As part of the Sustainability theme day on March 19, 2026 Yanni Sandro Astono of Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik GmbH presented approaches for the simplified calculation of Product Carbon Footprints (PCF) in the context of the automotive industry.

Calculating Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) according to established standards is often complex and requires in-depth expertise in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular often lack in-house. The Catena-X data ecosystem, with its associated PCF Rulebook, provides clearly defined procedures tailored to the automotive industry, enabling simplified PCF calculations in many use cases.

Using a simple case study from the manufacturing of automotive wiring harnesses, the presentation demonstrates how PCF can be calculated under these conditions even without specialized software or in-depth LCA experience. In contrast, the presentation addresses the methodological challenges of greenhouse gas accounting for more complex manufacturing and processing methods.

This article provides an insight into the practical possibilities and limitations of simplified PCF calculation based on the Catena-X PCF rulebook.

Further information about Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik GmbH can be found at: lbst.de