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Defining Relevance and Finding Rules: An Agent-Based
Model of Biomass Use in the Humber Area
Frank Schiller
1
, Anne Skeldon
1
,TinaBalke
1
, Michelle Grant
1
,
Alexandra S. Penn
1
, Lauren Basson
2
, Paul Jensen
1
, Nigel Gilbert
1
,
Ozge Dilaver Kalkan
1
, and Amy Woodward
1
1
University of Surrey,
Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7HX, United Kingdom
{
f.schiller,a.skeldon,t.balke,m.grant,a.penn,
p.jensen,n.gilbert,o.dilaverkalkan,a.woodward
}
@surrey.ac.uk
2
The Green House,
Ubunye House, 70 Rosmead Avenue,
Kenilworth, 7708, South Africa
basson.lauren@gmail.com
Abstract.
The field of industrial ecology applies ecosystem theory to industrial
production, human consumption and societies. This article presents a case study
of the development of the bio-based economy in the area surrounding the Humber
estuary in the North-East of England. The study developed an agent-based model
to simulate the evolution of the industrial system. We explain how the qualitative
research process led to the development of a toy model that has successively been
specified.
1
Introduction
The field of industrial ecology applies ecosystem theory to industrial production, hu-
man consumption and societies. As such, the models developed in this field are often
conceptual, remote from actors' self-perception and sometimes on the brink of commit-
ting a natural fallacy. Yet the dynamics that can be observed in socio-metabolic systems
are hugely interesting from an epistemic point of view and indeed for the future of
industrialised societies with respect to their ontological dimensions.
Against this background, the Evolution and Resilience of Industrial Ecosystems
project (ERIE) at the University of Surrey
1
is carrying out a case study of the area
surrounding the Humber estuary in the North-East of England. The area is of interest
for a variety of reasons: It hosts two deep water ports, existing chemical industry of
national significance, and an agricultural hinterland. All of these factors are relevant
in explaining the growth of a bio-based economy in the area. The industries utilising
biomass include chemistry, the energy sector and agriculture. All are intricately linked
although the policies that drive the development of the system are partly carried out
independently. Our research was interested in the analysis of the development of a bio-
based economy in the area. In particular, we wanted to explore the evolution of the
bio-based economy in the Humber area with the help of an agent-based model.
