Industrial Ecology:

Vision and perspectives for Research

Prof. Suren ERKMAN

IDYST Away Day – Les Diablerets – 19 January 2015

Industrialization as a historical process

The concept of Industrial Ecology

«The traditional model of industrial activity

should be transformed in a more integrated

model: an industrial ecosystem.» (…)

R. Frosch & N. Gallopoulos, General Motors Laboratories, 1989

The field (a meta-discipline ?) :

«Industrial Ecology»

Ecology = Science of ecosystems

Industrial = all economic activities taking place

within the industrial system

Industrial ecology:

What is being done ?

a) Measure, analyze, evaluate, understand

b) Operational strategy: large scale

implementation («transitions», etc.)

From «pre-» to «hyper-» industrial metabolism:

Resource consumption per capita increased by a factor 10 (at least)

as compared to all other previous economic systems

Translocations: excavations, irrigation

Inputs

Minerals,

Oil, Gaz

Water

Air

Agriculture,

Hunting

Outputs

Wastes

Wastewater

Various Emissions

Dissipation

Industrial

Economy

Source: Wuppertal Insitut

Meaningful data for sustainability

UN – IEAG – DRSD, November 2014

http://www.undatarevolution.org

Source: Planning Commission Report on Power and Energy, 2002

Electricity Utilization by different sectors in Karnataka (2000-01)

?

What, how much:

Biophysical perspective: material and energy stocks and flows

Why, in what way:

Sociological perspective: consumption behaviour and practices

Looking for «blind spots» (ex.: green ergonomics)

Understanding (un)sustainable consumption ?

Industrial ecosystem:

Dynamics of evolutive adaptation

1) Circularize (quasi-circular economy)

2) Minimize losses

3) Dematerialize

4) Balance the industrial diet (decarbonize)

Eco-industrial synergies or symbioses

Source: G. Massard

Biological life support system:

artificial closed ecosystem (ACE)

Loop with humans, micro-organisms and higher plants

food

water

O2

Crew

Synthese ICarbon transforma°

Synthese IINitrogen transforma°

small molecules

mineralsNO3

-

(edible nitrogen)

Higher plantsVegetables, cereals,

spirulinaDegradationWaste liquefaction

waste

CO2

non edible part of plants

New business models: Product Service Systems

Ex.: Chemical leasing

Product Use Performance

Sale, maintenance Rental Result

Value based

on the product

Value based

on the service

Shift of the center of gravity of economic activities !

D’après: Tomohiko Sakao

Organizational innovation: third party operator

I appreciate your generous spirit, but just wanted to let you know that I have

all the things I could possibly want.

This year, I’d like to try something special: a stuff-free holiday.

Therefore, I’m issuing you this “One Less Gift” Certificate.

Instead of exchanging presents, let’s find other ways to enjoy this wonderful

season together.

We’ll each have one less gift to worry about, and save a little time, money,

and stress – not to mention our planet’s resources. Memories last much

longer than any material things!

Courtesy of missminimalist.com

One Less Gift

Dematerialization and Social innovation:

missminimalist.com (Francine Jay: The joy of less, 2010)

300

400

500

Atm

osp

her

ic c

on

cen

trat

ion

(p

pm

)

2000 2050 2100

Année

1800

600

SP 450

SP 550

4000

3000

Am

ou

nt

(Gt)

2100 Gt

1300 Gt800 GtPre-industrial

concentration

Concentration

(2014)

Carbon Capture and Sequestration + Utilization

800 Gt of «industrial» CO2 accumulated in the atmosphere

CO 2

Bio-material (wood,

biopolymers)

Biofuel/chemicals

Biomineralization

Enhanced oil

recovery

Sparkling beverage,

extinguisher…

Solvent

(supercitical CO2)

C-C bond

formation

Aromatics acidsCarboxylic

acids

Acrylic acids Others

CCS

C-O bond

formation

mineralization

Polycarbonates

C-N bond

formation

Urea

Carbamates

Oxazolidones

Reduction

Methanol

Carbon

monoxide

Methane

Chemical reaction

with non-fossil H2

Formic acid

Thermochemical,

electrochemical,

or photocatalytic

reduction

Aggregates

Construction

Chemical pathway

Physical pathway

Biological pathway

Pathways of CO2 valorization

Organic carbonates

Frederic Meylan, UNIL

Biorefinery: diversity of processes

Bifurcation:

A) Malthusian catastrophe (Collapse)

Bifurcation:

B) Radical Abundance (catastrophic success ?)

«The Master Equation»:

I = P · A · T

I = Impact

P = Population

A = Affluence (purchasing power)

T = Technology

Technological trajectories : systemic approach

Ex.: limiting factor for air transport

Technological trajectories : aviation, airports, etc.

Cf. Project Clip – Air: http://clipair.epfl.ch

Technological dynamics and trajectories

Major trends (potentially disruptive):

Atomic Precise Manufacturing + Von Neumann

+ «Superintelligence» (algorithms)

«Autonomous artefacts» ?

Emergence of «living technologies» ?

Technoscientific research and innovation:

A massive and pivotal industrial activity

- Science/policy interactions:

- sustainability frameworks

- understanding agnotology…

- Exploring assumptions: different scientific research

visions / programmes according to bifurcation A) or

B)

Technoscientific research and innovation:

A massive and pivotal industrial activity

- Is present technoscientific endeavor meaningful ?

(cf. «Slow Science»)

- Sustainability research: «Detached specialist» vs

«Generalist activist» ?