Sustainable Product Lifecyle in Critical Power Solutions : recommendations and an action plan for reducing the CO2 footprint in the product lifecycle

Abstract

This thesis identifies CO2 footprint sources throughout the product lifecycle and develops recommendations to reduce the CO2 footprint in the product lifecycle. The study analyzes carbon footprint sources in manufacturing, packaging, distribution, use, and end-of-life phases for the selected product. The case company operates in a market where product carbon footprint numbers must be low, and sustaining environmental product declarations is crucial.

The study contains good practices of CO2 footprint source identification in literature, which were utilized to design a conceptual framework to map CO2 footprint identification. Based on the conceptual framework, product lifecycle stages are analyzed in the current state analysis to summarize CO2 sources and weights of the product. After highlighting the main contributors to the CO2 footprint, an initial proposal was developed and presented to decision-makers and key stakeholders. After receiving feedback, the final proposal was developed following validated recommendations and action plans, focusing on the manufacturing and use phases.

By following these recommendations, the study aims to significantly reduce the CO2 footprint throughout the product lifecycle. The study contributes to a broad understanding of CO2 footprint reduction and provides an overview for future development and best practice sharing within the company.

In addition, the latest section contains discussion and conclusion, where an executive summary and credibility evaluation are presented.