Today, chemicals and materials are often still produced on the basis of fossil carbon. The new study by the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) "Case Studies Based on Peer-reviewed Life Cycle Assessments - Carbon Footprints of Different Renewable Carbon-based Chemicals and Materials" shows the potential of renewable carbon-based raw materials, which can be bio-based, CO2-based or recycled, in terms of reducing the carbon footprint. The report was written by sustainability experts from the nova-Institute.
Carbon circular economy is the goal
For carbon-dependent industries, defossilization is only possible by replacing fossil carbon sources, such as oil or coal, with renewable carbon. The fact that this can be achieved and that replacing fossil carbon sources has a significant impact on the carbon footprint of products is described in the report presented by RCI on the basis of five life cycle assessment case studies that were reviewed by external, independent experts. The five products come from RCI members Avantium (NL), BASF (DE), IFF (US), Lenzing (AT) and Neste (FI).
The products examined show that competitive materials are already available today that have a 30 to 90 % lower carbon footprint due to the substitution of fossil carbons with renewable carbons. The authors of the study see considerable potential for further emission reductions in the future and a good opportunity for an ecologically and economically oriented carbon cycle economy.
The full brochure can be downloaded here.
