Achieving a Sustainable Economy with Digital Product Passports
The BMWK 2 -funded Catena-X project ’ s objective is to achieve a continuous standardized data exchange between all participants in the automotive value chain . The Catena-X Automotive Network 3 ( referred to as Catena-X ) is the association publicly representing the project . Catena-X has published 4 specifications in the category Sustainability on the collection and exchange of Product Carbon Footprint ( PCF ) data [ 2 ]. This data model complies with the WBCSD ( World Business Council for Sustainable Development ) Pathfinder Initiative specification .
The PCF Rule Book [ 2 ] builds on the product carbon footprint standard ( ISO 14067 ) and the life cycle assessment standards ( ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 ) to specify which parts of the extensive and complex automotive supply chain are to be included in the calculation of a partial PCF .
The uptake of electric cars reduces the relative significance of PCF in the product use stage in relation to the previous stages , especially if green electricity sources are used . The PCF Rule Book covers only the first three stages in the product life cycle : ( 1 ) resource extraction and material sourcing , ( 2 ) production and ( 3 ) intermediate distribution and storage but does not include the subsequent stages product use and end-of-life ; cf . also [ 23 ].
The product types considered include raw materials , chemicals and electronics as well as the vehicle components . A company in the automotive production network applies the specified methodology to calculate the cradle-to-gate ( cf . Figure 3-1 ) PCF for all upstream supplier products entering the company and subsequently the PCF for products supplied by the company to downstream companies . The methodology takes greenhouse gas emissions in these 3 stages into account , including those resulting from energy use and transport .
The necessary exchange and combination of primary and secondary PCF data 4 is defined in a cascade across the supply chain . The exchange of PCF data involves three levels of interoperability : data , exchange actions and methodologies for measurement and calculation of emissions . Note that [ 2 ] goes beyond the current WBCSD pathfinder [ PACT ] to define an API for asynchronous PCF requests .
2
German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action ( BMWK )
4
According to the PCF Rule Book , Chapter 6 , [ Catena-X-2022-SUS ], primary data is a quantified value of a process , or an activity obtained from a direct measurement , or a calculation based on direct measurements . Where primary data is not available , other so-called secondary data may be used as a substitute if it meets certain requirements .
Journal of Innovation 27