Industrial symbiosis

Industrial symbiosis is about creating collaborative networks where waste or by-products from one industry serve as resources for another. In an effort to create more resource-efficient industries, several eco-industrial parks have been developed in Denmark where businesses work together to optimise resource use and reduce waste. By sharing energy, water, and materials, they enhance efficiency, lower costs, and minimise their environmental impact.

Photo credit: Kalundborg Symbiosis

Explore industrial symbiosis

Creation date: Latest first

publications

Circular value chains

+7

Transitioning to a sustainable healthcare sector

18 December 2023

Developed in cooperation with Healthcare Denmark, our white paper on "Transitioning to a sustainable healthcare sector" explores Denmark's push towards creating a more resilient and resource-efficient healthcare sector.

publications

Resource efficient production

+14

Producing more with less

29 November 2023

Transforming global food systems for a more sustainable and resilient future.

solutions

Smart cities

+1

Transforming through symbiotic relationships

25 September 2023

As part of the ‘Desire’ project, Kalundborg has been selected as one of eight sites across Europe to test different design principles for green transition — helping to inform a broader toolkit for building sustainable, circular societies. The project seeks to identify what to do to create ongoing

News

Resource efficient production

+2

Welcoming US-partners to Denmark's resource-efficient industries

11 September 2023

This week, State of Green hosted a US delegation from the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure at House of Green as the first stop on a knowledge exchange trip to explore the Danish approach to symbiosis in the agricultural sector.

solutions

Industrial symbiosis

+9

The worlds first industrial symbiosis: from waste stream to resource current

8 September 2023

It takes about 1.5 years to replace what we use and consume in one year. This requires a new way of thinking and a new economic model – one which encourages the use of circular business models and reuse of resources. This is exactly what the symbiosis model strives to do. With a main aim to reuse re

Perspective

Resource efficient production

+8

Denmark’s road to resource-efficient industries

8 September 2023

All over the world, industries across sectors are facing a pressing dilemma: the escalating scarcity of resources. This calls for a decarbonisation of industries using heavy amounts of energy and water, instead shifting to a focus on sustainable resource consumption through resource-efficient solutions.

Show 36 more

Meet Danish industrial symbiosis professionals

Company

Air pollution

+72

Ramboll

Ramboll is a leading international architecture, engineering, and consultancy company, owned by the Ramboll Foundation.

Company

Combined heat and power production

+20

Ørsted

The Ørsted vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy. Ørsted develops, constructs, and operates offshore and onshore wind farms, solar farms, energy storage facilities, renewable hydrogen a

Company

Energy efficiency in industry

+7

OK Energy Solutions

OK Energy Solutions works with energy consulting because we are passionate about sustainability and a greener future. We believe that small lifestyle changes can make a big difference in the fight aga

Organisation

Bio-based circular solutions

+17

Kalundborg Symbiosis

Kalundborg Symbiosis is a partnership between sixteen public and private companies in Kalundborg. The main principle is that a waste stream in one company becomes a resource in another, benefiting bot

Company

Buildings

+7

Transition ApS

Transition supports the transition to a sustainable society.

Company

Bio-based circular solutions

+28

Viegand Maagøe

Our 120+ employees are in the front line of sustainability. We succeed in this because we have experts with insight into all aspects of the green transition.

Company

Buildings

+25

Port of Aalborg

Port of Aalborg is more than a traditional port, transport hub and business park. We work with partnerships and collaboration. Sustainability and green transition. Symbioses and synergies. Knowledge a

Company

Biogas

+34

Port Esbjerg

Port Esbjerg is the North Sea’s leading port for offshore wind, base to the Danish offshore industry and an international hub for multimodal transport with six regular RoRo liner services.

Show all partners

Explore related focus areas

Circular business model

By addressing product life extension, reuse, and the recycling of waste, circular business models can reduce consumption and minimise waste generation. They allow products to be continuously used, reused, sold as a service, and enable the sharing of products, rather than incentivizing a one-time purchase. A commonality and driving forces are data collection, digital tools, and design.

Energy efficiency in industry

The energy-intensive industry contributes crucial materials for society – for buildings, manufacturing, transport, food processing, and energy production. Denmark serves as a global inspiration in this sector through strategic investments, innovative policies, and forward-thinking public-private partnerships, excelling in energy efficiency, integration of renewable energy sources, utilization of surplus heat, and mandating emissions reductions, setting a benchmark for sustainable industrial practices worldwide.

Resource-efficient production

Resource-efficient production is about optimising the use of materials and energy to create sustainable and cost-effective manufacturing processes. By implementing circular economy principles, such as recycling and reusing materials, Danish industries have proved that decoupling economic growth from an increase in energy consumption is possible. This commitment to resource-efficient production not only conserves natural resources but also strengthens sustainable industrial practices.

Industrial symbiosis

Industrial symbiosis is about creating collaborative networks where waste or by-products from one industry serve as resources for another. In an effort to create more resource-efficient industries, several eco-industrial parks have been developed in Denmark where businesses work together to optimise resource use and reduce waste. By sharing energy, water, and materials, they enhance efficiency, lower costs, and minimise their environmental impact.

Air pollution from industry production

Air pollution from industrial production is about addressing and mitigating the harmful emissions released into the atmosphere by manufacturing processes. Denmark’s proactive approach to reducing industrial air pollution includes the implementation of strict environmental regulations, advanced emission control technologies, and continuous monitoring systems. By promoting cleaner production methods and encouraging the use of sustainable energy sources, Danish industries have significantly reduced their air pollution levels over the years.

Water in industries

Challenges to production capacity, due to increasing water supply issues, are putting pressure on industries. To stay competitive industries must look to efficient reduction in water consumption in production and to local treatment of the industrial wastewater for possible reuse. By optimising water use, reducing wastewater discharge, and reusing water within industrial processes, industries can significantly lower their water footprint.

Green hydrogen

Green hydrogen and e-fuels play a vital role in advancing the green transition. Produced through electrolysis using renewable electricity, both are critical components in decarbonising industries and transporta-tion globally.

Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS)

Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) are important tools for reducing emissions and accelerating the green transition. Through technologies like power-to-x, we can use the CO2e we already emit as a sustainable energy and fuel in other sectors.

Biosolutions

Biosolutions are about harnessing natural processes and biological innovations to address environmental challenges and improve industrial practices. Danish businesses are cutting-edge when it comes to biosolutions. As a well-established research-based industry with a strong international engagement, the Danish biosolutions cluster provides abreadth of ways to initiate and accelerate the green transition across industries.