Life Cycle Assessment of an Active Safety Radar System An environmental assessment based on ISO 14040 and 14044 in conjunction with the GHG Protocol
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Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Master's Thesis
Master's Thesis
Program
Industrial ecology (MPTSE), MSc
Publicerad
2023
Författare
Almroth, Alexander
Rehnberg, Isak
Modellbyggare
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ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
The automotive industry is one large sector undergoing a transition to become more sustainable, with multiple actors in the field currently developing more ambitious climate strategies. The electrification and automation of vehicles have caused an increased production of complex information and communication technology (ICT) equipment, creating an interest among companies to further understand their products’ environmental performance. This, along with the increased pressure from various stakeholders, such as regulators and customers, incentivize companies to assess their product’s potential environmental impacts. This is the case for Veoneer, a company producing ICT equipment aimed towards active safety within the automotive industry. This master thesis aims to assess the environmental performance of one of Veoneer’s radar products by conducting a life cycle assessment (LCA) in accordance with ISO 14040 and 14044. An additional aim is to investigate potential implications that can occur when conducting an LCA in accordance with ISO 14040 and 14044 while simultaneously producing a report that aligns with the requirements stated in the GHG Protocol Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard.
By dividing the studied radar’s life cycle into the phases extraction and material production, manufacturing, assembly, use, end-of-life, and transportation, the LCA provides a detailed overview which facilitates deeper analyses. The life cycle’s inputs and outputs are modelled through ecoinvent Database and by applying the ReCiPe2016 life cycle impact method to quantify 18 potential environmental impacts, a relevant and comprehensive set of impact categories related to the radar is assessed and interpreted.
The results of the LCA indicate that the radar’s environmental performance is greatly influenced by the use phase, accounting for approximately 81% of the 28kg CO2 equivalents, representing the radar’s total global warming potential. The extraction and material production phase as well as the manufacturing phase are also considered impactful, while assembly, end-of-life and transportation are much less noticeable. The aspects most prominent for improvement are the radar’s energy consumption, the manufacturing of integrated circuits and printed circuit board panels as well as the extraction of silver and gold.
The result of the thesis entails that one of the frameworks, GHG Protocol Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard contra ISO 14040 and 14044, may provide more relevant results than the other depending on what is of interest to examine and present. While results based on the GHG Protocol Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard may allow for better comparison of products, following ISO 14040 and
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
LCA , GHG Protocol , ISO , Radar , Automotive Industry , Sustainability