Energy-based industrial symbiosis: a literature review for circular energy transition

Abstract

Nowadays, industrial symbiosis (IS) is recognized as a key strategy to support the transition toward the circular economy. IS deals with the (re)use of wastes produced by a production process as a substitute for traditional production inputs of other traditionally disengaged processes. In this context, this paper provides a systematic literature review on the energy-based IS approach, i.e., IS synergies aimed at reducing the amount of energy requirement from outside industrial systems or the amount of traditional fuels used in energy production. This approach is claimed as effective aimed at reducing the use of traditional fuels in energy production, thus promoting a circular energy transition. 682 papers published between 1997 and 2018 have been collected, and energy-based IS cases have been identified among 96 of these. As a result of the literature review, three categories of symbiotic synergies have been identified: (1) energy cascade; (2) fuel replacement; and (3) bioenergy production. Through the review, different strategies to implement energybased IS synergies are highlighted and discussed for each of the above-mentioned categories. Furthermore, drivers, barriers, and enablers of business development in energy-based IS are discussed from the technical, economic, regulatory, and institutional perspective. Accordingly, future research directions are recommended.

Relating Industrial Symbiosis and Sustainable Development Goals

“…Concerning SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy), IS will have a specific contribution through target 7.3 (double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency), since the energy-based industrial symbiosis perspective is recognized as an effective strategy to reduce the use of traditional fuels in energy production. For instance, in the Chinese iron and steel sector, energy consumption could be reduced up to 6% due to energy-based IS synergies of the total energy consumption [29]. Some authors support that IS plays an important role in increasing the renewals energies in the energy mix (eco-industrial parks) [30].…”

Industrial Symbiosis: A Sectoral Analysis on Enablers and Barriers

“…Another premise is related to thermal losses associated to synergies on those sectors, that impose geographical proximity. This was a fact verified in energy synergies (e.g., steam and heat exchange) where the long distances could make the synergies technically and economically feasible [93].…”

“…Additionally, the geographical factors re-emerge as a great barrier, especially geographical proximity. As previously mentioned, this barrier has a greater impact in low-value wastes or cases with technical specificities that require close proximity, for instance, heat and steam recovery synergies [93]. It is important to highlight that for waste with low commercial value, the purchase of raw material often ends up being more economically viable for companies, since the distance travelled will affect the economic value of a synergy (logistics and transport) [95].…”

The Importance of Individual Actor Characteristics and Contextual Aspects for Promoting Industrial Symbiosis Networks

“…Factors that affect and influence the implementation of symbiosis collaborations have been researched extensively in recent years [3,[9][10][11][12]. These influencing factors are commonly referred to as drivers, barriers, and enablers [10]. Drivers are elements that incentivize collaboration, e.g., economic, environmental, and social benefits.…”

“…For instance, IS collaborations in an urban setting can experience different drivers or barriers from purely industrial collaborations [3]. Fraccascia et al [10] review drivers, barriers, and enablers for energy-based symbioses and show that the influencing factors differ depending on whether the symbiosis is based on energy cascading, fuel replacement, or bioenergy production. Sectoral affiliation is another aspect that has been shown to have an impact on the perception of what inhibits or enables collaborations [11].…”