Industrial Ecology. Raw material use efficiency
General objective
Development and implementation of thermodynamic tools to assess the degradation of the planet's natural resources and optimize their use in the industrial sector.
Specific objectives
- Quantification of the thermodynamic criticality of raw materials on the planet and evaluation of impacts based on the degree of resource depletion.
- Assessment of fertile soils as the planet's natural capital and quantification of their degradation as an impact of agriculture.
- Achieve a shift from a linear economic model to a more circular one
- Identify and facilitate opportunities for industrial symbiosis between companies.
- Establish strategies to improve the recyclability and longevity of technological equipment.
- Thermoeconomic evaluation and optimization of industrial processes to close the cycles.
Projects developed
AWARE: Critical Raw Material Recycling
TREASURE: leading the TRansit ion of the European Automotive SUpply chain towards a circulaR futurE
Demonstration Of Local industrial-urban symbiosis initiatives (REDOL) project
Technological Offer/Services
At the industrial/business level
Assist the industry in minimizing the use of raw materials, increasing their efficiency, and aiming to close the material cycles. Specifically:
- Simulation of extractive, metallurgical, and chemical processes.
- Search for industrial symbiosis solutions.
- Material Flow Analysis (MFA) of processes to determine resource efficiency in industries and companies.
- Thermoeconomic diagnosis of plants producing primary and secondary raw materials: chemicals, metals, industrial minerals, and recycling.
- Impact assessment associated with the use of certain raw materials at the plant and industrial systems level.
- Development of indicators to determine the efficiency of companies and plants in the use of raw materials.
Policy level
Provide solid and verified information for the formulation of political, economic, industrial, and social strategies related to "circular economy, sufficiency, and regeneration" in response to the new challenges associated with raw material scarcity due to the ecological transition. Establishment of guidelines, indicators, and pertinent information at the national, European, and international levels to improve the management of raw material use. Specifically:
- Development of indicators to define methodologies and accounting systems, increase transparency, and ultimately protect mineral capital.
- Analysis of material flows at local, regional, national, or international scales to identify "critical raw materials."
- Impact assessment associated with the extraction, use, recycling, or substitution of certain raw materials on a global scale.
