Motivation and problem statement on the topic: Carbon In, Carbon Out – Making CO₂ visible, from process to product. A data-driven concept for automated and certifiable CO₂ accounting in industrial companies
The systematic measurement, assessment, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is becoming increasingly important for companies, driven by regulatory requirements as well as by sustainability strategies, competitiveness, and transparency expectations from customers and stakeholders.
In practice, however, CO₂ accounting is often conducted on a periodic and largely manual basis, which limits transparency and prevents timely operational steering. In many organizations, a consistent data architecture enabling automated, near real-time, and certification-ready CO₂ accounting is still lacking.
Against this background, this master’s thesis aims to develop a robust and practice-oriented concept for automated CO₂ accounting at company, process, and product level.
Objectives of the Master’s Thesis
The objective of the master's thesis is the conceptual development of a practical approach to CO₂ accounting in a medium-sized industrial company. The thesis aims to provide a fundamental understanding of
- the methodological requirements for CO₂ accounting,
- which internal company data is generally suitable,
- and how this data can be used at a conceptual level for structured CO₂ assessment.
The focus is on the transparent and comprehensible presentation of the relationships between company data and CO₂ emissions. On this basis, possibilities for simplifying and partially automating CO₂ calculation are to be identified. The results of the thesis serve as a technical and conceptual basis for possible further development or implementation in the company at a later date.