Upscaling methods used in ex ante life cycle assessment of emerging technologies: a review

Abstract

Abstract Purpose The objective of this paper was to provide LCA practitioners with recommendations and a framework for upscaling emerging technologies by reviewing upscaling methods applied so far in ex ante life cycle assessment (LCA). Methods Web of Science was searched for articles published between 1990 and 2019 (April) using different variations of the term “ex ante LCA” as keywords. Suitable studies were reviewed to understand the key characteristics and main methodological principles of upscaling methods. Results and discussion A total of 18 studies were selected for literature review. Review results showed that most studies reported what a hypothetical upscaled technology would look like in the future. All studies described how they estimated data; they applied different data estimation methods, using process simulation, manual calculations, molecular structure models (MSMs) and proxies. Since the review results showed that most ex ante LCA studies followed similar upscaling steps, we developed a framework for the upscaling of emerging technologies in ex ante LCA consisting of three main steps: (1) projected technology scenario definition, (2) preparation of a projected LCA flowchart, and (3) projected data estimation. Finally, a decision tree was developed based on the review results that provides recommendations for LCA practitioners regarding the upscaling procedure in ex ante LCA. Conclusions Our findings can be useful for LCA practitioners aiming at upscaling in ex ante LCA. We provide an overview of upscaling methods used in ex ante LCA and introduce a framework describing the steps involved in the upscaling process and a decision tree recommending an up-scaling procedure. The results show that in theory all data estimation methods described in this paper can be applied to estimate material flows, energy flows, and elementary flows (emissions and natural resource use). Finally, since different kinds of expertise are required for upscaling in ex ante LCA, we recommend that technology experts from different fields are involved in performing ex ante LCA, e.g., technology developers, LCA practitioners, and engineers.