Toward concise metrics for the production of chemicals from renewable biomass

•Sustainability metrics for comparing fossil -based with renewable biomass-based processes to commodity chemicals.•The metrics comprise material and energy efficiency, land use and process economics.•The metrics will be used to compare processes to seven commodity chemicals; isoprene, succinic acid, lactic acid, acrylonitrile, 1,2-propane diol, methionine and 1-butanol.

The development of a set of sustainability metrics for quickly evaluating the production of commodity chemicals from renewable biomass is described. The method is based on four criteria: material and energy efficiency, land use and process economics. The method will be used for comparing the sustainability of the production of seven commodity chemicals – lactic acid, 1-butanol, propylene glycol, succinic acid, acrylonitrile, isoprene and methionine – from fossil feedstocks (crude oil or natural gas) versus renewable biomass.

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