# Fatty alcohols: Emissions

Peat versus old cropland: a huge spread in footprint

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/emissions/

What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint per tonne, split by lifecycle phase (feedstock, production, movement, use, end of life), the global total, other environmental impacts, levers and low-carbon routes, India's position, and where the investment opportunity lies. Emission intensity 4.50 t CO2e per t range about -1.5 (palm kernel oil from existing cropland with mill methane capture) to 16.7 (palm on drained peat); petro-based about 2.97 · indicative weighted average: about two-thirds palm-kernel-based (5.27 t/t average) and one-third petro-based (2.97 t/t) Global emissions per year 19.0 Mt CO2e per year 2024 · 4.5 t/t x about 4.3 Mt (indicative)

Per t of fatty alcohol, cradle-to-gate. Intensity: Shah et al. 2016, Journal of Surfactants and Detergents (via surfactants tile); weighting indicative. Global total: derived (indicative).

#### Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
 Feedstock 80% Production / process 16% Movement 4%

#### Footprint by lifecycle phase

| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feedstock** | about 3.6 t CO2e/t on average | 80% | land-use change and peat, palm mill methane, fertiliser; ethylene production for synthetics | spread across land-use scenarios is far wider than the process difference | Shah et al. 2016 (indicative split) |
| **Production / process** | about 0.7 t CO2e/t | 16% | high-pressure hydrogenation, hydrogen from gas, steam for transesterification and distillation | green hydrogen would cut part of this | indicative |
| **Movement** | about 0.15 t CO2e/t | 4% | shipping from South-East Asia |  | indicative |
| **Use** | not applicable | – |  | converted into surfactants and other products | not applicable |
| **End of life** | biogenic or fossil carbon released as surfactants biodegrade | – | wastewater treatment | oleo carbon is biogenic; petro carbon adds about 3 t CO2 per t when fully degraded (stoichiometric, indicative) | indicative |

#### Other environmental impacts

Palm-driven deforestation and biodiversity loss; aquatic toxicity before biodegradation; wastewater from ester plants.

#### Levers to cut emissions

- Certified deforestation-free palm kernel oil and mill methane capture (can bring palm-based alcohol to about -1.5 t/t)
- Green hydrogen for hydrogenation
- Coconut oil from smallholders with low land-use change
- Bio-based ethylene for Ziegler alcohols

#### India

India's fatty alcohol footprint is mostly imported with palm kernel oil and fatty alcohols from Indonesia and Malaysia; no Indian life-cycle data found.
 Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.

#### Low-carbon routes

| Route | Intensity | Cost premium | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Palm kernel alcohol from existing cropland with methane capture** | about -1.5 t CO2e/t (Shah et al. 2016) | certification premium (indicative) | offered under RSPO segregated chains (indicative) | Shah et al. 2016 via surfactants tile |

 For a climate investor The decarbonisation lever is feedstock traceability and green hydrogen at hydrogenation plants. In India, Godrej's doubling of fatty alcohol capacity and Galaxy's surfactant growth create demand for certified lauric oils and low-carbon hydrogen. What has to be true: consumer brands pay for certified low-carbon surfactants.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/characteristics/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/links/index.md)