A Case Study of Industrial Symbiosis in the Humber Region Using the EPOS Methodology

Hélène Cervo, Stéphane Ogé, Amtul Samie Maqbool, Francisco Mendez Alva, Lindsay Lessard, Alexandre Bredimas, Jean-Henry Ferrasse and Greet Van Eetvelde
Additional contact information
Hélène Cervo: Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, M2P2, 13451 Marseille, France
Stéphane Ogé: EVS-CRGA UMR 5600, University of Lyon 3, 69362 Lyon CEDEX 7, France
Amtul Samie Maqbool: Electrical Energy Laboratory (EELAB), Department of Electromechanical, Systems and Metal Engineering, Ghent University, Tech Lane Ghent Science Park—Campus A, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 131, B-9052 Gent, Belgium
Francisco Mendez Alva: Electrical Energy Laboratory (EELAB), Department of Electromechanical, Systems and Metal Engineering, Ghent University, Tech Lane Ghent Science Park—Campus A, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 131, B-9052 Gent, Belgium
Lindsay Lessard: Quantis, EPFL Science Park (PSE-D), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Alexandre Bredimas: Strane Innovation, 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
Jean-Henry Ferrasse: Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, M2P2, 13451 Marseille, France
Greet Van Eetvelde: Electrical Energy Laboratory (EELAB), Department of Electromechanical, Systems and Metal Engineering, Ghent University, Tech Lane Ghent Science Park—Campus A, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 131, B-9052 Gent, Belgium

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 24, 1-32

Abstract: For the last 20 years, the field of industrial symbiosis (IS) has raised interest among academics and industries. IS consists of dissimilar entities sharing and valorising underutilised resources such as materials, energy, information, services, or technologies in the view of increasing the industrial system’s circularity. Despite the benefits brought by IS, though, barriers hindering the full dissemination of IS remain. This paper presents a methodology developed in the framework of the H2020 European project EPOS that aims at removing some of the obstacles to the implementation of IS. The method follows a multidisciplinary approach that intents to trigger the interest of industry decision-makers and initiate efforts to optimise the use of energy and material resources through symbiosis. It is applied to an industrial cluster located in the Humber region of UK. The case study shows how the approach helped to identify several IS opportunities, how one particular high-potential symbiosis was further assessed, and how it led to the creation of a business case. It was estimated that the identified symbiosis could bring substantial economic (+2000 k€ pa), environmental (−4000 t of CO 2 eq. pa) and social (+7 years of healthy life) gains to the region.

Keywords: industrial symbiosis; case study; industrial ecology; resource synergies; circular economy; sustainable business model; decision-making facilitation; value assessment; blueprint (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:24:p:6940-:d:294602

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