The life cycle performance of energy using household products

Abstract

The number of household gadgets that use energy, usually electricity, has multiplied in recent decades and energy use in a category that was long called other has risen significantly. In the mean time, another concern has arisen: the carbon cost related to the production and disposal of the gadgets. Investigating household electric and electronic equipment (EEE) as a specific household consumption category, the objective of this project is to get more understanding of their consumption and of their carbon footprint over there life-cycle. Space and water heating as well as lighting are excluded. The focus is on Norwegian household carbon footprint considering its specificities both in terms of consumption patterns, external trade and energy mix. First, an economic and statistical analysis of product ownership is conducted. It uses several data sources, such as the recent REMODECE campaign, sales data, lifetime estimation, EE-register data (registration of input and output of Electric and electronic equipment on the Norwegian market) and data from statistical office of Norway. Second, the project aims to record, analyze and compare different sources of information considering production and end-of-life. Both bottom up and top down approaches are investigated, even if a stress is put on bottom-up studies, such as ongoing European EuP study with its Ecoreport tool and EcoInvent database. Third it gives a best estimate of EEEs share in household carbon footprint, found to be 8,1% at 1,5 tons of CO2equivalent per household with production phase as a main contributor. A discussion on uncertainties assessing precision and identifying information gaps is also conducted. In addition to facilitate further research by setting up a framework grouping information sources critically analyzed, this project highlights the increasing importance of EEE products regarding sustainable consumption by putting numbers on the table.