The design of sustainable integrated processes asks, amongst others, for a method that enables the analysis and synthesis of entire supply chains. In this paper, a newly developed method for Chemical Route Selection (CRS) is described. The CRS method and its accompanying case study illustrate how various processing routes can be compared and how this facilitates the decision-making related to process synthesis and supply chain selection. The CRS method is based on a life-cycle approach together with the exergy concept. The case study deals with the production of MPG (MonoPropyleneGlycol, C{sub}3H{sub}8O{sub}2), a common base chemical used as a monomer in polymer production. The study compares three alternative routes analyzed with respect to the use of non-renewable resources and the quantity and origin of the exergy losses. Furthermore, the study considers the net CO{sub}2 emission and the area required for biomass growth. Finally conclusions are drawn on the validity of the method and its actual contribution to sustainability. It is shown that for a comparison of chemical routes regarding the decision-making, no detailed processing data is necessary.
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