Information for clusters and (regional) public authorities
Public authorities and clusters both can support IS projects by taking a facilitating role. The motivation behind might differ: While the motivation for clusters is to support their members, most often private companies, (regional) public authorities aim to support sustainable (economic) development and regional value creation - both of which can be realised through IS.
For every step of the industrial symbiosis toolkit you find information on “How can public authorities and clusters help?”. Here the most central elements are summarised:
Intermediaries and industrial clusters
Intermediaries such as industrial clusters can support industrial symbiosis:
- Gather and analyse data – provide a regional overview of relevant actors and businesses, e.g. via a online platform, and analyse synergistic potentials (in their territory or among their members).
- Connect stakeholders – they can facilitate matchmaking for IS projects, involve partners, service provider with the skills or resources needed. In a later step they can organise or provide access to private/public investors.
- Dissemination of knowledge – They can increase visibility and share successful examples for IS and CE business models and thereby increase awareness for IS and its sustainability potentials
- Provide orientation - facilitate access to public funding and knowledge, organise trainings and learning forums
Beyond the IS toolkit, there are further useful resources that specifically support in the planning of eco industrial sites:
Eco industrial park - tool kit
Tool | Objective | Developer | Link |
EIP Toolbox |
This toolkit can be used and adapted to all types of existing (brownfield) industrial parks and management structures (e.g. private company, public authority, public private set-up, real estate) |
UNIDO |
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Eco industrial park tool box |
For institutions and industrial park managers the SIA toolbox can be of use. It is a compilation of instruments and expertise in the field of sustainable industrial areas. |
SIA |
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Public authorities
Public authorities can support industrial symbiosis:
- Promote access to public funding – public funding is already available (for example, through European Structural and Investment Funds available to support IS) among others.
- Establish a co-financing investment program - Public financing will help mitigate long-term risks and reassure investors. The co-financing program could specifically target infrastructure and utilities.
- Setup premium tariff for energy – The industrial sector must decrease its dependence on fossil fuels. Renewable energies are a relevant solution to decarbonize the industrial sector while being more independent from imported and volatile fossil fuels. Public authorities can encourage the deployment of renewable energies with mechanisms such as the guarantee of a feed-in tariff or the establishment of support programs (e.g. green certificates).
- Create a joint waste fund – Public authorities can support or promote the deployment of a platform allowing investors to finance sustainable projects, and specifically IS projects. This contributes to diversify the sources of funding to finance IS.
- Promote or implement waste and landfill taxes – Taxes can be used in several ways to promote IS deployment. A successful instrument introduced by the Finnish government is the landfill gate fee. In Finland, there is a fee per ton of waste. If the waste is treated (recycling, or another mode of treatment), the fee per ton of waste decreases. Another way to use the same mechanism is to increase landfill fees.