Abstract
The novel life cycle assessment (LCA)-based carbon handprint indicator represents a potential carbon footprint reduction that producers/products create for customers who use the(ir) product instead of a baseline product. The research question is how to consider a situation in which multiple customers use a product for different purposes to provide a carbon handprint quantification and the associated communication. The study further provides new insight into the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction potential within the mobile telecommunications and energy sectors. The carbon handprint of a novel Finnish liquid-cooled base station technology is quantified. The liquid-cooled base station provides a telecommunications service and waste heat that is recoverable through the cooling liquid for heating purposes. The baseline solutions are an air-cooled base station, and district and electrical heating. The liquid-cooled base station creates a carbon handprint, both through energy savings in telecommunications and additional waste heat reuse, replacing other energy production methods. A large-scale climate change mitigation potential through a liquid-cooled base station expansion could be significant. Different supply chain operators’ contributions to the total carbon handprint could be terminologically distinguished in communications to emphasize their roles in a shared handprint. The handprint should be transparently communicated for each customer and function.
Highlights
The consequences of climate change are increasingly concerning scientists and laypeople alike.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlights the drastic consequences of limiting global warming merely to the common 2 ◦ C target in comparison to pre-industrial levels, as opposed to 1.5 ◦ C [1]
The second aim of this study is to provide new insight into the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction potential within the rapidly growing mobile telecommunications sector and the energy sector through decentralized energy production using base stations
To discuss the first research aim and the related methodological research question of this study regarding the carbon handprint quantification and communication of multi-purpose and multi-customer products, first, this study demonstrated that the carbon handprint approach was applicable to multi-purpose/customer products
Summary
The consequences of climate change are increasingly concerning scientists and laypeople alike.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlights the drastic consequences of limiting global warming merely to the common 2 ◦ C target in comparison to pre-industrial levels, as opposed to 1.5 ◦ C [1]. Regional and industrial greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets are exerting pressure on nations and companies to rethink production technologies and efficiency without compromising modern lifestyles. Industries have, for example, adopted science-based targets for reducing their GHG emissions to battle climate change [2]. A climate change mitigation contribution represents an environmentally-beneficial product attribute. Grönman et al recently introduced the life cycle assessment (LCA)-based carbon handprint approach and indicator for the quantification and communication of potential climate benefits, which an organization can generate by providing products that reduce customers’ carbon footprint when compared to a baseline situation [4]. The organization and its product, achieve a carbon handprint if customers’ carbon footprint is reduced [4]. The carbon handprint can be created through customers’ carbon footprint reduction via a GHG emissions reduction in the producer’s processes or customers’ processes [4]
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