Classification of Industrial Symbiosis Synergies:
Application in the Biofuels Industry
Michael Martin, Jenny Ivner, Niclas Svensson and Mats Eklund
Environmental Technology and Management, Linköpings Universitet, SE- 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
Past Industrial Symbiosis Classification Methods
Eco Industrial
Parks
Geographical
Contexts
Nature of
Exchanges
(Chertow, 2000)
(Lowe, 2001)
New classification method will
New
Classification
Method
(van Berkel, 2006)
Detail of Synergies and Exchanges
The Path Toward a New Classification Method
Synergies
Development
Workshop
map synergies between industries
to provide further details and give
better resolution for exchanges
and interactions.
The Classification
Model
Biofuel ↔Biofuel
Biofuel
Synergy
Examples
Synergies
Synergies Workshop
with Industry
Process (P)
BB
Utility (U)
BB-PP, BB-PU, BB-UU, BB-UP
Origination and
Destination:
Material and Energy
Identifying
Actors
Classification
Model
Biofuel ↔External
Synergies
BE
Adding More Detail: New Classification
Parameters to Map Flows
More detail is added to synergy classifications based upon
the Industry Collaboration and the Origin and Destination
of the synergies.
Industry Collaboration is defined as occurring between a
Core Industry and an External Industry.
Synergies Originate and are Destined as Process/Products
(Major/Necessary components in the system) or Utilities
(Optimizing components in the system).
Biofuels Industry = Core industry in the current case
Example: WVO from Potato Chip Production
Used for Biodiesel Production (EB-PP)
Type of
Synergy
(Relation)
EB-PP
Destination
Origin
P
External Industry (E)
P
Biofuels Industry (B)
Other Examples
• BB-PP (Glycerol from Biodiesel Production used for Biogas Production)
• BE-PU (Biogas digestate used as bio-fertilizer)
Industry Partners and Support
Process (P)
Utility (U)
BE-PP, BE-PU, BE-UU, BE-UP
External ↔Biofuel
Synergies
Process (P)
EB
Utility (U)
EB-PP, EB-PU, EB-UU, EB-UP
Use of the Classification Method in Other
Industries and Subsequent Research
• Between Core Industry
and External industries, i.e.
in the forestry industry
Forestry
Industry
• To provide details for subsequent research
and inventory of biofuel synergies
• Provide information for research into
economic and environmental benefits
associated with industrial symbiosis and
synergies