SYMBIOPTIMA promotes the mutual interaction of diverse industries in different sectors, for beneficial reuse of flows (water, waste, by-products, energy, recycled materials, etc.), resulting in a more resource-efficient production at network level, and in fewer adverse environmental impacts.
SYMBIOPTIMA main objectives are the following:
1. Cross-sectorial energy and resource management of intra-cluster and inter-cluster streams
To open collaboration between companies of a Cluster by eliminating existing barriers in the sharing, access, analysis and elaboration of all the information relevant.
2. Development of a holistic model for the definition, life-cycle assessment and business management of a human-mimetic symbiotic cluster
A new functional model to be implemented in everyday production activities by the process industries Companies, through the definition of a new perspective of the economically, ecologically and socially oriented industrial symbiosis.
3. Multi-level synergetic optimization of energy and resources flows within the sectors and across value chains.
To optimize cluster composing Production Units, taking into account the distribution of decision making power within the cluster.
4. Extensive, multi-disciplinary, modular and “plug&play” monitoring and elaboration of all relevant information flows of the symbiotic cluster.
A complete “plug&play” solution, coherent with the distributed nature of the networks that characterize the cluster (electricity, thermal, water, etc.), to manage smart monitoring and elaboration of data.
5. Integration of all thermal energy sources, flows and sinks of the cluster into a systemic unified vision.
A more integrated vision of the network of thermal nodes of the cluster, following the path that is being followed by the smart electric grid.
6. Disruptive increase of cross-sectorial re-use for particularly impacting waste streams.
A novel technology for plastics waste-stream treatment as one of the most relevant and impacting within the addressed application sector to pave the way towards effective cross-sectorial industrial symbiosis.
As a response to these 6 objectives, the project has developed and successfully delivered 7 results:
* 2 integrated tools, for the demand response and energy aware scheduling of production units within a cluster, as well as of the LifeCycle and Social Assessment of industrial symbiosis practices.
* 1 ERMS - energy and resource management system as integrated platform for data and symbiosis management
* 1 Wireless and smart monitoring suite of devices
* 3 shopfloor technologies, respectively for smart thermal grid management, unit committment and a new technology for plastics depolimerization.
