Emission factor determination and application for materials associated with producing beer

Abstract

This thesis uses openLCA software with the ecoinvent and Agribalyse databases and the TRACI impact assessment method to determine cradle-to-gate emission factors for key materials and processes in beer production. It focuses on upstream ingredients and energy inputs, excluding brewing operations, packaging, and distribution, to create a modular toolkit (i.e., individual emission factors adaptable to brewery-specific inputs) for breweries in Northern Colorado aiming to reduce environmental impacts. Greenhouse gas emissions and eutrophication are analyzed. While not a full life cycle assessment, this study promotes more equitable access to sustainability metrics and provides a foundation for future carbon footprints, hotspot analyses, and brewery-level emissions inventories.