-STP framework can look to integrate other relevant societal mechanisms that may be central to triggering positive feedback effects towards STPs.

Research Objective & Methodology
The COVID-19 supply disruptions and the energy crisis triggered by the Russian-Ukrainian conflict emphasize the EU's structural supply dependencies and potential damages during crises. It underscores the critical risk factors, particularly Rare Earth Elements (REEs), which are highly susceptible to supply disturbances due to their increasing demand, limited supply, and reliance on a few suppliers, notably China. REEs are contrary to their name quite abundant, however, their extraction and processing are environmentally intensive, complex, and expensive. These REEs are utilized in numerous applications, including applications used in the energy transition because they exist in the Neodymium-Iron-Boron permanent magnets (Nd-Fe-B PMs). These magnets are used in wind turbine generators and traction motors of EVs. In these technologies, magnets are necessary to convert electricity into kinetic energy in EVs and vice versa for wind turbines.

This thesis focused on understanding how the EU can bolster its autonomy regarding its access to REEs, counterbalance supply risks, examine existing strategies, evaluate their effectiveness, and identify additional institutional interventions to strengthen the EU's position. This led to the following main research question:

How can the European Union improve its autonomy regarding its access to rare earth elements to achieve material security in the context of the European Union's energy transition?

The qualitative approach was chosen as the most suitable design approach to answering this main research question. It enabled a nuanced understanding of the EU's REE dependency issue by considering multiple dimensions and facilitated the development of well-informed and contextually grounded institutional interventions. The findings are triangulated between a literature review, desk research, and semi-structured depth-interviews with seven experts in this field.

This study performed REE value chains, actors, institutions, and PESTEL factor analyses. These four analyses offered a multifaceted insight into the complexities and interactions within this domain. Moreover, the illumination of various perspectives enhanced the overall comprehensiveness and facilitated a more holistic view of the EU's quest for enhanced REE autonomy.

Findings
Regarding the global REE value chain, China's unparalleled dominance, facilitated by generous lines of credits and subsidies, strategic partnerships and initiatives, geopolitical influence, manufacturing capabilities, technology, infrastructure, low labor cost, and lax environmental regulations, presents significant challenges. China's extensive control, especially in REE processing and Nd-Fe-B PM manufacturing, underscores the complex global dependence on China’s REE industry. The critical issues identified include a single third country supply dependency, rising demand for Nd-Fe-B PMs, challenges in recycling and circularity, high cost, stringent environmental regulations, and the need for skilled labor. These concerns, especially during the processing stage, underscore the complex barriers to achieving a resilient REE supply chain.

Globally, the REE landscape is predominantly shaped by China and the US. China maintains its pre-eminence through strategic initiatives, while the US is actively trying to close the gap. Acknowledging the imperative of strategic autonomy, the EU has instituted ambitious regulations, exemplified by the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) and the Net-Zero Industry Act. These regulations established industry benchmarks for domestic extraction, processing, and recycling. However, the effectiveness of the CRMA in ensuring robust REE supply security is questionable.
 
The legislation lacks clarity on achieving and implementing industry benchmarks, presenting significant challenges in compliance, environmental and societal impacts, navigating shortened lead times for permitting, and addressing hurdles in private investment and fiscal alignment.

Institutional Interventions
This research identified enabling and constraining factors for the EU's autonomy regarding REE. Whereafter institutional interventions were created to cope with these issues. To achieve enhanced autonomy regarding REE access, five main strategies and several interventions are suggested. Conclusively, it is vital to note that the approach here is not a binary choice between strategies; rather, it necessitates the integration of a synergistic blend of the five proposed strategies.

Firstly, ‘Supply Diversification’ addresses the introduction of incentives for private demand for diversification, and the enhancement of strategic partnerships with REE-rich, EU-friendly countries.

Secondly, ‘Domestic Supply’ discusses: regulations incentivizing internal capacity; levelling the playing field; including Nd-Fe-B PM domestic manufacturing benchmarks; raising public acceptance; expanding funding; standardizing long-term contracts; and introducing low-energy zones.

Thirdly, ‘Circularity’ Encourages Nd-Fe-B PM demand reduction; incentivizes EoL practices; establishes CRMA PM labeling requirements; sets Nd-Fe-B PM collection targets; provides incentive structures; standardizes circularity by design; introduces extended producer responsibility; expands support programs; and impose an export ban on EoL Nd-Fe-B PMs.

Fourthly, ‘Substitutes for Nd-Fe-B PMs’ proposes: an increase in funding for R&D and innovation; and incentivizes substitutes for EV and wind turbine applications.

Fifthly, ‘Strategic Stockpiling’: addresses deficiencies in communication, transparency, and clarity by investigating obligation possibilities for Member States to monitor and strategically stock Nd-Fe-B PMs

Furthermore, the European Commission is instructed to consider introducing sub-benchmarks per individual CRM, improving understanding within governmental entities, increasing overall investment, and acknowledging the criticality for the EU to extend its policy horizon beyond 2030, given the long-term impacts of most proposed options. Moreover, EU policy alignment between Member States is critical, especially for creating an EU-level playing field for internal capacity and circularity. Enhancing autonomy in the realm of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) poses significant challenges, yet this thesis equips policymakers with essential findings and tools to navigate and improve access to REEs.

Indonesia has been dependent on its abundant coal reserves to meet its increasing electricity demand. The Indonesian government is aware of the negative environmental effects of coal combustion and pledged to become carbon neutral by 2060 or earlier by transitioning towards renewables. In principle, it is known that Indonesia has large renewable energy resources. However, these resources have not yet been mapped in high spatial and temporal resolution for the entire country and have not been assessed from an economic as well as electricity system perspective. This dissertation maps the technical and economic potential of solar, wind, and ocean thermal energy in Indonesia, and explores full power system decarbonisation scenarios. The mapped technical potentials amount to up to 22 PWh/year and could cover Indonesia’s expected 2050 7–23 times. Solar PV would become the center piece of Indonesia’s fully decarbonised power system with 468 GWp of PV covering half of 2050 electricity demand. Another key element are 50 GW of sub-sea power lines from Kalimantan and Sumatera to cost-effectively supply Indonesia’s economic center Java, where local available land for renewables is limited. Moreover, we found that recent tariffs limited the economic potential of renewables to the rural, less-developed East. The economic potential could be spread to the rest of the country via different policies, e.g., a carbon tax of 100 US$/tCO2e for onshore wind or a feed-in-tariff of 11.50 USct/kWh for solar PV. The findings of this dissertation are valuable for the bookkeeping of renewable energy resources in Indonesia and could motivate the revision of current decarbonisation targets towards more ambitious levels.@en

Due to the ecological consequences and increased resource insecurity caused by the depletion of natural resources of the incumbent linear economy, the Netherlands aims for a fully circular economy in 2050. To guide this transition from a linear to circular economy, strategies need to be made. An approach which enables actors to create these strategies is participatory backcasting. This process needs to be supported by several tools, including (social) engagement and design tools. The aim of this thesis is to explore how serious games can be used as these tools and what its effects are. By expanding the tools available for participatory backcasting, practitioners can use different tools appropriate for different settings.
Using a research-through-design approach, a serious game was developed to create circular visions on business parks. Two research workshops were conducted to test the of the game on the (social) engagement and vision design. In this, the thesis introduces a framework to measure (social) engagement, consisting of the three dimensions (1) game experience, (2) learning, and (3) perceived level of influence.
The results of the game experience indicate a positive effect on (social) engagement as the components related to high engagement scored relatively high and the results related to low engagement scored relatively low. Furthermore, the results of the learning dimensions showed that almost all participants have learnt about circularity. Finally, most participants indicated that they had a high degree of influence, one student indicated some degree of influence and one stating a little influence. This all showed that the participants were willing to have emotions and thoughts towards the workshop and were willing to affect the results of the final vision. This leads to the conclusion the outcome of this research would indicate that the use of a serious game can have a positive effect on (social) engagement.
The games effect on the vision design was tested using two dimensions: participant satisfaction and a vision evaluation. Participant satisfaction was tested using self reporting in the postquestionnaire. The vision evaluation was conducting using the criteria set by Van den Voorn et al. (2017): (1) presence of transformative elements, and (2) presence of goals and guiding targets.
The results for participant satisfaction with the developed vision range from neutral to high satisfaction. Furthermore, only one (stakeholder) participant indicated they wanted to change the vision developed during the game. However, the change was more incremental rather than disruptive. The vision analysis showed that all four visions contained transformative elements, while clear guiding goals and targets were absent. However, there were clear guiding themes in the stakeholder vision that could result in goals and targets in a follow up session. It is possible that this was due to the game used in the research.

Executive Summary
Introduction: The global shift towards a circular economy aims to optimize resource use, minimize waste, and promote sustainable growth. Monitoring this transition is vital, and open data presents itself as a pivotal tool. This research explores the potential of open data in monitoring circular economy objectives, focusing on electric vehicle batteries.
Research Objective and Methodology: The study's primary goal was to uncover the potential of open datasets for monitoring circular economy goals. A framework was developed, drawing from existing literature and expert insights. This framework was then applied to the context of Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries, utilizing three distinct datasets. Validation interviews further refined the framework and the insights from the EV battery case study.
Conceptual Framework: The research introduced a comprehensive framework designed to evaluate the potential of open datasets in monitoring circular economy objectives. This framework was meticulously crafted by integrating insights from existing literature and expert opinions. Structured around the pivotal dimensions of open data attributes and circular economy principles, the framework delves into aspects such as data accessibility, quality, usability, material flows, resource evaluation, and stakeholder engagement. Serving as a robust tool, the framework offers a systematic approach to assess the compatibility, depth, and versatility of open datasets in the context of the circular economy, ensuring a holistic analysis that bridges the gap between data transparency and sustainable practices.
Case of Electric Vehicle Batteries: The case study on electric vehicle batteries provided a practical lens to test the framework. Three datasets from different sources, namely RDW, Eurostat, and the BatteryPass, were analyzed. The datasets revealed insights into material flows, resource consumption, and environmental impacts associated with the EV battery ecosystem. The RDW dataset, for instance, highlighted the importance of tracking at the vehicle level, while the BatteryPass project showcased potential in monitoring battery lifespans and end-of-life scenarios. The case study illuminated the framework's applicability, revealing usability, opportunities and constraints in the datasets.
Discussion: The research employed mixed methods tailored to each phase. A literature review identified key attributes for analysis, while expert interviews filled gaps overlooked in the literature. The framework was structured around the key dimensions of open data and circular economy principles. The open data division examined data accessibility, quality, and usability. The circular economy division delved into material flows, resource evaluation, product lifespan, end-of-life considerations, and stakeholder engagement.
Conclusion: The research culminated in a comprehensive framework for evaluating open data's potential in circular economy monitoring. The framework's elements spanned both open data attributes and circular economy dimensions. The methodology integrated these elements, refined through expert interviews, and validated using the electric vehicle battery case study. Practical contributions included guidance for governments and policymakers, insights for industries, and a focus on stakeholder engagement. Future research directions include enhancing the framework's comprehensiveness, creating an interactive catalog platform for open datasets, and broadening its scope.
The research journey unveiled the intricate relationship between open data and circular economy monitoring. The developed framework, validated through the electric vehicle battery case study, stands as a testament to the synergy between academic rigor and practical applicability. However, the journey is ongoing, with the identified limitations paving the way for future exploration. The potential of open data, when effectively harnessed, can revolutionize sustainability approaches, driving the world towards a more circular future. This research serves as a foundational step, illuminating the path for future endeavors in open data and circular economy monitoring. 

Indonesia started its journey towards a net-zero energy system. Research and developments towards these targets are currently well underway. However, present-day prediction models show that the rising demand of the island will not be met with the renewable energy technology potential. One solution for this problem is the development of power interconnections between the power systems of the Archipelago. However, short-term planning and speculations about the feasibility of inter-island interconnections block their construction. This study aims to explore the feasible options for inter-island interconnections and recommends the next steps that can be researched. The method to answer this research question is through the combination of a techno-economical model and an institutional analysis. The techno-economical model utilizes the energy planning model ’Calliope’, as the foundation of this model was already developed by researchers at TU Delft. To include geographical features, a GIS (Geographic Information System analysis) is performed and its outcomes are used to analyse the results coming from the Calliope model. The results from this techno-economical analysis are then used as input for the institutional analysis. The latter is built upon the existing Williamson framework. Due to the limited scope and timeline of this study, the aspects planning of transmission infrastructure, financing of transmission infrastructure and contractual arrangements between public and private parties are chosen as focus points in the institutional analysis. The state-of-the-art technology used for inter-island interconnections, or submarine power cables in general, are High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cables. The advantage of HVDC over HVAC (High-Voltage Alternating Current) cables is their ability to transmit power over longer distances while creating less envi- ronmental impact due to limited electromagnetic interference. The planning of submarine power cables is a relatively new subject in academic literature. The impor- tant geographical features to consider in the design process of submarine power cable routing found in this study are the depth of water (bathymetry), seabed slope, seismic regions, and protected zones. These ge- ographical features can be categorized in terms of their impact on the cost and risk of breakage of the cables. This study found through a techno-economical analysis that there are multiple inter-island intercon- nections that are found to be needed in a Calliope power model of Indonesia and feasible considering the aforementioned geographical features. The visual shortest-path routing of these feasible cables has been determined through an AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process), analysis combined with a Dijkstra shortest-path algorithm. On the institutional side of the result, this study found that there are multiple barriers that could form a barrier to the development of inter-island interconnections. The main issues found have to do with the planning, financing and contraction of the institutional side of transmission infrastructure development. In order to soothe these barriers the following recommendations are constructed; using an integrated transmission capacity planning approach, institutional strengthening for investment and creating a governance body dedicated to interconnectivity. The conclusion of this study is that there are feasible interconnections for accommodating renewable energy technology integration in Indonesia. The found feasible routes of this methodology consist of Bali- Nusa Tenggara Barat, Kalimantan Barat-Daerah Khusus, Jakarta-Kalimantan Tengah, Jawa Tengah-Kalimantan Selatan, Jawa Timur-Kalimantan Tengah, Jawa Barat-Lampung Banten, and Kepulauan Riau-Riau and between Kalimantan Barat and Jawa Barat. Institutional adjustments are found to be crucial for fostering this interconnected system. Institutional recommendations involve integrating interconnections into the RUPTL (Electricity Supply Business Plan), strengthening foreign investment with clear policies, and ensuring transparent contractual arrangements between public and private entities. Moreover, prioritizing grid balancing and exploring sustainable financing methods like green bonds further support these efforts. The most important limitations of this study are the minimal use of scenarios, the use of only one energy system modelling software (Calliope) and the limited scoping for the institutional analysis. As for future research, this study invites researchers to think about the specific power flow of the system, the operational challenges, social engagement and public perception and comparison to other archipelago countries

The construction industry's substantial consumption of materials, CO2 emissions, and construction and demolition waste underscore the pressing need for change. One promising solution is the reuse of secondary building components, which has the potential to signifi-cantly mitigate these environmental impacts. Circular Building Hubs (CBHs) have emerged as a novel business concept that could facili-tate the collection and processing of these components, thereby promoting their reuse. However, effectively scaling up their operation-al secondary building component supply processes (supply processes) requires changes in the practices embedded in these processes. Therefore, this exploratory research aimed to identify the extend to which constraining and enabling factors influence the scalability of core practices embedded in supply processes of these CBHs. The core practices are those considered to be essential for the CBH concept. As such, it intended at contributing to new and more comprehensive understanding on the effects of these factors and thereby contrib-ute to the development and scaling up of these processes. Hence, the main research question is as follow: ‘What are core practices em-bedded within the secondary supply processes for circular building hubs, and to what extent are involved constraining and enabling factors influencing the scalability of these practices?’ This research adopts a qualitative case study research approach, centered around a conceptual framework based upon Social Practice Theory (SPT) and hypothesized supply processes. This study incorporates semi-structured interviews with seven experts, four observations, and one focus group discussion (FGD), all conducted in the Netherlands. The results conclude that throughout 10 different supply processes, 37 different core practices are performed that contribute to the supply of secondary building components for CBHs. Furthermore, the research revealed that these core practices are affected by at least 29 constraining and 26 enabling factors. The research categorizes the influence of factors on core practices as low, medium, or high impact based on quantitative data from CBH supply process experts. The FGD emphasized that constraining and enabling factors affecting core practices in CBHs are highly complex and context-dependent. These factors are influenced by various contextual aspects, business strategies, and specific project conditions. In conclusion, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, highlighting the importance of customized strategies to address constraining factorsand enhance enabling factors for scaling core practices within the supply process-es of CBHs. Further research is required on exploring CBHs with diverse historical backgrounds to identify new constraining and ena-bling factors specific to their context.

The Dutch energy transition is alive and kicking, however problems arise because of this same transition. Transmission grid congestion is one of them, whereby the grid cannot handle all the extra electricity from wind and solar power, combined with the extra demand due to electrification. Furthermore, business parks have a large potential for emission reduction of the Netherlands, but this potential is not harvested yet. Sustainable energy measures for individual businesses are hindered by the congestion problems, but cooperative solutions could offer a way out. Currently, not much is known about how to implement energy cooperation solutions on business parks in congested areas, and with the help of interviews with relevant stakeholders, insights on existing barriers, drivers and solutions will be gathered. Relevant stakeholders consist of business owners, park managers, grid operators and experts. Ultimately, with the findings from this qualitative data collection, a methodology will be designed to help developers of energy cooperation projects to accelerate the implementation of such projects.

Circular Economy (CE) aims to achieve sustainability through recycling, refurbishing, reusing, and other similar activities. Even though the concept of CE has gained considerable interest throughout the previous years and yielded significant research contributions, many critics stress the lack of incorporating ethical and social considerations into CE. This thesis researches how to facilitate such embedding of socio-ethical aspects into CE through the support of the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) methodology. Thus, this thesis addresses the main research question “How can the RRI methodology complement the CE framework to assess ethical, legal, and social aspects (ELSA)?”. Within this study, a conceptual framework was developed that allows for embedding socio-ethical aspects in terms of assessing ELSA (aspects) that are seen as design points contributing to a socio-ethical responsible and just CE. This framework contains substantial elements of RRI, including its four dimensions (Inclusion, Anticipation, Reflexivity, Responsiveness) suggested by Stilgoe et al. (2013). Furthermore, the conceptual framework is inspired by a draft framework of Purvis et al. (2023) for a responsible CE, claiming their framework as a starting point and suggesting future recommendations for its further refinement. The conceptual framework developed in this thesis allows for an inclusive assessment procedure of (bounded) CE systems by addressing its various components and all involved stakeholders by actively communicating with them. The system’s components, such as of technical or organizational nature, must be thoroughly assessed to recognize potential ELSA risks/impacts that can harm a responsible CE. Defining appropriate design points serve to mitigate such risks.

In order to test and evaluate the conceptualized framework, it got applied to a case study. The Horizon Europe granted project ALICIA represents the case study environment. ALICIA intends to establish a CE for industrial automotive manufacturing equipment (machinery and robots) within Europe. Since circularity for industrial automotive manufacturing equipment constitutes, especially on this scale, an under-researched field, this research also investigates such an automotive CE approach. Through the framework’s demonstration, significant findings could be obtained. First, even though the framework manifested as effective due to the achieved insights, which are subsequently further expressed, future recommendations for further development regarding the framework's recognized limitations are suggested. Another crucial insight the case study provided emphasizes the major challenges that exist in realizing a CE for automotive production equipment. Those challenges were identified by assessing the ELSA risks of ALICIA and the design points to mitigate such. To realize equipment circularity, detailed data must be shared by companies that often contain sensitive corporational information. Originating from the automotive industry’s competitiveness, such data exchange is hard to realize as it can jeopardize companies’ privacy. To overcome this, it requires collaboration between the companies and clearly defined data-sharing policies to enable such data exchange. Such ideal data exchange should ensure that still, sufficient data is shared to realize equipment circularity but simultaneously does not infringe a corporation’s privacy which could harm their market position by disclosing it to competitors.

Additionally, since the automotive industry is a profit-driven one, socio-ethical dimensions must also be incorporated into such equipment CE from the beginning. Compared to the electric mobility transition, which is another sustainability endeavor of the automotive industry, socio-ethical dilemmas that refer to unethical origins of certain parts (e.g., lithium batteries), such as child labor or farm desiccation, are prevalent. To prevent such or similar dilemmas within the sustainability agenda of an automotive CE, it requires the embedding of socio-ethical considerations that were detected throughout the case study. These considerations contain to ensure, inter alia, an ethical origin of parts used for equipment refurbishment. Otherwise, if these socio-ethical issues are neglected from the start, potential drawbacks might be difficult to remedy during an already ongoing CE implementation. These both outlined challenges with their socio-ethical considerations must be more precisely addressed in the future by relevant experts.

Thus, this research's key findings cannot only be seen as beneficial for the methodology of assessing socio-ethical considerations in CE from the context of RRI but also for the circularity of automotive production equipment. Both results constitute fundamental groundwork for further recommended research in these lacking research fields.

in this study a backcasting analysis is performed to formulate interventions pathways that lead to the vision of making the train the main mode of passenger transportation within Europe in 2050. The vision is formulated based on goals of the European Union and the pathways are formulated based on input from experts gathered by conducting semi-structured interviews.

The key findings are that first the aviation has to be targeted and made less attractive for the train to become the main mode. Furthermore, the experts indicated that the vision formulated is hard to reach because of the barriers that exist for the construction of new rail infrastructure.

Business parks are marked as key areas in sustainable transitions, including the energy transition and transition to a circular economy. This thesis analysis what the current practices and developments in sustainable and circular business parks in Zuid-Holland, the Netherlands are in their contribution to local, regional and national circular and energy transitions

The thesis starts with an evaluation of literature to determine what options for sustainable and circular development business parks can implement. A variety of collective or individual initiatives aimed at either streams and production processes, or site arrangement, park organization and architecture/construction were found.

Next, case studies were performed to evaluate current policies and strategies on sustainable and circular development of business parks by the national, provincial and municipal governments. And to investigate the current practices, initiatives and developments at sustainable and circular business parks in Zuid-Holland. This resulted in a detailed overview of policies and strategies, and in depth documentation of four business parks using ten variables: (1) Initiation, vision and ambition; (2) Organization and actors’ roles; (3) Sustainable and circular initiatives at the park; (4) Physical location specific and business specific features; (5) Social location specific and business specific features; (6) Regional and local characteristics; (7); Regional spatial-economic strategies and environment policy; (8) Policy instruments; (9) Economic context; and (10) External context.

Lastly, based on a cross case analysis, eight key lessons were formulated for future development of sustainable and circular business parks.

The depletion of finite fossil fuel resources, such as coal, oil, and gas, has become a global concern with significant energy security and sustainability implications. Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) converts CO2 into valuable materials such as chemicals, polymers, and building materials and many other applications and offers a promising solution to reduce carbon emissions while creating valuable products and enhancing energy system flexibility. In contrast to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), CCU enables cost-effective carbon-dioxide removal and the production of carbon-based products. The Netherlands has set ambitious emission reduction targets in line with the Climate Agreement until 2050, focusing on five industrial clusters that can benefit from shared CO2 resources. These clusters collaborate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which is critical in developing the CCU value chain. However, achieving cost-effective CCU implementation by 2050 requires substantial infrastructure and technological investment, including transportation considerations, aligning with broader CCS development efforts.
The problem is approaching the CCU development with a variety of utilisation cases and several beginning points in mind, that differ depending on the cluster and where multiple conditions for change exist. CCU implementation is complicated, and studies are scarce on how CCU implementation should be addressed, therefore it is unknown how the development of CCU in the Netherlands comes about. Therefore more study is on the CCU transition how this develops and under what conditions CCU could be implemented in the Netherlands. This resulted in the following research question:
”What are the carbon capture and utilisation niches in the Netherlands, and how to facilitate them?”
Strategic Niche Management (SNM) with supplementary insights from the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) and Innovation systems (IS) are used in this qualitative study to analyse niche development. As a result, this thesis constructs an integrated analytical framework using the schematic MLP diagram in conjunction with IS as a foundation to analyse the inter dynamics between the landscape, the regime, and the niche. The SNM framework is employed at the niche level to give a detailed examination of niche development. The research methodology is qualitative and comprises a combination of literature review and 14 semi-structured interviews with diverse stakeholders in the Netherlands. The data collected is subsequently subjected to thematic analysis.
The historical development of CCU has seen progress from the initial ideas in the 1990s to the establishment of significant initiatives and platforms in the 2010s and beyond. The focus has been improving CO2 utilization, reducing emissions, and creating economic and social benefits. Initiatives on implementing full CCU value chains between industrial clusters failed due to a lack of interest in development by the clusters and decreasing financial resources. The sector continued to evolve, with new partnerships and initiatives in the Netherlands in 2023, indicating a commitment to carbon utilization for sustainable and environmental purposes. Nonetheless, the sector is gaining traction in the development of technology due to new initiatives...

This thesis analyses the policy for environmentally sustainable events of the City of Amsterdam by performing an ex-post policy analysis and developing a method for assessment and monitoring of environmental sustainability of events. The research question is "How can the City of Amsterdam monitor and improve its policy for environmentally sustainable events?"

The circular economy is becoming an increasingly popular framework, guiding policymakers and practitioners toward sustainable resource management and economic development. While the concept is promising in providing guidelines toward the efficient use of resources and waste minimalization, circular economy implementation is criticized for its focus on technological implementation and economic prosperity, overlooking the social aspects of sustainable change. This research investigates circular economy imaginaries through the analysis of community repair. The study provides insight in the visions and practices of a bottom-up citizen initiative that go beyond economical and technological prosperity. Through the sociotechnical imaginary concept, this research assesses how citizen initiatives engage with the circular economy at a local level. Through an embedded case study of the repair cafe community in Amsterdam (the Netherlands) the research focuses on answering the following research question :"How does the repair cafe community in Amsterdam imagine and engage with product repair in the circular economy?".
The study combines multiple data collection methods including: interviews, observation, and document analysis. Analysis of the repair cafe community in Amsterdam revealed that the community currently consists of twenty-eight active repair cafes at the local level, plus the Repair Cafe International Foundation, which operates at a national and international level. Eleven repair cafes and the Repair Cafe International Foundation were visited and representative volunteers were interviewed during data collection between April and June 2023. By exploring the sociotechnical imaginaries in the repair cafe community in Amsterdam, this research shows that the community showcases features of alternative circular imaginaries going beyond the techno-economical focus that currently dominates circular economy thinking and implementation. The results reveal a shared vision of a repair society wherein product repair is normalised and involves a diverse and accessible repairing infrastructure. Additionally, the results show alternative circular performances, such as community-based, socially inspired, and neighbourhood-oriented activities. Besides the features of alternative imaginaries, the results also reveal several tensions between the present-day performances and future aspirations: such as disparities between the goal to collect data and an unwillingness to do so at the local level, a vision for collaboration with other parties, and limited networking at the local level in practise. The study proposes that these tensions point towards the fact that repair cafes provide spaces where future visions are confronted with present realities, leading to a plurality of initiatives at the local level. As such, the repair cafe community’s aspirations and performances reveal aspects of both the dominant techno-economic circular economy imaginary and an alternative imaginary centred around social interactions and local engagement. In conclusion, this research highlights the significance of considering social dimensions within the circular economy framework. While technological and economic aspects are pivotal, they must be balanced with a focus on community engagement, inclusivity, and citizen empowerment. The repair cafe community in Amsterdam serves as a noteworthy example of how bottom-up initiatives can contribute to a more sustainable and resilient future. However, the diversity of motivations and goals among local repair cafes, coupled with the varying degrees of alignment with the Repair Cafe International Foundation, may pose a challenge to the realisation of a unified vision. Stakeholders and policymakers therefore must foster collaboration and facilitate a shared understanding of the repair society’s objectives...

The textile and clothing industry is one of the most polluting industries worldwide and requires the use of many resources.Textile-to-textile recycling can be crucial for closing the material loop and transition towards a circular textile and clothing industry. Currently, only 1% of textile waste is recycled into new high-quality textile items. The Netherlands has ambitious circularity goals and textile-to-textile recycling should be scaled up to reach a 100% circular industry in 2050. This research explores the textile-to-textile recycling niche in the Netherlands from a transition perspective.

Municipal Solid Waste has been an issue that is affecting people globally. The rapid urbanization and population growth created an immense waste generation in the process, making it more difficult to completely manage the waste due to the amount and complexity of the waste composition. Indonesia is not excluded from the issue, where there is an absence of an effective waste management system in the country. Bali Province is a region where the primary economic source is tourism, and the development of tourism in the region is reflected in the increase in waste generation in the Province. The current waste management system in Bali could not follow the rate at which the waste is generated, therefore causing the waste to be mismanaged and losing its potential to be recovered. Bali still implements the conventional paradigm of the linear economy using take-make-dispose, where the materials are simply collected, transformed into products that are used, and discarded as waste. This system relies mainly on the usage of landfills. However, Bali is currently facing the issue of waste overflowing in landfills, and the landfills are on the verge of closing. As a solution to the old paradigm, Circular Economy (CE) is introduced where it can minimize resource input and waste, emission, and energy leakage by slowing, closing, and narrowing the material and energy loops. To create a transition from linear to circular economy in Bali’s MSWM context, a systemic analysis based on a multi-dimensional approach is needed. Value Chain Analysis (VCA) is one way to explore strategic and misalignment within the chain to increase value and economic sustainability, and by integrating social and environmental aspects, a more sustainable competitive advantage can be reached...