Mapping the Diversity of Industrial Symbiosis: Comparative analysis of European public and private efforts to develop symbiotic networks

Paper in proceeding, 2013

The paper presents ongoing research performed by a network of European researchers on the development and diffusion of industrial symbiosis in European countries. The research has a number of aims: 1. To find out the nature of industrial symbiosis by finding out the national peculiarities as well as points of correspondence in countries with varying characteristics in socio-economic institutions; 2. To map the process of diffusion of industrial symbiosis within and across European countries; 3. To find unique and corresponding elements in the (public and private) efforts to stimulate industrial symbiosis. The paper will present main results from the analysis of our cross-national dataset covering these dimensions. It will show the highly specific nature in which symbiosis is defined and diffuse in each country. This leads to a reflection on the way in which industrial symbiosis research should develop more extended typologies of forms of symbiotic networks that are sensitive to these differences. The paper will also reflect on the methods we used to perform this research, and the learning curve we experienced in doing so. This experience is valuable for future research efforts to extend the comparison to other parts of the world, and compare European with American and Asian developments.