Showing all 15
-
RCI Carbon Flows Report: Compilation of supply and demand of fossil and renewable carbon on a global and European level (PDF)
Policy, Sustainability & Health
92 Pages
370 Downloads370 Downloads
2023-03
FREE
370
DownloadsThe Carbon Flows report is a compilation of supply and demand of fossil and renewable carbon on a global and European level. It provides a comprehensive understanding of today’s carbon flows and what it means to replace fossil carbon with renewable carbon in the materials and chemicals sectors. It’s main intent is to provide a uniform and transparent data basis for a future carbon management that can be used and shared by industry, associations, policy-makers, science and alike.
In the last five years, the mindset around carbon has changed fundamentally. Of course, there is no way around the fact that the rising concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere pose an existential threat to life on Earth. But at the same time, carbon is the main component of our food, the basis of all organic chemicals and plastics, and the backbone of life on Earth.
In the chemicals and plastics sectors in particular, almost 90% of the carbon used as feedstock is fossil carbon. This fossil carbon must be replaced by renewable carbon from recycling, biomass and CO2 by 2050 to avoid a further influx of fossil carbon into our technosphere and atmosphere.This report provides a comprehensive, detailed and updated carbon flow data basis that significantly surpasses previous publications, containing more than 35 figures and tables with corresponding descriptions of methodology, source material and data. All data have been corroborated as best as currently possible by scientific publications, feedback from experts and additional research. Remaining gaps and differences are transparently depicted and explained as well as possible.
The nova experts assessed data from a multitude of sources. A wide range of data on material flow are used to compile a comprehensive inventory of carbon stocks and flows. The sectors covered include all applications of organic carbon from fossil resources and biomass production, from raw materials through utilisation to final end-of-life. This includes use of carbon for feed and food, for materials, for energy and for fuels. A special focus is put on the carbon demand in the chemical and plastic industry today and tomorrow, with several figures specifically zooming into this sector and including scenarios for a full defossilisation by 2050.
The Carbon Flows report is designed to be a living document that we would like to update every one to two years if possible. This also means that we look forward to your feedback, additional input, new data and suggestions from any interested party. Please directly contact the main author of the study for this: ferdinand.kaehler@nova-institut.de
-
Letter to the Commission on the definition of natural polymers in the REACH microplastics restriction
Policy, Sustainability & Health
4 Pages
148 Downloads148 Downloads
2023-02
FREE
148
DownloadsSix leading associations and stakeholders from the chemicals, polymers and plastics sectors – namely BioChem Europe (a sector group of Cefic), EDANA, EuropaBio, European BioPlastics, GO!PHA and Renewable Carbon Initiative) – express in this letter their specific concerns about the proposed definition of “natural polymers” and its impact on biopolymers in the context of the REACH restriction on microplastics.
Under the coordination of the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) they ask the European Commission in a letter “that in the adoption of the text of the Synthetic Polymer Microparticles restrictions (REACH Microplastics Restriction), the European Commission should not use the definition of ‘natural polymer’ which refers to a polymerisation process that takes place in nature.“
-
Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) Webinar slides – February 2023 (PDF)
Markets & Economy, Policy, Sustainability & Health, Technology
46 Pages
603 Downloads603 Downloads
2023-02
FREE
Free Shipping603
DownloadsThis document contains a general slide set to introduce the concept of renewable carbon and the Renewable Carbon Initiative. It contains several visualisations on carbon demand today and in the future, the value chain of chemical production, alignment with the circular economy and other political strategies (e.g. Green Deal, ReNEW EU), policy recommendations, RCI member overview and RCI activities. Version from February 2023.
More information at https://renewable-carbon-initiative.com/media/library
-
Importance of mass balance and free attribution (MBFA) for the conversion of the chemical sector to alternative carbon sources (PDF)
Policy, Sustainability & Health
4 Pages
195 Downloads195 Downloads
2022-12
FREE
Free Shipping195
DownloadsThis position paper highlights the importance of mass balance and free attribution “MBFA” as one possible way to incentivise the transformation of the chemical sector away from fossil and on towards renewable carbon.
The term “mass balance” has become established to describe systems in which biomass, CO2 and secondary materials are used as a feedstock, but is not or not fully physically traced to the end product . It is common practice in many value chains in which large scale capacities are involved in one or more steps of the value chain that require mixing the sustainable with conventional material to fill the capacity. The approach makes it possible to substitute large quantities of fossil raw materials and attractive renewable content shares can be attributed to desired materials or products for which demand on the market exists. This incentivises a stepwise continuous transformation to increase the share of renewable carbon in particular for the large-scale chemical industry
However, the term “mass balance” is somewhat unfortunate because it is too general, and does not mention the essence of the method: the free attribution of the bio-based, CO2-based or chemically recycled share in the feedstock mix to certain selected end products.
The RCI recommends to only speak of “mass balance and free attribution (MBFA)” when talking about such cases, as this is how the complete method and its two central parts are referred to. This is transparent and honest, building trust from customers, end consumers and society in general. Both, mass balance and the free attribution are based on solid and established certifications.
Besides terminology, there is still a need for regulatory harmonisation between the schemes of the existing certification systems. MBFA cannot only be applied for bio-based feedstock, but also for CO/CO2 or feedstock from chemical recycling, both will gain strongly in importance in the coming years. Every MBFA scheme should cover these three renewable feedstocks: biomass, CO/CO2 and recycling.
-
The Renewable Carbon Initiative’s position on the „Communication on Sustainable Carbon Cycles” (PDF)
Policy
7 Pages
343 Downloads343 Downloads
2022-11
FREE
Free Shipping343
DownloadsThe RCI, an interest group of leading companies and pioneers from the chemical and material sector, has a rich history of advocating for policies acknowledging the indispensable need of carbon in a broad range of chemical and material industries. The Communication on Sustainable Carbon Cycles, as published in December 2021, is a milestone in European policy as it acknowledges exactly this value of carbon as a feedstock and its unavoidability for certain sectors. The recently published position paper of the RCI highlights why this is an important step in the right direction and asks policy makers for effective follow-up.
-
The Renewable Carbon Initiative’s position on the draft “EU Policy framework on bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics” (PDF)
Policy, Sustainability & Health
5 Pages
229 Downloads229 Downloads
2022-10
FREE
Free Shipping229
DownloadsThe Commission is currently preparing a “Policy framework on bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics.” The framework was announced in the Circular Economy Action Plan and is part of the Plastics Strategy for Circular Economy. It aims at developing guidance on the “sourcing, labelling and use of bio-based plastics, based on assessing where the use of bio-based feedstock results in genuine environmental benefits, going beyond reduction in using fossil resources” and on the “use of biodegradable or compostable plastics, based on an assessment of the applications where such use can be beneficial to the environment, and of the criteria for such applications”. While publication is planned for late 2022, the Renewable Carbon Initiative took the opportunity to comment on the draft from summer 2022.
-
Erneuerbarer Kohlenstoff – Schlüssel zur Zukunft (PDF)
Policy, Sustainability & Health, Technology
2 Pages
131 Downloads131 Downloads
2022-07
FREE
Free Shipping131
DownloadsDie chemische Industrie steht aktuell vor einer Vielzahl an Herausforderungen, aus denen eine neue, nachhaltige Chemie erwachsen kann – wenn die große Transformation in den nächsten Jahrzehnten gelingt. Und das muss sie!
Quelle: „Erneuerbarer Kohlenstoff – Schlüssel zur Zukunft“ – aus CHEManager 7/2022
https://www.chemanager-online.com/news/erneuerbarer-kohlenstoff-schluessel-zur-zukunft -
CO₂ Reduction Potential of the Chemical Industry Through CCU (PDF)
Sustainability & Health, Technology
28 Pages
1488 Downloads1488 Downloads
2022-05
FREE
1488
DownloadsIn an exploratory scenario, this study investigates the CO₂ emission reductions that can be achieved in the global chemical and derived material industries if the entire demand for embedded carbon is met solely and exclusively via CO₂ instead of from fossil sources. Major simplifications are used to achieve transparency and comprehensibility of the issue. Methanol (CH3OH) is considered to cover the needs for hydrocarbons for chemicals and derived materials among the various chemical intermediates as a representative pathway for renewable carbon. It is a plausible scenario to assign methanol a central role in supplying the chemical industry of the future.
The GHG emissions of CCU-based methanol could be 67 to 77 % lower compared to emissions from releasing embedded carbon of fossil fuels, when using current energy supply based on photovoltaics. With improvements in renewable energy production, the reduction could increase to levels between 96 and 100 %.
-
Renewable Carbon as a Guiding Principle for Sustainable Carbon Cycles (PDF)
Policy, Sustainability & Health
41 Pages
2456 Downloads2456 Downloads
2022-02
FREE
2456
DownloadsWhy it is right to choose renewable carbon as a guiding principle for sustainable development in the chemicals and materials sectors.
The Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) publishes this fundamental strategy paper on the defossilisation of the chemical and material industry with eleven policy recommendations. The Renewable Carbon Initiative is an interest group of more than 30 well-known companies from the wide field of the chemical and material value chains. (www.renewable-carbon-initiative.com)Read more here: https://renewable-carbon-initiative.com/media/press/?id=315
-
Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) draws worldwide attention (PDF)
Policy, Sustainability & Health
2 Pages
216 Downloads216 Downloads
2021-11
FREE
216
DownloadsThe climate crisis is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, with global warming, greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation leading to food insecurity, global health problems and biodiversity loss. Greenhouse gas emissions associated with the use of carbon-containing fossil energy sources such as oil, coal and natural gas have been shown to be a major contributor to climate change. Thus, for decades the focus of climate protection has been predominantly on the energy sector. A new initiative is now expanding this view. Learn about the history and activities of the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI).
-
656 Downloads
2021-05
FREE
656
Downloads -
Nora and her flyphone on renewable carbon (Comic)
Policy, Sustainability & Health
2 Pages
190 Downloads190 Downloads
2021-05
FREE
190
Downloads -
Renewable Energy and Renewable Carbon for a Sustainable Future − Graphic
Markets & Economy, Policy, Sustainability & Health, Technology
1 Page
1654 Downloads1654 Downloads
2020-09
FREE
1654
Downloads -
nova-Paper #12: Renewable Carbon – Key to a Sustainable and Future-oriented Chemical and Plastic Industry − Full version
Policy
25 Pages
4566 Downloads4566 Downloads
2020-09
FREE
4566
Downloads -
nova-Paper #10: Renewable Carbon is Key to a Sustainable and Future-Oriented Chemical Industry − Full version
Markets & Economy, Policy
11 Pages
2121 Downloads2121 Downloads
2018-08
FREE
2121
Downloads