(23c) Basf's Eco-Efficiency Analysis Method - a Tool to Assess Micro-Reactor Technologies

In order to truly understand advantages of new technologies such as micro-reactors, quantitative tools are necessary. Ideally, these tools should assess life-cycle impacts of new versus existing technologies, and provide the opportunity to optimize new technologies. BASF's Eco-efficiency Analysis Method is such a tool. This presentation will describe the analysis method, and include a case study in which different processes were compared. The intent is to provoke consideration of the application of this type of tool in the development of micro-reactor technologies. BASF's eco-efficiency analysis methodology was developed in 1996 and to date over 240 analyses have been completed. It is based upon life-cycle analysis principles of ISO 14040, with additional enhancements that allow the results to be used as a concise decision-making tool. First, a product or technology application is selected, and the current or future alternatives are identified. Next, six environmental categories are evaluated: Raw materials consumption, Energy consumption, Land use, Air, water and solid waste emissions, Toxic potential of the substances employed and released and risk potential. Life-cycle data are compiled for all of the categories, a weighting scheme is used to aggregate the results, and they are normalized in order to generate the ecological fingerprint. The fingerprint depicts the relative impacts of the alternatives in each of the environmental categories. The total environmental impact is then combined with an economic analysis that addresses costs over the product life-cycle. The Eco-efficiency Portfolio depicts relative environmental impacts on one axis, and the economic impacts on the second axis. The most eco-efficient products will provide both environmental benefits, and be most likely to succeed in the marketplace based on favorable cost aspects. BASF has used Eco-efficiency Analysis for products used in industries ranging from construction, to automotive, to human and animal nutrition. Applications of eco-efficiency analysis include: Strategic planning ? determining which products or technologies should be pursued, Marketing ? demonstrating in the marketplace which technologies are the most environmentally sound, Research and development ? evaluating product portfolios and identify areas for optimization, Stakeholder and government dialogue ? sharing knowledge externally about which technologies are the best and why, and demonstrating commitment to sustainable development