A Proposal for a Carbon Fibre-Manufacturing Life-Cycle Inventory: A Case Study from the Competitive Sailing Boat Industry

Abstract

The competitive sailing boat industry uses carbon fibre for high-performance purposes. Nevertheless, this material is known to cause environmental issues during its manufacturing. We can currently observe, based on the literature, difficulty integrating a reliable, justified, and transparent inventory of carbon-fibre production for LCA applications of high-performance composite materials. The current study aims to gain a better understanding of carbon fibre’s environmental impacts by suggesting a justified, reliable, and transparent inventory, based on the life-cycle assessment methodology. It also aims at providing a LCA of high-performance composites. An EcoInvent flows inventory is suggested, based on the literature presenting primary inventories. It is then discussed in terms of data quality, flows under study, and indicators calculated. Eventually, the inventory is used to assess the environmental impact of carbon fibre-reinforced composites applied to an industrial example representative of the competitive sailing boat industry: a hydrofoil mould. Regarding results on carbon fibres’ scale and impacts, indicators commonly highlighted by the literature, were calculated in this study (GWP = 72 kgCO2eq and CED = 1176 MJ), as well as other indicators. These indicators are two to five times higher than the inventories suggested in the literature, due to high heat-production value, production scales, or the quality of the fibre under study. The composite scale results show a major contribution from carbon fibre compared to other flows under study, highlighting the need to suggest a reliable inventory of carbon-fibre production.