A Systematic Approach To Estimation Of Life Cycle Carbon Inventory, Carbon Footprints and Embodied Carbon

Completed

Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Environmental, social and economic impacts)

Basic and strategic applied research

SOCIAL SCIENCES (Economics and Econometrics)
PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry)

Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy

Professor A Azapagic
Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science
University of Manchester

Standard

EPSRC

01 August 2006

31 January 2007

6 months

£129,333

Energy

North West

Energy Research Capacity

Professor A Azapagic, Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, University of Manchester

Professor R Clift, Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey
Dr L Elghali, Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey

A successful transition to a low carbon economy will depend on a number of technological, economic, environmental and social factors. However, before we start this process, it is important to understand the full environmental and economic implications of any step changes that this transition may require. In this project we propose to concentrate on developing a methodology and decision-support tools that would help us understand and evaluate environmental and economic consequences of the changes required for "decarbonisation" of the economy. In particular, we propose to develop a methodology for a systematic life-cycle estimation of carbon inventories in different industrial sectors, including "carbon footprints" and "embodied carbon". The project will also investigate the options for, and the associated costs of, carbon mitigation measures by considering standard economic parameters such as investment and operating costs and value added, together with uncertainty and risk where appropriate.. The intention is that the methodology and the tools will be usable for investigation of future scenarios, involving completely new technologies and products. The tools will also help companies to respond to the activities such as carbon management and emissions trading. The industrial sectors to be considered in the project include Food, Chemicals, Plastics, Construction and Biomass

11/05/07