118 - Circular Economy & Energy Efficiency: Danfoss Leaders and an FSU Student on Sustainability

In this episode of the InNOLEvation® Mindset, Host Mark McNees welcomes Danfoss Vice President of Public Affairs and Sustainability Andrea Voigt, former Danfoss Turbocor CEO Ricardo Schneider (now Danfoss advisor and FSU sustainability professor), and Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship MS of Social and Sustainable Enterprises student Erin Hovermale to discuss the circular economy. Andrea recounts her sustainability journey from the Montreal Protocol era, highlights industry priorities such as energy efficiency, phasing down HFC refrigerants, and systems-based thinking, and notes that heating and cooling account for about half of global final energy use, with over 80% still fossil-based. The guests describe Danfoss’s “reduce, reuse, resource” approach, science-based targets, and a goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2030 (67% achieved), plus circular KPIs requiring circularity in 80% of new product development and 25% of revenue from circular principles. They cover remanufacturing and takeback programs, waste-heat reuse (including district heating), a highly efficient Florida facility that uses recovered process heat and solar power, and service-based models like refrigeration-as-a-service, while comparing EU and US regulations and noting advanced building standards in Singapore. 00:00 Welcome and Guests 01:04 Andrea’s Background 02:22 Ricardo’s Career Shift 04:02 Erin’s Student Perspective 05:39 Andrea’s Sustainability Journey 07:31 Industry Lessons and Systems 09:58 Heating Cooling Energy Impact 14:21 Efficiency First in Practice 16:48 Danfoss Climate Targets 18:07 Renewables and Scope Metrics 20:36 Turbocor’s Efficient Factory 21:52 Circular Initiatives at Danfoss 23:14 Circularity Revenue Targets 23:25 Circular Initiatives Examples 25:20 EU vs US Sustainability Rules 28:07 Learning From Asia Standards 29:08 Designing for Circular Products 32:23 Defining Circularity in Practice 35:36 Waste Heat to Revenue 37:46 Service Models and Supermarkets 41:35 Industry Renaissance Ahead 43:01 Advice for Future Leaders 46:31 Closing Thanks and Wrap