Supply is the quantity of a product that is made available by producers at a particular price level or set of market conditions within a defined geographical area and time period. In Life Cycle Assessment, supply is the total provision of products from all producing activities that make that product available to consumers and other activities requiring it as an input.
Within LCA system modelling, supply is important for understanding product flows and market dynamics. The concept extends beyond simple economic availability to encompass the full set of activities that provide products within a product system. Supply data forms the foundation for constructing supply-use tables, which are important tools for input-output based LCA approaches and for understanding the structure of economic activities and their environmental implications.
The supply of a product in a given geographical area includes both domestic production and imports. This combined supply is sometimes referred to as the supply mix, distinguishing it from the production mix which considers only domestically produced quantities. Understanding the complete supply picture is particularly important in consequential LCA modelling, where changes in demand must be matched against available supply and the constraints on expanding production capacity.
As Chief Operating Officer, Iris leads our organisational development and oversees day-to-day operations. Before joining 2-0, she worked in the biotechnology sector. As an LCA consultant, Iris has devoted her expertise primarily to the domains of sustainable agriculture and food production. She is dedicated to teaching LCA and is responsible for our educational efforts. Iris holds an M.Sc. in Biology – Biotechnology from the University of Copenhagen.
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Glossary terms are clearer once you have seen them applied. Our guide to what LCA is and how it works walks through the complete methodology: goal and scope, inventory modelling, impact assessment, and interpretation.
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