The AI-era grid buildout will require substantial new utility infrastructure. It will also accelerate the flow of equipment, components, and materials leaving first service. Under the central AI-driven upgrade case developed in this paper, U.S. electric utilities could manage approximately $1.17 trillion in gross original-cost-equivalent retired-asset flow between 2026 and 2035, in constant 2026 dollars. Annual flow rises from $101 billion in 2026 to $132 billion in 2035.
This report provides an overview of the Industry Roundtable discussion held on July 6, 2026, at the
Fontainebleau Resort in Miami, in conjunction with the Mobile Disrupt Conference. All conference
participants were welcome to join the Roundtable discussion on the role of digital product passports
and the future of the mobile industry. Discussions were held under the Chatham House Rule,
meaning participants were free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the
affiliation of the speakers, nor that of any other participant, could be revealed.
Every year, hundreds of millions of electronic devices are retired while still functional. A smartphone retired after three years typically still works. A laptop retired after four years still runs most software. A server retired after five often holds components with real residual value.
This white paper examines the digital platforms that organize secondary electronics markets: the systems through which used, returned, off-lease, surplus, and end-of-life devices are assessed, repaired, resold, refurbished, harvested for parts, rented, or responsibly recovered. It focuses not on primary markets for new-device production and sale, but on the infrastructure that keeps electronics and their materials in use after first ownership ends.
A Financial Metric for Maximizing Residual Value Recovery This white paper series offers businesses practical guidance on scaling the circular economy for both environmental and economic benefit…
The rapid growth of electronic devices has made sustainable solutions for managing their lifecycle a pressing need. A key principle of the circular economy is to enable the continuous flow of materials and products through multiple owners, rather than letting them end up as waste after a single use.
The circular economy is a megatrend that represents a global shift in how businesses, governments, and societies approach resource use, production, and waste management. Unlike the traditional linear economy, which follows a “take-make-waste” model, the circular economy focuses on keeping materials and products in use for as long as possible through designing for durability, repair, resale, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling.
The circular economy can have a dark side, involving theft, fraud, and other illegal activities. These risks create challenges for both consumers and digital marketplaces trying to manage and grow circular transactions.
Software has traditionally been designed to support the linear economy, focusing on managing and selling new products while overlooking the complexities of reverse logistics, returns, resale, repair, and recycling.
Platforms are increasingly recognized as powerful drivers of the circular economy. eBay stands out as a major force in leveraging its platform to facilitate resale markets. Over the years, eBay has evolved from a simple peer-to-peer marketplace into a key strategic player that actively promotes product reuse, refurbishment, and prolonging the life cycles of goods.
Implications of AI Shopping Agents for Secondary Phone Marketplaces Imagine it’s November 2027, two years from now. Amanda, a working mother of two teenagers, finally gives in..