Integration of Industrial and Urban Symbiosis from a Renewable Energy Perspective

Abstract

As the population continues to grow so do cities that are key locations responsible for pollution and resource consumption. This has led to sustainability challenges such as climate change and resource scarcity. One method of tackling these sustainability challenges is through the use of symbiosis systems, be it Industrial Symbiosis (IS), Urban Symbiosis (US), or Urban-Industrial Symbiosis (UIS), to create symbiotic relationships between groups/ organisations to reuse as many resources as possible. These symbiosis systems are also utilized because it can also bring many economic, environmental, and social benefits to the involved organisations. This is why so many governments, private organisations, etc. are encouraging the development and adoption of the symbiosis systems. This situation has led many academics to study it and there is currently a large body of literature that is rapidly growing. However, it mostly focuses on IS and material symbiosis and lacks knowledge on UIS because the latter has only recently become popular and the possibilities of energy symbiosis. This research aims to enrich the understanding of UIS systems and further explore the possibilities of energy symbiosis. This will be done via a conceptual model that will help to consolidate the information both from the industry and literature.