Resource Efficiency Measures Research Articles

Is Green Transition in Europe Fostered by Energy and Environmental Efficiency Feedback Loops? The Role of Eco-Innovation, Renewable Energy and Green Taxation

Green transition is in the core of the European policy agenda to achieve the ambitious goal of climate neutrality following the launch of the European Green Deal. The cornerstone of the new growth strategy of Europe is resource efficiency which focuses on shifting to a more sustainable production paradigm by conserving scarce resources and by prioritizing enhanced environmental performance. Scattered efforts to investigate the drivers of resource efficiency measures have shed light on the key drivers, however, those consider resource efficiency measures in isolation neglecting for feedback loops influencing green transition. Therefore, we develop a conceptual framework to study green transition as a system of resource efficiency measures affected by feedback loops, path dependence, green technologies, and green policy tools. We mobilize the analysis by devising a unique balanced panel covering the EU-28 from 2010 through 2019, including policy efforts paving the way for green transition. Econometric results based on a system of fractional probit models, indicate that resource efficiency measures are intertwined via feedback loops, especially in the case of environmental efficiency. Green technologies affect green transition, however, rebound effects emerge in the case of energy efficiency. Past performance affects current levels pushing towards divergence. Evidence suggests that green taxation fosters energy efficiency whereas hinders environmental efficiency. The asymmetric operation of feedback loops and green taxation on energy and environmental efficiency highlights that horizontal policies hinder rather than foster green transition. This study contributes to SDGs 7, 12, 13 and 16.

PRECISION IN ACTION: UNVEILING THE EFFICIENCY OF AUTOPOT FERTIGATION SYSTEM FOR CHERRY TOMATO CULTIVATION

This study investigates the efficiency and performance of the Autopot Fertigation System in the cultivation of cherry tomatoes. The Autopot system, known for its precision in delivering water and nutrients to plants, is evaluated for its impact on growth, yield, and resource utilization in cherry tomato crops. Through meticulous analysis, including growth parameters, fruit quality assessments, and resource efficiency measures, this research aims to unveil the advantages and potential optimizations associatedwith the Autopot Fertigation System in enhancing the overall productivity of cherry tomato cultivation.

Towards the Sustainable Intensification of Aquaculture: Exploring Possible Ways Forward

Meeting the global demand for aquatic products while maintaining sustainability is a critical challenge. This review article examines global practices of land-based aquaculture systems that could be implemented in the EU, as the EU has not yet fully realized its potential in developing the aquaculture sector. Therefore, the article examines different aspects (aquaculture systems, technological solutions and improvements, and best management practices) in achieving sustainable aquaculture and emphasizes the need for innovation and cooperation in the face of increasing environmental concerns and resource constraints. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for the sustainable intensification of aquaculture. The way forward requires a combination of different and improved-upon technological solutions complemented by technological innovation and better management practices. The sustainability of aquaculture requires a broader application of the ecosystem approach to aquaculture and the promotion of energy and resource efficiency measures in aquaculture systems.

Can we count on the commitment of European SMEs to achieve SGD12? An exploratory study of business sustainability

The United Nations created the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to serve as a compass for a better future, i.e., for a sustainable future, a green, socially and financially prosperous tomorrow. Due to the significant responsibility of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to environmental dilapidation and destruction, they are an essential engine to the green transition. Business activities are central to achieving SDG12. This article focuses on the contribution of European SMEs to carbon neutrality. We explore the influence of SMEs’ investment in micro resource-efficiency actions on adopting macro measures of carbon neutrality and whether investments, financial, administrative, and regulatory requirements influence the implementation of resource efficiency practices. This is the first attempt to explore the interrelationship between micro resource efficiency and macro climate change measures. A quantitative analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis) and the partial least squares method. Data from 2021 included 17,144 European SMEs and were retrieved from the fifth wave of the Flash Eurobarometer 498. The results reveal that SMEs' implementation of resource-efficient actions at the micro level positively influenced the adoption of macro-level measures for decarbonization. Furthermore, implementing these micro-measures was positively influenced by business investment and negatively affected by external sources of finance and regulatory and administrative requirements. Overall, the findings indicate that European SMEs still have a long way to go toward the twelfth SDG and decarbonization.

What kind of fiscal policies and natural resources efficiency promotes green economic growth? Evidence from regression analysis

The promotion of green economic development and sustainability has received increasing attention throughout the world in recent years. Regarding global emission reduction efforts, China plays a pivotal role as one of the world's biggest economies and a significant player. Using the Pooled Mean Group Autoregressive Distributed Lag (PMG-ARDL) model, analyzes how government spending and natural resource efficiency have affected green economic development in China from 1990 to 2020. We conduct a regression study to understand better how fiscal policy measures and indices of natural resource efficiency might work together to foster environmentally responsible economic development. The findings show that green economic development is significantly correlated with key interventions in fiscal policy and natural resource efficiency measures. These results light the efficacy of certain fiscal policies and resource management practices in promoting sustainable development and mitigating the environmental impact of economic activities in China.

European SMEs and Resource Efficiency Measures: Firm Characteristics and Contextual Factors

European SMEs and Resource Efficiency Measures: Firm Characteristics and Contextual Factors

The circular economy and resource use reduction: A case study of long-term resource efficiency measures in a medium manufacturing company

Manufacturers are often identified as agents of change to conserve resources. The circular economy is the paradigm of the societal operation model that aims to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation through a system of efficiency measures. However, a growing body of literature reported the failure of efficiency measures to conserve energy and resources in the current socio-economic environment. Several complex compensatory mechanisms called the rebound effect were reported to offset efficiency gains and resulted in higher resource use. In this paper, we addressed the lack of data on the microeconomic one-company rebound effect investigation by presenting the case study of a medium manufacturer from the US that implemented energy, water and material efficiency measures. While the company qualified as a top-performing “circularity developer” according to the published self-assessment questionnaire, it retained its linear business model. Energy efficiency and renewable energy measures resulted in a short-term rebound effect of 161% or backfire. In the long term, the rebound effect of 25% was calculated. The drivers and barriers that the company encountered when implementing efficiency measures were identified. In conclusion, it was found that the system focused exclusively on efficiency was incapable of conserving resource use and delivering on CE decoupling promise. Wider societal acceptance of sufficiency measures was suggested to improve resource-saving capacity in manufacturing.

Quantifying longevity and circularity of copper for different resource efficiency policies at the material and product levels

AbstractResource efficiency strategies are emerging on policy agendas worldwide. Commonly, resource efficiency policies aim at decreasing losses at the waste management stage and, thus, diverge from public interest in more comprehensive resource efficiency measures that include a focus the earlier material life cycle stages. Just in recent years, improvements in the lifetimes of products and increased repair and reuse ability have become policy objectives in some countries. However, the effectiveness of policy measures is usually not assessed, even though it is crucial to support informed policy‐making and efficiently decrease the environmental impact of resource use. In this paper, we provide such an assessment for the copper cycle, the third most consumed metal with sharply increasing demand. Under current practices, in Western Europe and North America, 50% and 44% of the losses by 2050 occur at end‐of‐life collection, and only 2% of losses take place at the recovery stage; in Middle East and Africa for 19% and 54%, respectively. By 2050, most copper would be lost in China with a proportion of 58%. We evaluate the resource efficiency by quantifying the two key parameters, circularity and longevity, that is, how often and how long the material is in use in the anthroposphere. Our results show that the current global longevity of high‐grade copper is 47 ± 2.5 years, and a copper atom is used in 2.1 ± 0.1 applications on average. Ambitious political measures across the life cycle can increase longevity by 85% and circularity by 45%.

Method to increase resource efficiency in production with the use of MFCA

In order to decrease carbon emissions and to address the problem of resource scarcity, the production industry as major consumer of energy and resources is forced to act and increase the resource efficiency of their production lines. However, for production managers it is often hard to determine, how and where to start implementing efficiency measures to reach the highest positive impact. The Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA), a method that became increasingly important over the last years, has proven to be a suitable tool to visualize and assess resource waste with resulting CO2-emissions as well as costs. Though, a stringent approach, how to get from the completed MFCA to the identification of appropriate resource efficiency measures and how to evaluate the impact of these measures is lacking. This paper therefore presents a method to derive and implement resource efficiency measures in production with the use of MFCA to find hotspots. The method includes the goal definition for resource efficiency, the gathering of resource transparency of the production process with hotspot methods, the implementation of the MFCA itself and the systematic analysis of the gathered results. The method is applied in the two production lines of the Energy efficiency, Technology and Application center (ETA) and the Center for industrial Productivity (CiP) at Technical University of Darmstadt, where a representative product is produced within an agile production network.

Stakeholder-specific assessment of environmental, economic and social effects of resource-efficiency measures in urban districts - first results

There is a great interest in society in making urban districts more sustainable. Sustainable and resource-efficient urban development (SDG 11) is a process that, based on the analysis of the initial situation, leads to the formulation of specific goals and must be planned, accompanied, assessed and managed. Thus, this contribution presents a fundamental, multi-perspective concept to assess and manage the use of (natural) resources (stocks and flows), in particular (1) water (rain, potable and waste water), (2) land use (settlements, traffic area, open/green areas, ecosystems), (3) raw materials (material in- and outputs, recycling and disposal, C&D waste, and fossil fuels) in a defined urban district.

Experiences in Improving Efficiency of Energy and Other Resources in Metal Industries in Nepal

The construction sector uses various metals like steel (for frames, reinforced concrete), iron (wrought iron for beams, trusses, girders), aluminium (ceiling and walls, window frames, HVAC systems etc.) and copper (cladding, electrical wiring, oil & gas lines). Due to increasing pressure on various resources like energy, chemicals and raw materials, economic edge can be sustained only through high resource efficiency. Adopting resource efficient cleaner production (RECP) measures will improve economic and environmental performance, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions; in turn, this will make them less vulnerable to changes in external conditions and more competitive. With co-funding from the EU SWITCH-Asia Programme, the project METABUILD (www.metabuild-southasia.org) aims at implementing sustainable production processes and practices in 400 SMEs across Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka besides creating a conducive environment for further adoption of sustainable production processes in the metal products supply chain for the building and construction sector. In Nepal, the project has already engaged with 82 metal industries. These cover different sectors such as fabrication, wire drawing, electrical cables, re-rolling, galvanizing/electroplating, casting etc. and are in multiple locations viz. Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Morang, Sunsari, Rupandehi, Bara, Parsa, Kaski districts. RECP measures such as use of daylight, replacement of inefficient lights by LED lights, power factor improvement, furnace modification, waste heat recovery, insulation etc. have been implemented. These have led to savings in energy and raw materials, at the same time reducing generation of wastes from these participating industries and improvement of occupational health and safety (OHS). This paper will explain the mode of engagement with industries, details of the resource efficiency measures implemented and estimated saving.

Assessing the impact of resource efficiency on selected case studies in Ireland

In the EU, construction and the use of buildings account for 50% of final energy consumption, approximately 35% of greenhouse gas emissions, more than 50% of all extracted materials, 30% of water consumption by the population and 35% of total generated waste, annually. In Ireland, there has been a clear connection between construction output, construction and demolition production and energy use. During this time of economic recovery, there is a unique opportunity to decouple this connection and rethink the built environment to one that embraces material cycles that have net positive environmental benefits. This study used an action research methodology to benchmark the effectiveness of implementing a series of resource efficiency measures during the construction phase of four case studies with a small-to-medium enterprise building contractor. The implementation of these measures in the case studies produced cost savings of €14 567.70 representing 0.48% of the total project value (€3 050 032). The total energy savings were estimated to be 11 373.09 kWh and it was estimated that 176.751 t of materials were prevented from being placed in site skips. The total reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the implemented measures was 52.263 t.

How product characteristics can guide measures for resource efficiency — A synthesis of assessment studies

A circular economy aims at decoupling value creation from resource throughput. For circular economy to contribute to environmental and resource improvements, there is need for critical assessments regarding in what general situations, beyond individual cases, solutions may lead to improvements. On the product-level, there is need for synthesized knowledge accounting for a wide range of contexts and environmental impacts. We investigate what resource efficiency (RE) measures result in reduced physical flows and environmental impacts, depending on the characteristics of products and their life cycles. The study is limited to physical measures on a product system level, irrespective of manner of implementation. A library of comparative assessments (primarily life cycle assessments and material flow analyses) was built, covering a wide range of products and RE measures. A framework was formulated for analysing for which product characteristics a measure tends to improve RE, and under which contexts there are trade-offs to take into account. For example, sharing of products is best suited for durable and infrequently used products that tend not to reach their full technical lifetime. A trade-off is that sharing can increase transportation for accessing shared stock. The identified key product characteristics were: whether products are consumable or durable, active or passive, typically used for their full technical lifetimes or discarded before being worn out, the product’s frequency of use and whether function remains at a product’s end of use. Pace of development matters for suitability of measures for active, durable products, while complexity is relevant for restorative measures and recycling.

The use of external support and the benefits of the adoption of resource efficiency practices: An empirical analysis of european SMEs

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the use of external support for the adoption of resource efficiency practices and the extent and profitability of this adoption by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). We distinguish between direct financial support and indirect support in the form of advice and consulting services related to the adoption of resource efficiency practices. We use data from the 2013 FLASH EUROBAROMETER survey of a sample of European manufacturing SMEs. Our results show that the effects of the adoption of resource efficiency practices on production costs are higher among firms that receive external financial support for adoption, as well as among those firms that adopt a wide set of process reengineering measures for resource efficiency. However, external technical and business advice plays an important role in the extent of adoption of different resource efficiency measures.

Measuring Product Material Footprint as New Life Cycle Impact Assessment Method: Indicators and Abiotic Characterization Factors

The global economy is using growing amounts of natural resources such as raw materials, water, and land by making and using goods, services, and infrastructure. Aspirations on international, regional, and national levels e.g., the Sustainable Development Goals, the EU flagship initiative Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe or the German Program for Resource Efficiency are showing an urgent need to bring the global raw material use down to sustainable levels. An essential prerequisite to identify resource efficient options and to implement resource efficiency measures and solutions is the ability to compare different products or services regarding their raw material use. Until today, there is no internationally standardized approach defined and no software supported calculation method including the necessary data basis available to measure the raw material intensity of products. A new life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) method Product Material Footprint PMF is described. Two indicators are used to quantify the PMF: the Raw Material Input RMI and the Total Material Requirement TMR. The calculation of global median values for the characterization factors CFRMI and CFTMR of abiotic materials was done based on different databases. This article presents the methodological approach of the PMF, the calculation results for CFRMI of 42 abiotic materials and CFTMR of 36 abiotic materials, and the implementation of the LCIA method into the software openLCA for use with the ecoinvent database.

Evaluation of microclimates and assessment of thermal comfort of Panthera leo in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Quantifying comfort levels of lions within the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya is the main focus of this study. Its discourse delineates step by step the process of quantifying comfort levels of lions within the Mara. Resource-efficient measures for humans in the built environment have long been developed through the creation of passive zones and modulated ventilation. In an analogous manner, new procedures are being adapted for creating optimized microclimates in natural game reserves. This involves CFD (computational fluid dynamics)-inspired landscaping. It is seen that the predicted mean vote (PMV) values-measures of thermal comfort-exceed the expected comfortable ranges suitable for normal functioning of lions in the reserve. This calls for a detailed exploration on sustainable development of this sanctuary. The paper illustrates how modern tools in computational fluid dynamics can be used along with standard ecological models to ascertain the optimal extent of airflow, levels of hydration, and land use pattern changes affecting the prevailing microclimate.

Resource efficiency of consumables – Life cycle assessment of incontinence products

Circular economy is presented as a sustainable alternative to the take-make-waste society. The discourse on circular economy emphasizes the role of durable products, while consumable products are less in focus, although resources efficiency is needed for all types of products. This paper aims to contribute knowledge on resource efficient measures that are possible to implement for consumables and to evaluate their resource efficiency potential by means of a case study on incontinence products using life cycle assessment. Four possible measures were identified that can be implemented at different stages of the value-chain, to increase their resource efficiency. The study was delimited to measures possible to implement using current technology. The measures were: recycling of waste generated in production, increasing the share of bio-based material in the product, shifting to a partly reusable product system and more effective use of products through customization to user’s needs. Effective use of products through customization led to at least 20% decrease in environmental impact with no trade-offs between studied impact categories. However, when looking at global warming potential only, the partly reusable product system was found to decrease environmental impact with more than 50% compared to a corresponding disposable product. Moreover, many resource efficient measures were identified as being possible to implement for consumables, and in the case of incontinence products a combination of measures was possible.

Green chemistry for stainless steel corrosion resistance: life cycle assessment of citric acid versus nitric acid passivation

Corrosion is a significant problem in many industries, and when using stainless steel, passivation is undertaken to improve corrosion resistance. Traditionally, nitric acid is used within the passivation step; however, this has some detrimental environmental and human health impacts during its production and use. Reducing this impact is critical, and because of its toxicity and associated occupational risk and special disposal requirements, end users of passivated stainless steels are exploring alternative passivation methods. However, it is also critical to understand the impact of any alternatives. Sustainable processing and manufacture embodies many elements, including waste reduction, resource efficiency measures, energy reduction, and the application of ‘green’ or renewable chemicals. To ensure the most effective system is used, the impact or potential impact of the system must be measured and options must be compared. The comparative environmental credentials of bio-based chemicals can be assessed using tools such as life cycle assessment (LCA).This article is the first one to evaluate the environmental impact of passivation using nitric and citric acids. It uses attributional life cycle assessment (ALCA) to assess the environmental benefits and disbenefits of using citric acid—produced biologically via fermentation to replace nitric acid while keeping the same level of corrosion resistance. The work is anticipatory in nature as the process is not yet undertaken on a commercial basis. The results therefore feed into future manufacturing and design.Citric and nitric acids were compared using three different solutions: a 4% citric acid solution, 10% citric acid solution, and 10% nitric acid solution (the conventional case). The results show that a scenario using a 4% citric acid solution is environmentally preferable to nitric acid across all impact categories assessed. However, a 10% citric acid solution used on low chromium and nickel steel was only environmentally preferable for 50% of the environmental impact categories assessed because of increased electrical energy demand for that scenario.

Measuring resource efficiency and resource effectiveness in manufacturing

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to identify and analyse existing resource efficiency (RE) and resource effectiveness measures and indicators (REMIs); and second, to identify gaps and develop a new indicator of “operational resource effectiveness” (OREft) suitable for manufacturing units. Design/methodology/approach Research methodology consists of three stages: gap identification, development and testing. Through review of academic literature, 40 REMIs are identified and analysed. A survey of manufacturers is carried out to validate the hypothesis and seek inputs on the development of the new indicator. The proposed indicator is tested by comparing OREft index of two manufacturing units with each other, with resource intensity per unit (RIPU), waste intensity per unit (WIPU) and with four other REMIs. Findings Analysis of 40 REMIs clearly points towards the absence of a hypothesised REMI. In total, 78 per cent of manufacturers surveyed in north England substantiate the hypothesis. Inverse correlation established between the proposed OREft indicator, RIPU, WIPU and other comparisons is likely to validate the output generated by the proposed indicator. Research limitations/implications Testing of this indicator is limited to two dissimilar manufacturing units that shared data. Practical implications The proposed indicator is useful for comparing the operational resource effectiveness of individual factories over a period as well as with other factories. RIPU and WIPU captured in this indicator also represent operational RE that can be used to initiate improvement action. Originality/value Inclusion of both, the resource consumption and the waste generation along with discount/multiplying factors that capture the circularity aspects is likely to be the distinguishing feature of this indicator.

Business Model Innovation for Resource-efficiency, Circularity and Cleaner Production: What 143 Cases Tell Us

This paper analyses 143 cases about the implementation of various and often interlinked, integrative, Resource Efficiency Measures (REMs). These REMs have been brought in a framework distinguishing on the one hand a cluster of supply side measures, demand side measures and life cycle measures with a synergistic mode of operation. They further have been related to clear classes or Business Model Changes (BMCs) that can support their implementation, notably changes in the supply chain (SC), internal processes (IP), customer interface (CI), financial model (FM) and the value proposition (VP). The BMCs were further characterised in terms of typical Implementation Barriers (IBs) that were reported in the cases, i.e. institutional, market, organisational, behavioural and technological barriers. Our study could not confirm some common theoretical wisdom, such as that firms mainly focus on ‘simple’ REMs like cleaner production and green products. Indeed, we could not confirm that REMs with a high scope and degree of change, often perceived as complex to implement, faced more Implementation Barriers than others. In general most Implementation Barriers play a role in all types of REMs and BMCs, although also some weak patterns were found. Internal processes BMCs were mainly hampered by institutional and technological factors. Value proposition and Financial model BMCs faced mainly behavioural and market barriers. Customer interface BMCs encountered additionally organisational barriers, while supply chain BMCs face a mix of all classes of barriers distinguished in this study. This is one of the first studies on business models and resource-efficiency looking at a large set of cases which is a step forward from the single case studies that dominate current literature. Yet, follow-up research should overcome weaknesses in our approach, such as a possible bias towards success cases and be more quantitative in analysing the effort it takes to overcome IBs.