Foundations for Life Cycle Analysis of Automotive Structures - The Potential of Steel, Aluminium and Composites

Saur, Konrad; Schuckert, Manfred; Beddies, H.; Eyerer, Peter

doi:10.4271/951844

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…Recycling rate/content assumed for steel, wrought aluminum (Al), and cast aluminum (Al) in studies using either recycled content (RC) or end-of-life (EOL) approach. References: Steel-RC-; − Steel-EOL-; − ,,− Wrought Al-RC-; − ,− Wrought Al-EOL-; ,,,,− ,− , Cast Al-RC-; ,,,,, Cast Al-EOL-. ,,,,, .…”

Section: Review Of Lca Assumptions Parameters and Methodologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life-Cycle Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emission Benefits of Lightweighting in Automobiles: Review and Harmonization

Kim

Wallington

2013

Environ. Sci. Technol.

186

141

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Replacing conventional materials (steel and iron) with lighter alternatives (e.g., aluminum, magnesium, and composites) decreases energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during vehicle use but may increase energy consumption and GHG emissions during vehicle production. There have been many life cycle assessment (LCA) studies on the benefits of vehicle lightweighting, but the wide variety of assumptions used makes it difficult to compare results from the studies. To clarify the benefits of vehicle lightweighting we have reviewed the available literature (43 studies). The GHG emissions and primary energy results from 33 studies that passed a screening process were harmonized using a common set of assumptions (lifetime distance traveled, fuel-mass coefficient, secondary weight reduction factor, fuel consumption allocation, recycling rate, and energy intensity of materials). After harmonization, all studies indicate that using aluminum, glass-fiber reinforced plastic, and high strength steel to replace conventional steel decreases the vehicle life cycle energy use and GHG emissions. Given the flexibility in options implied by the variety of materials available and consensus that these materials have substantial energy and emissions benefits, it seems likely that lightweighting will be used increasingly to improve fuel economy and reduce life cycle GHG emissions from vehicles.

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Section: Review Of Lca Assumptions Parameters and Methodologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life-Cycle Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emission Benefits of Lightweighting in Automobiles: Review and Harmonization

Kim

Wallington

2013

Environ. Sci. Technol.

186

141

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“…The so-called crossover time is of particular interest when comparing products that are comparatively "clean" to produce and comparatively "dirty" in use with those products that are "dirty" to produce but "clean" in use. The typical calcu-lation computes the difference between the emissions totals of the two alternatives as a function of time, or some other metric of the duration of product usage (see, for example, Saur et al 1995;Keifer et al 1988;Schmidt et al 1998;Ridge 1998;Franze and Neumann 1997). For a product that is "dirty" to make but "clean" in use, total emissions will initially be higher than those of a product that is "clean" to make but "dirty" in use.…”

Section: Single-product Crossover Time Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life‐Cycle Assessment and Temporal Distributions of Emissions: Developing a Fleet‐Based Analysis

Field

Kirchain

Clark

2000

J of Industrial Ecology

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Although the product-centered focus of life-cycle assessment has been one of its strengths, this analytical perspective embeds assumptions that may conflict with the realities of environmental problems. This ar ticle demonstrates, through a series of mathematical derivations, that all the products in use, rather than a single product, frequently should be the appropriate unit of analysis. Such a "fleet-centered" approach supplies a richer perspective on the comparative emissions burdens generated by alternative products, and it eliminates certain simplifying assumptions imposed upon the analysis by a product-centered approach.A sample numerical case, examining the comparative emissions of steel-intensive and aluminum-intensive automobiles, is presented to contrast the results of the two approaches. The fleet-centered analysis shows that the "crossover time" (i.e., the time required before the fuel economy benefits of the lighter aluminum vehicle offset the energy intensity of the processes used to manufacture the aluminum in the first place) can be dramatically longer than that predicted by a product-centered life-cycle assessment.The fleet-centered perspective explicitly introduces the notion of time as a critical element of comparative lifecycle assessments and raises important questions about the role of the analyst in selecting the appropriate time horizon for analysis. Moreover, with the introduction of time as an appropriate dimension to life-cycle assessment, the influences of effects distributed over time can be more naturally and consistently treated.

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“…Fig. 6 loops related to lightweight material (e.g., aluminum) selection; lightweighting is one method producers can use to improve vehicle efficiency (Kim, 2008;Klimisch, 2007;Saur, 1995). Loops B2 (bold line) and B3 (gray, dashed line) represent recycled lightweight material and virgin lightweight material decisions, respectively.…”

Section: Producer Decision-making Loopsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Greenhouse gas mitigation policies and the transportation sector: The role of feedback effects on policy effectiveness

et al. 2009

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Foundations for Life Cycle Analysis of Automotive Structures - The Potential of Steel, Aluminium and Composites

Cited by 11 publications

References 1 publication

Life-Cycle Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emission Benefits of Lightweighting in Automobiles: Review and Harmonization

Life-Cycle Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emission Benefits of Lightweighting in Automobiles: Review and Harmonization

Life‐Cycle Assessment and Temporal Distributions of Emissions: Developing a Fleet‐Based Analysis

Greenhouse gas mitigation policies and the transportation sector: The role of feedback effects on policy effectiveness

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