Demoday #25: A Marketplace for Used Assets
What happens to industrial materials like transformers and switchgear once they’ve served their purpose? Can these essential components get a second life? During the Demo Day on October 10th, Alliander hosted a session, diving into the challenges and opportunities of creating a marketplace for used assets. The workshop explored how these materials could not only be repurposed internally but also made available for new applications elsewhere.
Workshop Structure and Focus
The session used an interactive approach, inviting participants to explore key parts of a circular supply chain. The discussion was centred around three main questions:
- What are examples of successful circular supply chains, and who might be interested in used assets?
- What does an ideal circular supply chain look like?
- What conditions must be met for such a chain to succeed?
This framework fostered a dynamic exchange of ideas, revealing both opportunities and obstacles for implementing a marketplace for used assets.
Key Challenges
The session highlighted several challenges that need to be addressed to create an effective marketplace:
• Material tracking and data management: How to effectively map available materials?
• IT systems: What systems are needed to support the marketplace?
• Guarantees and support: How to ensure the quality and reliability of reused materials?
• Predictability: How to forecast the availability of reusable materials?
• Value assessment: How to determine the market value of used assets?
Insights and Recommendations
Participants emphasized the importance of collaboration with other grid operators and external stakeholders to maximize reuse potential. Key recommendations included:
• Start with a single product category, such as transformers, and map the entire supply chain.
• Establish KPIs to measure success and use these to test hypotheses through experimentation.
• Develop standardized platforms for sharing information about available materials.
• Strengthen partnerships with suppliers and other grid operators.
Action Points
The following concrete next steps were outlined:
1. Map the circular supply chain for transformers and tools.
2. Engage with the procurement director to promote collaboration.
3. Create an inventory of available transformers.
4. Develop KPIs to track and measure progress.
5. Explore partnerships to advance circular procurement.
The session provided valuable insights and a clear roadmap for developing Alliander’s marketplace for used assets. By starting with a specific product group and gradually scaling efforts, Alliander aims to make an impact in advancing the circular economy.
Are you interested in the marketplace for used assets? Leave a comment below and we’ll connect you with Catharina Driesse from Alliander.
