Technology streams cover different Technology Readiness Levels (TRL). TRL can range from 1 (farthest from being used in real-life conditions) to 9 (fully developed and ready for deployment) and 11 (proof of stability with predictable growth). An innovation systems approach to LCA-TEA/costing supports the identification of critical areas to advance technologies through strategic R&D investments for early-stage technologies. For later stage technologies, policies to enhance market creation support the deployment of sustainable technologies, since they are more likely to diffuse into an economy when competitively priced. The combination of LCA and TEA has proven a valuable toolkit for determining whether technologies mitigate environmental impacts while maintaining competitiveness on the market. Regardless, LCA-TEAs of earlier stage technologies face greater uncertainty, which we address in the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report on CO2 utilization technologies, markets, and infrastructure (click here for more).

All ETPA's published articles are available to view here. An asterisk (*) after an author's name denotes a postdoctoral scholar, graduate or undergraduate student. ‡ denotes shared first authorship.