From waste to resource. Closing the water balance in industry

Important results from the project

The aim of the project has been to test an integrated use of two systematic methodologies, Material Flow Cost Accounting and Pinch Analysis. The potential for using these methodologies as decision support for setting strategies and identifying pathways towards targets related to water-, energy and resource efficiency has been tested. More specifically the hypothesis that these methods are suitable for the purpose was tested, and bottlenecks and hurdles for development where identified.

Expected long term effects

The main result from the project was that the hypothesis is valid; there exist potential for using the methodologies as decision support in an integrated tool. The methodologies address different issues and can when integrated generate information on the current state, theoretical and practical potential, and identify pathways forward to reach set goals. Substantial development of the integrated approach is needed, e.g. on defining parameters of importance, and on connecting the methodologies.

Approach and implementation

The project was designed in five work packages; project management, communication, definition of the methodology, definition and collection of data for the case study, and finally an assessment of the integrated methodology and identification of hurdles and bottlenecks for further development. There is potential in the approach, but there are also a lot of difficulties that need to be solved regarding the use and integration of methodologies and the definition and collection of data.