Modelling Systems

MATTER: Materials and Energy model

The MATTER project started in 1995 and will run until 1999. The total project encompasses 20 man-years. It will result in an integrated energy and materials system model for Western Europe. MATTER is a joint project of 5 Dutch institutes, coordinated by ECN, in the framework of the National Research Programme on Global Air Pollution and Climate Change (NOP-MLK). MATTER is an acronym for MATerials Technologies for greenhouse gas Emission Reduction. Approximately one third of all GHG emissions can be attributed to the materials system. Changes in material flows can influence the GHG emissions significantly. The Western European MARKAL model has been developed in order to study these strategies in more detail.

In the first phase, the material flows in Western Europe have been analysed for the period 1990-2000 by Bureau B&G. ECN has simultaneously developed the energy system model for Western Europe. The Universities of Groningen and Utrecht analysed the improvement potentials for metals and the transportation industry, and organic materials and packaging, respectively. ECN studies the caramic and inorganic materials and the building and construction sector. The Free University of Amsterdam will analyse the implementation barriers for the materials options that are suggested by the other institutes. The results from these studies are included into the MARKAL model.

The model covers more than 25 energy carriers and 125 materials. More than 50 products represent the applications of these materials and 30 categories of waste materials are modeled. The following GHG emission reduction strategies have been considered in the materials system:

• Industrial process improvements
• CO₂ removal from industrial plants and storage in depleted gas fields and aquifers
• Reduction of non-CO₂ GHG emissions through end-of-pipe technology and process substitution
• Reduction of materials consumption through product substitution (e.g. re-useable packaging)
• Materials substitution
• Renewable biomass feedstocks
• Improved waste collection and separation systems
• Waste recycling, cascading and energy recovery.

Integrated assessment of improvements in the energy system and the materials system is important because different reduction strategies influence each others efficiency. For example if the reference electricity production becomes less CO2 intensive due to introduction of renewables, electricity production in waste incineration plants becomes a less attractive option for GHG emission reduction. As a consequence of such interactions, the assessment of the potential and the cost-effectiveness of reduction strategies requires an integrated systems approach. A dynamic approach is required because of the time lag between materials consumption and waste release beyond the product life. For example changing materials consumption in one year can influence the recycling potential in future years. Moreover, GHG emission reduction will take decades. Changing technology, changing consumption patterns, changing resource prices and changing environmental policy goals are issues that must be considered in such a dynamic analysis. Based on the model calculations, integrated long term materials strategies will be developed for Western Europe.

An overview of publications is available.

For more information you can contact Koen Smekens