A lecture presented at the Festival of the Circular Economy — exploring how artificial intelligence and circular economy principles can converge to accelerate the transition to net zero.
In this lecture, Dr Oliver Inderwildi presents the core thesis of his book Intelligent Decarbonisation: that the pathway to net zero is not simply an engineering problem but a systems challenge that requires the convergence of artificial intelligence, industrial strategy, and circular economy thinking.
Drawing on case studies from energy, transport, and manufacturing, the talk explores how machine learning and optimisation algorithms can unlock efficiencies that traditional approaches miss — from predictive maintenance in renewable energy infrastructure to intelligent material flow management in circular supply chains.
The Festival of the Circular Economy brings together business leaders, policy-makers, and academics to advance the transition from linear to circular economic models. It is a leading forum for sharing practical strategies to eliminate waste, keep materials in use, and regenerate natural systems.
Published by Springer, Intelligent Decarbonisation examines how artificial intelligence can be harnessed to design, optimise, and accelerate pathways to net-zero emissions across industry, energy, and transport — bridging the gap between climate ambition and technological capability.
An expert in energy systems, AI, and sustainability strategy. Dr Inderwildi has held senior roles across academia, industry, and government, advising on the intersection of technology and decarbonisation policy.
