Guiding sustainable bio-industrial synergies for optimal GHG mitigation and regional economic development

加拿大许多自然资源行业的持续运营能力面临着经济挑战。这些在农村经济中得到了敏锐的感受，在那里，一个大型工业雇主往往支撑着该地区的经济活力。这类产业的丧失对第二和第三产业产生了结转影响，并可能干扰正常运作的供应链，导致基本设施的成本增加和碳足迹增加。布雷顿角工业就是这样一个地区，它受到许多大型工业企业消亡的负面影响。18.5%的失业率由于食品和能源价格的天价震荡、熟练劳动力池的减少以及继续向传统业务注入现金的政策重点而加剧。这项研究的重点是来自Dalhousie和CBU工业研究部门-Verschuren中心的研究人员与Port Hawkebury Paper LP(PHP)和Potlotek First Nation合作创建一个工业共生网络，以支持三个明显的地区效益：1)通过重新分配现有废物资源创造新的收入来源，提高PHP运营的经济可行性；2)通过改善PHPS废水管理和降低温室气体排放强度来解决环境问题；以及3)支持与低碳、高效生产食品、燃料和/或纤维相关的业务发展，重点放在水产养殖和寒冷天气温室作业上。这项研究涉及NSERC的两个目标领域：环境和农业(主题3和4)；以及自然资源和能源(主题1)。更广泛的目标是开发/测试一个决策支持框架，以指导工业共生网络的系统设计，根据三个要素--减少温室气体排放、提高资源效率和增加经济产出--优化这种配置的全系统效用。最终目标是制定一个框架，能够严格评估现有工业共生网络的效率，并指导新的综合工业网络的发展，以通过与新的工业合作伙伴的新颖合作来重振传统工业运营。

Many Canadian natural-resource industries face economic challenges to their continued operational viability. These have been keenly felt in rural economies where one large industrial employer ofttimes underpins the economic vibrancy of the region. The loss of such industries has had a carry-over affect on secondary and tertiary industries and can interfer with functioning supply-chain resulting in higher costs for basic amenities and higher carbon footprints. Industrial Cape Breton is one such region negatively impacted by the demise of numerous large industrial operations. An unemployment rate of 18.5% is exacerbated by sky-rocking food and energy prices, diminishing pools of skilled labour and a continued policy focus of cash injection into traditional operations. The focus of this research is for researchers from Dalhousie and CBU's industrial research unit - the Verschuren Centre - to collaborate with Port Hawkesbury Paper LP (PHP) and Potlotek First Nation to pursue the creation of an industrial symbiosis network to support 3 distinct regional benefits: 1) improve the economic viability of PHP's operation by creating new sources of revenue through the re-allocation of existing waste resources; 2) address environmental concerns by improving PHPs effluent management and reducing GHG intensity; and 3) support business development linked to low-carbon, efficient production of food, fuel and/or fiber - focused on aquaculture and cold-weather greenhouse operations. This research addresses two NSERC's Target Areas: Environment and Agriculture (topics 3 & 4); and Natural Resource and Energy (topic 1). The broader objective is the development/testing of a decision support framework to guide system design of industrial symbiosis networks, optimizing the system-wide utility of such configurations according to 3 elements - reduced GHG emissions, improved resource efficiency, and increased economic output. The ultimate objective is to produce a framework that can rigorously evaluate the efficiency of existing industrial symbiotic networks, and guide the development of new integrated industrial networks to reinvigorate traditional industrial operations through novel collaborations with new industrial partners.