Potential of Energy Efficiency and GHG Reduction Related to the Use of Secondary Materials Instead of Primary Ones

Energy efficiency plays a crucial role in the policies for climate change and emissions mitigation. Thus, a driver for energy efficiency, as well as for GHG emissions mitigation, can be the adoption of resource efficiency and closing loop policies and behaviors. In particular, the use of secondary materials rather than primary ones can contribute to energy efficiency where the overall energy used for their production is lower than the correspondent energy needed for the primary production from a life cycle thinking perspective (energy embodied). For this aim, primary material’s energy demand is calculated from raw materials extraction through following steps (valorization processes, refining, processing, transports, etc.) until the final semi-finished products useful for further applications. In the case of secondary materials, instead, energy demand is calculated from the collection point of scraps and waste (which is seen as “generation point” of materials) through following steps, as for the primary materials, until final semi-finished products. Aim of this paper is present the preliminary results of a study, commissioned by Utilitalia, finalized at proposing a new mechanism for the energy efficiency certificates (Titoli di Efficienza Energetica, TEE) including the possibility offered by accounting the above-mentioned energy efficiency realized through the use of secondary materials instead of primary ones. For this regard, this tool can be called Circular Energy Efficiency Certificates, CEEC (or, in Italian, Titoli di Efficienza Energetica Circolari, TEEC), measured in ton of oil equivalent, TOE (or, in Italian, Tonnellate Equivalenti di Petrolio, TEP). At the same time, the use of secondary materials with lower “energy embodied” instead primary ones can consequently be responsible of less overall GHG emissions, depending on CO₂ eq. emission factors of different types of energy used along the primary or secondary materials production value chain. Similarly to what was proposed with TEEC, this CO₂ eq. savings could be used as Carbon Credits (Circular Carbon Credits – Crediti di Carbonio Circolare, 3C), measured in tons of CO₂ eq. TEEC and 3C calculations are done comparing primary with correspondent secondary material. Aim of the work is, thus, the implementation of a database with primary and secondary materials data on energy embodied and related CO₂ eq. emissions, and the implementation of a web-tool for database consultation, TEEC and 3C calculations as well as for DB management and cooperative dataset uploading and checking. At the moment, working realized following steps for primary and secondary materials: value chain of primary and corresponding secondary materials; energy needs for each step of value chain if detailed or as a whole; details on energy type of single steps if detailed or average energy type if considered as a whole. Data have been collected by LCA studies and primary data provided by secondary material producers. Database formats and requirements have been implemented too as well as the design of web-tool and TEEC and 3C calculator. Datasets for the following primary and secondary materials have been collected and implemented up to now: plastics (with 5 subcategories), paper (x 6), glass (x4), wood (x2), copper, steel, aluminum, lead, zinc, aggregates (x2). Datasets for the following additional materials are under implementation: textiles, rubber from end-of-life tyres, and cellulose from sanitary diapers.