Translations

Industrial symbiosis in KALUNDBORG

4. Environment

Green design

Sector Industry

Year 2008

Country Denmark

Transmitter

Context

Industrial activities are natural resources guzzlers and induce some losses such as waste or liquid waste. Companies are aware of the losses and implement systems that can limit these losses or process them. But the process is often carried out at the end of the cycle and hardly favours reuse ; besides, it often induces a great quantity of waste on site (sludge from treatment plant, ashes from incineration plants). Kalundborg city has implemented an Industrial Symbiosis Project to make the better use of losses and waste from its industrial park.

Objectives

- Favouring the development of synergies between companies and thus helping them reuse their residual products (steam, water, waste…) between them or with the community and reduce material losses in the consumption and production processes.

APPROACH

In Kalundborg, the industrial symbiosis focuses on three different areas : making the better use of water, saving energy and reusing waste. This networking began in the 60s when Statoil refinery was founded. This company needed great quantities of cooling water and established exchanges with 3 other companies from the industrial park, that discharged water too. Gyproc, a plasterboard company, experimented the initiative, as it recycles gypsum the power plant produces, and uses the extra gas from the refinery to dry gypsum and plaster, the latter being energy-gazzling.

The cooperations between companies developped themselves gradually, as steam was provided by the power station to the refinery and Novo Nordisk pharmaceutical plant. Thanks to quality acquaintances between all players of the network and in the framework of SMART objectives (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timeable), Kalundborg industrial symbiosis is now a profitable and eco-friendly business model.