Toward Sustainability - Life Cycle Perspective in Green Hydrogen and By-Products Material in Asphalt Production: A Case Study for Road Pavement

The consensus on reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and promoting sustainable practices in the energy sector is strong. The Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13 and SDG 12, explicitly refer to the 2015 Parsi Agreement, and emphasize limiting and keeping global warming to amaximum of 1.5 degrees C and advocating for sustainable production and consumption. Meeting global energy demand requires large-scale infrastructure and storage, with growing interest in hydrogen as a sustainable energy carrier. To that end, establishing global hydrogen networks is crucial for a swift transition. Decision-making processes should incorporate comprehensive life-cycle analyses (LCAs) to support this transition effectively. This paper conducts LCAs according to the ISO 14040/44 methodology for road pavement using Crumb Rubber (CR) and Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) slag as materials, along with alternative fuels for asphalt production. The findings of the study reveal that while fossil fuels may be more economically viable, the adoption of cleaner alternatives, such as green hydrogen and green electricity, can significantly mitigate global warming impacts, with a potential reduction of up to 70%. This highlights the importance of considering low environmental-impacting fuel alternatives in asphalt production road construction and industry to combat Global Warming Potential (GWP).