March 8, 2006
1
SPM9539: Economy, Ecology and Technology of networked
industrial complexes
Week 5 – course 1: Industrial Ecology
Gerard Dijkema
Industrial Ecology (1)
A system that: "would maximize the economical use of waste materials and of products at the ends of their lives
as inputs to other processes and industries.“
Frosch, 1992
"One of the most important concepts of industrial ecology is that, like the biological system, it rejects the concept of
waste.“
Graedel and Allenby, 1994
Industrial Ecology (2)
Industrial ecology (IE) encompasses the following concepts:
• material and energy flow studies ("industrial metabolism").
• eco-industrial parks ("industrial symbiosis").
• life-cycle planning, design and assessment.
• dematerialization and decarbonisation.
• design for the environment ("eco-design").
• extended producer responsibility ("product
Process
Product
Actor
Types of industrial ecosystems
Macro: Industrial processes as a whole:
• Local, Regional, National, Global.
Meso: Sector interrelationships:
• The Eco-Industrial Park.
Micro: Individual consumer/producer behavior:
• Industrial Symbiosis.
Economic benefits of IE
Generic hidden resource productivity gains:
• Within firm:
• eliminating waste
• Making plant more efficient
• Within value chain:
• reducing costs
• Synergies between production and distribution
• Beyond production chain:
• closed loop
Economic benefits for companies
• Cost Savings & Enhanced Competitiveness.
• Revenue Generation.
• Reduced Liabilities.
• Improved Opportunities for Investment.
• Access to New Technology.
• Improved Human Resources.
• Revenue Generation.
• Enhanced Public Image.
• Market Leader.
Community economic benefits
• Improved business attraction, expansion, & retention?
• Local import substitution?
• Depends on prices?
• See our ‘bio food’.
• Brownfield redevelopment.
• Reduced infrastructure development costs?
• Improved quality of life.
Environmental benefits
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
• Reduced air emissions & improved community health
• Promotion of pollution prevention & the 4 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover)
• Improved resource conservation
• Promotion of green technology
• Increased environmental awareness
• Regeneration of green space
Barriers to IE development
• Suitability of materials to reuse.
• High cost of recycling (internalise negative externalities).
• Information barriers (must set up reciprocal relationships between sectors).
• Organizational obstacles.
• Institutional Barriers (need fiscal and regulatory government intervention).
• Most theories are prescriptive / wishful thinking.
• Economics of production prevail over green imago.
Relieve barriers
Some of the barriers may be lifted by:
• Providing subsidies to mitigate negative externalities.
• Creating organisations primarily concerned with information sharing on IE.
• Defining a long term sustainable industrial policy on (pan) national level.
• Public can demand more sustainable production methods (increase green imago significance)
• … Many others may be thought of…
Eco-Industrial development?
“The creation of job opportunities through
industrial expansion, especially in economically distressed communities, by applying principles
of industrial ecology, establishing eco- industrial parks, and expanding use of environmentally benign manufacturing
processes and techniques.”
Eco-Industrial park (1)
• An industrial park that is designed to increase the economic return at the same time it decreases it’s ecological impact.
• Models in use:
• By-product synergy.
• Resource recovery park.
• Green technology park.
• “Resource circulating economy”.
• Application of eco-industrial strategies, such as:
Eco-Industrial park (2)
An industrial park developed through the application of eco-industrial strategies such as:
• Waste heat recovery.
• Cogeneration.
• By-product exchange.
• Green building development.
• Creation of new eco-industrial industries and businesses.
Eco-Industrial park prerequisites
• Material, water, and energy flows.
• Companies within close proximity.
• Strong informal ties between plant managers.
• Minor retrofitting of existing infrastructure.
• One or more anchor tenants.
By-product exchange (1)
Municipal Recovery Facility
Ethanol Production Furniture
Factory Particle Board
Factory Recycled Paper
Manufacturer
Waste Paper
Scrap Wood Sawdust
Aquaculture Biomass
Cogeneration Facility
Steam Steam
By-product exchange (2)
EthanolBy-Products:
Lignin Gypsum
Yeast Ethanol
Plant
Major Inputs:
• Agricultural residues or Wood wastes
• Sulfuric Acid
Potential Exchange
Partners:
Wallboard Manufacturer
Animal Feed
Industrial symbiosis: Kalundborg
Saves resources:
• 30% better utilization of fuel using combined heat + power than producing separate
• Reduced oil consumption
• 3500 less oil-burning heaters in homes
• Does not drain fresh water supplies New source of raw materials
• Gypsum.
• Sulfuric acid.
• Fertilizer.
Industrial symbiosis: Kalundborg
The future of industrial ecology?
March 8, 2006
20
Community revitalization and eco- industrial developments in Duluth- Superior lake area
Project by and Slides from Sangwon Suh, Ph.D
University of Minnesota sangwon@umn.edu
EIP benefits
• Provide the member facilities a renewed ‘reason’ to be there.
• Reduce raw material procurement and waste treatment costs.
• Integrate the member facilities within themselves and with the local community and the local government.
• Obvious environmental benefits
EIPs locations in the US
PCSD Demo Sites
Community revitalization plan
• Eco-Industrial Development (EID) as a mean for community revitalization
• Governors and Congresses of Minnesota and Wisconsin
• Mayors of Duluth and Superior
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
• University of Minnesota, University of Superior-Lake
• Department of Energy (DOE)
Duluth-Superior Lake
Duluth-Superior Lake
Duluth-Superior Lake Area
• Population
0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000
1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 Year
Population
Duluth-Superior Lake Area
• Industry
• Traditionally: a renowned international harbor
• Main export items: mining products, timber, agricultural and wood products
• <GD: Forest-Based Industry / Pulp & Paper>
• Main import items: motor vehicle, manufacturing products
• Today:
• Military equipments, mining industry, University, water transportation
Community revitalization plan work flow
• Governors and Mayors expressed their supports
• State congresses have discussed related legislative issues
• Integrated biorefinery project is identified as the first milestone
• Regional EID center is established and recognized by the two State governments
Integrated Biorefinery project
• Work flow
Location search
Design team meeting Business plan set up
Estimate budget requirements Arrange necessary legal issues
Contractor search / negotiation / construction Test operation / full operation
Location search
Location search
Location search
Neighboring facilities
Main facility Main facility
z
Cement kiln Cement kiln Grain processing
Grain processing
Wastewater Wastewater Treatment Treatment z
Jeff Foster Jeff Foster Trucking Trucking
Location search
Location search
• Area photo
Location search
Location search
Location search
Gasification-ethanol production combined cycle
Tire (100Kt/yr)
Sewer sludge (36Kt/yr)
Demo deb (80Kt/yr)
Water
Natural Gas
HT steam
100MW elec.
Bio-ethanol 30 million $
3 million $ (tipping)
6 million $
purification
Heavy metals and residues
LT steam
Black water Bottom ash HT syngas
HT steam
Quenching chamber Oxygen
Pressing process
Grinding Forming Pressing
Cutting and finishing Desk top
Door cores Room dividers Paper sludge
Cardboards
Water Elec.
water
Heat
steam
0.5 million $ 0.5 million $ 0.25 million $
0.25 million $
Combined process
Grinding Forming Pressing
Desk top Paper sludge
Cardboards
Water Elec.
water
Heat
steam
Hydroponic greenhouse
Tire (100Kt/yr)
Sewer sludge (36Kt/yr)
Demo deb (80Kt/yr)
Water
Natural Gas
HT steam
100MW elec.
Bio-ethanol production
Ethanol Murphy 30 million $
3 million $ (tipping)
6 million $
20 million $ purification
Heavy metals and residues
LT steam
Black water
(to be recycled) Bottom ash HT syngas
HT steam
Quenching chamber
Distilled spirit
2MW
Integrated Biorefinery project
• Inputs
• Waste tires
• Wood processing wastes
• Demolition debris
• Paper mill sludge
• Wastewater treatment plant wastes
• Useful outputs
• Ethanol (64 mil gallon per year = c.a. 20 mil $ p.a.)
• Electricity (6 mil $ p.a.)
• Heat and Steam
• Composite wood products (3 mil $ p.a.)
• Tomato
• Waste treatment services
Design choices: spatial configuration
Budget requirements
• A first step for community revitalization
• Cost estimates
Core refinery process 150 mil $
Railroad arrangement c.a. 30 mil $ Shoreline reconstruction c.a. 100 mil $
Greenhouse c.a. 1.5 mil $
Press and others c.a. 1 mil $
Total c.a. 230 mil $
Total direct investment c.a. 153 mil $
• Expected investment recovery time: 5 - 6 years (c.f. > 15 years)
Expected impact on the regional development
• Low cost electricity supply to the region
• Low cost ethanol supply to the region
• Low cost waste treatment option
• A new gateway that connects inland water, road and railroad transportation
• New center of the region’s logistics hub - energy production - waste treatment
• A vital step toward the EID of the region
• A symbol for biorefinery-based EID
