Potential of Total Site Process Integration for Balancing and Decreasing the Key Environmental Footprints

Process Integration allows for the optimising of those industrial processes integrated within other sectors, such as residential, business, service, and even agricultural. In general, the multiple goals involved within the optimisation of Total Site system design are: thermodynamic, economic, technical, and environmental criteria. As a result of growing concerns about environmental problems over recent years, the design criteria for modern Total Sites and other systems need to consider, besides the economic or technical, those environmental requirements from the life-cycle perspective. This paper presents the potential of Total Site process integration in order to reflect the key environmental footprints, including carbon, water, and nitrogen footprints. It is illustrated using a case study of locally integrated energy sectors.