Project description
A model framework for environmental assessment in bio-based industries
Robust environmental assessments of bio-based products are pivotal in the transition towards a sustainable and circular bioeconomy. However, current methods to quantify the impact of bio-based products deliver incomparable results and hinder decision-making. The EU-funded ALIGNED project will develop a modelling framework, a suite of the best approaches and tools, to assess and improve environmental and socio-economic performance across bio-based industries. The project will advance the scientific field of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and involve stakeholders through collaboration with industries and representatives from five bio-based sectors: construction, woodworking, textile, pulp and paper, and bio-chemicals. The science-based framework developed in ALIGNED will allow to consistently model future resource scenarios, competition for biomass and land, dynamic carbon accounting, socio-economic impacts and uncertainty.
Objective
The ALIGNED project will deliver a modelling framework to assess and optimise the environmental and socio-economic performance of bio-based industries. ALIGNED will advance the scientific field of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) (moving from TRL2-3 to TRL5) and collaborate with industries and representatives from five bio-based sectors: construction, woodworking, textile, pulp and paper, and bio-chemicals.
The transition towards a sustainable economy is dependent on consistent and comparable environmental assessments of bio-based products. However, in practice today the methods to assess the impact of bio-based products give incomparable results, thus confusing decision-making. The models and tools developed in ALIGNED will allow to perform high-quality assessment studies across the bio-based sectors, with industrial relevance and interoperability. This is possible by the iterative application and improvement of the new and harmonised models and tools in six specific cases of bio-based industrial technologies (TRL 2-6).
The ALIGNED framework will allow accurately to model key aspects not covered in current practice: the competition for biomass and for land, dynamic and time-specific carbon accounting, and biodiversity and socio-economic impacts. ALIGNED will also develop future energy and resource scenarios derived from integrated assessment models, and a consistent approach to uncertainty assessment.
Key stakeholders in the five sectors will be continuously involved, by providing feedback in the early framework development and by sharing the learnings from its practical application. The professional engagement of stakeholders will secure industry relevance and acceptance delivering real impact.
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HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
9220 Aalborg
Denmark