Middle-out evolution of greenfield eco-industrial parks: The case of GreenLab Skive, Denmark

Description

Transforming into eco-industrial parks (EIPs) by applying collaborative measures and stakeholder involvement is a practical and political answer to the decline of existing industrial parks (Morales & Diemer, 2019; Simboli, Taddeo & Morgante, 2014). This has received ongoing attention both in literature and practice (Dai et al., 2022) as a brownfield approach, where EIPs develop through retrofits and new strategies of existing establishments.

Less attention has been paid to the contrasting approach: that of greenfield development where sustainability is inherent in the planning, design, and construction phases of the ensuing establishment. The few existing studies evolve around a top-down approach, where planning is implemented with governmental financial support and driven by national governmental programs or research institutions (Behera et al., 2012; Sakr et al., 2011).

The present study shows the potency of a middle-out approach (Costa & Ferrão, 2010) to greenfield EIP development driven by multi-stakeholder processes engaging a large group of actors, such as companies, research institutions, public bodies, public and private funding, and the community at large. It devotes itself to exploring the emergence paths of a greenfield EIP by analyzing the evolution of GreenLab Skive, a Danish eco-industrial park.

GreenLab Skive is the world's first EIP with Power-to-X integrated into an industrial symbiosis network and positions itself not only as an EIP, but also as a technology enabler and a national research facility, specialized in accelerating research and technology to scale (Sorrenti et al., 2023). It is located far from major urban centers, and its emergence initiated more than a decade ago (Alashpekova & Kørnøv, 2018).

Methodologically, the study draws on an analytical framework developed from a variety of process models for developing EIPs (among them Mortensen & Kørnøv, 2019). The focus is on the evolutionary path, including emergence and implementation phases, actors involved, and the joint creation of the journey through staging narratives. Special attention in our research is given to how research communities serve as key player in the facilitation of EIP development. A triangulation of data collection methods is used including historical and real-life data collection methods, such as individual and focus group interviews, observations, and document analysis. The study monitors GreenLab Skive in real life for a 6-months period.

The results contribute to theory by providing a new way of mapping EIP development. The study also has implications for practice by providing actionable insights and applicable guidelines for EIP design, development, and implementation. Both the theoretical and practical contributions add value to our knowledge on how to facilitate EIP development.

Period	2 Jul 2023
Event title	11th biennial conference of the International Society for Industrial Ecology: Transitions in a world in turmoil
Event type	Conference
Location	Leiden, NetherlandsShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International