Harmonised L ife C ycle A ssessment methods for sustainable and circular BIO based systems

Project Information

LCA4BIO

Grant agreement ID: 101135371

DOI

10.3030/101135371

EC signature date 10 November 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 31 December 2026

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

€ 3 464 061,25

EU contribution

€ 3 464 061,25

Coordinated by

CONTACTICA SL
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - LCA4BIO (Harmonised L ife C ycle A ssessment methods for sustainable and circular BIO based systems)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The European Union’s Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan set the ambition of climate neutrality by 2050, requiring a large-scale shift from fossil-based to bio-based and circular systems. While bio-based solutions can cut emissions and foster sustainable growth, their uptake is hindered by the lack of robust, harmonised methods to demonstrate sustainability and circularity. Conventional life cycle assessment (LCA) often fails to capture biogenic carbon, land use impacts or the dynamics of emerging technologies, leading to inconsistent and uncertain results that limit investor and regulatory confidence.

LCA4BIO addresses these gaps by developing improved LCA methodologies tailored to bio-based value chains. Over 36 months, it is integrating new circularity indicators, advancing prospective approaches for low-TRL technologies, reducing uncertainty and increasing comparability, and testing results in real-world case studies aligned with certification schemes.

These advances will provide industry, policymakers and other stakeholders with reliable tools to support the transition to a sustainable bioeconomy. The expected impacts include stronger policy support for EU climate and circular economy goals, greater market uptake of bio-based products, reduced investment risks for innovative technologies, and large-scale environmental benefits through improved resource efficiency and greenhouse gas savings. In this way, LCA4BIO contributes directly to Europe’s strategic objectives and reinforces the bioeconomy as a cornerstone of a climate-neutral and competitive Europe.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the first Periodic report (Jan 2024-June 2025), LCA4BIO has advanced substantially towards its scientific and technical objectives.During the first reporting period, LCA4BIO has advanced substantially towards its scientific and technical objectives.

In WP2, methodologies for assessing the environmental sustainability and circularity of bio-based systems were enhanced. This includes a new dynamic carbon footprint method integrating temporal data and short-lived climate forcers, the mapping of 143 circularity indicators with practical guidance for their application, and the selection and refinement of impact assessment methods covering biodiversity, land use, water, toxicity and ecosystem services.

WP3 advanced prospective LCA approaches for low-TRL technologies. A comprehensive literature review was completed, while methodologies for ex-ante LCA and foreground inventory development are ongoing. An online tool to integrate Integrated Assessment Models into background datasets has been prototyped, and new guidelines for uncertainty appraisal are being developed and tested.

In WP4, the focus has been on analysing trade-offs and synergies of bioeconomy expansion. Work included a review of substitution challenges (submitted for publication), the identification of methods for socio-economic assessments, and the development of an EU-scale model to evaluate biomass supply constraints and the feasibility of bio-based growth.

WP5 is testing and validating the improved methodologies through case studies on lignin, HMF and wood panels. Data collection at both laboratory and industrial scales has been completed or is ongoing, and first applications of the enhanced inventory building and impact assessment methods have been performed, enabling direct comparison between emerging and established production routes.

Finally, WP6 is adapting the new methodologies to certification frameworks. A first co-creation workshop with stakeholders was carried out, and four user-friendly tools are now under development to facilitate application in practice, including tools for dynamic inventory, toxicity, carbon footprint and circularity assessment.

Overall, the project has delivered concrete methodological advances and first practical applications, laying the foundation for harmonised and robust sustainability assessment of bio-based systems across Europe.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

LCA4BIO is pushing LCA methodologies for bio-based systems beyond the current state of the art. It has developed a dynamic carbon footprint approach that integrates temporal data and short-lived climate forcers, mapped 143 tailored circularity indicators with practical guidance, and refined impact assessment methods for biodiversity, land use, water, toxicity and ecosystem services. In prospective LCA, the project is advancing methods to assess low-TRL technologies through ex-ante inventory building, integration of scenario data and structured uncertainty guidelines. It has also created an EU-scale model to analyse biomass supply, substitution effects and socio-economic trade-offs, while embedding these advances into case studies, tools and certification frameworks co-created with stakeholders.

Potential impacts

These results can transform the way bio-based systems are assessed and compared with fossil-based alternatives by reducing uncertainty, improving the credibility of sustainability claims and enabling reliable certification and policy alignment. They can de-risk industry investments, support innovation, and build consumer trust, while providing policymakers with robust evidence to implement the Green Deal, Fit-for-55 and Circular Economy objectives. To ensure long-term impact, further validation, integration into standards, training for SMEs, continued research and strong policy support will be essential.

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