Sustainable Production and Consumption最新文献

{"title":"A systematic review of agrivoltaics: productivity, profitability, and environmental co-benefits","authors":"Ganesh Pandey ,&nbsp;Sarah Lyden ,&nbsp;Evan Franklin ,&nbsp;Benjamin Millar ,&nbsp;Matthew Tom Harrison","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In co-locating agriculture and solar photovoltaics (PV) on the same land parcel, agrivoltaic systems (AVS) afford opportunities to meet growing global food and energy demand while contributing to renewable energy targets. Previous review studies have not concurrently examined how AVS impacts agri-food production and PV electricity generation, profitability, and environmental co-benefits and trade-offs. We systematically review the literature to assess the impact of AVS design, layout and position in the landscape on agri-food production and energy generation, profitability and environmental stewardship. The impact of site-specific factors such as climate, design constraints, policies and the emissions intensity of the local electricity system were also included in the assessment. In addition to renewable energy, we find that AVS provide co-benefits such as enhanced crop/pasture water-use efficiencies (up to 150–300 % improvement), greater land-use efficiency (up to 200 %), reduced irrigation demand (14 % reduction), improved profitability (up to 15 times higher revenue) and more consistent interannual crop/pasture production compared with conventional agricultural production systems in isolation. Such synergies amplify in locations characterized by arid, semi-arid and hot conditions that are conducive to transient or chronic plant water deficit. Further, bifacial solar panels achieve higher electricity yield per unit area compared with conventional monofacial panels, support plant growth by allowing greater solar radiation transmission, and provide flexibility in the selection of azimuth and tilt angle at which solar panels are installed. Bifacial panels thus afford complementarity with common agricultural practices, such as cultivation and/or livestock grazing. Although AVS tend to have higher installation costs than conventional PV systems (about 5–40 %), practitioners of subsidized projects report competitive returns on investment (payback period &lt;10 years) and highlight benefits associated with revenue diversification. The conversion of agricultural land to AVS offers manifold environmental benefits, including mitigation of global warming, reduced eutrophication, and more effective utilization of land resources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"56 ","pages":"Pages 13-36"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143644300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Absolute environmental sustainability of solid biofuels: An investigation by different environmental-ecological performance indicators","authors":"D.A. Lopes Silva ,&nbsp;D.V. Silva ,&nbsp;A.C. Farrapo Junior ,&nbsp;Y. Xue ,&nbsp;B. Bakshi","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Research on the absolute environmental sustainability of biofuels is limited, and no studies to date have focused on the biomass pellet sector. Net environmental-ecological performance models can be used to quantify absolute sustainability in a life cycle approach, and this investigation provided an analysis of them in the context of biomass pellets as a case study. Four models were compared, where two models are based on results expressed in biophysical units, and two are given in monetary units. All the models were applied in a cradle-to-gate perspective for the two types of biomass pellets: pine pellets and peanut shell pellets. Ten environmental categories were investigated, and the results showed that the pine pellets were the best option and closer to an absolute sustainable profile. The problem with monetary-based models is the loss of accuracy in results. However, the communication of the results for non-experts could be based on monetary terms as they express the main findings more simply. To assist different stakeholders we provided recommendations on which model to apply in bioenergy systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"55 ","pages":"Pages 407-419"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143601628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of resource security concerns on Nordic countries' approach to the circular economy of metals","authors":"Eugène Petelin","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The circular economy (CE) transformative model depends on policy design and implementation in multiple socio-economic contexts. Temporal priorities based on security concerns can stimulate risk-averse circular policies that compromise achieving Sustainable Development Goal 12 for responsible consumption and production. However, the CE literature lacks empirical evidence on how these concerns affect prioritisation among circular policies. The Nordic countries were among the first to introduce national circular strategies, yet their circular material use is below the average and complementary to increasing mineral extraction. Substantial mining industries and a high external exchange of metals and metal-based products make this region an intriguing case for the CE. This study applied the argumentative discourse analysis to strategic documents from Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway to explore the effects of resource security concerns on the Nordics' approach to the CE of metals. Identified security storylines include ensuring the secondary supply of metals, preventing adverse impacts on other countries' conditions, ensuring people's material sufficiency, eliminating health risks from discarded products, reducing environmental pressure, and eliminating hazardous pollution. The study demonstrates the prevalence of the ‘ensuring the secondary supply’ storyline in the Nordic approach while displaying prioritised metals and products. The results highlight how resource security concerns can affect prioritisation among circular policies through discursive storylines. This evidence can contribute to developing CE policy proposals that envision an inclusive and resilient transformative change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"55 ","pages":"Pages 420-433"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143610258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Circles of profit: A conceptual framework for economic and financial aspects in circular construction","authors":"Nouman Khadim ,&nbsp;Alfons van Marrewijk","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Circular construction is an emerging paradigm aimed at addressing the sustainability concerns related to the construction industry. While technical and environmental aspects of circular construction receive ample attention, their economic dimension remains underexplored and is often limited to costs and micro-level factors, lacking a holistic perspective. In response, this study develops a multi-level conceptual framework to critically evaluate the economic and financial aspects of circular construction, through an Integrated Literature Review (ILR) of 45 academic and grey literature sources, complemented by interview data from actors involved in real-world circular construction projects. Four primary research clusters of economic and financial aspects are identified: (1) economic assessment methods, (2) benefits, barriers, risks, and enablers, (3) market guidelines and reports, and (4) circular business models. The findings reveal that economic and financial aspects are complex, extending beyond traditional cost and finance issues, and multilevel, shaped by supply chain dynamics, market forces and policy frameworks. As there is a high degree of interdependency among economic and financial aspects, any change can trigger cascading effects. Additionally, the study demonstrates how targeted interventions can mitigate multiple barriers and create positive feedback loops. The results contribute to the literature on the economic aspects of circular construction by broadening the traditional cost-focused approach and highlighting interconnected economic dynamics. Furthermore, the results advance the circular construction transition literature by illuminating relationships across multiple levels. Lastly, the study contributes to the literature on circular economy barriers and enablers by critically examining the underlying reasons behind existing barriers. By providing a structured approach to the economic and financial aspects of circular construction, the framework enables stakeholders to systematically identify and address barriers, costs, and uncertainties that often hinder its practical implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"55 ","pages":"Pages 444-457"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143610260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shaping China's carbon peak roadmaps: A dynamic model for provincial residential buildings","authors":"Youfeng Qiao ,&nbsp;Jinfan Zhang ,&nbsp;Tengfei Huo ,&nbsp;Qianxi Du ,&nbsp;Weiguang Cai","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Collaborative emission reduction in the provincial residential building sector is crucial for achieving China's “Dual Carbon” goal. However, existing research failed to clearly depict the provincial residential buildings carbon peak roadmaps or adequately account for future uncertainties, thereby hindering the formulation of effective provincial carbon control targets and collaborative emission reduction strategies. This study develops a provincial-level residential building carbon peak dynamic simulation model, integrating an improved Kaya identity, Monte Carlo simulation, and scenario analysis. The model incorporates peaking time, size constraints, and uncertainties in key variables to capture inter-provincial variations in urban and rural residential building carbon emissions and support the formulation of provincial roadmaps. Results show that under strict carbon reduction policies, both urban and rural residential buildings experience earlier and lower peak carbon emissions. In the business-as-usual scenario, the peak value for urban residential building carbon emissions (UBC) ranges from 3.63 MtCO₂ in Hainan to 97.89 MtCO₂ in Shandong, with Ningxia peaking as early as 2007. For rural residential building carbon emissions (RBC), peaking time range from 2026 to 2036, with values between 2.03 and 53.97 MtCO₂. Dynamic simulation results suggest RBC will peak before 2030, while UBC will peak later, around 2034, with values ranging from 751.46 to 799.56 MtCO₂. Provincial policies significantly influence peak times. In Henan and Shandong, the policies delay UBC peaks, whereas in Hainan and Beijing, they accelerate RBC peaks. This study offers valuable insights for developing differentiated carbon peak roadmaps and formulating targeted policy recommendations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"55 ","pages":"Pages 389-406"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143601627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Driving sustainability at early-stage innovation in production of zinc oxide nanoparticles","authors":"Israel Carreira-Barral ,&nbsp;Julieta Díez-Hernández ,&nbsp;Elorri Igos ,&nbsp;Michael Saidani ,&nbsp;Tianran Ding ,&nbsp;Tiago Ramos da Silva ,&nbsp;Helena Monteiro ,&nbsp;Andreas Stingl ,&nbsp;Patricia M.A. Farias ,&nbsp;Olavo Cardozo ,&nbsp;Jesús Ibáñez ,&nbsp;Ana García-Moral ,&nbsp;Juan Antonio Tamayo-Ramos ,&nbsp;Carlos Rumbo ,&nbsp;Rocío Barros ,&nbsp;Sonia Martel-Martín","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.003","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Despite its industrial relevance and the methods that have been described for its synthesis, little is known about the performance of the production processes of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), either pure or doped, from the sustainability perspective. The Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) framework brings to this context an excellent opportunity to 1) evaluate the impacts of chemical processes from the safety and sustainability perspectives, and 2) design and test safety and sustainability strategies to study and optimise these key aspects in early innovation stages. This work aims at assessing the production of ZnO NPs using this approach, testing the sustainability of the materials, designed and produced by Phornano, an Austrian SME, under this scheme. Three scenarios were analysed: the original process (BS) and two alternatives resulting from the application of SSbD strategies to the former (S1 and S2). BS is a linear process in which Zn(NO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;)&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;·6H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O, whey, water and a dopant (a Mn salt) are used as starting materials. However, obtention of the desired product entails the release of toxic fumes (SO&lt;sub&gt;x&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;x&lt;/sub&gt;) to the atmosphere. S1 and its scale-up version, S2, are circular processes in which SO&lt;sub&gt;x&lt;/sub&gt; emissions are avoided, due to the replacement of whey by a non-aminated starch, and NO&lt;sub&gt;x&lt;/sub&gt; are transformed into HNO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;, which reacts with Zn powder to produce Zn(NO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;)&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;·6H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O; in this way, no harmful substances are freed and the zinc salt employed as a raw material in BS is generated during the manufacture of ZnO NPs. Four well-known evaluation tools were employed to achieve a holistic sustainability perspective: Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA), Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), according to the standardised methodologies or the most broadly spread ones; the study was complemented with an uncertainty analysis. The results for the production of 1 kg of ZnO NPs show that the after-SSbD scenarios are remarkably more sustainable than BS: the environmental evaluation reveals that S2 outperforms BS for 10 environmental indicators, allowing a reduction of 67 % in terms of total aggregated impact (from 13.7 to 4.4 mPt); from the economic viewpoint, synthesis of ZnO NPs through S2 is around four times cheaper than that achieved &lt;em&gt;via&lt;/em&gt; BS (512 &lt;em&gt;vs&lt;/em&gt; 2206 €); finally, the social footprint is reduced from 159 mPt in the original process to 21 mPt in S2. MCDA of BS, S1 and S2 considering the three assessments performed confirms that S2 is, with almost 100 % probability, the best-performing alternative from the sustainability perspective, followed by S1. Overall, this work, the most complete in this field to date, contributes to the sustainable synthesis of ZnO NPs and to the methodological advance of the SSbD framework through the revisio","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"55 ","pages":"Pages 353-372"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143578759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prosumerism for sustainability","authors":"Theodoros Daglis ,&nbsp;Maria-Anna Katsikogianni ,&nbsp;Dimitris Ipsakis ,&nbsp;Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many individuals tend to become prosumers, which are both producers and consumers, contributing to sustainable practices. This study investigates the sustainability dimensions of prosumerism through a systematic literature review and natural language processing in the context of topic analysis. Our results highlight key areas that the literature engages with prosumer sustainability, including solar energy, electricity, and renewable energy sources, with a focus on challenges like excess energy management and blockchain adoption. The results reveal that prosumers represent a technological and social movement that can promote renewable energy adoption, and enhance smart cities, as may utilize various energy sources, such as biodiesel, solar, and thermal networks. Specific case studies, both within Europe and globally, point out the importance of focused strategies and the need to improve solar prosumption that will enhance sustainable energy systems. Blockchain and peer-to-peer technologies can enable decentralized and efficient energy trading while enhancing the accuracy of real-time energy production and consumption data, in the context of prosumerism. Finally, natural language processing confirms the importance of prosumers in driving sustainability, but omits important emerging topics such as blockchain and regional case studies, especially within the European Union.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"55 ","pages":"Pages 458-469"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143628839","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social life cycle assessment of non-timber forest products in Indonesia: The case of Gum Rosin","authors":"Annisa Primaningtyas ,&nbsp;Shabbir H. Gheewala","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.02.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.02.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gum rosin, a distillation product of pine sap with turpentine as a co-product, is a significant non-timber forest product (NTFP) in Indonesia. This study evaluated the social sustainability of gum rosin production across four factories in Central Java during a three-year period of 2020–2022 through a Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA). The study focused on social performance and identifying social hotspots using the Subcategory Assessment Method (SAM) based on basic requirements. Data collection involved reviews of documents, reports, and records of the organization with triangulation interviews and surveys of other stakeholders to validate data in the inventory analysis. The results indicated that all factories met the basic requirements in the majority of subcategories for all stakeholder groups involved. Each stakeholder group had specific subcategories requiring improvement, such as “working hours,” “fair wages,” and “health and safety” for forestry workers; “access to material resources” for local communities; “promoting social responsibility” for value chain actors; and “transparency” for consumers. These areas were found to not meet basic standards and need specific improvements. These findings are intended to support the government, as the industry's sole shareholder, in developing strategies for its future growth while recognizing the potential of pine sap to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. While this study focuses on industry activities, future research should expand its scope to include the broader social impacts of sustainable forest management more comprehensively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"55 ","pages":"Pages 373-388"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143578760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Future projections and life cycle assessment of end-of-life tires to energy conversion in Hong Kong: Environmental, climate and energy benefits for regional sustainability","authors":"Chaoshuo LIU ,&nbsp;Jingzheng REN ,&nbsp;Yusha HU ,&nbsp;Junnian SONG ,&nbsp;Wei YANG","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.03.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing focus on environmental sustainability and the pressing need to mitigate climate change have driven innovative approaches in waste management and energy production. Managing growing waste tires requires strategies that address disposal while contributing to energy generation and climate mitigation. This study employs auto regressive integrated moving average modeling to forecast end-of-life tires generation based on vehicle ownership trends in Hong Kong. A life cycle assessment using the ReCiPe2016 method and a genetic algorithm optimization is applied to assess and optimize the environmental and energy impacts of combined heat and power, gasification, and pyrolysis technologies under two scenarios: the baseline scenario, where 50 % of end-of-life tires are utilized for energy production reflecting current practices, and the enhanced scenario, which increases this to 65 % by including end-of-life tires that would otherwise be improperly disposed of. Although the baseline scenario produced slightly more energy, the optimized use of end-of-life tires in the enhanced scenario prioritized substantial climate benefits through strengthened greenhouse gas mitigation. In the enhanced scenario, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by approximately 357,825 tons of CO₂-eq annually by 2025, leading to a cumulative reduction exceeding 3 million tons by 2030. Additionally, the enhanced scenario demonstrated improvements in reducing air pollutants such as SO₂ and NO_x, further contributing to better air quality. The findings highlight the potential of integrating end-of-life tires-to-energy technologies for sustainable end-of-life tires management, providing a framework for policymakers and stakeholders to develop effective strategies that contribute to environmental sustainability and public health. The study's methodologies and insights can be adapted to other regions, facilitating the creation of tailored waste tire management policies globally.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"55 ","pages":"Pages 328-339"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143578829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"System-level analysis of strategies for biodegradable plastics production from microalgae","authors":"Byeongchan Ahn ,&nbsp;Sungil Yun ,&nbsp;Soye Yun ,&nbsp;Young-Ju Kim ,&nbsp;Wangyun Won","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.02.028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2025.02.028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fossil-fuel-based plastics have contributed significantly to global warming and marine pollution, both during their production and disposal. As a viable alternative, microalgae-based biodegradable plastics offer an environmentally sustainable solution owing to the rapid growth of microalgae and their ability to absorb CO₂. However, the high price of bioplastics hinders their widespread adoption as a replacement for conventional plastics. In this study, an integrated process (Case 1) for coproducing lactic acid (LA, a monomer of polylactic acid), polyurethane, and azelaic acid (AA), by fully utilizing the major components of microalgae (carbohydrates, triglycerides, and free fatty acids (FFAs)) is proposed. This method significantly improves the economics of bioplastic production. Apart from AA production from FFAs, which is a common process to produce LA and polyurethane, two additional cases are also presented to investigate the environmental and economic impact of FFA utilization: Case 2 consumed FFAs as a heat source and Case 3 externally disposed of FFAs. Comprehensive analyses, including techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment, were conducted to identify the economic and environmental benefits of the three cases. Case 1 is the most economically advantageous option, with the lowest minimum selling price (MSP) of $1017/ton-LA due to additional revenue from the sales of AA, which is a valuable product. Despite its economic benefit, Case 1 is not environmentally favorable (6.6 kg CO₂ eq./kg-LA). In contrast, Case 2 has the lowest global warming potential (2.3 kg CO₂ eq./kg-LA), equivalent to an annual reduction of 135,865 metric tons of CO₂ emissions in comparison to the conventional LA production process (4.8 kg CO₂ eq./kg-LA); conversely, it has the highest MSP of $1605/ton-LA. This denotes that the proposed process can reduce annual 135,865 tons of CO₂ with competitive price compared to the conventional LA ($1100-1940/ton). The results highlight the inherent tradeoff between economic and environmental viability and provide valuable insights into the commercial development of renewable biodegradable plastics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"55 ","pages":"Pages 340-352"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143578758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}