A baseline climate footprint of the Danmarks Idrætsforbund (DIF) for the year 2019 was calculated through an Organisational Life Cycle Assessment performed by LCA 2.-0 consultants using foreground data from 2019 delivered by DIF in 2022. That part of the project was completed in October 2022. The updated climate footprint for the year 2022 was calculated using foreground data from 2022 delivered by DIF in 2023.
The results of the projects can be used to identify climate impact hotspots and the most relevant options for reducing this impact.
In this project we analysed the EU product environmental footprint (PEF) methodology, the state of databases on climate footprints, the current knowledge on effective label design, and relevant EU regulation. The basis for our analysis was that an effective climate labelling scheme will require a methodology, a database, and a label format that allows consistent comparison both within and across product categories. On this basis we identified the necessary preconditions and suggested a way forward in a study report. The Options Brief (short document for policy makers) can be accessed as an annex from the study at the project website of the European Parliament.
Limiting post-combustion emissions is one of the most urgent actions for environmental remediation. However, capture technologies face multiple challenges mostly due to the low concentration of pollutants, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) or nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), making them highly inefficient. Additionally, even if successful, there are very few plausible uses for the captured pollutants, apart from long-term geological storage.
In the pursuit of a more sustainable future, SUPERVAL’s primary objective is to address these challenges simultaneously, investigating the viability of a technology capable of transforming the treatment of post-combustion gases to unlock the potential of carbon and nitrogen components by separating and transforming them into valuable resources.
SUPERVAL will design and realize an autonomous, solar-powered installation able to capture harmful emissions from flue gas, and valorise them as commodities for the chemical industry. The CO2 will be transformed into an organic, energy-rich molecule (formate). The NOx will be also captured and transformed, in combination with N2, into ammonia using the hydrogen obtained in the CO2 co-electrolysis processes. This integrated effort will offer the comprehensive capture and valorisation of carbon and nitrogen components in post-combustion emissions, thus limiting pollutants and resulting in added-value chemicals. The corresponding techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment studies will help to shape the components and performance of SUPERVAL as a useful technological advancement in the search for zero net emissions.
SUPERVAL will be coordinated by the research institution Institut Catala d'Investigacio Química (ICIQ-CERCA) and will bring together a consortium of diverse organizations contributing their unique expertise and resources. The participating partners include: Orchestra Scientific. Universitat Politècnica de València – UPV, Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali - INSTM UdR Messina, CASPE Laboratory. Forschungszentrum Julich, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven - TU/e. Vareser 96 and 2.-O LCA Consultants.
The LCA tool makes it possible for horticultures in Denmark to calculate the environmental impacts from each crop. The intended application for Danish Horticulture (Dansk Gartneri), was to identify impacts and hotspots and use the outcome to substantiate their ongoing work on reducing the impacts from the Danish horticultural production. The tool is prepared for both organic and conventional cultivation practices. Furthermore, there are both greenhouse and free range production methods included.
The horticulture-specific calculator includes impacts for the production and upstream in the life cycle, including relevant processing and packaging. Results are given per ton crop at the greenhouse gate using Stepwise as method or as impacts pr. hectare or as a total for each holding studied.
This project is representative of the type of tools we customise for the our clients, who want multiple producers within the same sector to get reliable and accurate impacts for their individual production. Hence, the results are useful for decision making in future strategies and goals for each primary producer as well as the organisation, Danish Horticulture.
This project developed a methodology and data for calculating the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, nitrogen and phosphate leached to water, and phosphate leftover in the soil, related to the cultivation of crops. The GHG emissions include dinitrogen monoxide, ammonia, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide. These emissions, leaches, and leftovers were calculated using a model described by the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC). The calculations are summarised in a report (Schmidt J and Sørensen J I (2022). LCA Crop Database Methodology Report), where the inputs and the outputs of the model are also outlined.
The aim of the project was to build a specific LCA model and Excel tool for MAVASOL to calculate the potential GHG emission savings from their sand recovery system (SRS) for dairy farms. This was done by comparing two alternative scenarios with and without the sand recovery system.
Tropical peatland stores a large amount of carbon. In the last 20 years, drainage of Asian peat soil has increased to satisfy the demand of land for plantation agricultures. Industrial oil palm plantations occupy large areas of peatland in Indonesia and Malaysia, with associated GHG emissions and biodiversity loss, here referred to as nature occupation impact. This study performs a detailed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of 1 kg of palm oil for two case studies: PT SMART's Hanau and Sungai Rungau facilities in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. The objective is to quantify the reduction in GHG emissions and nature occupation that has been achieved by implementing the following industry-driven measures: reducing the area of cultivated peat soil, reducing the peat drainage depth, and setting aside part of the land-bank for nature conservation. The results show that 1 kg of palm oil causes 2.72 and 2.25 kg CO2-eq./kg palm oil from Hanau and Sungai Rungau facilities respectively. These are 20%–34% lower than average RSPO certified palm oil and 49%–58% lower than average non-certified palm oil. Sungai Rungau achieves the reduction mainly due to a completely peat soil-free supply base. Hanau's peat emissions are instead 0.28 kg, compared to the 0.77 and 2.36 kg CO2-eq for RSPO certified and non-certified palm oil respectively, due to a very low drainage depth (18–25 cm compared to 57–73 cm in average of RSPO certified and non-certified respectively) and an overall lower share of oil palms on peat land. The impact on nature occupation is 24%–43% lower in Hanau and Sungai Rungau compared to non-certified oil and 4%–29% lower compared to RPSO certified respectively. About 8% of the total land bank of the Hanau supply-base has been set aside for nature conservation, reducing GHG emissions by 2% and nature occupation by 9%. Both Hanau and Sungai Rungau could also significantly reduce GHG emissions in the palm oil milling stage, by implementing biogas capture in palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment.
LCA is a technique to assess environmental impacts associated with all the life cycle stages of a product or service from ‘cradle to grave’. Over the last decade, United Plantations Berhad has worked intensively to reduce their environmental impacts and this ongoing project is part of the underlying research.
The primary purpose of the project is to document and assess the environmental impacts from the production of palm oil at United Plantations Berhad. Secondly, the purpose is to follow over time the GHG emissions from the production of palm oil at United Plantations Berhad. Thirdly, to compare United Plantation Berhad’s production of palm oil with average Malaysian/Indonesian palm oil and other major vegetable oils, and fourthly, to analyse improvement options for United Plantation Berhad’s production of palm oil.
This project currently consists of eight studies carried out for United Plantations Berhad in 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. The study in 2008 was the first LCA of palm oil ever, which was fully compliant with and critical reviewed according to the international standards on LCA: ISO 14040 and 14044.
The environmental impact of palm oil is presented in the reports as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, i.e. carbon footprint, as well as for a number of other impact categories such as biodiversity, respiratory effects and toxicity. The environmental impacts relate to the life cycle of palm oil from cultivation to the gate of the refinery, including all upstream emissions, e.g. from the production of fertilisers, fuels and machinery.
Recent reports:
LCA of palm oil at United Plantations Berhad 2023 (Results 2004-2022)
LCA of palm oil at United Plantations Berhad 2022 (Results 2004-2021)
LCA of palm oil at United Plantations Berhad 2021 (Results 2004-2020)
LCA of palm oil at United Plantations Berhad 2020 (Results 2004-2019)
LCA of palm oil at United Plantations Berhad 2019 (Results 2004-2018)
LCA of palm oil at United Plantations Berhad 2017 (Results 2004-2016)
LCA of palm oil at United Plantations Berhad 2014 (Results 2004-2013)
This report presents a comparison of the requirements of the GHG Protocol Product Life Cycle Standard and the ISO 14040 series, with the purpose of assessing to what extent a Life Cycle Assessment study performed according to ISO 14044:2006 and ISO 14067:2018 can be applied for reporting according to the GHG Protocol, and what possible additions or modifications may be required for this purpose. The study has been conducted for Mærsk A/S (Maersk) in January 2022 by Bo P. Weidema of 2-0 LCA.
