The SUN network – Symbiosis Users Network – aims to be the Italian reference for operators who want to implement industrial symbiosis in their production at the industrial, research, and territorial levels. Promoted by ENEA in 2016, the network currently includes 39 partners, such as universities, political institutions, research organizations, private companies, technological networks, and local authorities.
What is industrial symbiosis? In summary, it is a new production model necessary for the transition to a circular economy, aimed at reducing dependence on raw materials, decarbonizing production processes and making the industry more efficient.
In June 2022, the update of the “National Strategy for the Circular Economy” outlined among the 63 key reforms for the implementation of the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) the industrial symbiosis as a fundamental step in Italy to achieve sustainability, providing support for the development of related projects through specific regulatory and financial tools.
The SUN network is structured into the following 6 Working Groups:
- Mapping the state of the art;
- Regional policies and actions for industrial symbiosis;
- Economic and social evaluation of industrial symbiosis;
- Certification and standards for industrial symbiosis (with a representative from the Politecnico di Milano, Doctor Eleonora Perotto, PhD);
- Legislation;
- Communication, Dissemination, and Training.
In early 2025 the WG 4 “Certification and standards for industrial symbiosis” published the “Technical Standards for Industrial Symbiosis”, a free guide on voluntary standards in the field of industrial symbiosis, downloadable at this link. The Guide was already presented on the occasion of 2024 Ecomondo edition in Rimini.