NILU offers calculation of a range of environmental impacts and footprints of products, processes, and services.
One example is the ‘carbon footprint’. A carbon footprint stands for the total amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) released into the atmosphere as a result of different activities. Carbon footprints include both direct and indirect emissions. Direct emissions are those emissions occurring during a specific activity, for example emissions from petrol combustion while driving a car. Indirect emissions are associated with the entire value chain that supports the activity in question. They occur for example during production of a car and its components.
The main tools used for life cycle impact studies are Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and environmentally extended input output analysis (EE-IO). The department also works on developing and integrating these tools into larger frameworks to support decision making for sustainable development.
Typical examples of services
- LCA for comparative environmental analysis of products, processes and services.
- Extension of LCA studies with cost-benefit analysis.
- Development of decision support systems based on a life-cycle perspective.
Current and past activities
- LCA study of using granulate from used car tires in asphalt production.
- LCA study of chemical looping combustion for electricity production.
- Life cycle environmental optimization of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and enhanced oil recovery.
- LCA to inform municipal climate mitigation planning.