EUBCE 2024 - Safdar ABBAS - Prospective Environmental and Economic Analysis to Provide a Future Guidance for the Production of Lactic Acid from Waste Glycerol

Prospective Environmental and Economic Analysis to Provide a Future Guidance for the Production of Lactic Acid from Waste Glycerol

Short Introductive summary

This research evaluates innovative lactic acid production methods, replacing sugar fermentation with chemocatalytic processes, and assesses their environmental and economic impacts.These methods are still developing, with a TRL of 4 to 6. The study emphasizes the use of prospective life cycle assessment (pLCA) to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of these emerging technologies, considering future scenarios of 2030, 2040, and 2050. This approach integrates life cycle assessment databases with integrated assessment models like shared socio-economic pathways, using the open-source software Activity-Browser for analysis. The study identifies potential cost reductions in lactic acid production from waste glycerol through technological learning, employing the multi-component learning curve methodology. The findings suggest that lactic acid production from waste glycerol is more sustainable and cost-effective than traditional methods, especially under ambitious environmental policies. This research offers a framework for decision-making and the market introduction of these emerging technologies.

S. Abbas, TU Wien, Vienna, AUSTRIA
S. Papadokonstantakis, TU Wien, Vienna, AUSTRIA