Evaluating the potential for industrial symbiosis at the Ħal Far Industrial Estate

Abstract

The transition from a linear to a circular economy is a multi-faceted endeavour, targeting multiple disciplines, specifically industry. Industrial Symbiosis (IS) is considered to be a prominent means to achieve such a target. Still, IS will not happen by itself, but requires a facilitator who identifies areas of potential collaboration, establishes a suitable communications platform between parties, and highlights the benefits that such a relationship can bring to the participants. As a case-study, this dissertation will address a local industrial cluster, construe an appropriate methodology to discover the potential for IS within it, and demonstrate how such a process can function as a catalyst towards the formation of symbiotic relationships. This study, will therefore define the methodology used to perform a ‘resource mapping exercise’, a process which is necessary to build a dataset of resource flows, which process is followed by an ‘opportunity discovery stage’ and subsequently the realisation of IS opportunities. The study has been divided in three thematics, and has produced a set of objectives for each, thereby addressing specific areas of importance for IS, namely a) a Collaborative Capacity thematic, b) an Energy Resource Thematic, and c) a Material resource thematic. From an administrative perspective, this research highlighted the need to substantiate the technical capacity of the industrial cluster as well as noting the importance of a central facilitator. The results revealed a series of interesting IS opportunities for both the energy and material resource thematics as well as exposed major contrasts between them. More specifically, for the thermal energy component, the study identified a potential recovery of c. 106 MWh/Wk, as well as a potential material resource recovery aspect with estimated carbon footprint savings of 1.3 tonnes of CO2/Wk. A number of pre-existing material IS relationships were also identified, with estimated carbon footprint savings of 25.7 tonnes of CO2/Wk. The above results expose a number of opportunities for the recovery and re-circulation of resources, which account for 7.5% of the material resources identified as entering the cluster as well as c. 23.9% of the reported heating demand.