Analyzing critical material demand: A revised approach
Abstract
Apparent consumption has been widely used as a metric to estimate material demand. However, with technology advancement and complexity of material use, this metric has become less useful in tracking material flows, estimating recycling feedstocks, and conducting life cycle analysis of critical materials. Here, we call for future research efforts to focus on building a multi-tiered consumption database for the global trade network of critical materials. This approach will help track how raw materials are processed into major components (e.g., motor assemblies) and eventually incorporated into complete pieces of equipment (e.g., wind turbines). Foreseeable challenges would involve: 1) difficulty in obtaining a comprehensive picture of trade partners due to business sensitive information, 2) complexity of materials going into components of a machine, and 3) maintaining such a database. We propose ways to address these challenges such as making use of digital design, learning from the experience of building other databases, and developing a strategy for financial sustainability. Additionally, we recommend that, with the advancement of information technology, small steps toward building such a database will contribute significantly to our understanding of material flows in our society and the associated human impacts on the environment.
- Authors:
-
[1];
[2];
[3];
[2]
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States). Center for Industrial Ecology
- Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Advanced Manufacturing Office
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1478465
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1548616
- Report Number(s):
- INL/JOU-17-43879-Rev000
Journal ID: ISSN 0048-9697
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC07-05ID14517; AL-12-350-001
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Science of the Total Environment
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 630; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0048-9697
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Critical materials; Apparent consumption; Material flows; Life cycle assessment; Consumption database
Citation Formats
Nguyen, Ruby Thuy, Fishman, Tomer, Zhao, Fu, Imholte, Devin D., and Graedel, Thomas E. Analyzing critical material demand: A revised approach. United States: N. p., 2018.
Web. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.283.
Nguyen, Ruby Thuy, Fishman, Tomer, Zhao, Fu, Imholte, Devin D., & Graedel, Thomas E. Analyzing critical material demand: A revised approach. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.283
Nguyen, Ruby Thuy, Fishman, Tomer, Zhao, Fu, Imholte, Devin D., and Graedel, Thomas E. Wed .
"Analyzing critical material demand: A revised approach". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.283. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1478465.
@article{osti_1478465,
title = {Analyzing critical material demand: A revised approach},
author = {Nguyen, Ruby Thuy and Fishman, Tomer and Zhao, Fu and Imholte, Devin D. and Graedel, Thomas E.},
abstractNote = {Apparent consumption has been widely used as a metric to estimate material demand. However, with technology advancement and complexity of material use, this metric has become less useful in tracking material flows, estimating recycling feedstocks, and conducting life cycle analysis of critical materials. Here, we call for future research efforts to focus on building a multi-tiered consumption database for the global trade network of critical materials. This approach will help track how raw materials are processed into major components (e.g., motor assemblies) and eventually incorporated into complete pieces of equipment (e.g., wind turbines). Foreseeable challenges would involve: 1) difficulty in obtaining a comprehensive picture of trade partners due to business sensitive information, 2) complexity of materials going into components of a machine, and 3) maintaining such a database. We propose ways to address these challenges such as making use of digital design, learning from the experience of building other databases, and developing a strategy for financial sustainability. Additionally, we recommend that, with the advancement of information technology, small steps toward building such a database will contribute significantly to our understanding of material flows in our society and the associated human impacts on the environment.},
doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.283},
journal = {Science of the Total Environment},
number = C,
volume = 630,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Mar 07 00:00:00 EST 2018},
month = {Wed Mar 07 00:00:00 EST 2018}
}
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Figures / Tables:
Figure-1: Example structure of a rare earth database for the wind turbine supply chain, Q: quantity, t: time, η: manufacturing efficiency