How Circularity & Virtual Twins Advance Energy Transition

Virtual twins and enhanced product circularity stand as central pillars in the progression towards sustainable energy use, according to Philippine De T'Serclaes, Chief Strategy Officer at Dassault Systèmes.
Featured on the front cover of the December 2024 edition of Sustainability Magazine, Philippine highlights the critical role materials such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements play in this shift.
She points out that these materials are fundamental not only for our current needs but for a sustained future, advocating that circularity is necessary to preserve and maximise resource value, complemented by innovative tech like virtual twins.
What makes critical materials critical?
Philippine emphasises how indispensable critical materials are for the energy transition.
Whether for low-carbon energy technologies or electric vehicles, these materials are crucial.
She says: “According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), achieving global Net Zero emissions by 2050 will require six times more mineral inputs in 2040 compared to 2020. This surge in demand presents a challenge.
“From wind turbines to solar panels and electric vehicles, clean energy technologies are escalating demand for large quantities of critical materials.”
She adds that expected mine supply is not enough to keep up with demand, meaning “there’s a high risk of supply disruption” due to:
- Finite raw material availability
- The geographic concentration of sources
- Lack of affordable substitutes.
Philippine adds: “This scarcity accentuates the urgency for the critical materials value network to prioritise circular best practices that align with global sustainability efforts.”
Circularity: A necessary evolution
Philippine advocates that progress in sustainability is inseparable from the concept of circularity which she describes not just as an option, but a necessity.
Circularity extends the lifecycle of resources, transforms waste into valuable assets and reduces reliance on finite raw materials.
She promotes a holistic view of the lifecycle stages of critical materials, which should be seen as interlinked components of a broader system.
“A holistic, circular approach is required as we shift towards a low-waste, low-carbon generative economy in the face of growing global demand for critical materials,” she says.
The limitations of recycling and the rise of virtual twins
While recycling does invite relief on primary supply pressures, by 2040, it's anticipated that recycling battery metals such as copper, lithium, nickel and cobalt could cut down the primary supply needs by only 10%.
Philippine underscores that recycling alone isn't sufficient.
“Dassault Systèmes provides virtual twin experiences that enable the net-zero transition," she says. "Critical materials are at the heart of clean energy technologies that support this transition across infrastructure, technology, healthcare and mobility sectors.”She adds that using virtual twins for product design, manufacturing or the enterprise can “increase circularity by providing the transparency and data management required to create a collaborative ecosystem where critical materials can be traced from their extraction and sourcing through end of life”.
Opportunities through challenges
Philippine views the issue of limited critical material supply not just as a challenge but as a "significant opportunity".
“By embedding sustainable practices and circularity throughout the lifecycle of critical materials, we can rise to meet this demand responsibly,” she says.
She mentions two examples:
- Innovating alternative materials, as replacement or complements, will help industries meet demand while reducing dependency and minimising environmental impact
- Planning end-of-life recovery through design for disassembly will facilitate reuse, standardise recycling and eventually reduce pressure on primary supply.
“Achieving this requires a holistic approach – across the entire value chain and a truly collaborative ecosystem – where critical materials are transparently traced from extraction and sourcing to end-of-life, and back into the value chain, extending their life.
“I believe a new approach to critical materials, powered by virtual twin technology, will facilitate a much needed shift toward a regenerative value network, supporting a sustainable digital economy and the clean energy technologies shaping our future.”
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