RCI Study Analyzes LCA and Carbon Footprint Standards in Industry

The Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) has published a full report that investigates different Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methods and carbon footprint standards for renewable carbon-based products. The report, carried out by nova-Institute on behalf of RCI, reports inconsistencies in the sustainability assessment frameworks and how they affect determining renewable carbon.

Renewable carbon sources are derived from biomass, recycling, or carbon capture and are introduced into industrial processes more and more as a substitute for fossil-based carbon. Yet its measure of sustainability effect differs from one LCA model to another, meaning different amounts of carbon footprint. The research compares leading sustainability standards and weighs important agreements and disagreements as to how renewable carbon is treated in such models. 

Key Findings on LCA Methodologies:-
The research is structured into three sections. The first section addresses the methodological strategies of prominent LCA models and their implications for renewable carbon products. It describes how various models treat biogenic carbon uptake and emissions, and how they treat recycling processes. Whereas most frameworks are in agreement regarding the accounting of biogenic carbon emissions, exceptions do exist, notably in the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) and the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), which account for biogenic carbon in different ways.

The second part emphasizes the difficulty of pricing renewable carbon in recycling. Different frameworks give rise to different methodologies, which are likely to yield different outcomes. Maybe the biggest area of disagreement is how LCA models handle processes with multiple outputs. Different frameworks assign emission credits to co-products, while others do not, resulting in different carbon footprint calculations. This inconsistency makes it difficult for companies and policymakers to make objective comparisons between renewable carbon-based products and fossil-based products.

The third section provides a layman's overview of conclusions, including key points for stakeholders and policymakers. Among the general findings is the necessity for a more uniform approach to renewable carbon measurements. The research indicates that biogenic carbon accounting employs a -1/+1 system (where biogenic CO2 uptake is treated as negative emissions and emissions as positive) or a 0/0 system (with removals and emissions excluded). Although most frameworks employ the -1/+1 system, PEF and RED III are presently employing the 0/0 system. There are still controversies ongoing in the Environmental Footprint (EF) Technical Advisory Board regarding shifting towards the -1/+1 model in a bid to enhance the accuracy of sustainability measurement. Addressing Policy and Industry Needs

The article emphasizes policymakers responding to flexibility in LCA models in order to achieve balance in the assessment of renewable carbon products. Without standardized and established processes, companies are in limbo while calculating their carbon footprint. The study demands deliberations in mass balance approaches, carbon capture and utilization (CCU), and attribution methods in order to enhance uniformity in sustainability metrics.
Methodological differences in LCA influence those businesses that work to minimize fossil fuel consumption. Businesses that make investments in recycling technology, biomass products, and carbon capture equipment need precise directions so that efforts are properly quantified in the sustainability report. Policymakers need to bring standardization in LCA techniques so that it provides an impartial and transparent methodology for quantification of carbon footprint.

Future Implications:-

With industries going towards net-zero emissions, the need for consistent LCA and carbon footprint standards cannot be emphasized enough. The discrepancies revealed in the RCI study show that there is still a lot to be done in terms of sustainability reporting and policy. Having a single framework will facilitate industries' shift towards cleaner carbon sources and offer consistent and comparable data on environmental claims.
The results of this research give important points regarding the subtleties of LCA models. Governments and firms need to collaborate to improve these models so that they can facilitate a shift towards circularity and be utilized in order to deal with global carbon emissions targets.

Source: RCI