24th International Colloquium Tribology - January 2024 253 Innovative Lubricant Components with Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions Addressing sustainability and transformation needs of the lubricants industry Dr. Sabrina Stark 1* , Edith Tuzyna 1 , Rene Koschabek 1 1 BASF S.E., Fuel&Lubricants Solutions, Ludwigshafen, Germany * Corresponding author: sabrina.stark@basf.com 1. Introduction Sustainability has always been an important topic in the lubricants industry, as lubricants manipulate tribological factors in mechanical systems to prevent wear. This enhances the systems longevity and saves resources. Additionally, energy/ fuel is also saved with reduced friction which consequently reduces Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the use phase [1]. However, reporting guidelines as the GHG Protocol do not deal with energy savings due to, for example, machine efficiency increases related to the use of improved lubricants (comparative emissions impact or avoided emissions, scope 4) but only with reporting of emissions within the life cycle or value chain of a product (scope 1, 2, 3 upstream and 3 downstream) [2]. Although there is considerable interest among companies in claiming that their products can help avoid GHG emissions compared to other products in the marketplace, claims on energy conservation can only be marketed, if widely recognized procedures for determining effective CO 2 reductions through frictional reductions and extended longevities are in place [3, 4]. Studies to date have mostly focused on the efficiency of components and adjustment of operational strategies to reduce energy consumption [4]. However, with this paper we would like to continue our journey [5] on displaying the contribution of lubricant components with reduced product carbon footprint (PCF, cradle-to-gate) and focus on the emerging needs to understand and reduce climate related information of indirect emissions from upstream activities in the value chain (Scope 3 upstream). As lubricants industry associations publish industry guidelines on product carbon footprint calculation [6], and companies along the value chain start to commit to Scope 3 upstream emission reduction targets [7], the topic of regimenting claims on sustainable lubricants gains a lot of traction. Therefore, we would like to cover in this paper the contribution on the individual product level and give an insight into a new portfolio of biomass balanced lubricant components with significantly reduced carbon footprint compared to conventional products. 2. Product Carbon Footprint and the Biomass Balance Methodology- With the drive to reduce GHG emissions and dependence on fossil resources, the chemical industry is gradually starting to develop new products derived from renewable feedstocks and optimized PCF. Usage of renewable raw material is not a new concept to the lubricants industry as the terms “biolubricant” and “environmentally acceptable lubricant” (EAL) have been largely used for decades to describe lubricants containing components that are plant oil-based and/ or synthetic manufactured from modified renewable raw materials [8]. This is an established market, with companies as BASF offering a broad range of synthetic ester base stocks. However, replacing fossil feedstocks with renewable feedstocks in applications outside the biolubricant segment is a challenging task. Large investments are required in R&D and production facilities to produce bio-based chemicals. Moreover, due to technological requirements in various lubricant applications the use of renewable feedstocks is limited, and other new concepts are required. For the introduction of renewable feedstocks in existing production pathways on a broad scale and in a cost-effective way, a simplified approach based on mass balance has been proposed by BASF [9]. The main fossil feedstocks in the chemical industry are naphtha and natural gas, which are further processed either by cracking or part-oxidation at high temperatures. To produce BMB products, these feedstocks are replaced by renewable feedstocks, i.e., bio-naphtha and/ or bio-methane at certain amounts calculated through a material flow analysis [9]. BMB products are chemicals that are produced using both fossil and renewable feedstocks in an integrated chemical production facility. The output is a mix of fossil and renewable based products which are not distinguishable based on their composition or technical characteristics. As the renewable feedstock is processed together with fossil feedstock, it might not be physically traceable throughout the production processes. Therefore, there is a need to attribute the applied renewable feedstock volumes to a final product in a fully transparent and auditable way, which is achieved by a certification according to the requirements of the RedCert2 scheme (see Figure 1).- Innovative Lubricant Components with Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions 254 24th International Colloquium Tribology - January 2024 - Fig 1. The biomass balance (BMB) approach This solution enables the use of renewable feedstocks to produce products with the same properties as those manufactured from fossil feedstock while saving fossil resources and reducing CO 2 emissions. This methodology offers hundreds of BMB products, globally, across various industries, including components for the lubricants industry.-- In absence of established standards or guidelines on how to calculate the PCF of a BMB product, a method was developed by BASF and a third-party certification confirms that the calculation procedure of BMB product carbon footprints and the associated PCF reduction follow conventional life cycle analysis (LCA) procedure as described in ISO standard 14067: 2018 and Together for Sustainability (TfS) Guideline [10]. 3. Examples of BMB products for lubricant industry Two examples relevant for the lubricants industry from the BASF portfolio on biomass balanced products, that were already topic of previous publications [5], are the high performance water-soluble polyalkylene glycol (PAG) base stocks (Breox® BMBcert™) and the polyisobutene (PIB) portfolio (Glissopal® BMBcert™). The new additions to the BMB family for lubricants are shear stable VI improvers and pour point depressants (Irgaflo® BMBcert™ series) and the Lubricity improvers (EO / PO block co-polymers) for use in metalworking fluids (Synative® RPE BMBcert™ series). Table 1 displays an overview of our BMB portfolio for the lubricants industry. Table 1: PCF (cradle-to-gate, including biogenic carbon) reduction potential of different BASF products when applying the biomass balance method. Biomass balanced product series PCF reduction potential compared to conventional product Polyisobutene (PIB) 100% Pour point depressants up to 95% PAG base stocks up to 80%* Lubricity improvers up to 65% VI improvers up to 60% *Benefits include usage of 100% green electricity in production 4. Conclusion Based on an established and independently certified method, the biomass balanced products enable transparency for sustainable purchasing decisions and a faster transition to a carbon-neutral circular economy. Providing the benefits of sustainably sourced renewable feedstock, flexible scale-up and identical product quality, the new biomass balanced product range BMBcert™ provide base stocks and lubricant oil additives that help save fossil resources and reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions, while maintaining the same performance. The biomass balance approach enables lubricant producers to differentiate their solutions from competition while achieving industry sustainability goals. References [1] M. Woydt, Material efficiency through wear protection - The contribution of tribology for reducing CO2 emissions. WEAR 488-489 (2022) 204134, https: / / doi.org/ 10.1016/ j. wear.2021.204134 [2] Scope3CalculationGuidance|GHGProtocolhttps: / / ghg protocol.org/ scope-3-calculation-guidance-2 and https: / / ghgprotocol.org/ estimating-and-reporting-avoi ded-emissions [3] M. Woydt, R. Shah and G. Thomas, Koehler, Lube Magazine, July 2023, Sustainability in lubricants: a look at how regulatory agencies can play their role. [4] M. Woydt, E. Bock, V. Bakolas, T. Hosenfeldt, R. Luther and C. Wincierz, Effects of tribology on CO 2 -emissions in the use phase of products - Contributions of tribology to defossilization, Publisher: German Society for Tribology, www. gft-ev.de, June 2023, open access [5] S. Rauch, C. Krüger, P.Saling, S.Stark, Reducing product carbon footprint of lubricants by using biomass balanced basestocks: The importance of biogenic carbon modelling in LCA, Lube Magazine Online June 2022 [6] Methodology for Product Carbon Footprint Calculations for Lubricants and other Specialties, https: / / www.ueil.org/ sustainability/ [7] Science Based Targets Initiative, https: / / sciencebasedtargets.org/ companies-taking-action [8] Biolubricants: Raw materials, chemical modifications and environmental benefits, European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology, Wiley Online Library, 2010 [9] Krüger, C., Kicherer, A., Kormann, C., Raupp, N., Biomass balance: An innovative and complementary method for using biomass as feedstock in the chemical industry, Springer International Publishing, Cham, 2018.- [10] Together for Sustainability PCF Guideline (tfs-initiative.com)