News

Electricity data is a key element that underpins most of the economy, impacting various sectors and activities.  As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance sustainability metrics in Australia, Lifecycles has been updating the electricity data in AusLCI, in line with the upcoming AusLCI v1.43 release. The model is updated annually to reflect changes in fuel and technology mixes, ensuring it remains relevant and accurate.

Lifecycles’ Tim Grant and Jamie Brown recently presented AusLCI electricity updates at ALCAS student webinar to keep the LCA community informed about new developments.

Here are a few key takeaways:

• Analysis of the Australian Energy Council’s Electricity Gas Australia data for FY21-22 reveals that fossil fuels still dominate the mix. However, states like South Australia and Tasmania are leading the charge towards cleaner energy sources

• The transition from an aggregated Western Australian electricity grid model to a split reflective of the separate SWIS and NWIS electricity grids.
  

• A Residual Mix Factor (RMF) has been introduced into the AusLCI database based on a hypothetical grid mix comprising ‘unclaimed’ energy under a market-based accounting method. The RMF excludes electricity produced from renewables, which are bought and sold separately through contractual instruments, to avoid double counting.
  

• The market-based approach is an alternative method to account for electricity emissions, in contrast to a location-based approach. Location-based modelling relies on regional average production technologies, while market-based modelling considers the consumer's choices within the energy market. The GHG Protocol explains the distinction in more detail here.
  

• Electricity demand has remained relatively flat and even decreased in recent years, but traditional metrics fail to capture self-consumption.

Looking ahead, we can draw on the long-term marginal energy model to provide an understanding of supply dynamics and technological transitions.

• A visual analysis reveals significant increases in PV supply over time, with wind energy also contributing substantially more, and a small proportion of hydro. Conversely, gas supply is on the decline.

• While emerging technologies may play a role, they currently lack significant volume.

For LCA modelling of future energy demands, the debate between location-based and market-based approaches leans towards the former, as there is a compelling argument for utilising a renewable marginal electricity mix to reflect the evolving production system.

Watch the full video here.

Lifecycles played an important role in this update by contributing to the enhancement of the ecoinvent database for Australia's Agriculture sector. This collaboration has resulted in the addition of five new region-specific agricultural products: barley, maize, oat, rape seed, and wheat. These products are now represented in ecoinvent v3.10, with regional models available to represent state-wide production as well as nationwide average.

Additionally, the update introduces five new models for on-farm operations in Australia, covering essential activities in agricultural practices. These operations encompass the application of plant protection products by a field sprayer, combined harvesting, fertilizing by broadcaster, planting with starter fertilizer by a no-till planter, and tillage cultivating chiselling.

For those seeking more detail, the ecoinvent update report documents the new Australian-specific agriculture datasets (see Table 53 of the report). This level of transparency and detail enables for complete and nuanced use of LCA involving Australian commodities and provides insights to the international life cycle assessment community through supporting the development of the ecoinvent database. This update will facilitate a more accurate representation of the environmental impacts associated with agricultural activities in Australia.

AgriFutures Australia and Lifecycles join forces to strengthen Australia’s sustainability metrics data for the agriculture sector.

AgriFutures Australia and leading sustainability consultancy, Lifecycles are excited to announce their joint project Equipping Australian agriculture with sustainability metrics (LCAgMetrics).

The project is a vital component of the Federal Government’s Sustainability Reporting Uplift Grant Round which is a groundbreaking initiative that has secured $4 million in funding across the next two financial years.

The primary objective of the project is to comprehensively revamp and broaden the Australian Life Cycle Inventory (AusLCI) database to cater to the ever-growing national and global demand for sustainability metrics generated with product Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

During the 2010s, Australian agriculture recognised the critical importance of providing publicly accessible, peer-reviewed and transparent life cycle inventory data.

The AusLCI plays a crucial role in securing Australia’s competitive position in the European canola market, supporting Queensland’s biofuel projects, contributing to the Australian Grains Baseline and Mitigation Report, providing benchmarking capabilities through FarmPrint and ensuring the delivery of a wide range of agricultural LCAs.

The project will look to update the existing inventory of on-farm data by adding information for underrepresented agriculture sectors and key post-farm processes in AusLCI.

By engaging with post-farm businesses, the project will also explore the interoperability of AusLCI data with downstream supply chain data management systems, enabling the integration of sustainability metrics into in-business uses. This will empower businesses to communicate their progress toward sustainability goals more effectively with customers, consumers and stakeholders.

AgriFutures Australia, Senior Manager Collaboration, Georgie Toose says the project will bring new opportunities for rural industries.

“With many agricultural sectors setting climate change targets for net zero emissions, it is essential to continue the AusLCI legacy of robust and credible sustainability metrics that quantify on-farm improvements which can then be passed through the supply chain,” Ms Toose said.

“This is a great opportunity to build the cross sectoral capacity of our rural industries to respond to national and international requirements for sustainability metrics.”

Lifecycles Director, Tim Grant, said the project will have a profound impact on Australia’s food and Agribusiness markets.

“The AusLCI update will position Australia to manage and measure the footprints of our commodities which will be essential for both global markets and for domestic decision making. The data will also form a basis for a transition to more sustainable and resilient agriculture sector in Australia,” Mr Grant said.

Key project milestones include:

• Updating existing agricultural life cycle inventory data in AusLCI for grains, cotton, sugar, horticulture, beef, sheep, and wool, aligning data with current agricultural practices, updated emission factors, and international data reporting standards.

• Adding new LCI data for priority agricultural sectors into AusLCI.

• Adding new LCI data for post-farm processing, transportation, and agricultural commodities’ storage into AusLCI.

• Identifying in-business and supply chain systems that can use sustainability metrics and defining the interfaces and data flow pathways necessary to enable access to AusLCI data for these systems.

AusLCI is a central repository of data that accurately portrays the environmental performance of Australia’s agricultural production systems.

As Georgie Toose explains, regular updates will ensure that changes in emissions profiles and improvements in management practices are accurately reflected in environmental reporting.

“AusLCI plays a pivotal role in quantifying up-to-date on-farm improvements, enabling recognition and adherence to sustainability standards. Furthermore, AusLCI has been a go-to resource for individuals conducting LCAs within agriculture supply chains and has served as a valuable reference for inquiries related to environmental metrics by data providers,” Ms Toose said.

“This is a really important program and one that AgriFutures is pleased to support to drive impact for levy payers and build the long-term prosperity of Australia’s rural industries and communities.”

Click to download the project summary here.

Lifecycles is thrilled to announce that our e-waste expert, Paul-Antoine Bontinck, is prominently featured in "Closing The E-Loop," an open-source initiative aimed at inspiring, educating, and catalysing positive change in the realm of sustainable electronics. In collaboration with 37 other industry leaders, Paul-Antoine shares invaluable insights and information crucial to our journey toward sustainable electronic consumption.

In this video, Paul-Antoine explains how life cycle assessment and stock and flow analysis can assist in comprehending the full impacts of various activities throughout global and local supply chains. He also explains the effectiveness of reuse and begins to comprehend the factors contributing to the prevalence of small electronic products in the e-waste stream.

The video addresses several key questions, shedding light on critical aspects of e-waste management and sustainable practices:

• What is a 'life cycle assessment,' and how does it work?

• How are life cycle assessments employed to identify the drivers of environmental and social impacts?

• What are the eight e-waste categories developed by Paul-Antoine and his team for the Australian government?

• How do Lifecycles represent the life cycle of electronic products in their reports?

• What actionable steps can consumers take to contribute to a circular economy and reduce e-waste?

• How does the act of reusing electronic products compare to recycling in terms of sustainability?

• Why is a significant portion of e-waste comprised of small electronic devices?

• How can consumers actively participate in the reduction of e-waste?

For those interested, the full video showcase is available on Vimeo via the following link: Closing the E-Loop Video Showcase

Join us in this important conversation and discover how we can collectively make a difference in the world of e-waste management.

Embracing collaboration, challenging ideas, and strengthening commitment: Highlights from the 11th ALCAS LCA Conference

The recent ALCAS conference brought together practitioners and users of Life Cycle Assessment from diverse backgrounds, all committed to driving innovation and positive change. The program explored a wide range of themes and demonstrated the depth and breadth of LCA expertise in Australia. Let's delve into some of Lifecycles’ contributions to and takeaways from the conference:

1. Sharing knowledge for innovation

The conference was an opportunity to take time with colleagues to plan collaborations. Dr Sandra Eady convened an agriculture side event where participants exchanged information about current projects and laid the foundation for collective activities in the agriculture space.

Paul-Antoine Bontinck’s paper on the adaptation of the Agribalyse database for Australia showed how existing data architecture and nomenclature can be used to build supply chain data for Australia without collecting primary data, showcasing the potential for collective problem-solving.

Dr. Leyla Acaroglu emphasized the urgency of sharing our work with the wider world, especially simplifying complex concepts, where possible. The idea of making 20% of LCA work freely accessible resonated strongly with attendees, recognizing the potential for wider impact. Shannon Preddy’s insights highlighted the significance of speaking the client’s language and building bridges through relatable communication.

2. Challenging ideas

The conference urged attendees to challenge the status quo and embrace unconventional ideas.Prof. Matthias Finkbeiner's keynote explored double counting carbon abatement between company and regional carbon neutrality programs.

Additionally, Prof. Olivier Jolliet plenary stretched our thinking about food's impact in to the human health arena by considering the effects of food types on human longevity.

3. Strengthening industry connection

The launch of the Life Cycle Carbon Certified Practitioner (LCCCP) demonstrated an LCA communities’ continuing commitment to enhancing LCA capability and standards.

4. Celebrating the community of practice

Beyond the exchange of ideas, attendees relished the sense of community at the conference. The opportunity to meet in person, reconnect with familiar faces, and celebrate the flourishing LCA industry was highly valued.

5. Regional perspectives

Jessica Hanafi's presentation on LCA activities in Indonesia shed light on the significance of driving sustainability in Asia through regulatory measures and global market influence. Her vision to make LCA as common as financial accounting underscored the importance of making sustainability an integral part of business practices worldwide.

Presenters from Japan continued the strong connections between the LCA communities in Australia and Japan and was great to see a strong contingent from Japan’s National Institutes of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology.

In conclusion, the LCA conference proved to be a powerful platform for collaboration, exploration, and reaffirmation of commitment. The shared experiences, ideas, and passion of the attendees showcased the transformative potential of sustainability, driving us all toward a more harmonious and sustainable future.

ALCAS has launched the Life Cycle Carbon Certified Practitioner program, a new system specifically targeted to the measurement and modelling of carbon footprints for products and services.

Life Cycle Carbon Certified Practitioners will have skills in all areas of product carbon footprinting through both LCA and carbon accounting lenses, as well as capabilities in audit and data verification.

Candidates for the LCCCP exam must first have their prerequisites tested and approved through one of two categories: experienced or practicing.

To view the prerequisites for each category and to apply, visit the ALCAS website here.

Author: Paul-Antoine Bontinck

The Rio Earth Summit, which took place just over 30 years ago, was a turning point in climate change becoming a mainstream topic, for government and businesses alike. It introduced the idea that, us humans, needed to stabilise our emissions of greenhouse gases, to reduce the risk of dramatically altering the climate of our planet. Following the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol, countries started accounting and reporting their greenhouse gas emissions.

These developments led to an increasing pressure for organisations to report their emissions as well. From that need came the development of a standardised framework, which could be used by public and private organisations to measure and report their greenhouse gas emissions. The result was the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol), which launched in 2001. The newly minted carbon accounting standard introduced the concept of ‘scopes’. The aim was to help identify direct and indirect emission sources associated with the activities of organisations. Three scopes were defined:

Scope 1: all direct emissions, those that occur on site and can be managed by the reporting organisation.

Scope 2: represent emissions from producing the electricity consumed by the reporting organisation. It also includes things like district heating and cooling. But it does not include other aspects of those supply chain, like transporting electricity, extracting and refining fuels, etc.

Scope 3 is essentially everything else that occur in the supply chain of the reporting organisation. It covers what happens ‘upstream’ and ‘downstream’ of the organisation. Upstream relates to activities that happen earlier in the supply chain, for instance the production of a chemical used on-site. Conversely, downstream emissions represent things that happen later in the supply chain – an example might be the use of a product manufactured by the organisation. Have a look at the GHG Protocol’s Scope 3 Standard for more details.

One thing that is important to stress, I think, is that emission scopes and carbon accounting are somewhat separate from LCA thinking. They are just accounting mechanisms. The three scopes were defined with reporting in mind, and since their creation, they have become a common way for organisation to talk about their greenhouse gas emissions.

As LCA practitioners we can report results from an LCA using scopes, but it is only done when explicitly required by our client. We can also use our LCA know-how to develop detailed Scope 3 accounts for an organisation. But it is worth noting that life cycle assessment and carbon accounting are not one and the same. An LCA sets out to answer a question and is generally used to provide evidence to support decision-making. On the other hand, a carbon account is a way for organisation to transparently report on their effort to reduce their emissions over time.

Alongside 40 brilliant scientific minds, Tim has been busy working on the GLAM project for The Life Cycle Initiative hosted by the UN Environment Programme.

The GLAM project is focused on addressing the challenge of developing a standardized and globally harmonized method for quantifying Life cycle environmental impacts on human health, ecosystems and natural resources. The project team has put in many hours of dedicated work, and as a result, the Global GLAM LCIA method has reached a consensus and is set to launch in early 2024.

Tim shares some reflections following his time in Copenhagen:

Having 40 world-leading scientists is both exhilarating and intimidating at the same time. It could also be a recipe for over complication however in the LCA areas we are used to matching science with the art of the possible and practical. Parsimonious - as simple as it can be and as complex as it needs to be - is the guiding principle here.

New developments are many with the use phase of LCA coming into focus with impact categories such as diet and physical exercise. Additionally the task of regionalization of impact categories - continues at pace in the water land and even particulates impact categories.

The GLAM process, which is based on voluntary contributions from hundreds of scientists benefits from people’s generosity and the voluntary approach creates a purity of motive as compared to fully funded research. On the flip side, the lack of funding makes it extremely hard to meet deadlines and demand people’s attention. Somehow finding a better way to leverage small amounts of funding to translate new developments into the life cycle impact assessment domain could provide a more optimal approach.

Last month, we took home the award for the Best Water E-Journal Paper – in Honour of Guy Parker with Yarra Valley Water.

The paper 'Evaluating and Comparing Circular Economy options in Yarra Valley Water’s 2030 Strategy', delves into the innovative strategy that resulted in the development of a circular baseline analysis framework specially adapted for water utilities and identified new opportunities that go far beyond the water cycle impacts and benefits.

It was a great effort from everyone involved - Lisa Ehrenfried, Jodie Bricout and Francis Pamminger.

We look forward to contributing more in this field!

Author: Marguerite Renouf & Gabriella Hooper

Marguerite Renouf comes full circle, returning to Lifecycles after 10 years as Head of Strategic Business Development

You've come full circle! What has drawn you back to Lifecycles after 10 years?
I worked part-time at Lifecycles for a period in 2013 being attracted to the interesting agri-food LCA work they were involved in. I moved back into academia after that but maintained a close relationship with Lifecycles ever since.

I’m very drawn to research, which is why I worked in academia (UQ and QUT) for over two decades. Universities are great places for knowledge building but are not the best fit for the highly applied work we do with LCA. When this opportunity with Lifecycles came up, I felt it was a fantastic time to get involved.

The sustainability service industry is extremely buoyant at the moment. We’ve all been waiting for this to come. It’s exciting to see the world is coming on board with sustainability thinking and assessment, and there are plenty of opportunities to help clients find really good solutions.

Lifecycles work with very influential clients, have great relationships with government bodies and are ahead of the game in LCA. Working for an organisation like Lifecycles allows me to get involved in leading the exciting innovation that the world is ready for.

What’s your new role and what will it entail?
In my role, I will lead the development and implementation of Lifecycles’ long-term strategic plans, focusing on driving business growth by leveraging my experience in circular economies and eco-efficiency. There are huge opportunities for Lifecycles in scaling up their existing services into new areas and I can really help facilitate this.

Mentoring young professionals will be another key focus. I’m really amazed at how many new people have come on board and how the company is growing. It’s important to nurture the younger generation as they are integral to ensuring a sustainable future, so I’m very excited to be a part of that growth.

Engaging with clients and stakeholders for LCA capability building and training will also be a part of our growth plan, for the business and the industry alike. I will be working with Tim to further develop the LCA training curriculum with professionals, PhD students and organisations taking on a sustainability role, plus working more closely with the LCA community through our ties with ALCAS.

What expertise can you bring?
My expertise lies in agriculture systems and biobased production. Biobased production is the area I’m most passionate about and a capacity that can be expanded in Lifecycles. We know that greater use of biomass is important for curbing climate change - but it's important to understand there are trade-offs. LCA can help us understand how to mitigate and balance those trade-offs.

I am also quite proficient in the translation of LCA into government and industry policy. Tim and the team have done some remarkable work that has been used by governments to make decisions. I would like to continue that work.

Furthermore, I’m seeing more examples of companies using eco-design for innovative products. Instead of using LCA to tick a box at the end, designers are increasingly using it very early on in the product development phase. Australia is lagging behind the rest of the world when it comes to eco-design, so there’s a lot more we can do here with Lifecycles’ LCA tools.

And most importantly, if you were a song, what would you be?
It would be ”You should be dancing” by the Bee Gees.

Do you have anything else to add?
I’m keen for the opportunity to reconnect more widely with the Australian LCA community through this role, and very much looking forward to the ALCAS conference in July.
 

Author: Tim Grant

For us as individuals, water is essential for life. From a system perspective, it’s also an effective way to capture carbon. With extra water, we can grow trees to capture carbon or crops which can replace plastics.  

While cities are not the largest consumers of water, they will always compete with farming and industry needs. At home, the biggest water uses are the garden and bathroom.  After the last drought, many great measures were implemented including water-saving toilets and showers.  But we have all got a little lax since it began raining. 

The best way to save water is:

Short showers. Shallow baths 

Smart watering in the garden

Smart plants such as natives and drought-tolerant gardens

Good water-efficient appliances especially clothes and dishwashers

Don’t rinse the dishes..  your washer is designed to cope with dirty dishes

If you want to save water and energy don't wash clothes until you need to. Be clean, but clever

Don't waste food. The water footprint of food, also known as ‘embodied water’, accounts for the huge amount of indirect water which goes into making something (ie. meat production or growing vegetables).

One study in Melbourne found that for every litre of water consumed directly in the household, about nine more litres are consumed indirectly through embodied water in food.*

Also, in apparel. Cotton uses a lot of water, so use sensibly and get the most out of these clothes.

Make your own water. Water tanks help slow flooding, and the water can be used for garden toilets and laundry. 

Pools are fun but use up a lot of water. Use the local pool instead if you can. If you have a pool, ensure no leaks, and cover it when not using it to slow evaporation.   

Author: Dr Sandra Eady

The last few months have heralded much welcome progress on policy to support Australia’s 2050 net zero emissions target. The Federal Government is taking a two-pronged approach - setting a “safeguard mechanism” that will require large emitters to reduce or offset emissions, and supporting a high integrity offset market.
The safeguard mechanism applies to facilities with scope 1 emissions of more than 100,000 tonnes CO2-eq per year. These businesses are already reporting to National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER), and will now be set a hard baseline (which reduces each year by about 4.9%) against which they need to operate. Initially, the baseline will be current site-specific emissions but over time this moves to an industry average baseline. Businesses that do better than their baseline can sell credits to other businesses who overshoot their emissions cap. The safeguard mechanism will initially cover about 215 entities producing 28% of Australia’s emissions.
The second policy prong is to strengthen the integrity of Australian carbon credit unit (ACCU) offsets generated under the Emissions Reduction Fund. The recent review of the Fund has identified several changes that will strengthen integrity: cessation of offsets generated by landholders opting not to clear land for which they hold a permit to clear, strengthening the evidence link between land management changes and revegetation, and stronger benchmarks for waste facility emissions reductions.
The third prong will be business response to these policies, and this is where the LCA community can provide support, giving advice backed by robust metrics. While legislation is yet to be passed and recommendations adopted to implement these policies, we at Lifecycles are excited to see such a strong move towards evidence-based change with an increased level of integrity of the metrics behind carbon offsets.