Systems and methods for generating and attributing sustainability attributes for two or more co-products

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the field of sustainability and, in particular, to generating and attributing sustainability attributes for two or more co-products to improve the environmental impact of chemical production networks by increasing transparency between value chain participants. The present disclosure relates to methods, apparatuses, and systems for generating, monitoring, and / or distributing sustainability attributes for two or more co-products produced in a chemical production process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of sustainability, and more specifically to generating and attributing sustainability attributes for two or more co-products to improve the environmental impact of chemical production networks by increasing transparency among value chain participants. This disclosure relates to methods, apparatus, and systems for generating, monitoring, and / or assigning sustainability attributes to two or more co-products produced in chemical production processes. Background Technology

[0002] In the chemical manufacturing value chain, the calculation, monitoring, and allocation of sustainability attributes (both energy inputs and input materials) are of paramount importance. Transparency among participants can facilitate collective improvements in demonstrating compliance with applicable standards (which, in the case of sustainability-related standards, can improve environmental impact). However, the calculation, monitoring, and allocation of sustainability attributes are hampered by a lack of common data standards. The value chain is long, global, and involves many different types of stakeholders. There is a need to streamline data standards related to the calculation, monitoring, and allocation of sustainability attributes in the chemical manufacturing value chain. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In one aspect, a method is disclosed for attributing at least one sustainability attribute associated with an input material and / or energy input to two or more chemical co-products, wherein the two or more chemical co-products are produced by a chemical production network using the input material and / or the energy input, the method comprising:

[0004] - Provide the operating system of the chemical production network with input material data associated with the input material and / or utility data associated with the energy input;

[0005] - Provide process data associated with the chemical conversion of one or more input materials into two or more co-products;

[0006] - Identify at least one process step for producing two or more chemical co-products from one or more input materials, at least in part, based on the process data, the two or more chemical co-products including a first chemical co-product and a second chemical co-product;

[0007] - Determine the first digital sustainability credit of the first chemical co-product and the second digital sustainability credit of the second chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit and the second digital sustainability credit are associated with the input material and / or the energy input;

[0008] - Producing the first chemical compound product;

[0009] - Provide an identifier associated with the first chemical co-product; and

[0010] - The first digital sustainability credit is assigned from the first balancing account to the first chemical product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is assigned to the identifier associated with the first chemical product, wherein the identifier associated with the first chemical product includes a first chemical product identifier related to the specifications of the first chemical product, wherein the first chemical product identifier is associated with the physical entity of the first chemical product, and wherein the first chemical product identifier is a virtual identifier uniquely linked to the first chemical product.

[0011] On the other hand, a system is disclosed for producing at least one chemical product or two or more chemical co-products and attributing at least one sustainability attribute associated with input materials and / or energy inputs to two or more chemical co-products, wherein the two or more chemical co-products are produced by a chemical production network using the input materials, the system comprising:

[0012] - Operating system, which includes:

[0013] An input interface configured to receive (i) input material data associated with one or more input materials and / or utility data associated with energy inputs to a chemical production process, and (ii) process data associated with the chemical conversion of the one or more input materials into two or more co-products, wherein the two or more chemical co-products include a first chemical co-product and a second chemical co-product; and

[0014] At least one processor configured to (i) identify at least one process step in the production of the first chemical co-product and the second chemical co-product from one or more input materials based on the process data, wherein the one or more input materials include the input material; (ii) determine a first digital sustainability credit for the first chemical co-product and a second digital sustainability credit for the second chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit and the second digital sustainability credit are associated with the input material and / or energy input; (iii) provide an identifier associated with the first chemical co-product; and (iv) assign the first digital sustainability credit from a first balancing account to the first chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is assigned to the identifier associated with the first chemical co-product, wherein the identifier associated with the first chemical co-product includes a first chemical co-product identifier related to the specifications of the first chemical co-product, wherein the first chemical co-product identifier is associated with the physical entity of the first chemical co-product, and wherein the first chemical co-product identifier is a virtual identifier uniquely linked to the first chemical co-product; and

[0015] - At least one chemical production network configured to use the input material to produce at least one chemical product or two or more chemical co-products.

[0016] On the other hand, an apparatus or system is disclosed for attributing at least one sustainability attribute associated with an input material and / or energy input to two or more chemical co-products, wherein the two or more chemical co-products are produced by a chemical production network using the input material, the apparatus or system comprising:

[0017] - An input interface configured to receive (i) input material data associated with one or more input materials and / or utility data associated with energy inputs to a chemical production process, and (ii) process data associated with the chemical conversion of the one or more input materials into two or more co-products, wherein the two or more chemical co-products include a first chemical co-product and a second chemical co-product; and

[0018] - At least one processor configured to (i) identify at least one process step in the production of the first chemical co-product and the second chemical co-product from one or more input materials based on the process data, wherein the one or more input materials include the input material; (ii) determine a first digital sustainability credit for the first chemical co-product and a second digital sustainability credit for the second chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit and the second digital sustainability credit are associated with the input material and / or energy input; (iii) provide an identifier associated with the first chemical co-product; and (iv) assign the first digital sustainability credit from a first balancing account to the first chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is assigned to the identifier associated with the first chemical co-product, wherein the identifier associated with the first chemical co-product includes a first chemical co-product identifier related to the specifications of the first chemical co-product, wherein the first chemical co-product identifier is associated with the physical entity of the first chemical co-product, and wherein the first chemical co-product identifier is a virtual identifier uniquely linked to the first chemical co-product.

[0019] In one aspect, this disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for attributing at least one sustainability property associated with an input material to two or more chemical co-products, wherein the two or more chemical co-products are produced by a chemical production network using the input material, wherein the chemical production network chemically transforms the input material into chemical products leaving the chemical production network via chemical intermediates, the method comprising:

[0020] - Provide the operating system of the chemical production network with the input material data associated with the input material;

[0021] - Provide process data associated with the chemical conversion of one or more input materials into two or more co-products;

[0022] - Identify at least one process step for producing two or more chemical co-products from one or more input materials, at least in part, based on the process data, the two or more chemical co-products including a first chemical co-product and a second chemical co-product, wherein the one or more input materials include the input material;

[0023] - Determine the first digital sustainability credit of the first chemical co-product and the second digital sustainability credit of the second chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit and the second digital sustainability credit are associated with the input material;

[0024] - Producing the first chemical compound product;

[0025] - Provide an identifier associated with the first chemical co-product; and

[0026] - The first digital sustainability credit is assigned from the first balancing account to the first chemical product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is assigned to the identifier associated with the first chemical product, wherein the identifier associated with the first chemical product includes a first chemical product identifier related to the specifications of the first chemical product, wherein the first chemical product identifier is associated with the physical entity of the first chemical product, and wherein the first chemical product identifier is a virtual identifier uniquely linked to the first chemical product.

[0027] On the other hand, this disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for attributing at least one sustainability attribute associated with an energy input to two or more chemical co-products, wherein the two or more chemical co-products are produced by a chemical production network using input materials, wherein the chemical production network chemically transforms the input materials into chemical products leaving the chemical production network via chemical intermediates, the method comprising:

[0028] - Provide the operating system of the chemical production network with utility data associated with the energy input;

[0029] - Provide process data associated with the chemical conversion of one or more input materials into two or more co-products;

[0030] - Identify at least one process step for producing two or more chemical co-products from one or more input materials, at least in part, based on the process data, the two or more chemical co-products including a first chemical co-product and a second chemical co-product;

[0031] - Determine the first digital sustainability credit of the first chemical co-product and the second digital sustainability credit of the second chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit and the second digital sustainability credit are associated with the energy input;

[0032] - Producing the first chemical compound product;

[0033] - Provide an identifier associated with the first chemical co-product; and

[0034] - The first digital sustainability credit is assigned from the first balancing account to the first chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is assigned to the identifier associated with the first chemical co-product, wherein the identifier associated with the first chemical co-product includes a first chemical co-product identifier related to the specifications of the first chemical product, wherein the first chemical co-product identifier is associated with the physical entity of the first chemical co-product, and wherein the first chemical co-product identifier is a virtual identifier uniquely linked to the first chemical co-product.

[0035] On another aspect, this disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for attributing at least one sustainability property associated with an input material to two or more chemical co-products, wherein the two or more chemical co-products are produced by a chemical production network using the input material, wherein the chemical production network chemically transforms the input material into chemical products leaving the chemical production network via chemical intermediates, the method comprising:

[0036] - Provide the operating system of the chemical production network with the input material data associated with the input material;

[0037] - Provide process data associated with the chemical conversion of one or more input materials into two or more co-products;

[0038] - Identify at least one process step for producing two or more chemical co-products from one or more input materials, at least in part, based on the process data, the two or more chemical co-products including a first chemical co-product and a second chemical co-product;

[0039] - Determine the first digital sustainability credit of the first chemical co-product and the second digital sustainability credit of the second chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit and the second digital sustainability credit are associated with the input material;

[0040] - The first digital sustainability credit is allocated to a first virtual balancing account, wherein the first virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the first digital sustainability credit associated with the input material to the first virtual balancing account;

[0041] - The second digital sustainability credit is allocated to a second virtual balancing account, wherein the second virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the second digital sustainability credit associated with the input material to the second virtual balancing account;

[0042] - Producing the first chemical compound product;

[0043] - Provide an identifier associated with the first chemical co-product; and

[0044] - The first digital sustainability credit is assigned from the first balancing account to the first chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is assigned to the identifier associated with the first chemical co-product, wherein the identifier associated with the first chemical co-product includes a first chemical co-product identifier related to the specifications of the first chemical co-product, wherein the first chemical co-product identifier is associated with the physical entity of the first chemical co-product, and wherein the first chemical co-product identifier is a virtual identifier uniquely linked to the first chemical co-product.

[0045] On the other hand, this disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for attributing at least one sustainability attribute associated with an energy input to two or more chemical co-products, wherein the two or more chemical co-products are produced by a chemical production network using input materials, wherein the chemical production network chemically transforms the input materials into chemical products leaving the chemical production network via chemical intermediates, the method comprising:

[0046] - Provide the operating system of the chemical production network with utility data associated with the energy input;

[0047] - Provide process data associated with the chemical conversion of one or more input materials into two or more co-products;

[0048] - Identify at least one process step for producing two or more chemical co-products from one or more input materials, at least in part, based on the process data, the two or more chemical co-products including a first chemical co-product and a second chemical co-product;

[0049] - Determine the first digital sustainability credit of the first chemical co-product and the second digital sustainability credit of the second chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit and the second digital sustainability credit are associated with the energy input;

[0050] - Allocate the first digital sustainability credit to a first virtual balancing account, wherein the first virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the first digital sustainability credit associated with the energy input to the first virtual balancing account;

[0051] - Allocate the second digital sustainability credit to a second virtual balancing account, wherein the second virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the second digital sustainability credit associated with the energy input to the second virtual balancing account;

[0052] - Producing the first chemical compound product;

[0053] - Provide an identifier associated with the first chemical co-product; and

[0054] - The first digital sustainability credit is assigned from the first balancing account to the first chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is assigned to the identifier associated with the first chemical co-product, wherein the identifier associated with the first chemical co-product includes a first chemical co-product identifier related to the specifications of the first chemical co-product, wherein the first chemical co-product identifier is associated with the physical entity of the first chemical co-product, and wherein the first chemical co-product identifier is a virtual identifier uniquely linked to the first chemical co-product.

[0055] On another aspect, this disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for attributing at least one sustainability property associated with an input material to two or more chemical products, wherein the two or more chemical products are produced by a chemical production network using the input material, wherein the chemical production network chemically transforms the input material into a chemical product leaving the chemical production network via chemical intermediates, the method comprising:

[0056] - Provide the operating system of the chemical production network with the input material data associated with the input material;

[0057] - Provide process data associated with the chemical conversion of one or more input materials into two or more co-products;

[0058] - Identify at least one process step for producing two or more chemical products from one or more input materials, at least in part, based on the process data, the two or more chemical products including a first chemical product and a second chemical product;

[0059] - Determine the first digital sustainability credit of the first chemical product and the second digital sustainability credit of the second chemical product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit and the second digital sustainability credit are associated with the input material;

[0060] - Allocating the first digital sustainability credit to a first virtual balancing account, wherein the first virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the first digital sustainability credit associated with the input material to the first balancing account; and

[0061] - The second digital sustainability credit is allocated to a second virtual balancing account, wherein the second virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the second digital sustainability credit associated with the input material to the products of the second virtual balancing account.

[0062] On another front, this disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for attributing at least one sustainability attribute associated with an energy input for a chemical production process, wherein the chemical production process chemically transforms one or more input materials into two or more chemical products in a chemical production network, the method comprising:

[0063] - Provide utility data associated with the energy input used in the chemical production process;

[0064] - Provide process data associated with the chemical conversion of one or more input materials into two or more co-products;

[0065] - Identify at least one process step for producing two or more chemical products from one or more input materials, at least in part, based on the process data, the two or more chemical products including a first chemical product and a second chemical product;

[0066] - Determine the first digital sustainability credit of the first chemical product and the second digital sustainability credit of the second chemical product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit and the second digital sustainability credit are associated with the energy input;

[0067] - Allocating the first digital sustainability credit to a first virtual balancing account, wherein the first virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the first digital sustainability credit associated with the input material and / or the energy input to the first virtual balancing account; and

[0068] - The second digital sustainability credit is allocated to a second virtual balancing account, wherein the second virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the second digital sustainability credit associated with the input material and / or the energy input to the second virtual balancing account.

[0069] On another aspect, this disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for attributing at least one sustainability property associated with an input material to two or more chemical products, wherein the two or more chemical products are produced by a chemical production network using the input material, wherein the chemical production network chemically transforms the input material into a chemical product leaving the chemical production network via chemical intermediates, the method comprising:

[0070] - Provide the operating system of the chemical production network with the input material data associated with the input material;

[0071] - Provide process data associated with the chemical conversion of one or more input materials into two or more co-products;

[0072] - Identify at least one process step for producing two or more chemical products from one or more input materials, at least in part, based on the process data, the two or more chemical products including a first chemical product and a second chemical product;

[0073] - Determine the first digital sustainability credit of the first chemical product and the second digital sustainability credit of the second chemical product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit and the second digital sustainability credit are associated with the input material;

[0074] - The first digital sustainability credit is allocated to a first virtual balancing account, wherein the first virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the first digital sustainability credit associated with the input material to the first virtual balancing account;

[0075] - The second digital sustainability credit is allocated to a second virtual balancing account, wherein the second virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the second digital sustainability credit associated with the input material to the second virtual balancing account;

[0076] - Producing the first chemical product;

[0077] - Provide an identifier associated with the first chemical product; and

[0078] - The first digital sustainability credit is assigned from the first balancing account to the chemical product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is assigned to the identifier associated with the first chemical product, wherein the identifier associated with the first chemical product includes a first chemical product identifier related to the specifications of the first chemical product, wherein the first chemical product identifier is associated with the physical entity of the first chemical product, and wherein the first chemical product identifier is a virtual identifier uniquely linked to the chemical product.

[0079] On another aspect, this disclosure relates to a system for attributing at least one sustainability property associated with an input material to two or more chemical products, wherein the two or more chemical products are produced by a chemical production network using the input material, wherein the chemical production network chemically transforms the input material into a chemical product leaving the chemical production network via chemical intermediates, the system comprising:

[0080] - An input terminal configured to receive (i) input material data associated with one or more input materials in a chemical production process, (ii) process data associated with the chemical conversion of the one or more input materials into two or more co-products, wherein the two or more chemical products include a first chemical product and a second chemical product, and (iii) utility data associated with the chemical conversion of the one or more input materials into the first chemical product and the second chemical product.

[0081] - A processor configured to (i) identify at least one process step in the production of the first chemical product and the second chemical product from the one or more input materials based on the process data; (ii) determine a first digital sustainability credit for the first chemical product and a second digital sustainability credit for the second chemical product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit and the second digital sustainability credit are associated with the input materials; (iii) allocate the first digital sustainability credit to a first virtual balancing account, wherein the first virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the first digital sustainability credit associated with the input materials to the first virtual balancing account; and (iv) allocate the second digital sustainability credit to a second virtual balancing account, wherein the second virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the second digital sustainability credit associated with the input materials to the first virtual balancing account; and

[0082] - An output terminal configured to assign the first digital sustainability credit from the first balancing account to the chemical product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is assigned to the identifier associated with the first chemical product.

[0083] On another aspect, this disclosure relates to a system for attributing at least one sustainability attribute to an energy input used in a chemical production process, wherein the chemical production process chemically transforms one or more input materials into two or more chemical products within a chemical production network, the system comprising:

[0084] - Input terminal, which is configured to receive (i) utility data associated with the energy input for the chemical production process and (ii) process data associated with the chemical conversion of one or more input materials into two or more co-products;

[0085] - A processor configured to (i) identify at least one process step for producing two or more chemical products from one or more input materials, the two or more chemical products including a first chemical product and a second chemical product, based on the process data; (ii) determine a first digital sustainability credit for the first chemical product and a second digital sustainability credit for the second chemical product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit and the second digital sustainability credit are associated with the energy input; (iii) allocate the first digital sustainability credit to a first virtual balance account, wherein the first virtual balance account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the first digital sustainability credit associated with the input material and / or the energy input to the first virtual balance account; (iv) allocate the second digital sustainability credit to a second virtual balance account, wherein the second virtual balance account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the second digital sustainability credit associated with the input material and / or the energy input to the second virtual balance account; and (v) provide an identifier associated with the first chemical product; and

[0086] - An output terminal configured to assign the first digital sustainability credit from the first balancing account to the chemical product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is assigned to the identifier associated with the first chemical product.

[0087] In another aspect, a computer element having instructions, specifically a computer program product or a computer-readable medium, is disclosed, which, when executed on one or more computing nodes, are configured to perform the steps of any of the methods disclosed herein. In yet another aspect, a computer element having instructions, specifically a computer program product or a computer-readable medium, is disclosed, which, when executed by a processor, cause any of the apparatuses disclosed herein to perform any of the methods disclosed herein.

[0088] In another aspect, the use of one or more chemical products for producing at least one discrete product or at least one final product associated with one or more sustainability attributes is disclosed, wherein the one or more chemical products are associated with assigning sustainability attributes to two or more chemical products, which are produced in a chemical production process at a chemical production plant provided by any of the methods disclosed herein and / or produced by a chemical production network provided by any of the methods disclosed herein. The at least one discrete product or at least one final product can be an intermediate or final product in a product supply chain. The at least one discrete product or at least one final product can be based on one or more chemical products. The at least one discrete product or at least one final product can be produced through discrete manufacturing. In yet another aspect, a method for producing at least one discrete product or at least one final product associated with assigning sustainability attributes to two or more chemical products, which are produced in a chemical production process at a chemical production plant provided by any of the methods disclosed herein and / or produced by a chemical production network provided by any of the methods disclosed herein, is provided and / or used to produce at least one discrete product or at least one final product associated with one or more sustainability attributes.

[0089] In another aspect, this disclosure relates to a computer element having instructions that, when executed on one or more computing nodes, are configured to perform the steps of the methods of this disclosure or are configured to be executed by means of this disclosure.

[0090] Any disclosures, embodiments, and examples described herein relate to the methods, systems, apparatuses, chemical products, and computer components listed above and below. Advantageously, the benefits provided by any embodiment and example also apply to all other embodiments and examples.

[0091] Implementation Plan

[0092] The public, regulators, and financial investors are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of chemical production processes. Major companies have subsequently announced ambitious plans to track and manage the environmental impact associated with the production of their products. Transparency among stakeholders can contribute to collective improvements in demonstrating compliance with applicable standards (which, in the case of sustainability-related standards, improves environmental impact). Quality balance methodologies typically involve methods for tracking the quantity of certified materials passing through a system, allowing for the mixing of certified and non-certified materials while maintaining quality balance. These schemes can be used to track and monitor the equivalence of certified and non-certified materials and resources (e.g., energy inputs) throughout the supply chain, thereby maintaining a balance between input and output quantities. Traditionally, these schemes have been developed and applied where process outputs are interconvertible. Therefore, if the process produces co-products that are not interconvertible, traditional allocation schemes may necessitate separate storage facilities.

[0093] The systems, methods, and apparatus of this disclosure enable the allocation of sustainability attributes to co-products, including those that are not interconvertible, by generating separate digital balance accounts for each co-product. When inputs with sustainability attributes (e.g., utility inputs or input materials) are provided to the process, the digital system can create separate digital balance accounts for each co-product. Input sustainability attributes can be allocated to co-products using separate digital balance accounts through predefined attribution schemes (e.g., by quality, by oxidation number, by economic value, or other predefined rules). Using separate digital balance accounts for each co-product allows the digital system to generate, track, and allocate sustainability attributes based on the manufacture of co-products within an interconnected chemical production network.

[0094] The systems, methods, and apparatus disclosed herein enable a high level of automation in generating, monitoring, and allocating digital sustainability credits for co-products. For example, the digital system can access a data repository that includes input material data, process data, and utility data (e.g., energy input data). The digital system can retrieve applicable data to generate individual digital sustainability credits for co-products produced through production steps (e.g., where co-products cannot be converted into each other). The digital system can then automatically allocate digital sustainability credits to the co-products to increase transparency regarding the environmental impact of the co-products (and / or production processes). This can help stakeholders make more informed decisions about the allocation of resources, including process inputs, which can lead to more sustainable and efficient production processes.

[0095] The systems, methods, and apparatus disclosed herein provide an efficient way to track sustainability attributes in chemical processing and to deliver a positive environmental impact for chemical products across the value chain. Such attributes can be efficiently assigned to chemical products produced in a chemical production network by using virtual balancing accounts with attribution rules for balancing sustainability attributes (and / or digital sustainability credits) associated with input materials and / or energy inputs. Specifically, for chemical networks that produce more than one chemical product (e.g., co-products from chemical production processes) from one or more input materials via interconnected, connected, and disconnected production chains, the use of virtual balancing accounts with attribution rules allows for the reliable assignment of sustainability attributes based on the physical setup of the chemical production network and the customization of digital assets associated with chemical products according to customer needs. The virtual balancing account and associated metadata structure also allow for the elimination of the complexity of material flows within the chemical production network while still allowing for adjustments to the environmental impact for each chemical product. Thus, the environmental impact of the produced chemical co-products can be determined based on the physical setup of the chemical production network and customized according to customer needs. Furthermore, the sustainability attributes of the chemical co-products produced by the chemical production network can be made transparent to customers who further process the chemical co-products. By providing a chemical co-product identifier associated with at least one sustainability attribute, the sustainability attribute and the digital assets attached to the chemical product can be tailored to customer needs.

[0096] In the following sections, embodiments of this disclosure will be outlined by way of examples. It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and / or examples described.

[0097] According to this disclosure, a digital system can use sustainability data, process data, and / or utility data to generate, monitor, and assign digital sustainability credits for co-products (produced in the production of two or more co-products in a chemical manufacturing process). Digital sustainability credits can be associated with the sustainability attributes of energy inputs and / or input materials. For example, digital sustainability credits can be associated with the renewable energy attributes of input energy used in a chemical process. Similarly, digital sustainability credits can be associated with the sustainability attributes of input materials such as bio-naphtha.

[0098] Input material data refers to digital information relating to the composition, quality, and origin of input materials (e.g., raw materials or feedstocks) used in a chemical production process. This data may include information about the quantity, physical properties, and origin of the input materials. It may also include information about any impurities, contaminants, or other quality attributes. Input material data may be provided via one or more digital documents, including, for example, purchase orders, sales orders, invoices, material safety data sheets, etc. Suppliers may provide some or all of the input material data via Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and / or other digital systems.

[0099] One category of input material data is sustainability data. Sustainability data can be digital information associated with input materials or chemical products. Sustainability data can digitally specify the environmental impact of input materials or chemical products and / or indicate one or more sustainability attributes of the input materials. Sustainability data may involve fossil footprint or carbon footprint. Sustainability data may involve, for example, the renewable content, bio-based content, and / or recycled content of input materials and / or chemical products. For example, considering the input materials or chemical products, sustainability data may include qualitative data points related to the type of impact. Sustainability data can specify types, such as recycled, renewable, and / or bio-based. Qualitative data points can be converted into quantitative measures, such as environmental units or balance units (or digital sustainability credits). For example, considering the recycled content, renewable content, or bio-based content of input materials or chemical products, sustainability data may include quantitative data points related to the type of impact. Sustainability data may specify recycled content, renewable content, and / or bio-based content. Sustainability data may include additional environmental characteristics of the input materials or chemical products. Sustainability data may be sourced from input material suppliers, chemical product manufacturers, sustainability data and consulting providers, etc. Sustainability data and consulting providers are companies that offer a range of sustainability-related services. These companies help businesses and organizations manage their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks and improve their sustainability performance.

[0100] Process data (or formulations or bills of materials) are digital records describing a process through which one or more input materials are transformed into one or more chemical products. Process data typically includes detailed information about the steps and conditions of a chemical reaction, such as the temperature, pressure, and duration of each step, as well as any catalysts, reagents, or other materials used in the process. Process data may include information about the quantities of which byproducts are obtained for one or more process steps. Process data can be stored and managed in digital systems, such as process control systems or enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. This process data is available to operators, engineers, and other personnel involved in the production process to ensure that the process is performed consistently and efficiently, and that the resulting product meets required specifications and quality standards.

[0101] Utility data refers to digital information relating to the composition, quality, and source of utilities used in chemical production processes, such as energy or water inputs. This data may include detailed information about the quantity and type of energy inputs (such as electricity, natural gas, steam, or fuel oil), and water usage, including the volume consumed, recycled, or discharged. Utility data may be provided via one or more digital documents, including, for example, purchase orders, sales orders, invoices, and material safety data sheets. Suppliers (and / or third parties) may provide some or all of the input material data via Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and / or other digital systems. This data may also include information about any impurities, contaminants, or other quality properties.

[0102] One category of utility data is sustainability data. Sustainability data can be digital information associated with the utility provided. Sustainability data can digitally specify the environmental impact of a utility or chemical product and / or indicate one or more sustainability attributes of the utility provided. Sustainability data may involve fossil footprint or carbon footprint. Sustainability data may involve, for example, the renewable, bio-based, and / or recycled content of a utility. For example, considering a utility, sustainability data may include qualitative data points related to the type of impact. Sustainability data may specify types, such as recycled, renewable, and / or bio-based. Qualitative data points can be converted into quantitative measures, such as environmental units or balance units (or credits). Sustainability data may specify the recycling, renewable, and / or bio-based attributes of a utility. Sustainability data may include additional environmental characteristics of the utility. Sustainability data may be sourced from utility suppliers, chemical product manufacturers, sustainability data and consulting providers, etc.

[0103] Utilities can refer to the resources or services necessary for the operation of a plant and the execution of its processes. Utilities may include necessary inputs such as energy, water, steam, compressed air, cooling water, nitrogen, electricity, chemicals, solvents, and other resources required to facilitate the various stages of chemical production, such as reaction, separation, purification, and transportation.

[0104] When digital systems manage the monitoring and attribution of sustainability attributes (from input to output) using chain-of-custody approaches (such as quality balance), a challenge arises: sustainability attributes of chemical production process inputs (e.g., input materials and / or input utilities) must be assigned to more than one co-product of the process substantially simultaneously, without the expectation of redistributing digital sustainability credits among co-products. This is challenging because many schemes that assign sustainability attributes from inputs to products presuppose that co-products are interconvertible.

[0105] For example, a digital system managing the monitoring and attribution of sustainability attributes used for quality balance accounting might require the application of proportional allocation (of sustainability attributes among co-products). This means that if a process step necessarily produces multiple output components, then digital sustainability credits (associated with input sustainability attributes) must be allocated proportionally to each output. In such cases, chemical manufacturers might invest in separate storage capacity to store co-products to which sustainability attributes are allocated under a quality balance scheme. The need for additional (and potentially expensive) storage is amplified by the possibility that the co-products to which sustainability attributes are allocated might be consumed at different rates based on market demand.

[0106] According to this disclosure, the aforementioned limitations can be addressed using a digital system configured to create separate (i.e., more than one) output sustainability attributes for co-products produced by a chemical manufacturing process utilizing inputs with sustainability attributes (e.g., utility inputs and / or input materials). For example, when inputs with sustainability attributes are provided to the process, the digital system can create a separate digital balance account for each co-product. Input sustainability attributes can be allocated to co-products using separate digital balance accounts through predefined attribution schemes (e.g., by quality, by oxidation number, by economic value, or other predefined rules).

[0107] Digital systems can allocate shares of input sustainability attributes to joint products (via separate digital balancing accounts) according to a predefined attribution scheme. For example, consider a scenario where a process produces three joint products: A, B, and C. The digital system can parse input data (e.g., input material data, process data, and utility data) to determine the amount of the input sustainability attribute, and then allocate that input sustainability attribute to joint products A, B, and C (their digital balancing accounts) according to a predefined attribution scheme as shown below.

[0108] A+x% (attribute)

[0109] B+y% (attribute), and

[0110] C+z% (attribute)

[0111] in:

[0112] •A, B, and C are joint products.

[0113] • "Attributes" are the input sustainability attributes.

[0114] • x, y, and z are the shares of sustainability attributes assigned to each co-product, and

[0115] •x+y+z = 100%.

[0116] Associated products (and the digital sustainability credits associated with them) can be consumed at different rates over time without separate storage. Therefore, in the current example, only three storage tanks are needed instead of six (three for regular associates and three for their more sustainable “twins”) because proportional shares of input sustainability attributes are allocated separately to virtual balancing accounts created by the digital system for each associate.

[0117] This disclosure describes a computer-implemented method and system for generating and assigning individual output sustainability attributes to co-products produced by a chemical manufacturing process utilizing inputs with sustainability attributes (e.g., utility inputs and / or input materials). The digital system can use input material data, process data, and utility data to manage, monitor, and assign the balance of sustainability attributes across multi-output processes.

[0118] Sustainability attributes can refer to any property or characteristic related to environmental impact. Such properties can be the properties or characteristics of input materials and / or chemical products. Sustainability attributes can indicate the environmental performance of input materials, input utilities, chemical production networks, and / or chemical products. Sustainability attributes can be derived from the properties of input materials, input utilities (such as energy or water inputs), chemical production networks, and / or chemical products. Sustainability attributes can be associated with the environmental impact of one or more materials and / or input utilities at any stage of their life cycle. The stages of a material or product life cycle can include any subset of the following stages: providing raw materials, producing products (such as intermediate or final products), using products, disposing of end-of-life products, recycling end-of-life products, disposing of end-of-life products, and reusing components from end-of-life products. Sustainability attributes can be tracked through any activities of one or more entities involved at any stage of the life cycle of one or more materials or products. Sustainability attributes associated with any activities of one or more entities involved at any stage of the life cycle of one or more materials or products can be accumulated or aggregated.

[0119] Sustainability attributes may include one or more characteristics that can be attributed to the environmental or sustainability impacts of input materials, chemical products, intermediate products, and / or final products. Sustainability attributes may include environmental characteristics, technical characteristics, recyclability characteristics, or circularity characteristics associated with the environmental impacts of input materials, chemical products, intermediate products, and / or final products.

[0120] Sustainability attributes can be digital assets associated with input materials, input utilities (e.g., energy inputs), or chemical products. Sustainability attributes can digitally specify the environmental impact of input materials, input utilities, or chemical products. Sustainability attributes can relate to carbon footprint. Sustainability attributes can relate to, for example, the renewable, bio-based, and / or recycled content of input materials and / or chemical products. For example, considering input materials or chemical products, sustainability attributes can include qualitative data points related to the type of impact. Sustainability attributes can specify types, such as recycled, renewable, and / or bio-based. Qualitative data points can be converted into quantitative measures, such as digital sustainability credits (e.g., balance units). For example, considering the recycled, renewable, or bio-based content of input materials or chemical products, sustainability attributes can include quantitative data points related to the type of impact. Sustainability attributes can specify recycled, renewable, and / or bio-based content. The term "sustainable" can refer to materials having a renewable, bio-based, and / or recycled component. For example, sustainable input materials can include recycled, renewable, and / or bio-based components. Similarly, sustainable chemical products may include recycled, renewable, and / or bio-based ingredients. Sustainability attributes may include additional environmental characteristics of the inputs or chemical products.

[0121] A virtual balancing account (or digital inventory) can refer to a digital storage structure that stores data related to sustainability attributes. This account may be associated with metadata identifying the account used to balance sustainability attributes. The account may be associated with metadata identifying the sustainability attributes and environmental or digital sustainability credits (e.g., balancing units) assigned to that account. The account may be associated with metadata identifying the production chain associated with that account. The account may be associated with metadata identifying the inputs (materials and / or utilities) or chemical products associated with that account. The account may be part of a balancing system comprising multiple accounts. The account may hold digital sustainability credits for trading. Sustainability attributes (or digital sustainability credits representing sustainability attributes) can be assigned, added, deleted, withdrawn, or deducted from the account. A virtual balancing account may be associated with a type of sustainability attribute (such as recycled or renewable). A virtual balancing account may be associated with a type of input material (such as pyrolysis oil, bio-naphtha, biomethane, biogas, or combinations thereof). Virtual balance accounts associated with the sustainability attribute type of recycling can also be associated with waste stream types such as mixed plastic waste, specific end-product waste (e.g., tire waste or foam waste), post-consumer waste, pre-consumer waste, or combinations thereof. Virtual balance accounts can also be associated with allocation schemes such as segregated allocations, non-segregated allocations (e.g., certificate trading), mass balances with free attribution, mass balances without free attribution, or combinations thereof.

[0122] At least one attribution rule may specify an attribution scheme associated with an account used to balance sustainability attributes. At least one attribution rule may specify that sustainability attributes associated with input materials (and / or utilities) and chemical production networks are attributable to sustainability attributes associated with chemical products. At least one attribution rule may depend on a chemical product identifier and sustainability attributes. At least one attribution rule may include instructions for attributing sustainability attributes from input materials to at least one account used to balance sustainability attributes. At least one attribution rule may include instructions for deducting sustainability attributes from at least one account used to balance sustainability attributes. At least one attribution rule may include instructions for attributing sustainability attributes from an account to a chemical product or a chemical product identifier.

[0123] The operating system can be configured to access data related to input materials, input utilities (e.g., energy inputs and / or water inputs), processes, and / or chemical products produced by a chemical production network. The operating system can be configured to convert the recycled, renewable, or bio-based content of one or more input materials and / or input utilities used in the chemical production network into digital sustainability credits. The operating system can be configured to allocate digital sustainability credits to at least one virtual balancing account associated with the recycled or bio-based content of the input materials and / or input utilities. The operating system can be configured to allocate at least a portion of the digital sustainability credits from at least one balancing account to at least one chemical product.

[0124] The operating system can be configured to manage digital sustainability credits associated with inputs (utilities and / or materials) and chemical products produced by a chemical production network. Specifically, the operating system can be configured to determine digital sustainability credits associated with the use of input materials and / or input utilities that affect the environmental properties / attributes of chemical products produced by the chemical production network. The operating system can also be configured to determine digital sustainability credits associated with chemical products and their environmental properties. Thus, the operating system can be configured to allocate digital sustainability credits to virtual balancing accounts or deallocate digital sustainability credits from balancing accounts. Therefore, digital sustainability credits can be viewed as credits that can be deposited into accounts (e.g., digital inventory) or deducted from accounts associated with the inputs and chemical products of the chemical production network.

[0125] The operating system can be configured to register inbound sustainability attributes, convert inbound sustainability attributes into digital sustainability credits (and convert them back as needed), and / or assign outbound sustainability attributes and manage inbound and outbound allocations.

[0126] For allocation, one or more sustainability attributes can be converted into digital sustainability credits, and these credits can be allocated to virtual balancing accounts. One or more digital sustainability credits can be allocated to at least one virtual balancing account associated with a corresponding sustainability attribute. This conversion can be based on conversion factors such as mass, weight, carbon atoms, hydrogen atoms, methane equivalent, or any other suitable measure used to quantify the environmental impact of a sustainability attribute. By using digital sustainability credits and conversion, it is ensured that the sustainability attribute of an input material is used only once to assign it to a chemical product. This avoids double counting of inputs or outputs and allows positive environmental impacts to be reliably assigned to chemical products.

[0127] The fossil footprint, or product fossil footprint (PFF), can refer to the amount of petrochemical feedstock (e.g., naphtha, crude oil, coal, and natural gas, or intermediates from feedstocks that subsequently require a certain amount of naphtha, crude oil, coal, and natural gas) consumed in the production process at a manufacturing facility. PFF can be expressed in kilograms of methane per kilogram (or methane equivalent).

[0128] The term carbon emission value refers to a quantitative measure of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with a specific product, typically expressed in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e). Examples of carbon emission values ​​include carbon footprint, or product carbon footprint (PCF), which is a quantitative measure, expressed in CO2 equivalents, of the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted or removed during the production process at a manufacturing facility. PCF can be estimated from cradle-to-gate (partial PCF) or cradle-to-grave (total PCF). PCF can include emissions from all stages of a product's lifecycle, including raw material extraction, manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal. It can be used to estimate and reduce a company's environmental impact and to communicate that information to consumers. The term greenhouse gas (GHG) refers to gases that can absorb and re-emit infrared radiation, thereby trapping and retaining heat in the atmosphere and contributing to the greenhouse effect. The most common greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases.

[0129] Carbon emission values, such as PCF values, can be represented in structured data formats such as XML or JSON, which allows for easy exchange of PCF information between different digital systems. The digital representation of PCF can also include metadata, such as the date the PCF was calculated, the standards or protocols used in the calculation, and any assumptions or uncertainties associated with the PCF calculation. This metadata helps ensure transparency and accuracy in the PCF calculation and reporting process. These values ​​can be stored as numeric data types and can be correlated with other relevant data points, such as product name, manufacturing date, and supplier information. They can also be displayed as graphs, charts, or other visual representations in user interfaces or dashboards to help users understand and compare the environmental impact of different products or processes. Additionally, values ​​can be integrated into digital tools and platforms to help individuals and organizations make more informed decisions about sustainability.

[0130] Mass fraction refers to the fraction of a substance's total mass that is composed of a specific component (such as an element or compound). More specifically, mass fraction is defined as the ratio of the mass of a component to the total mass of the substance. This mass fraction is expressed as a decimal or percentage. The mass fraction of a co-product can be the fraction of the total mass of the co-products that is composed of a specific co-product. Similarly, the mass fraction of input material can be the fraction of the total mass of the input material that is composed of a specific input material.

[0131] Quality balancing is a chain-of-custody approach that considers materials entering and leaving a system. In the chemical industry, renewable or recycled (collectively referred to as “sustainable”) input materials are blended in a continuous production process and allocated to the final product after undergoing a chemical transformation. The quality balancing approach is designed to track the quantity and sustainability characteristics of sustainable input materials and to attribute sustainable input materials based on verifiable bookkeeping. A quality-balanced product is a product manufactured using a quality balancing approach that involves tracking the flow of sustainable materials into and out of the system and allocating sustainable materials to the production of a specific product. A conventional product is a product that has not yet been assigned sustainable characteristics under a quality balancing scheme (e.g., under a quality balancing certification system). A given product may have a quality-balanced version (with sustainable characteristics allocated under a quality balancing scheme) and a conventional version (without sustainable characteristics allocated under a quality balancing scheme).

[0132] Sustainability data refers to data about the sustainability characteristics of materials (e.g., input materials). Sustainability data may include information such as material number, PCF value, etc. Sustainability data may reside in a data repository. This data repository can be a system or database that provides data or information to a digital system or application. It can be a file, database, web service, application programming interface (API), or any other system or tool that provides data to a digital application. Data sources can be queried, manipulated, and analyzed to extract insights and information. Data sources can be internal or external to a system, and they can be accessed through various methods, including direct access, web access, and APIs.

[0133] Quality balance certification data refers to data associated with certification under one or more quality balance certification schemes. Quality balance certification data may include certified product data and sustainable feedstock demand data. Certified product data may include: production site certification data, conventional product identifiers for conventional products enriched through sustainable material substitution, quality balance product identifiers, certification scheme data (e.g., ISCC Plus, REDcert, etc.), etc. Sustainable feedstock demand data may include: the types of sustainable input materials used, the amount of sustainable input materials to be acquired (e.g., under the certification scheme), the percentage of fossil input materials replaced, etc. Quality balance certification data may reside in a data repository. This data repository may be a system or database that provides data or information to digital systems or applications. It may be a file, database, web service, application programming interface (API), or any other system or tool that provides data to digital applications. Data sources can be queried, manipulated, and analyzed to extract insights and information. Data sources may be internal or external to a system, and they can be accessed through various methods, including direct access, web access, and APIs.

[0134] More generally, quality balance certification data may include input material data (data on the source, quantity, quality, and characteristics of all input materials used in the production process), production data (data on the quantity, quality, and characteristics of products produced in the production process), transaction data (data on transactions involving input materials, products, and by-products, including purchases, sales, transfers, and waste disposal), certification data (data on the certification status of input materials, products, and by-products, including information on certification bodies, certification types, and certification numbers), and / or traceability data (data on the traceability of input materials, products, and by-products throughout the production process, including information on batch numbers, lot numbers, and production dates).

[0135] The term "biocarbon" refers to carbon from renewable sources, such as agricultural, plant, animal, fungal, microbial, marine, or forestry materials living in a natural environment in balance with the atmosphere. The term "fossil carbon" refers to carbon derived from non-renewable sources, such as fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas.

[0136] A standard can refer to a set of guidelines, rules, or requirements that establish a common architecture or consistent way of doing things. It can be a formal document that provides specifications, procedures, or guidelines for a product, service, process, or system, with the aim of ensuring quality, safety, reliability, interoperability, or other desired characteristics. Standards can be developed and maintained by standards-setting organizations (SSOs), which can be national, regional, international bodies, or industry alliances. Standards are typically based on consensus among stakeholders from industry, government, academia, and other sectors. Standards can be voluntary or mandatory and can be adopted by governments, businesses, or other organizations as the basis for regulation, procurement, or quality management. Standards can cover a wide range of topics, such as information technology, manufacturing, environmental management, and sustainability. They can be developed for specific industries, products, or processes, or they can be general and applicable to a broad range of applications.

[0137] Sustainability standards can refer to a set of requirements, guidelines, and criteria that define sustainable practices for a specific industry or product. Sustainability standards can be developed by organizations such as REDcert, ISCC, and RSPO, which are responsible for setting the criteria and overseeing the certification process. These organizations can collaborate with stakeholders from industry, civil society, and other sectors to develop standards that promote sustainable practices. Sustainability standards typically cover a wide range of topics, such as land use, biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, water resource management, quality balance, recycling, and circularity. They document specific requirements and indicators for sustainable practices and establish certification processes to verify compliance with these practices.

[0138] A certification system is a set of standards and guidelines used to verify the use of criteria (e.g., the allocation of sustainable raw materials to the quality distribution of sustainable products). Examples of certification systems may include REDcert2 and ISCC+. A certification body is an organization that conducts the actual certification process (e.g., applying the certification system to candidate sites, processes, and / or products). A certification body can be an independent third party accredited by the certification system (an accreditation body) to perform audits, inspections, and issue certificates according to the standards set forth in the scheme.

[0139] Certification bodies can be independent organizations responsible for verifying compliance with sustainability standards. Certification bodies may be authorized by the SSO to conduct audits and inspections of companies seeking certification under a particular standard. These certification bodies may be accredited by third-party accreditation bodies to ensure they meet certain criteria regarding impartiality, competence, and reliability. Certification bodies work with companies to assess their compliance with standards (e.g., sustainability standards), which may include requirements related to environmental performance. Certification bodies may assess a company's management systems, processes, and performance metrics to determine if they meet the requirements of a standard. If a company meets the requirements of a standard, the certification body may issue a certificate indicating that the company (or its premises, processes, or products) conforms to the requirements of that standard (or multiple standards). Partial compliance may refer to meeting at least some of the requirements of a standard. Certification bodies may also be responsible for ensuring the continued compliance of certified companies through periodic audits and inspections.

[0140] Digital systems can use authentication and / or authorization technologies to control access to resources and verify user identities. Authentication refers to the process of verifying the identity of a user or system. It may involve presenting credentials, such as usernames and passwords, digital certificates, or biometric samples, and comparing them to records or standards to determine whether the user or system is authorized to access specific resources or perform specific actions. Authorization refers to the process of granting or denying access to resources or systems based on the verified identity and the level of permissions assigned to that identity. It may involve defining roles, rules, or policies that specify which actions or resources a user or system is allowed to access and which actions or resources are restricted or prohibited.

[0141] Public and private keys can be used in digital systems to provide secure access to resources and authenticate users. Public and private keys are part of an encryption system known as public-key cryptography. In this system, each user has a pair of keys (a public key and a private key) that are mathematically related but cannot be derived from each other. The public key can be used to encrypt data and is available to others who might want to send encrypted data to the user. The private key can be kept secret and can be used to decrypt data that has been encrypted with the public key.

[0142] There can be various types of audits, including: on-site audits, remote audits, paper audits, and / or virtual audits. An on-site audit may refer to a third party (or client) coming to the manufacturing site to perform an audit. A remote audit may be conducted remotely by a third party (or client) using a digital platform for meetings and to collect data and other information. A paper audit may involve (1) the auditor providing a questionnaire to the manufacturer, and (2) the manufacturer completing the questionnaire and returning it to the auditor. A virtual audit may refer to the use of a digital platform to enable auditors to conduct audits remotely. Virtual audits can significantly reduce (or even eliminate) the need for interaction between auditors and plant personnel by using virtual reality and remotely accessible data repositories.

[0143] A certificate is a document issued by a certification body to indicate that a company (or its premises, location, plant, products, legal entity, etc.) or its products have met the requirements of a certification system. Certificates serve as evidence that a company or product has been audited by an independent third-party certification body and has been found to comply with relevant standards and requirements. Certificates typically include information such as the name and address of the certified company, the scope of certification (e.g., which products or processes are covered), the name of the certification body, the date of issuance, and the expiry date. Certificates are usually valid for a specific period and may require ongoing audits or surveillance to maintain certification. Certificates can be an important marketing tool for certified companies as they demonstrate a commitment to quality and compliance with industry standards.

[0144] A digital identifier is a unique code or set of characters assigned to a specific entity (such as a person, organization, or resource) to distinguish it from other entities. Digital identifiers can be used as tags or handles, enabling digital systems to identify and track entities across different contexts and applications. These digital identifiers can be used to retrieve or link to digital resources such as data, documents, images, videos, or web pages, and can be used to manage access to or permissions to these resources. Digital identifiers can take various forms, such as email addresses, usernames, domain names, IP addresses, or digital certificates. These digital identifiers can be assigned by different organizations or governing bodies (such as domain registrars, social media platforms, or government agencies) and can be used for various purposes, such as authentication, authorization, or identification. The use of digital identifiers enables efficient and secure communication and data exchange between different entities.

[0145] A digital proof can refer to an encryption mechanism that provides verifiable evidence of the authenticity of a digital credential without revealing the underlying data. Digital proofs are generated by combining digital credentials with cryptographic proofs such as digital signatures or zero-knowledge proofs to create a tamper-proof, cryptographically secure record that can be shared with others. A digital proof may include metadata about the credential, such as the issuer, credential holder, issuance date, and other relevant information, as well as a cryptographic signature verifying data integrity.

[0146] A network node can refer to a device or computer connected to a network and capable of transmitting, receiving, or forwarding data. A network node can be any type of device connected to a network, such as a server, router, switch, mobile device, IoT device, or personal computer. In the context of a digital credential scheme, each entity (e.g., issuer, holder, and verifier) ​​can have its own network node, which allows the entity to interact with a distributed ledger storing digital credentials. Network nodes can communicate with each other to ensure the integrity and security of the system and facilitate the exchange of digital credentials between different entities.

[0147] Environmental characteristics can specify or quantify ecological criteria associated with a product's environmental impact. Environmental characteristics can be measurements taken or derived from such measurements throughout the life cycle of one or more products. Environmental characteristics can be determined at any stage of the product's life cycle and can characterize the product's environmental impact at or up to such stages. Environmental characteristics can include, for example, impact categories such as fossil footprint, carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions or global warming potential, primary energy demand, cumulative energy demand, consumption of biological and non-biological resources, air emissions, stratospheric ozone depletion potential, ozone formation, land and / or ocean acidification, water consumption, water depletion, water availability, water pollution, noise pollution, freshwater and / or ocean eutrophication potential, human carcinogenic and / or non-carcinogenic toxicity, photochemical oxidant formation, particulate matter formation, terrestrial, freshwater and / or marine ecotoxicity, ionizing radiation, agricultural and / or urban land occupation, land conversion, land use, indirect land use, logging, biodiversity, mineral resource consumption, fossil resource consumption and / or raw material demand (e.g., sustainable raw material demand and / or fossil raw material demand).

[0148] Environmental characteristics can be calculated from a combination of one or more environmental characteristics. Environmental characteristics may include, for example, product or material characteristics related to the production of materials or products, such as renewable, bio-based, vegetarian, hamukan-safe meat, kosher, palm oil-free, natural, etc.

[0149] In one implementation plan, determining the first digital sustainability credit for the first chemical product includes:

[0150] - Determine the first digital sustainability credit for the first chemical product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is valid within the balance cycle.

[0151] In one implementation scheme, the production of the first chemical product includes:

[0152] - Produce the first chemical product within the equilibrium cycle.

[0153] In one implementation scheme, the first chemical product and the second chemical product cannot be converted into each other.

[0154] In one implementation scheme, the first digital sustainability credit cannot be allocated to the second chemical product.

[0155] In one implementation scheme, the second digital sustainability credit cannot be allocated to the first chemical product.

[0156] In one implementation, it also includes:

[0157] - Producing a second chemical product;

[0158] - Provide an identifier associated with the second chemical product; and

[0159] - Assign a second digital sustainability credit from the second balancing account to the second chemical product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is assigned to an identifier associated with the first chemical product, wherein the identifier associated with the second chemical product includes a second chemical product identifier related to the specifications of the second chemical product, wherein the second chemical product identifier is associated with the physical entity of the second chemical product, and wherein the second chemical product identifier is a virtual identifier uniquely linked to the second chemical product.

[0160] In one implementation, determining the digital sustainability credit associated with input materials also includes determining the quantity of input materials via a virtual production process.

[0161] In one implementation, determining the digital sustainability credit associated with input materials via a virtual production process also includes determining the value associated with the input materials.

[0162] In one implementation, the value associated with the input material is related to the cost difference between the input material and the corresponding amount of fossil input material.

[0163] In one implementation, assigning or attributing first digital sustainability credit from a first balancing account to a first chemical product includes: producing a digital asset that identifies the chemical product using a combination of a chemical product identifier and one or more sustainability attributes, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is assigned to the identifier associated with the first chemical product.

[0164] In one implementation, digital assets uniquely identify chemical products using a combination of chemical product identifiers and one or more sustainability attributes.

[0165] In one implementation, a chemical product identifier is associated with the product specification of the chemical product.

[0166] In one implementation, the digital asset includes the value associated with the input material, wherein the value associated with the input material is related to the cost difference between the input material and the corresponding amount of fossil input material.

[0167] In one implementation, assigning or attributing digital sustainability credits to or to chemical product identifiers includes:

[0168] - Generate digital assets, including chemical product identifiers and digital sustainability credits associated with the energy inputs of the chemical production process of the chemical products; and

[0169] Link digital assets to chemical products. Attached Figure Description

[0170] The present disclosure is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings and the present disclosure are intended to refer to the same or similar elements, components, and / or parts.

[0171] Figures 1a to 1c Examples of chemical processes with multiple inputs and multiple outputs are illustrated.

[0172] Figure 2 An example of a chemical production network that includes multiple chemical processes is shown.

[0173] Figure 3 A sub-cluster of a chemical production network, comprising multiple chemical processes, is illustrated.

[0174] Figure 4 This illustrates multiple sub-clusters that form a chemical production network.

[0175] Figure 5 An example of a chemical production network that produces two or more chemical products from one or more input materials is illustrated, which includes an operating system for an attribute management system for two or more sustainability attributes.

[0176] Figure 6A This is a flowchart illustrating selected aspects of monitoring, attributing, and managing sustainability attributes according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0177] Figure 6B This is a flowchart illustrating selected aspects of another example of monitoring, attributing, and managing sustainability attributes according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0178] Figure 6C This is a flowchart illustrating selected aspects of another example of monitoring, attributing, and managing sustainability attributes according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0179] Figure 6DThis is a flowchart illustrating selected aspects of another example of monitoring, attributing, and managing sustainability attributes according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0180] Figure 7A Selected aspects of a data model for inputting material data according to one embodiment of the present invention are illustrated.

[0181] Figure 7B Selected aspects of a data model for process data according to one embodiment of the present invention are illustrated.

[0182] Figure 7C Selected aspects of a data model for utility (energy) data according to one embodiment of the present invention are illustrated.

[0183] Figure 7D Selected aspects of a data model for utility (water) data according to one embodiment of the present invention are illustrated.

[0184] Figure 8A This is a block diagram illustrating selected aspects of a system for monitoring, managing, and attributing sustainability attributes for joint products according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0185] Figure 8B This is a block diagram illustrating selected aspects of another system for monitoring, managing, and attributing sustainability attributes of co-products according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0186] Figure 8C This is a block diagram illustrating selected aspects of another system for monitoring, managing, and attributing sustainability attributes of co-products according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0187] Figure 8D This is a block diagram illustrating selected aspects of another system for monitoring, managing, and attributing sustainability attributes of co-products according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0188] Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating selected aspects of another system for monitoring, managing, and attributing sustainability attributes of co-products according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0189] Figures 10 to 18 Different schemes for attributing sustainability attributes are illustrated. Detailed Implementation

[0190] This disclosure relates to the field of sustainability, and more specifically to generating and attributing sustainability attributes for two or more co-products to improve the environmental impact of chemical production networks by increasing transparency among value chain participants. This disclosure relates to methods, apparatus, and systems for generating, monitoring, and / or assigning sustainability attributes to two or more co-products produced in chemical production processes.

[0191] The disclosed systems and processes can be applied to a wide variety of products made from input materials, such as chemical products or precursor products. The term "product" can refer to any good that can be sold to others at any point in the value chain. This can include final products for end users (e.g., automobiles, paints, toys, or pharmaceuticals). It can also include items typically sold to other companies for further processing (e.g., steel parts for machinery, plastic granules for extrusion, or chemical compounds such as acrylic acid used to manufacture superabsorbent polymers for diapers). It can also include items very early in the value chain, such as crude oil fractions (e.g., naphtha), agricultural products (e.g., soybeans), or purified sand used in glass production.

[0192] Figures 1a to 1c Examples of chemical processes with multiple inputs and multiple outputs are illustrated.

[0193] A chemical process may include different process steps for producing one or more output materials from one or more input materials. A chemical process may include at least one process step involving at least one chemical reaction. A chemical process may produce multiple output materials from multiple input materials. Chemical process steps include, for example, oxidation, reduction, hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, hydrolysis, hydration, dehydration, halogenation, nitration, sulfonation, amination, alkylation, dealkylation, esterification, polymerization, polycondensation, catalysis, fermentation, mixing, separation, purification, etc. Process steps may be performed sequentially in time and / or space to chemically transform the input materials into the output materials.

[0194] Figure 1A illustrates input materials 102 and 104 fed into chemical process 100. Input materials 102 and 104 are chemically processed into output materials 106 and 108. Output materials 106 and 108 may include a main product and at least one byproduct. In chemical reactions, the yield of an output material is typically less than 100% due to side reactions and purification losses. Therefore, chemical processes can produce multiple output materials. The main product may represent the product of interest, and the byproduct may represent additional output products that are unavoidably obtained through the chemical process. Byproducts may be intermediates that can be used as reagents in another chemical process. The chemical process, including the input materials and the production quantities of output materials, can be monitored by a sensor 110 that provides production monitoring data.

[0195] Figure 1B illustrates the input materials 102, 103, and 104 fed into chemical process 100. (As in...) Figure 1a As described in the context, input materials 102, 103, and 104 are chemically processed into output materials 106 and 108. In addition to output materials 106 and 108, waste stream 112 may also be produced through the chemical process. Waste stream may include any output materials that cannot be used as reagents in another chemical process.

[0196] Figure 1C illustrates the input materials 102 and 104 fed into chemical process 100. (As in...) Figure 1a and Figure 1b As described in the context, input materials 102 and 104 are chemically processed into output materials 106 and 108. In addition to output materials 106 and 108, the refeed stream 114 of input materials can be produced and reused through chemical processes.

[0197] Figure 2 An example of a chemical production network that includes multiple chemical processes is shown.

[0198] Figure 2 The interconnected nature of a chemical production network is illustrated. Multiple chemical processes are linked together through their input-output material relationships. For example, output materials 206 and 208 of chemical process 204 can be input materials of chemical processes 214 and 216. Chemical process 214 can produce output materials 218 and 222 and waste stream 220 from input materials 210 and 206. Output material 218 can leave the chemical production network as a final product. Input material 210 can be fed into chemical process 214 from outside the chemical production network. Input material 206 can be fed into chemical process 214 from chemical process 204 within the chemical production network. Similarly, chemical process 216 can produce output material 224 to output material 230 from input materials 208 and 212. Output materials 228 and 230 can leave the chemical production network as final products. Chemical process 232 can produce output materials 234 and 236 from input materials 222, 224, and 226. Output materials 234 and 236 can leave the chemical production network as final products. Thus, the chemical production network can use interconnected or related chemical processes to produce output products leaving the network. Interconnection or related processes may include at least one intermediate of one chemical process being used as input material for one or more downstream chemical processes.

[0199] Figure 3 A sub-cluster of a chemical production network, comprising multiple chemical processes, is illustrated.

[0200] The chemical production network may include multiple plants that perform chemical processes 312, 310, and 318 and form a sub-cluster 300 of the chemical production network. Input materials 302 and 304 may be fed into chemical process 310. Input materials 306 and 308 may be fed into chemical process 312. Output materials 320 and 324 may be provided as the final products of sub-cluster 300 and leave sub-cluster 300. Output materials 314 and 316 of chemical processes 310 and 312 may be provided as input materials to chemical process 318. Output materials 322 and 324 may be provided as the final products of sub-cluster 300 and leave sub-cluster 300.

[0201] Figure 4 This illustrates multiple sub-clusters that form a chemical production network.

[0202] The chemical production network 400 may include multiple sub-clusters 410, 412, and 422. Input materials 402, 404, 406, and 408 can be fed into sub-clusters 410 and 412. Output material 416 from sub-cluster 416 and output material 418 from sub-cluster 412 can be fed into sub-cluster 422 as input materials. Additionally, input material 414 can enter the chemical production network 400 and be fed into sub-cluster 422. Furthermore, input material 432 can be fed into a non-connected sub-cluster 430 that produces output material 434. Output materials 424, 426, and 428 can leave the chemical production network as final products.

[0203] As shown in Figure 1 to Figure 4 As illustrated, a chemical production network 400 may include multiple chemical processes 100, which may be arranged in sub-clusters 410, 412, and 422. The chemical processes 100 or sub-clusters 410, 412, and 422 may be connected to form a network with multiple production chains interconnected via their material flows. The chemical production network may form part of a discrete product supply chain, where discrete products are produced from one or more chemical outputs or output materials provided by the chemical production network.

[0204] Figure 5 An example of a chemical production network 500 that produces two or more chemical products from one or more input materials (and / or one or more input utilities) is illustrated, which includes an operating system 501 for an attribute management system 540 for managing two or more sustainability attributes. (Refer to Figures 1 to 14 above.) Figure 5 A chemical production network of 500 is described.

[0205] Operating system 501 is a digital operating system configured to collect, store, manage, and interpret extensive production and / or business data for the chemical production network 500. Operating system 501 may be part of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Alternatively, operating system 501 may be implemented partially within the ERP system and partially within one or more additional systems coupled to the ERP system. Operating system 501 may also be implemented in one or more systems outside the ERP system.

[0206] In the illustrated embodiment, input materials 502-504 and utility input 506 are provided to the chemical production network 500 at feed point 512. In an alternative embodiment, input materials 502-504 and utility input 506 may be provided to the process at a location other than feed point 512. Input materials may include conventional fossil feedstock 502 (e.g., naphtha) and sustainable input materials 504. Utility input 506 may include energy input, water input, coolant input, and / or other utilities. In one embodiment, utility input 506 is an energy input with sustainable properties (or simply, a sustainable energy input). For example, sustainable energy input 506 may include energy derived from solar, wind, hydropower, biomass, and geothermal energy, etc. Sustainable input material 504 may include renewable input materials (such as biogas and / or bionaphtha) and / or recycled input materials (e.g., pyrolysis oil). After the conventional input material 502, sustainable input material 504, and energy input 506 are delivered to the chemical production network 500, they can be used in one or more chemical production processes of the chemical production network 500.

[0207] At point 522, input material data for sustainable input material 504 is provided to operating system 501. Similarly, at point 524, utility data for sustainable energy input 506 is provided to operating system 501. For example, when sustainable material 504 and / or sustainable energy input 506 are delivered to chemical production network 500, a goods receipt (and / or BOM and / or chemical production formula) including input material data and / or sustainable utility input data can be provided to operating system 501 electronically. Operating system 501 can receive input material data 522 and utility data 524 through an interface with a local or remote database or ERP system (particularly its supply chain module) or any computing system or device (such as a centralized or distributed computing system or device that includes processing and storage). Therefore, input material data for each type of input material can be collected from an ERP system or any computing system or device (such as a centralized or distributed computing system or device that includes processing and storage). In some cases, input material data for each type of input material is collected through interfaces with more than one database. Therefore, it may be necessary to convert information retrieved from different databases into a single format to allow for further processing. Specifically, input material data obtained from a database may be categorized as input material by the identifier of the input material in the database, which must be converted into the identifier of the input material used in the process data according to this disclosure. Similarly, utility data obtained from a database may be categorized as utility input by the identifier of the utility input in the database, which must be converted into the identifier of the utility input used in the process data according to this disclosure.

[0208] Operating system 501 may initiate a virtual production step after receiving input material data for sustainable materials 504 and / or utility data for sustainable energy inputs 506. Virtual production refers to receiving input material data for sustainable input materials (and / or utility data for sustainable utility inputs) and producing sustainability attributes (based on sustainable input materials and / or sustainable utility inputs) as well as also "producing" conventional input material data (e.g., data describing the corresponding quantities and / or values ​​of conventional input materials).

[0209] For example, operating system 501 may initiate a virtual production process upon receiving input material data 522 for sustainable input materials and / or upon receiving utility data for sustainable energy input 506. Using input material data 522 and / or utility data 524, the virtual production process may parse the input material data and / or utility data and apply the corresponding formulation. For example, the virtual production process may determine the volume (or mass) and type of sustainable input materials and / or the energy quantity and type of sustainable energy input received from the input material data and / or utility data. The virtual production process may then apply virtual production steps to the sustainable input materials and / or sustainable energy input. The virtual production steps may "produce" both sustainable attributes and conventional input materials and / or conventional energy input. The amount of conventional input materials and / or conventional energy input produced (virtually) may be equal to the amount of sustainable input materials and sustainable energy input.

[0210] In one implementation, sustainable utility 506 and / or sustainable input material 504 can be used in a chemical production process that produces two or more co-products (e.g., a first chemical product and a second chemical product). For example, operating system 501 can parse process data of the chemical production process and determine that the chemical production process will produce two or more co-products, where it is not desirable to redistribute digital sustainability credits among the co-products. Operating system 501 can then create a separate virtual balancing account for each of the co-products. For example, if sustainable energy input 506 is an input to the process, operating system 501 can create a virtual balancing account 536 for the first chemical product and a virtual balancing account 537 for the second chemical product. Operating system 501 can convert the input sustainability attributes of sustainable energy input 506 into digital sustainability credits (e.g., corresponding to the amount of energy in the energy input) and apply proportionality rules (e.g., by mass, oxidation number, economic value, and / or other predefined proportionality rules) to allocate digital sustainability credits between virtual balancing accounts 536 and 537.

[0211] Similarly, if sustainable input material 504 is an input to the process, operating system 501 can convert the input sustainability attributes of sustainable input material 504 into digital sustainability credits (e.g., a quantity corresponding to the mass in the sustainable input material) and apply proportionality rules (e.g., by mass, oxidation number, economic value, and / or other predefined proportionality rules) to allocate the digital sustainability credits between virtual balancing accounts 534 and 535. The conversion may include a conversion factor that takes into account the chemical differences between fossil-based input materials (such as naphtha and methane) and non-fossil input materials (such as pyrolysis oil). The conversion factor may relate to the lower calorific value of pyrolysis oil relative to the lower calorific value of naphtha or methane. The conversion factor may include the ratio of the lower calorific value of pyrolysis oil to that of naphtha or methane. In this way, the chemical differences between fossil and renewable input materials can be taken into account.

[0212] Virtual balancing accounts (or digital inventory) 534-535 can separately determine and track both the quantity (e.g., volume and / or mass) and value of sustainable input material 504. For example, operating system 501 can parse input material data 522 to determine the quantity of sustainable input material 504 received. Operating system 501 can then credit the proportional share (based on proportionality rules) of the quantity of received sustainable input material to virtual balancing accounts (or digital inventory) 534 and 535 respectively.

[0213] Similarly, virtual balancing accounts (or digital inventories) 536-537 can determine and track both the quantity (e.g., the amount of energy) and value of sustainable energy inputs 506. For example, operating system 501 can parse utility data 524 to determine the quantity of sustainable energy inputs 506 received. Operating system 501 can then credit proportional shares (based on proportionality rules) of the quantity of received sustainable energy inputs to virtual balancing accounts (or digital inventories) 536 and 537 respectively.

[0214] Operating system 501 can also determine the value associated with digital sustainability credits added (or stored, credited, allocated, or attributed) to virtual balance accounts (or digital inventories) 534-537. For example, operating system 501 can calculate the cost difference between sustainable input material 504 and its corresponding equivalent fossil input material 502 to determine the value of a digital sustainability credit (or balance unit). Similarly, operating system 501 can calculate the cost difference between sustainable energy input 506 and its corresponding equivalent conventional energy input to determine the value of a digital sustainability credit (or balance unit). Operating system 501 can use average prices, actual prices, market prices, or other suitable values ​​to determine the cost of an equivalent quantity of fossil input material or conventional energy input. Operating system 501 stores and tracks the quantities and values ​​corresponding to sustainable input materials in virtual balance accounts (or digital inventories) 534-537. For example, digital sustainability credits (or balance units) stored in virtual balance accounts (or digital inventories) 534-537 may include quantity and / or value information corresponding to sustainable inputs 504-506.

[0215] Similarly, the operating system 501 stores and tracks the quantities and values ​​corresponding to sustainable energy inputs in virtual balancing accounts (or digital inventories) 536-537. For example, digital sustainability credits (or balancing units) stored in virtual balancing accounts (or digital inventories) 536-537 may include quantity and / or value information corresponding to sustainable energy inputs 506.

[0216] Operating system 501 includes merging system 546 to generate sustainable chemical products by combining digital sustainability credits (or balancing units) with conventional products. For example, operating system 501 processes orders for products 552-564. If a customer purchases conventional chemical products 552-558, operating system 501 can process the purchase using the conventional product digital inventory 542-544. In one embodiment, the conventional product digital inventory 542-544 each represents a co-product of the process (e.g., co-products that cannot be converted into each other).

[0217] However, if a customer purchases a sustainable chemical product, the operating system 501 can instruct the merging system 546 to combine digital sustainability credits (or balancing units) from digital inventory (or virtual balancing accounts) 534-537 with corresponding conventional products from digital inventory 542-544. The merging system 546 can generate digital assets 572-574 (which may or may not be combined with another record such as a BOM and / or sales record) that define (or specify) the sustainable product based on the combination of the digital sustainability credits (or balancing units) and the conventional product. For example, the merging system 546 can generate a sustainable product by combining conventional products (from 542-544) with sustainability attributes from digital inventory 534, as shown in 572. Similarly, the merging system 546 can generate a sustainable product by combining conventional products (from 542-544) with sustainability attributes from digital inventory 536, as shown in 574. Therefore, the operating system 501 enables the chemical production network 503 to efficiently produce a variety of sustainable products from a variety of input materials, including sustainable input materials combined with fossil input materials in a large interconnected chemical production network.

[0218] Operating system 501 can be configured to provide identifiers (e.g., decentralized identifiers) associated with the physical entities of the produced chemical co-products (or other chemical products). For example, operating system 501 can be configured to link decentralized identifiers to physical identifiers of the chemical co-products. Operating system 501 can be configured to assign decentralized identifiers to physical identifiers connected to the chemical products. Production operating devices can be configured to assign decentralized identifiers to physical identifiers physically connected to the chemical products.

[0219] A decentralized identifier may relate to data associated with at least two chemical coproducts (or other products) produced by a chemical production network, wherein one or more sustainability attributes associated with the at least two chemical coproducts are derived from one or more sustainability attributes associated with input materials (and / or energy inputs). The one or more sustainability attributes associated with the chemical coproducts may be associated with one or more input materials, one or more energy inputs, and / or chemical processes used to produce the chemical coproducts. A decentralized identifier may relate to any identifier uniquely associated with a chemical coproduct. A decentralized identifier may be associated with a physical entity of a chemical coproduct. A decentralized identifier may refer to a single batch of chemical coproducts. A decentralized identifier may be associated with a group of chemical coproducts. An identifier may refer to multiple physical entities of a chemical coproduct. A decentralized identifier may be associated with a continuous or semi-continuous flow of chemical coproducts. An identifier may refer to, for example, a flow of chemical coproducts over a specific time period.

[0220] Figure 6A This is a flowchart illustrating selected aspects of monitoring, attributing, and managing sustainability attributes according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0221] Method 600 includes (i) input material data, (ii) process data, and utility data provided at 602, 604, and 606, respectively. Input material data 602 may include data related to the environmental impact of the input materials (i.e., sustainability data). Sustainability data may involve fossil footprint and carbon footprint, etc. Sustainability data may involve recycled content, renewable content, and bio-based content, etc. Sustainability data may include certified product data and sustainable feedstock demand data. Input material data 602 may include... Figure 7A The data fields shown are numerous. Examples of data fields that may be included in the input material (sustainability) data 602 include (i) material name (702), (ii) material identifier (704), (iii) sustainability data (706), (iv) origin (710), (v) date (712), (vi) quantity (714), (vii) value (716), (viii) standard certification (718), (ix) unit (720), and (x) additional information (722), etc. Data elements 702-722 may be constructed as key-value pairs, where the key represents the name of the attribute and the value represents the actual information. For example, the field for the material name may have the key "material name" and the value "123456789". Data elements 702-722 may be digitally signed using an encryption key to ensure the integrity and authenticity of these data elements. In one implementation, data elements 702-722 may be selectively disclosed to different parties based on the needs and requirements of stakeholders.

[0222] Process data 604 may include Figure 7B The data fields shown are numerous. Examples of data field types that may be included in process data include: (i) recipe name (724), (ii) process step (726), (iii) co-product (728), (iv) time (730), (v) temperature (732), (vi) pressure (734), (vii) flow rate (736), (viii) equipment (738), (ix) date (740), and (x) unit (742), etc. Data elements 724-742 may be constructed as key-value pairs, where the key represents the name of the attribute and the value represents the actual information. For example, a field for a material name may have the key "material name" and the value "123456789". Data elements 724-742 may be digitally signed using an encryption key to ensure the integrity and authenticity of these data elements. In one implementation, data elements 724-742 may be selectively disclosed to different parties based on the needs and requirements of stakeholders.

[0223] Utility data 606A may include Figure 7C The data elements shown (e.g., those related to energy inputs) include multiple data fields. Examples of types of data fields that may be included in utility data include: (i) utility identifier (744), (ii) utility type (746), (iii) energy type (748), (iv) energy source (750), (v) energy supply chain (752), (vi) energy quantity (754), (vii) energy quality (756), (viii) sustainability data (758), (ix) date (762), and (x) unit (764), etc. Data elements 744-764 may be constructed as key-value pairs, where the key represents the name of the attribute and the value represents the actual information. For example, a field for a material name may have the key "material name" and the value "123456789". Data elements 744-764 may be digitally signed using an encryption key to ensure the integrity and authenticity of these data elements. In one implementation, data elements 744-764 may be selectively disclosed to different parties based on the needs and requirements of stakeholders.

[0224] Utility data 606B may include Figure 7D The data elements shown (e.g., those related to water input) include multiple data fields. Examples of types of data fields that may be included in utility data include: (i) utility identifier (768), (ii) utility type (770), (iii) water type (772), (iv) water source (774), (v) water supply chain (776), (vi) water quantity (778), (vii) water quality (780), (viii) sustainability data (782), (ix) date (784), and (x) unit (786), etc. Data elements 768-786 may be constructed as key-value pairs, where the key represents the name of the attribute and the value represents the actual information. For example, a field for a material name may have the key "material name" and the value "123456789". Data elements 768-786 may be digitally signed using an encryption key to ensure the integrity and authenticity of these data elements. In one implementation, data elements 768-786 may be selectively disclosed to different parties based on the needs and requirements of stakeholders.

[0225] This disclosure includes step 608: providing (or receiving) input data associated with one or more input materials of the chemical production process (such as... Figure 6A As shown). In one embodiment, the digital system may receive input material data associated with one or more materials (which are inputs to a chemical production process that produces two or more co-products) and any relevant metadata (e.g., received automatically during the production process, received via a text and / or graphical user interface, etc.). For example, an operating system (e.g., Figure 5 The operating system 501 shown can receive instructions to produce two or more products according to a formula (or other instructions). Digital systems (e.g., Figure 5 The operating system 501 shown can access selected aspects of input material data 602, process data 604, and utility data 606 to retrieve applicable data. Accessing data 602-606 (and receiving instructions) may involve additional steps such as verifying the user's identity, checking the validity and status of instructions, and establishing a secure connection with the data source of 602-606.

[0226] In one implementation, the digital system (e.g., Figure 5 The operating system 501 shown can be accessed from a suitable data repository (e.g., Figure 9 The process data source 934 shown queries or requests data to access process data associated with the chemical conversion of one or more input materials into two or more co-products. At 610, a digital system (e.g., Figure 5 The operating system 501 shown may receive requested process data. Process data may include information or data representing various aspects and characteristics of a particular chemical manufacturing process (i.e., a formulation or part thereof). For example, the received process data may include fields or attributes indicating whether the process produces co-products (e.g., Figure 7B The associated product field 728 is shown, and in the case of producing associated products, a list or enumeration of those associated products is provided.

[0227] Digital systems (e.g.) Figure 5 The operating system 501 shown can be accessed from a suitable data repository (e.g., Figure 9 The utility data source 936 shown queries or requests data to retrieve utility data associated with two or more associated products. At 612, the digital system may receive the requested utility data. Utility data may include information or data representing utility inputs (e.g., energy inputs and / or water inputs, etc.) of a chemical production process. In one embodiment, utility data may also include information or data indicating whether a utility input is associated with one or more sustainability attributes. For example, utility data may include fields or attributes indicating whether a utility input is associated with a sustainability attribute (e.g., ...). Figure 7C and Figure 7D Sustainability data fields 758 and / or 782 are shown respectively.

[0228] This disclosure includes step 614: identifying at least one process step for producing two or more chemical products from one or more input materials, at least in part based on process data, the two or more chemical products including a first chemical product and a second chemical product. Digital systems (e.g., Figure 5 The operating system 501 shown can parse process data to identify process steps that produce two or more co-products. For example, the system can first parse process data (e.g., a formulation) to identify various process steps involved in an applicable production process. Then, the system can identify at least one process step that produces two or more co-products (e.g., a first chemical product and a second chemical product). The system can identify the co-products and quantify the quantity of each co-product produced in the identified process steps (based on process data, e.g., in the co-product field 728). Furthermore, the system can determine whether there are input sustainability attributes (e.g., from input materials data 602 and / or utility data 606) to be attributed to a separate virtual balancing account for each co-product.

[0229] In one implementation, the digital system (e.g., Figure 5 The operating system 501 shown determines a first digital sustainability credit for a first chemical product and a second digital sustainability credit for a second chemical product, wherein the first and second digital sustainability credits are associated with input materials, as shown by 616A. In one embodiment, the system may use, for example, a field 706 (e.g., from the input material data 602) from the input material data 602. Figure 7A The operating system (as shown) provides sustainability data to determine the quantity and type of sustainability attributes associated with sustainable input materials in a chemical production process. For example, the operating system can be configured to convert sustainability attributes related to the recycling, renewable, or bio-based content of one or more input materials used in a chemical production network into digital sustainability credits. The operating system can be configured to, based on, such as... Figure 8A The proportionality rule shown allocates digital sustainability credits to virtual balancing accounts associated with each product.

[0230] exist Figure 8A In this process, at least one sustainable input material 802 is provided as input to the chemical production unit 804A. Simultaneously with providing the input material 802 to the chemical production unit 804A, input material data 602, process data 604, and / or utility data 606 are provided to the operating system (e.g., ...). Figure 5The operating system 501 shown is illustrated by 806. According to one embodiment of the invention, the operating system may include a virtual balance account assignment function 808 configured to generate and manage virtual balance accounts 810A-814A. As discussed above, the operating system parses process data and determines that the process produces three co-products 816A-820A. The operating system may instruct the virtual balance account assignment function to generate (and / or assign) virtual balance accounts 810A, 812A, and 814A for co-products 816A, 818A, and 820A, respectively. As discussed above, the operating system may be configured to use a conversion factor to convert the sustainability attributes of input material 802 into digital sustainability credits. In one embodiment, the operating system allocates a share of the digital sustainability credits to each of the virtual balance accounts 810A-814A according to a proportionality rule (e.g., by quality, oxidation number, economic value, and / or other predefined proportionality rules).

[0231] In one implementation, each virtual balancing account (or a subset thereof) may have associated metadata. For example, metadata 822A illustrates an example of the metadata for virtual balancing accounts 810A-814A. In one implementation, each virtual balancing account includes metadata indicating the associated joint products and input materials, as shown in 824A and 826A, respectively. In one implementation, joint products 816A-820A are not interconvertible. In yet other implementations, there may be other reasons why the redistribution of digital sustainability credit among joint products is not desired. Creating and managing separate virtual balancing accounts for joint products allows the digital sustainability credit allocated to individual virtual balancing accounts to be consumed at different rates over time.

[0232] Common Reference Figure 6A and Figure 8A At 618A, the operating system allocates a first digital sustainability credit to a first virtual balancing account, wherein the first virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the first digital sustainability credit associated with the input material to the first virtual balancing account. For example, the operating system may use attribution rule 830A to allocate digital sustainability credit 828A to virtual balancing account 810A. Similarly, at 620A, the operating system may allocate a second digital sustainability credit to a second virtual balancing account, wherein the second virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the second digital sustainability credit associated with the input material to the second virtual balancing account. For example, the operating system may use attribution rule 832A to allocate digital sustainability credit 834A to virtual balancing account 812A.

[0233] refer to Figure 6BIn one implementation, the digital system determines a first digital sustainability credit for a first chemical product and a second digital sustainability credit for a second chemical product, wherein the first and second digital sustainability credits are associated with energy inputs, as shown by 616B. In one implementation, the system may use, for example, field 758 of utility data 606A (such as...). Figure 7C The operating system (as shown) provides sustainability data to determine the quantity and type of sustainability attributes associated with sustainable input materials in a chemical production process. For example, the operating system can be configured to convert sustainability attributes associated with renewable or bio-based energy sources used in a chemical production process to generate digital sustainability credits. The operating system can be configured to, based on, such as... Figure 8B The proportionality rule shown allocates digital sustainability credits to virtual balancing accounts associated with each product.

[0234] exist Figure 8B In this process, at least one sustainable energy input 840 is provided as an input to the chemical production unit 804A. Simultaneously with providing the energy input 840 to the chemical production unit 804A, input material data 602, process data 604, and / or utility data 606 are provided to the operating system (e.g., ...). Figure 5 The operating system 501 shown is illustrated by 806. According to one embodiment of the invention, the operating system may include a virtual balance account assignment function 808 configured to generate and manage virtual balance accounts 810B-814B. As discussed above, the operating system parses process data and determines that the process produces three co-products 816B-820B. The operating system may instruct the virtual balance account assignment function to generate (and / or assign) virtual balance accounts 810B, 812B, and 814B for co-products 816B, 818B, and 820B, respectively. As discussed above, the operating system may be configured to use a conversion factor to convert the sustainability attributes of energy input 840 into digital sustainability credits. In one embodiment, the operating system allocates a share of the digital sustainability credits to each of the virtual balance accounts 810B-814B according to a proportionality rule (e.g., by quality, oxidation number, economic value, and / or other predefined proportionality rules).

[0235] Common Reference Figure 6B and Figure 8BAt 618B, the operating system allocates a first digital sustainability credit to a first virtual balancing account, wherein the first virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the first digital sustainability credit associated with energy inputs to the first virtual balancing account. For example, the operating system may use attribution rule 830B to allocate digital sustainability credit 828B to virtual balancing account 810B. Similarly, at 620B, the operating system may allocate a second digital sustainability credit to a second virtual balancing account, wherein the second virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing second digital sustainability credit associated with input materials to the second virtual balancing account. For example, the operating system may use attribution rule 832B to allocate digital sustainability credit 834B to virtual balancing account 812B.

[0236] refer to Figure 6C According to this disclosure, chemical production networks (e.g., Figure 5 The chemical production network 500 shown produces the first chemical byproduct, as shown in 622A. (Common Reference) Figure 6C and Figure 8C For example, input material 802 can be provided to chemical production unit 804A, which produces co-products 816A, 818A, and 820A. (Refer to Figures 1 to 12 above.) Figure 5 Chemical processes and chemical production networks are described. According to this disclosure, at 624A, digital systems (e.g., Figure 5 The operating system 501 shown provides an identifier (or digital asset) associated with the first chemical co-product. The identifier (or digital asset) associated with the first chemical co-product may include one or more identifiers related to the chemical co-product. The identifier may relate to a chemical product category, a specific chemical product, and / or the properties of the chemical product (such as environmental properties). The identifier may include a unique number uniquely associated with the chemical product category, the specific chemical product, and / or the properties of the chemical product. The identifier may include one or more specific identifiers, such as a chemical product category identifier, a specific chemical product identifier, and / or a chemical product property identifier. Such specific identifiers are uniquely linked to the first chemical co-product. For example, one or more property identifiers are uniquely linked to a chemical product identifier. A chemical product identifier is uniquely linked to a specific chemical product. Thus, a chemical product is uniquely linked to a digital twin of the chemical co-product, which specifies a particular property of the chemical product.

[0237] Identifiers associated with chemical co-products may include one or more identifiers related to one or more sustainability attributes. Identifiers may include sustainability attribute identifiers related to sustainability attributes that can be assigned to a chemical co-product, such as unique sustainability attribute identifiers. Sustainability attribute identifiers may relate to a chemical product category or a specific chemical co-product. For example, sustainability attribute identifiers may relate to recycled content, bio-based content, and / or renewable content as environmental attributes, each having its own unique material identifier. A specific sustainability attribute or a specific combination of sustainability attributes may be associated with a unique sustainability attribute identifier.

[0238] Identifiers (or digital assets) may include, be linked to, or relate to batch numbers and / or order numbers, such as unique batch numbers and / or order numbers. Batch numbers may be linked to the physical entity of the batch of chemical co-products produced. Order numbers may be linked to a transaction specifying the shipment of the chemical co-product batch from the producer of the chemical co-products to a user who further processes the chemical co-products.

[0239] For example, a digital system can produce digital assets (e.g., identifiers 850A and 860A) that can specify chemical co-products (e.g., via chemical co-product identifiers such as 852A and 862A) and assign one or more sustainability attributes (and / or digital sustainability credits such as 854A and 864A) to the chemical co-products. Figure 8C As shown. Chemical product identifiers can be associated with the physical entity of a chemical product. Digital assets (e.g., identifiers 850A and 860A) can be uniquely linked to physical co-products. Such links can include physical or virtual links to identifiers uniquely associated with co-products. For physical links, labels or codes can be physically linked to co-products, for example, by printing a QR code on packaging. For virtual links, different identifiers associated with physical materials can be linked. For example, order numbers, batch numbers, lot numbers, or combinations thereof can be linked.

[0240] For reference again Figure 6C and Figure 8C Digital systems (e.g.) Figure 5The operating system 501 shown may assign a first digital sustainability credit (e.g., 854A) from a first balancing account (e.g., 810A) to a first chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit may be assigned to an identifier associated with the first chemical co-product (e.g., identifier 850A), as shown by 626B. The identifier associated with the first chemical co-product may include a first chemical co-product identifier (852A) associated with the first chemical product specification. The first chemical co-product identifier is associated with the physical entity of the first chemical co-product, wherein the first chemical co-product identifier is a virtual identifier uniquely linked to the first chemical co-product. Similarly, the digital system may assign a second digital sustainability credit (e.g., 864A) from a second balancing account (e.g., 812A) to a second chemical co-product. For example, the second digital sustainability credit may be assigned to an identifier associated with the second chemical co-product (e.g., 860A). The identifier associated with the first chemical co-product may include a first chemical co-product identifier (862A) associated with the first chemical product specification.

[0241] Assigning or attributing at least one sustainability attribute (e.g., digital sustainability credits 854A and 864A) associated with an input material to or belonging to a chemical product may include linking an input material identifier or chemical product identifier to the sustainability attribute. The input material identifier or chemical product identifier may be associated with the physical entity of the input material or chemical product, respectively. In this way, a virtual identifier for the material can be uniquely linked to the physical material. Such a link may include a physical or virtual link to an identifier uniquely associated with the physical material. For a physical link, a label or code may be physically attached to the material, for example, by printing a QR code on packaging. For a virtual link, different identifiers associated with the physical material may be linked. For example, order numbers, batch numbers, lot numbers, or combinations thereof may be linked.

[0242] refer to Figure 6D According to this disclosure, chemical production networks (e.g., Figure 5 The chemical production network 500 shown produces the first chemical co-product, as shown in 622B. (Common Reference) Figure 6D and Figure 8D For example, energy input 840 can be provided to chemical production unit 804A, which produces co-products 816B, 818B, and 820B. (Refer to Figures 1 to 14 above.) Figure 5 Chemical processes and chemical production networks are described. According to this disclosure, at 624B, digital systems (e.g., Figure 5The operating system 501 shown provides an identifier (or digital asset) associated with the first chemical co-product. The identifier (or digital asset) associated with the first chemical co-product may include one or more identifiers related to the chemical co-product. The identifier may relate to a chemical product category, a specific chemical product, and / or the properties of the chemical product (such as environmental properties). The identifier may include a unique number uniquely associated with the chemical product category, the specific chemical product, and / or the properties of the chemical product. The identifier may include one or more specific identifiers, such as a chemical product category identifier, a specific chemical product identifier, and / or a chemical product property identifier. Such specific identifiers are uniquely linked to the first chemical co-product. For example, one or more property identifiers are uniquely linked to a chemical product identifier. A chemical product identifier is uniquely linked to a specific chemical product. Thus, a chemical product is uniquely linked to a digital twin of the chemical co-product, which specifies a particular property of the chemical product.

[0243] For example, a digital system can produce digital assets (e.g., identifiers 850B and 860B) that can specify chemical co-products (e.g., via chemical co-product identifiers such as 852B and 862B) and assign one or more sustainability attributes (and / or digital sustainability credits such as 854B and 864B) to the chemical co-products. Figure 8D As shown. Chemical product identifiers can be associated with the physical entity of a chemical product. Digital assets (e.g., identifiers 850B and 860B) can be uniquely linked to physical co-products. Such links can include physical or virtual links to identifiers uniquely associated with co-products. For physical links, labels or codes can be physically linked to co-products, for example, by printing a QR code on packaging. For virtual links, different identifiers associated with physical materials can be linked. For example, order numbers, batch numbers, lot numbers, or combinations thereof can be linked.

[0244] For reference again Figure 6D and Figure 8D Digital systems (e.g.) Figure 5The operating system 501 shown may assign a first digital sustainability credit (e.g., 854B) from a first balancing account (e.g., 810B) to a first chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit may be assigned to an identifier associated with the first chemical co-product (e.g., identifier 850B), as shown by 626B. The identifier associated with the first chemical co-product may include a first chemical co-product identifier (852B) associated with the specifications of the first chemical product. The first chemical co-product identifier is associated with the physical entity of the first chemical co-product, wherein the first chemical co-product identifier is a virtual identifier uniquely linked to the first chemical co-product. Similarly, the digital system may assign a second digital sustainability credit (e.g., 864B) from a second balancing account (e.g., 812B) to a second chemical co-product. For example, the second digital sustainability credit may be assigned to an identifier associated with the second chemical co-product (e.g., 860B). The identifier associated with the second chemical co-product may include a second chemical co-product identifier (862B) associated with the specifications of the first chemical product.

[0245] Assigning or attributing at least one sustainability attribute (e.g., digital sustainability credits 854B and 864B) associated with an energy input to a chemical product may include linking an energy input identifier or chemical product identifier to the sustainability attribute. The energy input identifier or chemical product identifier may be associated with the physical entity of the chemical product. In this way, a virtual identifier for a material can be uniquely linked to the physical material. Such a link may include a physical or virtual link to an identifier uniquely associated with the physical material. For a physical link, a label or code may be physically attached to the material, for example, by printing a QR code on packaging. For a virtual link, different identifiers associated with the physical material may be linked. For example, order numbers, batch numbers, lot numbers, or combinations thereof may be linked.

[0246] Therefore, according to this disclosure, a digital system can monitor, manage, and allocate digital sustainability credits that are substantially simultaneously allocated to more than one co-product of a process, and where redistribution of these digital sustainability credits among co-products is not desired. (See above reference...) Figures 6A to 6D , Figures 7A to 7C as well as Figures 8A to 8D As described, when inputs with sustainability attributes are provided to the process, the digital system can create a separate digital balancing account for each co-product. The input sustainability attributes can be allocated to co-products using a separate digital balancing account through a predefined attribution scheme (e.g., by quality, by oxidation number, by economic value, or other predefined rules).

[0247] Figure 9This is a block diagram illustrating selected aspects of a system for generating and managing virtual balancing accounts in a multi-output process, according to one embodiment of the present invention. System 900 includes a network 910, a production operating system 920, and a data source 930. Network 910 can be any combination of wired and wireless networks capable of interconnecting digital systems. Production operating system 920 can monitor and / or control the production network (e.g., ...). Figures 2 to 4 (The chemical product network shown). Data source 930 includes input material data source 932, process data source 934, and utility data source 936. Data sources can be any type of system or technology that collects, stores, and / or provides access to data, such as databases, file systems, network services, sensor networks, cameras, satellites, IoT devices, production equipment, etc.

[0248] Applications or other systems within the production operating system 920 can access data sources 932-936, for example, through query interfaces or data transfer mechanisms such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP), network APIs, and / or message queues. Data sources 932-936 may be internal to or external to the production operating system 920, depending on the specific context and use case. For example, data sources 932-936 may be an internal database used by applications to store and retrieve data associated with input materials, chemical production processes, and chemical composition data.

[0249] In one implementation, virtual balancing account (for multi-output processes) logic 924 retrieves data from data sources 932-936 to perform the above-mentioned reference. Figures 5 to 8D The described method. When process inputs with sustainability attributes (e.g., energy inputs and / or input materials) are provided to the process, virtual balance account logic 924 can create a separate digital balance account for each co-product. Input sustainability attributes can be allocated to co-products using separate digital balance accounts through predefined attribution schemes (e.g., by quality, by oxidation number, by economic value, or other predefined rules). Users 912 and 916 can monitor and / or manage selected aspects of the production operating system 920, including virtual balance account logic 924, via input / output terminals 914.

[0250] Figures 10 to 18 Different schemes for attributing sustainability attributes are illustrated.

[0251] Different environmental attributes can be formed for each co-product, thus virtualizing the sustainability attributes of the co-products. The environmental attributes (EA) of the process can be 100% assigned to the co-products according to one or more predefined attribution schemes, such as those based on share (e.g., by quality, by oxidation number, by economic value, by stoichiometry, or by political rules, where the shares add up to 100%).

[0252] Connector products A, B, and C can load a certain share of input environment attributes, thereby generating A+x%EA, B+y%EA, and C+z%EA. Furthermore, more sustainable connector products can be consumed at different rates over time without requiring separate storage.

[0253] Only the existing three storage tanks are needed, instead of the six tanks required for the three co-products A, B, C, and their more sustainable twins (e.g., the tank for A plus the tank for "A+xEA", the tank for B plus the tank for "B+yEA", and the tank for C plus the tank for "C+zEA"). This saves on investment in storage capacity.

[0254] Although complex allocation schemes may be applied to multiple outputs, the fact that local differences between inflow and outflow attributes can be zero facilitates the bookkeeping and auditing of environmental attributes in processes with multiple outputs. It also facilitates the operationalization of proportional quality balancing implementation.

[0255] Consider as Figure 10 The process described herein uses a defined set of one or more raw materials, including both chemicals and utilities (such as steam, electricity), to produce different products, such as product A, product B, etc. The input environmental attribute "renewable energy" can be easily converted into three environmental attributes associated with each of the products or co-products. When using one or more environmental attributes as inputs to the process, a set of environmental attributes can be simultaneously created as outputs according to the desired allocation (e.g., moles, mass, value, etc.), this set of environmental attributes being uniquely linked to a given product through allocation. Environmental attributes can be both produced and consumed when needed to form a product with a declared value. The value and unit of a given environmental attribute can be selected to reflect the quantity and allocation of a given product. The unit can reflect the product itself or be recalculated to other more useful units, such as per dry weight. The sum of the environmental attribute inputs can equal the sum of the environmental attribute outputs.

[0256] The consumption of the three environmental output attributes can occur independently at any time, and for the output materials, separate storage may not be required. A declared product from a given process can be produced by combining the given product with individual environmental attribute outputs. A declared product A from a given process can be produced by combining the given product A with environmental attribute output A. Figure 11 An example is shown in the image.

[0257] Each downstream product from a co-product manufacturing process may need to be enhanced by attaching environmental output attributes from that process. If from... Figure 10If one or more products (such as product A) are used in a process to produce another product (such as product N), then product N will only be produced by utilizing products from... Figure 10 A claim originating from a given process can only be obtained by using a given share of the environmental attribute output associated with the product of the process (such as product A). This can be done either by using environmental attribute output A directly in the recipe, or by adding it in the corresponding share to product N, which does not have a claim. Figure 12 The concept is illustrated in the text. An industrial-scale example would be a combination of chlorine, aluminum, and "environmentally relevant chlorine" to produce AlCl3, which is enhanced by fossil resource savings and GHG emission reduction benefits originally derived from green electricity.

[0258] If other relevant environmental attributes are related to product N, they can also be considered and used to generate product N with a declaration.

[0259] Example 1 :

[0260] An example of a co-product production process (Example 1) is chlor-alkali electrolysis in an electrochemical unit (ECU). Here, rock salt and water are converted into chlorine, hydrogen, and a 32% caustic soda aqueous solution using electricity. Additional energy can be used to further concentrate the 32% caustic soda product to, for example, a 50% solution. Figure 13 The process is illustrated in the figure.

[0261] In the case of additional use of green electricity, while producing three products (chlorine, caustic soda, and hydrogen), three separate environmental attribute outputs are also generated for each of these three products. These are generated only during the production of the three products at predefined ratios required by the certification body. These can be used to enable the acquisition of environmental attribute outputs from a given ECU process, either directly or in conjunction with... Figure 14 Declaration of products produced together with the further downstream products illustrated.

[0262] Examples 2 to 5 :

[0263] Each of the individual products produced by the ECU can be converted into an environmentally declared product by combining the product with its corresponding environmental attribute output. An example would be combining non-declared chlorine with environmentally declared chlorine to produce declared chlorine (Example 2), combining non-declared hydrogen with environmentally declared hydrogen to produce declared hydrogen (Example 3), and combining non-declared 32% caustic soda with environmentally declared caustic soda to produce declared 32% caustic soda (Example 4). For cases requiring declared 50% caustic soda, this is achieved by adding the environmentally declared caustic soda output from the ECU process, along with an additional amount of green electricity required for further concentration steps following the ECU process, to the non-declared caustic soda (Example 5). Figure 15 The examples illustrate combinations from Examples 1 to 5.

[0264] Example 6 :

[0265] An example of a downstream product requiring chlorine and caustic soda, as well as additional energy, is sodium hypochlorite solution. Here, chlorine and caustic soda can be combined with energy to form sodium hypochlorite. To produce a corresponding sodium hypochlorite with a claim, in addition to one without the claimed sodium hypochlorite, the environmental properties of chlorine, caustic soda, and green electricity are required. Figure 16 The concept is illustrated in the example.

[0266] Figure 17 The ECU process is illustrated. In the chlor-alkali (ECU) process, non-renewable energy resources (e.g., electricity) are used to electrochemically decompose salt and water into chlorine, hydrogen, and sodium hydroxide. By using renewable energy as input to this process, a rule-based allocation of all outputs is required. The outputs can be referred to as "renewable energy derived from… … hydrogen, … chlorine, and … sodium hydroxide". Renewable energy must be coupled with products formed within a given balance cycle (e.g., 3 months or 1 year).

[0267] The input environmental attribute "renewable energy" can be easily converted into three environmental attributes associated with each of the three co-products.

[0268] The consumption of the three environmental output attributes can occur at independent times, and output materials do not need to be stored separately.

[0269] The consumption of the three environmental output attributes can occur at other locations further downstream in the production network. Each downstream product requiring hydrogen, chlorine, or sodium hydroxide is enhanced by the environmental output attributes from the ECU process.

[0270] Figure 18 An example of a steam cracking process that can meet certain quality balance criteria is shown.

[0271] In a steam cracker, ethylene, propylene and other olefins, methane and hydrogen, as well as higher-boiling-point cracker products, are simultaneously produced from input butane, LPG, naphtha, and utilities such as methane, electricity, and steam.

[0272] By using renewable energy as input to the cracker process, a rule-based allocation of all outputs is required. The outputs can be referred to as “renewable energy derived…”, …ethylene, …propylene, …olefins, and …higher boiling point outputs.” Renewable energy must be coupled with the products formed within a given equilibrium period (e.g., 3 months or 1 year).

[0273] The input environmental attribute "renewable energy" can be easily converted into multiple environmental attributes associated with each cracker coproduct in the cracker coproduct.

[0274] The consumption of multiple environmental output attributes can occur independently at different times, and output materials do not need to be stored separately.

[0275] For example, the environmental attribute of propylene, "renewable energy," can be consumed by downstream propylene derivative products, requiring a "proportional allocation model."

[0276] The consumption of multiple environmental output attributes originating from a single process (i.e., the cracker) can occur at other locations further downstream in the production network. Each downstream product requiring ethylene or propylene, or a higher boiling point output, is enhanced by environmental output attributes from the cracker process.

[0277] This disclosure also relates to a non-transitory computer-readable data medium storing a computer program including instructions for performing steps of the method according to the invention. The computer-readable data medium includes a hard disk drive (e.g., on a server), a USB storage device, a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray disc. The computer program may contain all the functionality and data required to perform the method according to the invention, or it may provide an interface to allow portions of the method to be processed on a remote system (e.g., on a cloud system).

[0278] This invention also relates to a system or apparatus for determining the sustainability properties of products manufactured during the production process at a manufacturing plant. Unless explicitly described differently below, the description relating to the method also applies to the system or apparatus. The system or apparatus may be a computing device, such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone, or a distributed computing system or apparatus, or an apparatus such as a cloud system. Typically, the computing device has a network connection for communicating with other computing devices, such as servers or cloud networks.

[0279] This disclosure is also described in conjunction with preferred embodiments and examples. However, by studying the accompanying drawings, this disclosure, and the claims, those skilled in the art will understand and implement other variations of the claimed invention.

[0280] Any step presented in this paper can be performed in any order. The methods disclosed herein are not limited to a specific order of these steps. Nor is it necessary to perform different steps at a specific location in a distributed system or on a specific computing node; that is, each step can be performed at different computing nodes using different equipment / data processing.

[0281] As used herein, "determine" also includes "initiate or cause determination," "generate" also includes "initiate and / or cause generation," and "provide" also includes "initiate or cause determination, generation, selection, transmission, and / or reception." "Initiate or cause execution of an action" includes any processing signal that triggers a computing node or device to perform a corresponding action.

[0282] In the claims and description, the words "comprising" or "including" or similar terms do not exclude other elements or steps and should not be construed as limiting oneself to the listed elements or steps. The indefinite articles "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may perform the function of several entities or items recited in the claims. The fact that certain measures are recited only in mutually different dependent claims does not mean that combinations of these measures cannot be used in advantageous embodiments or that additional elements may be included.

[0283] The provision within the scope of this disclosure may include any interface configured to provide data. This may include application programming interfaces, human-machine interfaces (such as displays), and / or software module interfaces. The provision may include communication of data or submission of data to an interface, particularly displaying data to a user or using data by a receiving entity.

[0284] Any disclosure and embodiments described herein relate to the methods, systems, apparatuses, devices, chemicals, materials, computer program elements listed above, and vice versa. Advantageously, the benefits provided by any embodiments and examples also apply to all other embodiments and examples, and vice versa.

[0285] All terms and definitions used in this document should be understood broadly and have their general meaning.

[0286] Any disclosures and implementations described herein are merely examples for implementing the methods, systems, or application devices disclosed herein and should not be considered restrictive.

Claims

1. A method for attributing at least one sustainability attribute associated with an input material and / or energy input to two or more chemical co-products, wherein the two or more chemical co-products are produced by a chemical production network using the input material, the method comprising: - Provide the operating system of the chemical production network with input material data associated with the input materials and / or utility data associated with the energy inputs; - Provide process data associated with the chemical conversion of one or more input materials into two or more co-products; - Identify at least one process step for producing two or more chemical co-products from the one or more input materials, at least in part, based on the process data, wherein the two or more chemical co-products include a first chemical co-product and a second chemical co-product; - Determine a first digital sustainability credit for the first chemical co-product and a second digital sustainability credit for the second chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit and the second digital sustainability credit are associated with the input material and / or the energy input; - Producing the first chemical co-product; - Provide an identifier associated with the first chemical co-product; as well as - Assign the first digital sustainability credit from the first balancing account to the first chemical product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is assigned to the identifier associated with the first chemical product, wherein the identifier associated with the first chemical product includes a first chemical product identifier related to the specifications of the first chemical product, wherein the first chemical product identifier is associated with the physical entity of the first chemical product, wherein the first chemical product identifier is a virtual identifier uniquely linked to the first chemical product.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is allocated to a first virtual balancing account, wherein the first virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the first digital sustainability credit associated with the energy input to the first virtual balancing account, wherein the second digital sustainability credit is allocated to a second virtual balancing account, wherein the second virtual balancing account includes at least one attribution rule for attributing the second digital sustainability credit associated with the energy input to the second virtual balancing account.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein determining the first digital sustainability credit of the first chemical co-product comprises: - Determine the first digital sustainability credit of the first chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is valid within the balance period.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein producing the first chemical co-product comprises: - Produce the first chemical co-product during the equilibrium cycle.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first chemical co-product and the second chemical co-product cannot be interconverted.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first digital sustainability credit cannot be allocated to the second chemical co-product.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second digital sustainability credit cannot be allocated to the first chemical co-product.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein determining the digital sustainability credit associated with the input material further comprises: The amount of input material is determined through a virtual production process.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the digital sustainability credit associated with the input material via the virtual production process further comprises: Determine the value associated with the input material.

10. The method of claim 8 or 9, wherein the value associated with the input material is related to the cost difference between the input material and the corresponding amount of fossil input material.

11. A system for attributing at least one sustainability attribute associated with an input material and / or energy input to two or more chemical co-products, wherein the two or more chemical co-products are produced by a chemical production network using the input material, the system comprising: - An input interface configured to receive (i) input material data associated with one or more input materials and / or utility data associated with energy inputs of a chemical production process, and (ii) process data associated with the chemical conversion of the one or more input materials into two or more co-products, wherein the two or more chemical co-products include a first chemical co-product and a second chemical co-product. and - At least one processor configured to (i) identify at least one process step in the production of the first chemical co-product and the second chemical co-product from one or more input materials based on the process data, wherein the one or more input materials include the input materials; (ii) determine a first digital sustainability credit for the first chemical co-product and a second digital sustainability credit for the second chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit and the second digital sustainability credit are associated with the input materials and / or energy inputs; (iii) provide an identifier associated with the first chemical co-product; and (iv) assign the first digital sustainability credit from a first balancing account to the first chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is assigned to the identifier associated with the first chemical co-product, wherein the identifier associated with the first chemical co-product includes a first chemical co-product identifier related to the specifications of the first chemical co-product, wherein the first chemical co-product identifier is associated with the physical entity of the first chemical co-product, and wherein the first chemical co-product identifier is a virtual identifier uniquely linked to the first chemical co-product.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor configured to determine the first digital sustainability credit of the first chemically linked product comprises a processor configured to perform the following operations: - Determine the first digital sustainability credit of the first chemical co-product, wherein the first digital sustainability credit is valid within the balance period.

13. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first chemical co-product and the second chemical co-product cannot be interconverted.

14. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first digital sustainability credit cannot be allocated to the second chemical co-product.

15. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second digital sustainability credit cannot be allocated to the first chemical co-product.

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