EPOS brings together six major process industries, research organisations and SMEs to create and validate a cross-sector industrial symbiosis platform. The project strengthens EU industrial competitiveness by identifying symbiosis opportunities, developing IS tools and testing them in five European industrial clusters. It provides KPIs, training programmes and business scenarios to support cost-effective, large-scale adoption. (2015-2019).
EPOS – Enhanced Energy and Resource Efficiency through Industrial Symbiosis in Process Industries
The EPOS (Enhanced energy and resource Efficiency and Performance in process industry Operations via onsite and cross-sectorial Symbiosis) project develops and validates innovative approaches to improve energy and resource efficiency across Europe’s process industries. By leveraging industrial symbiosis, EPOS fosters collaboration between key sectors—including steel, cement, minerals, chemicals, bio-based industries, and engineering—to enhance sustainability, competitiveness, and operational performance.
The project introduces an integrated industrial symbiosis platform and management tool designed to identify, assess, and implement cross-sectorial synergies. These include the exchange of energy, materials, water, by-products, and waste streams, as well as the shared use of infrastructure and technologies. The EPOS approach supports decision-making through data-driven methodologies and key performance indicators, enabling more efficient and cost-effective industrial operations.
Validated through multiple industrial clusters across Europe, the EPOS model demonstrates how onsite and cross-sectorial collaboration can unlock new business opportunities and reduce environmental impact. By combining technological solutions with organisational innovation, the project contributes to the transition towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient, and circular industrial system, in line with the SPIRE roadmap and EU sustainability goals.