Chemical Product Environmental Attribute Allocation Across Supply Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
The lack of common data standards and trusted data platforms hinders the sharing of environmental impact data in supply chains, making it difficult to track and reduce environmental impacts collectively.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for producing chemical products with associated environmental attributes, involving the allocation of environmental attributes to balancing accounts and the assignment of these attributes to chemical products within a chemical production network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If environmental impact data is shared across supply chain participants, then transparency and collective reduction of environmental impacts are improved, but data sharing is hindered by lack of common data standards and trusted data platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments environmental impact data into distinct attributes (e.g., carbon footprint, water usage, energy consumption) that can be independently tracked, measured, and shared. This segmentation allows different supply chain participants to implement and share specific environmental metrics without requiring complete standardization across all data types, thereby improving transparency while managing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal data structure and common data model that can accommodate multiple environmental attributes and apply across different supply chain contexts. This universal framework enables diverse participants to share various environmental impact data types through a single standardized interface, reducing the need for multiple specialized platforms and simplifying data exchange.
2Measurement precision
If highly specific and centralized data systems are used, then data accuracy is improved, but exchange and sharing for collective action becomes laborious
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer in the form of a trusted data platform that mediates between centralized data sources and distributed supply chain participants. This intermediary maintains data accuracy through standardized validation rules while facilitating easy exchange by providing a common interface for data submission, retrieval, and sharing, thereby decoupling precision requirements from operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary actions by pre-defining data standards, validation rules, and attribution methodologies before data collection begins. This advance preparation ensures measurement precision is built into the data collection process while eliminating the need for complex real-time negotiations about data formats and standards, making subsequent data exchange and sharing much easier.
3Loss of information
If environmental attributes are tracked through chemical production networks, then environmental impact transparency is improved, but system complexity increases due to multiple production chains and balancing accounts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses digital copying mechanisms where environmental attributes are represented as data copies that can be tracked, transferred, and balanced across multiple production chains without requiring physical separation or complex material tracking. Virtual copies of environmental credits and debits are maintained in balancing accounts, simplifying the representation of complex production network flows while maintaining full transparency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces balancing accounts as intermediary structures that mediate between multiple production chains and the overall environmental attribution system. These intermediary accounts aggregate and balance environmental attributes across complex production networks, providing a simplified interface for tracking transparency while managing the underlying complexity of multiple interconnected production processes.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods, apparatuses, and systems for producing at least one chemical product associated with one or more environmental attribute(s) and for assigning at least one environmental attribute to at least one chemical product produced by a chemical production network.