WP1: Total life cycle & enviromental impact analysis

Plant proteins have a lower climate impact than protein from meat, seafood and dairy products. This work package will analyze the environmental and social impact of substituting parts of the animal protein with plant based protein, based on the situation in Norway, and give input to the development of new sustainable plant protein based products.

Objectives:

Analyse total life cycle environmental impacts of existing protein products and for new products and processes developed within the project. Give input during the project on how to make products and processes as sustainable as possible. In addition, the social sustainability will be analysed, starting with a defining stage where the most important social effects will be identified and indicators developed.

Key research tasks:

T1.1 Analyse and compare environmental sustainability of existing high protein raw materials (meat, dairy and fish products) with high protein plants grown in Norwegian conditions:

Using Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, the environmental impact of plant-based protein sources will be analysed and compared with existing animal and fish based protein sources per kg product and per kg protein. In order to make a fair comparison of new and existing products, intermediate products and processes, Life Cycle Assessment methodology must be modified and adapted to suit the products, geographical area and technologies used. A challenging part of the project will be to allocate fertilizer input and effects of nitrogen fixation between different crops in crop rotation.

T1.2 Give input to the other work packages during the project to achieve maximum environmental benefit:

Ecodesign research shows that there are large benefits of taking environmental issues very early in the design of products. In this project LCA can be used in many ways, for example to choose processes, select materials, raw materials and products. The results of the LCA done during the project on the different life cycle stages (agriculture, processing, transport) and on processes, products and intermediate products will be communicated to the other work packages in order to achieve optimal sustainable solutions.

T1.3 Analyse and compare social sustainability of actual plant-based pilotproducts and existing products that are assumed to be replaced:

The social sustainability of new and existing products will be analysed. First, the social effects that are relevant by must be identified and prioritized, taking into account the whole value chain. Secondly, method must be chosen. Thirdly indicators that represent and quantify socially relevant effects must be developed. Finally, total social effects will be quantified, allowing product comparison. Interrelation with other WPs: Close relation with all other work packages. Data will be collected from the work done in WP2, WP3, WP4 and WP5 and feedback given during the course of the project.