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A graphical representation for consequential life cycle assessment of future technologies. Part 1: methodological framework

  • LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

To construct future visions of how innovative technologies should be used in the envisioned sustainable society while being aware of system-wide environmental impacts, consequential life cycle assessment (c-LCA) is useful. To systematically evaluate the technologies being aware of uncertainties in choice of technologies made in the future, in this article, we propose a novel graphical representation for theoretical range of impacts that contain results from c-LCA studies. This approach allows analyses of the consequences of the technology introduction without conducting detailed modeling of consequences.

Methods

We stand on an assumption that the future environmental impacts reduced by a new technology depends on (1) how much the efficiency of the technology is improved, (2) how much of less-efficient technology is directly and indirectly replaced by the new technology, and (3) how much product is needed in the envisioned future. The difficulty in c-LCA is that items 2 and 3 are uncertain from various socioeconomic reasons that are often difficult to predict. By organizing the results from product LCAs in a systematic way, the proposed methodology allows exhibiting the range of consequential changes in environmental impact associated with a technology innovation, taking into account of those uncertainties on a plain coordinated by the amount of product needed in the future and environmental impact on horizontal and vertical axes, respectively.

Results

Part 1 describes the methodological framework in detail, whereas part 2 elaborates on the applications of the methodology. By taking transportation technologies assuming various energy sources in Taiwan, choices of technologies and evaluation of technology improvements serve as the case studies to demonstrate the application of the methodological framework.

Conclusions

By using the proposed method to organize the assumptions in c-LCA, discussions on different choices of technologies are made more systematic. In this way, stakeholders can focus on visions of the future society, which lead to different choices of technologies.

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Abbreviations

c-LCA:

Consequential life cycle assessment

P curve:

Production curve

U curve:

Utilization curve

I curve:

Impact curve

GHG:

Greenhouse gas

P min :

Minimum environmental impact induced from production process

P max :

Maximum environmental impact induced from production process

U min :

Minimum emission reduction from utilization process

U max :

Maximum emission reduction from utilization process

I min :

Minimum environmental impact of applying composite technology

I max :

Maximum environmental impact of applying composite technology

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Acknowledgements

Parts of this study were supported financially by the National Science Council of Taiwan (97-2221-E-006-044-MY3) and NCKU Landmark Projects (C034, new researchers category).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Environment Research Center, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1 University Rd., Tainan City, 701, Taiwan

    I-Ching Chen & Yasuhiro Fukushima

  2. Department of Chemical System Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    I-Ching Chen, Yasunori Kikuchi & Masahiko Hirao

Authors
  1. I-Ching Chen
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  2. Yasuhiro Fukushima
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  3. Yasunori Kikuchi
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  4. Masahiko Hirao
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yasuhiro Fukushima.

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Responsible editor: Sangwon Suh

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Chen, IC., Fukushima, Y., Kikuchi, Y. et al. A graphical representation for consequential life cycle assessment of future technologies. Part 1: methodological framework. Int J Life Cycle Assess 17, 119–125 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-011-0356-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-011-0356-9

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