Technology Enablers and LCA PDF

Technology Enablers and Life Cycle Analysis Yvonne van Lith – Lectoraat Circular Transitions Menti question (word cloud): What techniques pop into your mind? Agenda Today 1. Life Cycle Analysis 2. Technology Enablers – Digital Product Passports – AI...

Technology Enablers and Life Cycle Analysis Yvonne van Lith – Lectoraat Circular Transitions Menti question (word cloud): What techniques pop into your mind? Agenda Today 1. Life Cycle Analysis 2. Technology Enablers – Digital Product Passports – AI and ML – Digital twins – Blockchain 2  Linear  Circular Economy The Role of Artificial Intelligence within Circular Economy Activities—A View from Ireland Salman Pathal et al, 2023  Product Life Cycle Fig: Ecochain Add information on: raw materials needed, manufacturing, packaging, transportation and use phase LCA – assessing all life cycle phases Product Life Cycle shows Hidden impact Chain of impact – life cycle 6 What is hidden impact? Nature ©© Ulet Ifansasti / Greenpeace What is hidden impact? Climate © Adobe Stock © Getty What is hidden impact? Environment foto: Dolfi Debrot LCA – packaged meat For a packaged piece of meat you find in the supermarket: LCA LCA– –assessing packaged all meat life cycle phases LCA – petrol vs. electric car End of life scenario Impact during use phase Fossil vs. renewable energy for fuel/electricity production Mining raw materials and vehicle manufacturing LCA – Impact top Dutch 10 average LCA – assessing all life cycle phases Impact on: nature, climate, environment What do we measure, in which unit? LCA – Impact categories Water Land use CO2 footprint Rare elements (abiotic resource depletion) Toxic substances Biodiversity loss … 15 LCA – Impact categories – 9 planetary boundaries Climate change Novel entities Stratospheric ozone depletion Atmospheric aerosol loading Ocean acidification Biogeochemical flows (N, P) Freshwater use Land-system change Biosphere integrity (biodiversity loss 16 Fig. Stockholm Resilience Center Impact categories have their own impact indicator https://ecocostsvalue.com/EVR/model/theory/subject/2-eco-costs.html Ecocost value: sum up to total impact 17 LCA – Impact indicator for climate change Global greenhouse gas emissions by type of gases Kg CO2-eq GWP 18 LCA – Impact assessment for product Impact-category: Climate change Impact-indicator: Kg CO2-eq / Ctouch screen 19 https://ctouch.eu/sustainability/sustainability-dashb Purpose of LCA 20 LCA – Impact assessment towels Cotton rol versus paper towels Compare impact, how? Functional unit? 21 LCA – Impact assessment towels Cotton rol versus paper towels Information needed: Cotton rol is washed 130x and end-of-life used in factories as cleaning cloth. Paper towels are collected as municipal waste. 22 LCA – Impact assessment towels Functional unit? 10.000 x drying hands. Reference flow? Cotton rol: (10.000 x drying hands * 1x pull * 16 gr/pull) / 130 x reuse via wasserette = 1,23 kg cotton Papieren doekjes: 10.000 x drying hands * 2x pull * 4 gr/pull = 80 kg paper All materials and processes necessary for these kgs product calculated to impact (gram CO2 eq. or total impact als endpoint) 23 LCA – reusable cotton rol versus single use paper towels 24 LCA – Databases for impact assessment 25 LCA – assessment needs inventory 26 Digital Product Passport (DPP) Green deal EU: Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) – July 2024 Package of measures to achieve objectives of 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan (and achieve targets in 2030). With DPP companies are obliged to report on product composition, origin of resources and reuse options at End- of-Life of parts First: cars, electronics and textile Information to be included in the DPP can include: Product’s technical performance Materials and their origins Repair activities Recycling capabilities Lifecycle environmental impacts 27 Datasets to be included in DPP 28 Product Circular Data Sheet The “Circularity Dataset Standardization Initiative” aims at establishing an official standard for communicating data on the circular economy properties of products, in consultation with other standards organizations. - international accepted dataset describing circular properties - auditable international industry standard 29 Initiative from Luxembourg: CREATING A DIGITAL CIRCULARITY FINGERPRINT FOR PRODUCTS https://pcds.lu/ Short break 10 min break Continue with part 2: Technology Enablers 30 Digitalisation and Circular economy Fig. 7. Capabilities driven by digitalisation technologies to achieve CE. Digitalisation for CE – measuring level of circularity Recovery of materials Recycling percentage Closing the loop Integration of supply chain Fig. Chauhan et al. 2022. Viable System Model-based framework for transition towards the CE Enablers and barriers of digitalisation-led CE Remanufacturing Ecosystem collaboration Valorisation, recycling and resource recovery Reverse logistics and closing the loop Waste segregation Operational efficiency Supply chain integration Commitment of top management 33 AI - Waste sorting and recycling AI-powered robots and systems to sort waste materials. Image recognition and ML algorithms to identify and separate different types of waste, ensuring proper recycling. ZenRobotics uses AI to improve the sorting process, reducing contamination and increasing the purity of recycled materials 34 AI – Predictive maintenance AI algorithms analyze data from machinery and equipment to predict when maintenance is needed, reducing downtime and extending the lifespan of assets. Siemens uses AI to monitor equipment health and optimize maintenance schedules, thus preventing equipment failure and reducing waste. 36 ML – Material optimization in manufacturing ML algorithms are used to optimize the use of raw materials in manufacturing processes. By analyzing production data, ML can suggest adjustments to minimize material usage while maintaining product quality. Apart from that: (Re)Design plays a big role in reducing raw material use. Redesign reduces the average weight of a bottle by 30% Raw materials reduction Several grams per bottle, large savings of plastic on large scale. 37 ML – Supply chain optimization ML models can predict demand, helping companies manage their inventory and reduce excess stock and waste. These models can analyze various factors, such as market trends, historical sales data, and external events, to optimize supply chain operations. FoodFlow Solutions, student start-up company, manage the stock for restaurants 38 Digital Twin – Role in Circular Economy Digital twins are virtual replicas of physical assets, systems, or processes. Fig. Synengco 39 Fig. Synengco Digital Twinning – Product Lifecycle Management Can be used to simulate and analyze the entire lifecycle of a product, from design and production to operation and disposal. Helps in identifying opportunities for improving sustainability and efficiency (by optimizing the performance and maintenance). Example: General Electric (GE) uses digital twins of jet engines and power plants, extending their life and reducing resource consumption. Digital Twin of fully automated assembly line developed by Festo® Didactics Industry 4.0 Lab project. 41 AI, ML, Digital Twinning – Circular fashion In the fashion industry, AI and ML can predict fashion trends and optimize inventory management to reduce overproduction and waste. Digital twins can simulate the lifecycle of garments, from production to end-of-life, to design more sustainable products and systems. Example: New optimist. 42 New Optimist Digital Product Passport Statiegeld label - deposit 44 Blockchains – Smart Contracts Can record 5 key product dimensions – Nature, quality, quantity, location, ownership Issues: – Trust – immutable recording of transactions – Traceability – defining of origins of materials – Transparency – to which extent is information easily accessible to both counterparties in an exchange – AND external observers 45 Data sharing Share DPP with stakeholders in value chain (based on varying permissions and access rights): Customers Recyclers Manufacturers Market surveillance authorities Importers Customs authorities Distributors Civil society organisations Repairers Trade unions Remanufacturers European Commission Data security and privacy is at the heart of DPP design. 46 In the workshop - Learn Life Cycle Thinking - Make a Product Inventory - Do your own Quick scan LCA - Visualize the outcome - Advise on a Technology Enabler Prepare for the workshop: Download the Idemat app Watch the video