Economics potential evaluation methodology

Although these advanced processes are in an early development stage, it is essential that a consistent framework and methodology of evaluating the economic potential of these processes be established to assist in the prioritisation of limited development funds and the selection of the most promising processes for demonstration and deployment. 

Finally, the carbon footprint of a product or a process can only rarely reflect all the important environmental aspects of a product or process choice. Therefore, other environmental impact categories or even technical, social and economic assessments are necessary complements. The carbon footprint has often been the only environmental indicator assessed, due to lack of data or well-developed impact assessment methodology for other impacts, or sometimes because of ignorance of the potential risks constituted by the other environmental aspects. The choice of making a carbon footprint assessment or not and how to complement it with other evaluations must be guided by the decision at hand. 

Structured multi-scale design methodology should be developed in such as way as to permit reliable qualitative and quantitative techno-economic evaluation of structured multi-scale process systems for both existing and potential production processes. 

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