Lubricants and lubricant additives are essential for the efficient operation of nearly every type of machinery, including electric cars and the equipment that builds them. The reasons are plentiful: Lubricants help reduce friction and wear and tear, prevent corrosion, transmit power—among many other functions.
But there’s one catch: Traditional lubricants and additives are often derived from petroleum, which is known for its environmentally unfriendly attributes. It’s for this reason that there’s been growing interest in developing green or renewable lubricants and lubricant additives, which offer a sustainable alternative.
Here are the top options to help make the lubricant and lubricant additive space greener.
Green lubricants
Green lubricants are lubricants made from renewable resources, such as plant-based oil, instead of petroleum. They’re referred to as biolubricants or biobased lubricants; some companies offer plant-derived synthetic base oils for lubricant formulation. An example in lubricant additives is oleic acid, which is derived from plant oils such as soybean oil or sunflower oil. Oleic acid is commonly used as an antiwear additive in lubricants; however, growth in renewably sourced additives has only just begun.
One often-found characteristic of green or renewable lubricants is that—in contrast to traditional lubricants—they are biodegradable, which means they break down more easily in the environment. Additionally, green or renewable lubricants typically have lower toxicity levels than traditional lubricants, reducing the risk of harm to both human health and the environment. However, this characteristic also is a hindrance to their adoption, as some companies have found that environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) such as stern tube oil were unable to last as long as their typical drydock service periods. This is where lubricant marketers are challenged with formulating a green lubricant that can perform as well—or better—than a traditional lubricant yet offer lower toxicity and not harm the environment in the event of leaks or spills.
Recycling
Recyclability also is a way to tackle these types of challenges, as it lessens harm to the environment and can reduce carbon footprints while still protecting equipment for a reasonable service interval. One company, for instance, recycles traditional engine oils and other lubricants and produces a quality re-refined base oil that can continue to be re-refined as long as used oil is properly collected. This can include other lubricants such as metalworking fluids, some of which can provide a lower fluid splash loss, reducing environmental contamination and employee health risks.
Carbon-neutral products or manufacturing
Carbon-neutral lubricants and additives are a relatively new development in the lubricants industry, but they have the potential to play an important role in the fight against climate change. Carbon-neutral lubricants have a net-zero carbon footprint, meaning that they do not contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Reducing overall carbon footprint is key to addressing climate change, and some companies offer carbon- neutral diesel engine oils, which helps customers reduce their overall carbon footprint. Other companies have select manufacturing sites that are 100% carbon neutral and run on renewable energy. Companies like these will help businesses achieve their sustainability goals of becoming carbon neutral by 2040.
Carbon-neutral lubricants are typically produced using renewable resources such as biobased materials or waste oils often sourced from plants, which absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during their growth. This means that the carbon emissions generated during the production of carbon-neutral lubricants are offset by the carbon dioxide absorbed by the plants. This is in contrast to the production of traditional lubricants, such as those derived from crude oil, which can generate significant GHG emissions.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) just released its Technical Report (TR) 1533
1 with a standard methodology for lubricant life cycle assessment (LCA) and carbon footprint of products (CFP) to help lubricant marketers better assess how their green products can help fight climate change and reduce GHG emissions.
In addition, carbon-neutral lubricants help fight climate change by enabling companies to offset their emissions. For example, companies may purchase carbon credits, which represent the fact that they reduced GHG emissions somewhere in the world. By using carbon-neutral lubricants, companies can reduce their carbon footprint and potentially offset their remaining emissions through the purchase of carbon credits. Lubricant marketers are challenged with formulating a green lubricant that can perform as well—or better— than a traditional lubricant.
Energy efficiency
“Green” lubricants also can be products formulated for a lower coefficient of friction and reduced pumping frictional losses than traditional lubricants, which means they require less energy to move equipment and produce products. This can result in energy savings and lower GHG emissions over the lifespan of equipment. These lubricants do not have to be carbon neutral, but they can help companies offset more carbon emissions than their carbon footprint. Some companies are offering products with high viscosity index (VI) such as hydraulic fluids and other industrial lubricants that can offer manufacturers greater energy savings. In an age when energy costs have skyrocketed, this will not only help in sustainability but also allow a company to survive the economic downturn.
Other technologies
The industry also is seeing emerging technologies that are being developed to further lessen the environmental impact of lubricants. For example, some companies are exploring the use of nanotechnology to create self-healing lubricants that can repair small cracks and scratches in equipment, helping to extend the lifespan of equipment and reduce waste.
Finally, the aforementioned methods not only reduce the environmental impact of lubricant and additive production but promote more sustainable business practices. This, in turn, can provide a positive image for both suppliers and the customers using these lubricants—by using green products, companies demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility, helping to enhance their brand reputation and attract environmentally conscious customers and stakeholders.
Overall, green lubricants have the potential to play an important role in mitigating climate change, and those who jump on the bandwagon will be rewarded: As awareness of the environmental impact of lubricants continues to grow and the economy begins to recover, demand for green lubricants will likely continue to increase, driving further innovation in the industry and spurring rapid growth for lubricant marketers with a sustainable reputation.
REFERENCE
1.
www.api.org/products-and-services/engine-oil/sustainability-of-lubricants
David Tsui is a Project Manager at Kline & Company in the Energy practice. You can reach him at david.tsui@klinegroup.com. K
line is an international provider of world-class consulting services and high-quality market intelligence for industries including lubricants and chemicals. Learn more at www.klinegroup.com.