The ‘Industrial Symbiosis Gap’: information asymmetries are the main challenge for industrial symbiosis – evidence from four Austrian testbeds with a focus on heat exchange

Industrial symbiosis is implemented less often than a detailed scientific examination of individual cases would suggest. The barriers to industrial symbiosis have been widely discussed in the literature. This paper aims to show that many of the barriers that have to be overcome and that are specific for industrial symbiosis can be classified as information asymmetries from a theoretical-economics perspective. In this article, we substantiate this argument (i) on the basis of the general classification of industrial symbiosis as a regional exchange, (ii) on the basis of the barriers identified in the literature, and (iii) on the basis of empirical experience in four Austrian case studies. Potential support options for third parties that address information asymmetries are discussed.