ADEME

One of the first publicly available LCA-based comparisons of biosourced and petroleum-based products.

One of the first publicly available LCA-based comparisons of biosourced and petroleum-based products

Objectives

  • Compare the environmental performance of biosourced and 100% petroleum-based private vehicle panels.
  • Identify potential actions plans to enhance the environmental performance of biobased composites across the value chain.
  • Share recent and robust datasets on the production of French hemp and flax, to support future studies.

Quantis Solutions

  • Leverage Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and eco-conception expertise to ensure robust results.
  • Carry out uncertainty and sensitivity analyses to back conclusions.
  • Partner with Fibres Recherche Développement (FRD) and Ecotechnilin to streamline data collection from producers and industrial partners.
  • Mobilize key sector players throughout the study, to study possible product improvements.
  • Develop robust LCA datasets aligned with the latest methodological standards.

Key results

Biosourced panels have a better environmental performance than their petroleum-based alternatives in terms of:

    • Climate change (-23 %)
    • Photochemical ozone formation (-20 %)
    • Cumulative Energy Demand (-18 %)
    • Non renewable energy use (-21 %)

Biosourced panels were however found to transfer their environmental impacts onto land use (+70%).

Biobased sector leaders were invited to collaborate on improving their products’ environmental footprint.

Client action plan

  • New hemp and flax datasets were included in the Agribalyse® database.
  • LCA results were published online, to raise public awareness and support a sector-wide effort to improve biobased products.

Areas of expertise

Sector

"This comprehensive life cycle study enabled a concerted reflection on the topic of bio-sourced products with a view to facilitate their evolution and continuous improvement.”

Alice Gueudet, Bioresources department
ADEME

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