CEA's contributions to a sustainable and circular manufacturing
By Jusselin Agathe, CEA
Within the DaCapo project, CEA (Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives) is focusing on the development of a robust methodology for sustainable and circular economy practices. A key aspect of this endeavor involves devising a comprehensive set of indicators to facilitate the tracing of material flows and the measurement of sustainability and circularity in manufactured products. Thus far, the respective partners have collaborated on compiling an extensive list detailing various circular strategies' outcomes and implementation, alongside their broader impacts on environmental, social, and economic dimensions.
Recognizing the fact that the list is very long as well as the complexity of this endeavor, CEA is actively exploring the possibility to create a dashboard featuring simplified indicators to enhance accessibility and comprehension.
Furthermore, CEA recently organized a workshop in collaboration with TNO during the 12-month consortium meeting in The Hague. This workshop served as a platform to present the ongoing work on sustainability and circular economy methodologies to project partners, fostering a deeper understanding of the relevant indicators. Participants were divided into three groups, each focusing on a specific use case within DaCapo project, assuming a different role in the value chain. Through guided discussions, partners elucidated their needs and expectations regarding the digital product passport tool, subsequently evaluating the relevance and acceptability of identified indicators. This collaborative process not only refined our understanding of partners' requirements by noting down any comments they had but also contributed to strengthening the selection and refinement of pertinent indicators.
Last but not least, CEA's contributions to the conference article, led by VTT, for the INCOM 2024 conference in WKÖ Vienna, Austria, from August 28 to 30, 2024, represent a significant advancement within the DaCapo project. The focus of our input revolves around integrating our expertise in sustainability and related indicators into the broader discussion. The resulting paper, spanning six pages, delves into the theme of "Sustainable transformation towards autonomous manufacturing systems," aiming to explore the intricate relationship between design challenges and the implementation of a minimum viable digital product passport across three manufacturing cases within DaCapo.
