Evaluation of biotic and abiotic resource use in the mobility sector - development of LCA compatible impact indicators, methods and concepts
Final Report Abstract
The aim of the DFG-project "RessMob" was to develop an assessment approach compatible with the life cycle assessment approach according to ISO 14040/44, which is able to evaluate the use of biotic and abiotic resources including water and soil. Therefore, existing methods were further developed and applied to case studies related to various mobility options (including alternative powertrains). The methods ESSENZ- and SCARCE for abiotic resource assessment were developed further, e.g., regarding concepts for the assessment of alloying elements and composite materials. In addition, an approach to combine ESSENZ and the BIRD-method (for biotic resources) into one consistent method was derived. It was determined, that the AWARE-method is most appropriate for assessing water consumption, and the LANCA-method for soil quality. In a comprehensive analysis of existing LCA case studies for e-mobility, it was found out that the assessment of resource use is poorly addressed, electric cars have higher impacts on resource use than internal combustion engines, and lithium, manganese, copper and nickel, have the highest impacts for batteries. Battery recycling would greatly reduce these impacts. Achieving Germany's climate goals would require a large expansion of e-mobility, which would lead to an increase of demand of critical resources. Using public transport and bicycles instead of private cars combined with the use of alternative powertrains would limit the increase in demand of critical resources. In addition to passenger cars, the manufacturing and use phase of aircrafts were analysed. In the manufacturing phase, the engine has the highest impact due to nickel, titanium, niobium and tantalum alloys. When using lightweight materials instead of metals for wings and fuselage, the criticality decreases, but an overall higher fossil based resource depletion is observed. Since niobium is an important resource, but no LCA dataset was available, a new model was created. The majority of the use phase greenhouse gas emissions occur due to the combustion of aviation fuel (e.g., fossil jet A-1). Thus, bio-based fuels and synthetic paraffinic kerosene (based on renewable energy sources) were investigated. While a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions was found for the bio-based fuels, a significant increase was found for other environmental impacts. Although the environmental impact of synthetically produced kerosene varies significantly by different manufacturing pathways, one layout was identified that achieved reductions in all impact categories without trade-offs. Thus, synthetic paraffinic kerosene was identified as having greater potential than bio-based fuels to reduce the environmental impacts.
Publications
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(2018): Comprehensive Approach for Evaluating Different Resource Types – Case Study of Abiotic and Biotic Resource Use Assessment Methodologies. Ecological Indicators, Volume 87, April 2018
Vanessa Bach, Markus Berger, Silvia Forin and Matthias Finkbeiner
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(2019): Life Cycle Assessment of Ferro Niobium. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Volume 25, November 2019
Iulia Dolganova, Fabian Bosch, Vanessa Bach, Martin Baitz and Matthias Finkbeiner
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(2020): A Review of Life Cycle Assessment Studies of Electric Vehicles with a Focus on Resource Use. Resources, Volume 9, March 2020
Iulia Dolganova, Anne Rödl, Vanessa Bach, Martin Kaltschmitt and Matthias Finkbeiner
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(2020): Criticality Assessment of Abiotic Resource Use for Europe – Application of the SCARCE Method. Resources Policy, Volume 67, August 2020
Rosalie Arendt, Marco Muhl, Vanessa Bach and Matthias Finkbeiner
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(2021): Criticality Assessment of the Life Cycle of Passenger Vehicles Produced in China. Circular Economy and Sustainability, Volume 1, February 2021
Xin Sun, Vanessa Bach, Matthias Finkbeiner and Jianxin Yang
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(2021): Urban transport assessment of emissions and resource demand of climate protection scenarios. Cleaner Environmental Systems, Volume 2, June 2021
Lukas Byrne, Vanessa Bach and Matthias Finkbeiner
