Applying LCA to Estimate Development
Energy Needs: The Cases of India
and Brazil
Narasimha D. Rao, Alessio Mastrucci and Jihoon Min
Abstract This paper illustrates the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) methods to
link human wellbeing to resource consumption. Based on a previously developed
framework of the material requirements for human well-being, we use LCA and
Input-Output (I/O) analysis, as appropriate, to estimate the life-cycle energy needed
to meet the gap in living standards in two emerging economies, India and Brazil.
We illustrate the relative contribution of different living standards components to
energy requirements, as well as the uncertainty and trade-offs between upfront and
long-term operating energy costs, and how these factors differ in the two countries.
This analysis provides insights on how LCA analysis can be used to inform energy
planning and its links to development goals.
1 Introduction
There is much potential for life cycle assessment (LCA) to inform public policy
beyond its traditional use to address environmental objectives [1]. This paper
illustrates how LCA can be used to inform development and energy policies related
to improving living standards in emerging economies. Our motivation is that
technology, material and design choices in the build-up of infrastructure can present
important trade-offs between short-term (construction) and long-term (operating)
energy needs, as well as different net energy requirements. These differences matter
in emerging economies such as India and Brazil that expect high future economic
growth and significant infrastructure investments. The Indian government anticipates 1.5 trillion dollars of infrastructure investments over the next decade [2].
Furthermore, almost a quarter of the building stock (*50 million units), requires
upgrading [3], not counting population growth and future migration to urban areas.
N. D. Rao (&) Á A. Mastrucci Á J. Min
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA),
Energy (ENE) Program, 2361 Laxenburg, Austria
e-mail: nrao@iiasa.ac.at
© The Author(s) 2018
E. Benetto et al. (eds.), Designing Sustainable Technologies,
Products and Policies, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66981-6_44
397
Energy Needs: The Cases of India
and Brazil
Narasimha D. Rao, Alessio Mastrucci and Jihoon Min
Abstract This paper illustrates the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) methods to
link human wellbeing to resource consumption. Based on a previously developed
framework of the material requirements for human well-being, we use LCA and
Input-Output (I/O) analysis, as appropriate, to estimate the life-cycle energy needed
to meet the gap in living standards in two emerging economies, India and Brazil.
We illustrate the relative contribution of different living standards components to
energy requirements, as well as the uncertainty and trade-offs between upfront and
long-term operating energy costs, and how these factors differ in the two countries.
This analysis provides insights on how LCA analysis can be used to inform energy
planning and its links to development goals.
1 Introduction
There is much potential for life cycle assessment (LCA) to inform public policy
beyond its traditional use to address environmental objectives [1]. This paper
illustrates how LCA can be used to inform development and energy policies related
to improving living standards in emerging economies. Our motivation is that
technology, material and design choices in the build-up of infrastructure can present
important trade-offs between short-term (construction) and long-term (operating)
energy needs, as well as different net energy requirements. These differences matter
in emerging economies such as India and Brazil that expect high future economic
growth and significant infrastructure investments. The Indian government anticipates 1.5 trillion dollars of infrastructure investments over the next decade [2].
Furthermore, almost a quarter of the building stock (*50 million units), requires
upgrading [3], not counting population growth and future migration to urban areas.
N. D. Rao (&) Á A. Mastrucci Á J. Min
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA),
Energy (ENE) Program, 2361 Laxenburg, Austria
e-mail: nrao@iiasa.ac.at
© The Author(s) 2018
E. Benetto et al. (eds.), Designing Sustainable Technologies,
Products and Policies, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66981-6_44
397