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Kalundborg Industrial Symbiosis: Circular Strategy in the Light of Mutualism

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  • Gilles Paché

    (CERGAM - Centre d'Études et de Recherche en Gestion d'Aix-Marseille - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - UTLN - Université de Toulon)

Abstract

The Kalundborg industrial symbiosis serves as an excellent example of inter-organizational collaboration, showcasing the principles of industrial ecology and the circular economy. Since the 1960s, local companies have developed a network of material and energy exchanges, turning waste and by-products into reusable resources in a mutually beneficial system. This model not only reduces waste and greenhouse gas emissions but also results in substantial savings in energy and raw material costs. Key participants in this symbiosis include companies such as Novo Nordisk, Novozymes, and Statoil, alongside the Asnaes power plant. These organizations exchange flows of heat, steam, gypsum, and biomass, creating an integrated network where one company's waste becomes a resource for another. The industrial symbiosis has significantly lowered CO2 emissions and saved millions of cubic meters of water, as well as tons of residual materials annually. This research note highlights that trust and inter-organizational collaboration are essential to the success of this circular economy model, while recognizing that its application in other regions will require adjustments tailored to local conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Gilles Paché, 2024. "Kalundborg Industrial Symbiosis: Circular Strategy in the Light of Mutualism," Post-Print hal-04870887, HAL.
  • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04870887
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-04870887v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Emilia Faria & Armando Caldeira-Pires & Cristiane Barreto, 2021. "Social, Economic, and Institutional Configurations of the Industrial Symbiosis Process: A Comparative Analysis of the Literature and a Proposed Theoretical and Analytical Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-25, June.
    2. Knight, Christopher J.K. & Penn, Alexandra S. & Hoyle, Rebecca B., 2014. "Comparing the effects of mutualism and competition on industrial districts," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 416(C), pages 541-557.
    3. John Ehrenfeld & Nicholas Gertler, 1997. "Industrial Ecology in Practice: The Evolution of Interdependence at Kalundborg," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 1(1), pages 67-79, January.
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    5. Noel Brings Jacobsen, 2006. "Industrial Symbiosis in Kalundborg, Denmark: A Quantitative Assessment of Economic and Environmental Aspects," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 10(1‐2), pages 239-255, January.
    6. Changhee Yoon & Seungyeon Moon & Heesang Lee, 2022. "Symbiotic Relationships in Business Ecosystem: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-15, February.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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