From Strategy to Execution: ReNew’s Roadmap for Implementing Circular Technologies

This Capstone project supported ReNew Energy Global Plc, one of India’s largest renewable energy companies, in developing a strategic roadmap to implement circular technologies across its solar and wind portfolio. ReNew’s dual role as an independent power producer and emerging manufacturer adds complexity to circularity decisions, particularly where cost competitiveness and lifecycle responsibility intersect. As renewable capacity scales and assets mature, end-of-life management and resource recovery are becoming increasingly material to long-term sustainability and economic performance.

The first phase of the project focused on problem framing. The team conducted a comparative review of global regulatory approaches to renewable end-of-life management, assessed recycling pathways for panels and balance-of-system components, and examined how decommissioning and recycling costs affected the levelized cost of energy. The findings indicated that recycling economics are shaped less by technical feasibility alone and more by industry structure, logistics, recovery targets, and policy design. The second phase focused on modeling cost sensitivities, analyzing recycling industry structure, and conducting targeted stakeholder interviews to assess whether circularity represents a marginal cost, strategic risk, or competitive differentiator over 5-, 15-, and 30-year horizons. Final deliverables included an industry and regulatory analysis, case studies, financial impact assessment, and phased implementation roadmap aligned with ReNew’s operations.