Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Remanufacturing of Energy Using Products Makes Sense Only When Technology Is Mature

Introducing a Circular Economy Indicator for Remanufacturing Based on a Parameterized LCA and LCC Assessment of a Circulation Pump

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Progress in Life Cycle Assessment 2019

  • 2031 Accesses

Abstract

In the current debate about Circular Economy (CE) many circularity measurements focus solely on material cycles and resource-efficiency. Hence, remanufacturing is per se seen as a sustainable End-of-Life (EoL) pathway. As CE-indicators do often not take the use-phase into account, that assumption is not necessarily true and the benefit questionable. This is why in this paper a remanufacturing indicator is introduced which evaluates if remanufacturing is a good EoL strategy for energy using products (EuP) from an ecologic and economic point of view, taking technical improvements and energy efficiency gains into account. We elaborate what matters when assessing remanufacturing, especially when a comparative assessment is conducted. The indicator is applied in a case study where remanufacturing of an old circulation pump is compared to using various new, more efficient pumps as substitutes in a 2nd Life Cycle. Thereby, a parameterized model is developed for the LCA and LCC assessment of the remanufacturing process. The main finding is that remanufacturing of EuP only makes sense when technology is mature. This is very distinct from an environmental perspective but applies also to the financial aspects.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andersen Mikael Skou (2007) An introductory note on the environmental economics of the circular economy. Sustain Sci 2(1):133–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Ardente F, Mathieux F (2014) Identification and assessment of product's measures to improve resource efficiency: the case-study of an Energy using Product. J Cleaner Prod 83:126–141

    Google Scholar 

  • Ardente F, Talens Peiró L, Mathieux F, Polverini D (2018) Accounting for the environmental benefits of remanufactured products: method and application. J Cleaner Prod 198:1545–1558

    Google Scholar 

  • Ardente F, Mathieux F (2014) Environmental assessment of the durability of energy-using products: method and application. J Cleaner Prod 74:62–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arvidsson R, Kushnir D, Sandén BA, Molander S (2013) How to make policy-relevant life cycle assessments of future products? Lessons learned from nanomaterials. In Proceedings of the 6th international conference on life cycle management, pp 72–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Auerbach R, Brämer T, Brouwer E, Dierks C, Gassmann A, Dörr M, dos Santos C, Miehe R, Öhl J, Schmid K, Seikel E, Wüst H (20170 RECVAL-HPM. Innovative RE-use and ReCycling VALue Chain for High-Power Magnets. Schlussbericht

    Google Scholar 

  • Bakker C, Wang F, Huisman J, den Hollander M (2014) Products that go round: exploring product life extension through design. J Cleaner Prod 69:10–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baxter J (2019) Systematic environmental assessment of end-of-life pathways for domestic refrigerators. J Cleaner Prod 208:612–620

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR) (2017) Deutschland – Rohstoffsituation 2016, Hannover

    Google Scholar 

  • Bierer A, Götze U, Meynerts L, Sygulla R (2015) Integrating life cycle costing and life cycle assessment using extended material flow cost accounting. J Cleaner Prod 108:1289–1301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bocken NMP, Olivetti EA, Cullen JM, Potting J, Lifset R (2017) Taking the circularity to the next level: a special issue on the circular economy. J Industrial Ecol 21(3):476–482

    Google Scholar 

  • Boustani A, Sahni S, Graves SC, Gutowski TG (2010) Appliance remanufacturing and life cycle energy and economic savings. In: 2010 IEEE international symposium on sustainable systems and technology. IEEE, pp 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1109/ISSST.2010.5507713

  • BSI (2009) Design for Manufacture, Assembly, Disassembly and End-of-life processing (MADE). Terms and definitions. British Standards Institution, 8887-2

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlsson RM (2005) Economic assessment of municipal waste management systems - case studies using a combination of life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC). J Cleaner Prod 13(3):253–263

    Google Scholar 

  • Cayzer S, Griffiths P, Beghetto V (2017) Design of indicators for measuring product performance in the circular economy. Int J Sustain Eng 10(4–5):289–298

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CEN/CLC (2017) General methods for the assessment of the ability to repair, reuse and upgrade energy related products. prEN 45554. Accessed 24 May 2019

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Maio F, Rem PC, Baldé K, Polder M (2017) Measuring resource efficiency and circular economy: a market value approach. Resour Conserv Recycling 122:163–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dieterle M, Schäfer P, Viere T (2018) Life cycle gaps: interpreting LCA results with a circular economy mindset. Proc CIRP 69:764–768

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elia V, Gnoni MG, Tornese F (2017) Measuring circular economy strategies through index methods. A critical analysis. J Cleaner Prod 142:2741–2751

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2015) Circularity indicators. An approach to measuring circularity. Methodology

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (EC) (2015) Closing the loop. An EU action plan for the circular economy

    Google Scholar 

  • European Union (EU) (2009) Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009. Establishing a Framework for the Setting of Ecodesign Requirements for Energy-related Products

    Google Scholar 

  • European Union (EU) (2012) Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (EC) (2018) Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules Guidance. Version 6.3. European Commission: Brussels, Belgium  

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleischner G (2000) Eco-Design. Effiziente Entwicklung nachhaltiger Produkte mit euroMat. Springer, Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  • Frischknecht R (2010) LCI modelling approaches applied on recycling of materials in view of environmental sustainability, risk perception and eco-efficiency. Int J Life Cycle Assess 15(7):666–671

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haupt M, Hellweg S (2019) Measuring the environmental sustainability of a circular economy. Environ Sustain Indicators 1–2:100005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hornbach (2019) Heizungspumpen & Umwälzpumpen bei HORNBACH kaufen. https://www.hornbach.de/shop/Heizungspumpen-Zubehoer/Heizungspumpen/S773/Marke=Grundfos/artikelliste.html. Accessed 10 Oct 2019

  • Hummen T, Kästner F (2014) Evaluating existing methodological approaches for prospective LCA at early technology-development stages. In: Proceedings from the LCA XIV International, pp 25–36

    Google Scholar 

  • IHS (2013) Herausforderungen an die deutsche Wettbewerbsfähigkeit durch einen neuen Weltenergiemarkt, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • International Resource Panel (IRP) (2018) Re-defining Value: The Manufacturing Revolution. Remanufacturing, Refurbishment, Repair and Direct Reuse in the Circular Economy. A Report of the International Resource Panel. Nairobi, Kenya  

    Google Scholar 

  • International Resource Panel (IRP) (2019) Assessing global resource use: a systems approach to resource efficiency and pollution reduction

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirchherr J, Reike D, Hekkert M (2017) Conceptualizing the circular economy: an analysis of 114 definitions. Resources Conserv Recycling 127:221–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moraga G, Huysveld S, Mathieux F, Blengini GA, Alaerts L, van Acker K, de Meester S, Dewulf J (2019) Circular economy indicators: What do they measure? Resources Conserv Recycling 146:452–461

    Google Scholar 

  • Ortegon K, Nies LF, Sutherland JW (2012) Remanufacturing: an alternative for end of use of wind turbines. Leveraging Technology for a Sustainable World. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 155–160

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Parchomenko A, Nelen D, Gillabel J, Rechberger H (2019) Measuring the circular economy - a multiple correspondence analysis of 63 metrics. J Cleaner Prod 210:200–216

    Google Scholar 

  • Pauliuk S (2018) Critical appraisal of the circular economy standard BS 8001:2017 and a dashboard of quantitative system indicators for its implementation in organizations. Resources Conserv Recycling 129:81–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peters K (2016) Methodological issues in life cycle assessment for remanufactured products: a critical review of existing studies and an illustrative case study. J Cleaner Prod 126:21–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prognos (2014) Entwicklung der Energiemärkte - Energiereferenzprognose. Prognos AG, EWI, GWS (57/12)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rechberger H, Graedel TE (2002) The contemporary European copper cycle: statistical entropy analysis. Ecol Econ 42:59–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schau EM, Traverso M, Lehmann A, Finkbeiner M (2011) Life cycle costing in sustainability assessment - a case study of remanufactured alternators. Sustainability 3(11):2268–2288

    Google Scholar 

  • Shibasaki M (2008) Methode zur Prognose der Ökobilanz einer Großanlage auf Basis einer Pilotanlage in der Verfahrenstechnik. Ein Beitrag zur Ganzheitlichen Bilanzierung. Dissertation, Universität Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • Simões CL, Figueirêdo de Sá R, Ribeiro CJ, Bernardo P, Pontes AJ, Bernardo CA (2016) Environmental and economic performance of a car component: assessing new materials, processes and designs. J Cleaner Prod 118:105–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Skene KR (2018) Circles, spirals, pyramids and cubes: why the circular economy cannot work. Sustain Sci 13(2):479–492

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinmann ZJN, Schipper AM, Hauck M, Huijbregts MAJ (2016) How many environmental impact indicators are needed in the evaluation of product life cycles? Environ Sci Technol 50(7):3913–3919

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland JW, Adler DP, Haapala KR, Kumar V (2008) A comparison of manufacturing and remanufacturing energy intensities with application to diesel engine production. CIRP Ann 57(1):5–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Topp T, Labanca, Nicola (2010) Energy + Pumps Project. Training module for installation contractors. Manual for the trainer

    Google Scholar 

  • van Loon P (2019) Circular principles and environmental impact reductions: current knowledge and the way forward. LCM2019, Posen

    Google Scholar 

  • van Holsteijn en Kemna BV (VHK) (2011) Methodology for Ecodesign of Energy-related Products MEErP 2011. Final Report. https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/26525 (accessed May 2019)

  • Wernet G, Bauer C, Steubing B, Reinhard J, Moreno-Ruiz E, Weidema B (2016) The ecoinvent database version 3 (part I): overview and methodology. Int J Life Cycle Assess 21(9):1218–1230

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bosch Thermotechnology GmbH, Junkersstraße 20, 73249, Wernau (Neckar), Germany

    Torsten Hummen

  2. Chair for Ecological Systems Design, Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, John-​von-Neumann-Weg 9, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland

    Torsten Hummen

  3. Robert Bosch GmbH, Corporate Sector Research and Advance Engineering, Robert-Bosch-Campus 1, 71272, Renningen, Germany

    Elena Wege

Authors
  1. Torsten Hummen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Elena Wege
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Torsten Hummen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Life Cycle Engineering GaBi, Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics, Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

    Stefan Albrecht

  2. Life Cycle Engineering GaBi, Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics, Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

    Matthias Fischer

  3. Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics, Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

    Philip Leistner

  4. Material Flow Management and Resource Economy, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany

    Liselotte Schebek

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Hummen, T., Wege, E. (2021). Remanufacturing of Energy Using Products Makes Sense Only When Technology Is Mature. In: Albrecht, S., Fischer, M., Leistner, P., Schebek, L. (eds) Progress in Life Cycle Assessment 2019. Sustainable Production, Life Cycle Engineering and Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50519-6_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50519-6_6

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-50518-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-50519-6

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation