At this year’s European Biomass Conference and Exhibition (EUBCE) in Valencia, the SUN-PERFORM project hosted a focused workshop to gather input on its Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) strategy. The session was led by Matteo Prussi, Associate Professor at Politecnico di Torino, and Linda Costantini, MSc student in Energy Engineering at the same university, with support from INsociety.
Held on June 10, the event brought together around 25 participants for a compact but dynamic exchange. After a short introduction to the project and a walkthrough of the proposed LCA methodology, the floor was opened for feedback—and it didn’t take long for key questions to emerge.
What should the project measure to assess its environmental performance across very different geographies and production scales? How can biodiversity impacts and land use changes be accounted for? Could the production of oxygen or biochar co-products shift the balance of the analysis? And what happens when engineered microalgae are used in open ponds?
These and other questions sparked a rich discussion on how to create LCA scenarios that are both technically sound and flexible enough to capture SUN-PERFORM’s evolving technology. The input gathered during the session will help refine assumptions, expand indicator sets, and guide further analysis throughout the project’s development.
Besides co-leading the workshop, Linda also participated in a poster session with a detailed overview of the LCA approach for SUN-PERFORM, including goals, scope, expected outcomes, and alignment with initiatives like ReFuelEU Aviation and specific measures like Fit for 55.
Participating in EUBCE not only gave SUN-PERFORM access to the larger biomass community—it also gave the community a chance to shape one of Europe’s newest solar fuel initiatives from the ground up.