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Van Opstal, W., Bocken, N. & Brusselaers, J. (2025), Cooperating for circularity? Perspectives of citizen energy cooperative members on circular solar business models. Journal of Cleaner Production 487. 144653 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.144653
Van Opstal, W., Bocken, N. & Brusselaers, J. (2025), Smart, circular and renewable: the role of cooperative governance in accelerating a sustainable energy transition. Energy Research & Social Science 123. 104049 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2025.104049
Van Opstal, W., Pals, E. & Sangers, D. (2025), Mapping the prevalence and size of the informal circular economy in an industrialised region. Resources, Conservation & Recycling 218. 108268 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108268
Van Opstal, W. & Borms, L. (2024), Work Integration Ambitions of Startups in the Circular Economy. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics 95 (2), 477-504. https://doi.org/10.1111/apce.12431
Van Opstal, W., Borms, L., Brusselaers, J., Bocken, N., Pals, E. & Dams, Y. (2024), Towards Sustainable Growth Paths for Work Integration Social Enterprises in the Circular Economy. Journal of Cleaner Production. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.143296
Wim Van Opstal holds degrees in economics and commercial sciences and brings over 20 years of experience in applied research at the intersection of entrepreneurship, social policy analysis, and sustainable development. As a senior researcher at VITO, he contributes to the advancement of circular business models and their enabling ecosystems.
His work spans projects on circular social entrepreneurship, just circular transitions, cooperative models in housing and smart grids, and circular strategies for solar photovoltaics, textiles, and reversible bonding techniques. Wim also supports companies through coaching trajectories, involving business case analysis, backcasting, survey-based research, and value chain mapping.
He is an experienced speaker and facilitator, regularly delivering keynote lectures, workshops, bootcamps, and company coaching. In addition to his role at VITO, Wim is affiliated with the Maastricht Sustainability Institute (Maastricht University) and he serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Circular Economy.
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