Life Cycle Assessments (LCA)

For the past ten years, NIBIO research groups have been using Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) to investigate the environmental impact of producing, distributing, using and disposing of goods and services based on biological resources. This research work is initiated by the groups independently in some cases, or is commissioned by industry and government agencies.

Read more
Contacts
Employees
CURRENT PROJECTS USING LCA

  • Food and feed from macroalgae (PROMAC) (http://promac.no/)
  • Food and feed from microalgae (ALGAE TO FUTURE). Link to the project at the bottom of the page.
  • Organic resources in the cycle — part of the bioeconomy (OKRETSLØP).
  • Development of bio-based insulating construction materials (ISOBIO) http://isobioproject.com/
  • Productive and profitable forage-based cattle production (SusCatt). Link to the project at the bottom of the page.
  • SolarFarm — A study of how solar power produced on farms can be used to power partly unmanned electric tractors in precision agriculture to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Link to the project at the bottom of the page.
  • Strategies in grass silage production to mitigate enteric CH4 emissions from ruminants (https://prosjektbanken.forskningsradet.no
    /#/project/NFR/295207)

The LCA method is standardized on an international level (via ISO 14040/14044) and involves a systematic review of all processes in the chain, from extraction of the raw materials through to disposal as waste. This approach is often referred to as following the product from "cradle to grave."

The LCA can also be limited to specific parts of the life cycle, such as from the manufacturer to the distribution chain or consumer. The impacts on the environment are summarized and stated per unit of a product or service — known as the "functional unit."

The LCA method does not cover all types of environmental impact. It also requires several simplifications and is linked with an element of uncertainty, especially when applied to biological processes that are difficult to monitor and that involve significant natural variation.

NIBIO chose to establish the LCA method as part of the institute's toolbox because it allows several impact types to be summarized in an internationally standardized and recognized set of indicators, because it provides access to comprehensive databases on which new analyses can be built, and because both industry and government agencies require analyses based on this method. Establishing skills and tools of this nature with a view to aiding the development of sustainable bio-based industries is a clear element of NIBIO's objectives.

Publications

To document

Authors

Ola Stedje Hanserud Kari-Anne Lyng Jerke W. de Vries Anne K. Falk Øgaard Helge Brattebø

Abstract

©2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open accessarticle distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution(CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

To document

Authors

Anne Kjersti Bakken Kristin Daugstad Astrid Johansen Anne-Grete Roer Hjelkrem Gustav Fystro Anders Hammer Strømman Audun Korsæth

Abstract

This is the authors' accepted and refereed manuscript to the article. Locked until 18 September 2019 due to copyright restrictions.

Show more publications

Projects