Abstract
This study analysed to what extent biogas solutions can improve the nutrient recovery of biobased industrial clusters in different sectors. Three cases representing the agricultural, marine and forest sectors were analysed quantitatively using mass flow analysis. Adding a biogas plant facilitated production expansion and development of collaborative waste management, e.g. a wheat processing biorefinery with a mill and agricultural actors, or a pulp and paper mill with the aquaculture industry. In the marine- and forest-based cases, this decreased the total nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) input by 18% while increasing the recovery rate; e.g. for P from 32 to 96% for the marine-based and from 52 to 91%, for the forest-based. The impact in the agro-based case was minor as the actors were already operating with a high nutrient recovery. For the marine-based case, the impact was due to a huge increase in P recovery for the aquaculture actor while for the forest-based case, N from the aquacultural sector could be reused in the wastewater treatment. For the agro- and marine-based cases, adding a biogas plant also resulted in less transports and more local nutrient recycling; the total transport of organic waste, by-products and biofertilizers (in km x tonne) was reduced by 40% and 90%, respectively. The results demonstrate that biogas solutions can stimulate the development of biobased industrial symbiosis with integrated waste management, and contribute to more efficient recycling of key resources, which is essential for the transition to a circular society.
Highlights
In line with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, societies are striving towards a more circular economy
The agro-based reference system (REF) system was already operating with a high nutrient recovery and the addition of a biogas plant did not make much of a difference for the quantitative nutrient recovery rate
For the marine-based case, this could be attributed to a huge in crease in mainly P recovery for the “other” actors, whereas for the forest-based case, nutrient recovery is significantly improved due to the biological sludge from the wastewater treatment being routed to AD instead of being incinerated
Summary
In line with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, societies are striving towards a more circular economy. Though there are different definitions of the circular economy concept, most agree on three basic principles: i) designing out waste and pollu tion from the economic system, ii) keep products and materials in use for progressively longer periods, and iii) regenerate natural systems (OECD, 2020). This requires using primary resources more efficiently through strategies such as reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover (e.g. 4Rs strategy in EU, 2008). This is reflected in the EU bioeconomy Strategy targets, such as “to ensure food and nutrition security”, and “reduce dependency on non-renewable unsustainable resources” (EU, 2018)
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