The new service for climate tech innovators, researchers, and funders enables sustainable innovation at all stages of technology development
April 28, 2026
The Washington Clean Energy Testbeds, an open-access, pay-per-use lab facility for climate technology innovation operated by the University of Washington (UW) Clean Energy Institute (CEI), is offering a new service: life cycle assessment (LCA). LCA is the practice of tracking all the inputs and outputs involved in making and using a product—from raw materials to the end of its useful life—and estimating prospective impacts on humans and ecosystems. Integrated directly into the Testbeds’ prototyping and scale-up infrastructure, the service enables researchers and companies to evaluate environmental and societal impacts of a technology alongside its development.
“We’re pleased to enhance the Testbeds’ innovation capabilities with our new LCA service,” said Testbeds Managing Director Dr. Michael B. Pomfret. “We designed this facility with an emphasis on additive manufacturing tools, which reduce the energy cost and waste associated with hard tech innovation. And now at the same lab, users have access to the expertise required to guide research & development (R&D) towards a more sustainable product. It’s a unique opportunity for innovators to minimize waste and environmental impacts at any stage of product development.”
The LCA service is led by Testbeds senior staff scientist Dr. Rachel Woods-Robinson, who has a background in materials science and began developing LCA tools to inform early-stage design as a CEI Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow. She holds a joint appointment at the National Laboratory of the Rockies, where she collaborates with Birdie Carpenter and Garvin Heath, and serves on the International Energy Agency’s PV Sustainability Task as well as the SETAC-ACLCA Working Group on LCA of Emerging Technologies.
“Many technologies undergo LCA only after they mature, when redesign is more difficult,” said Woods-Robinson. “But materials and process choices you make early on can lock in unintended harm—emissions, water use, social impacts—that becomes harder to mitigate as a technology scales. So, we’re excited to offer custom LCA at early R&D stages to identify prospective impact ‘hot spots,’ propose alternate pathways to reduce impacts, and guide decision-making while design is still flexible.”
Early clients have included companies like Sunchem, a startup commercializing Berkeley Lab research on small molecules for critical minerals recovery.
“Initially, our investors were asking for an LCA as part of due diligence, but it proved far more valuable than expected in guiding early-stage decisions,” said Sunchem founder and CEO Daniel Sun. “The Testbeds LCA service identified a single step in our process as the primary contributor to embodied carbon in our prototype, enabling us to redesign the process and significantly reduce emissions and costs, while also strengthening our ability to raise investment. As we move into pilot-scale operations, we look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Testbeds to co-optimize performance and cost with life cycle impacts, which will enhance the competitiveness of our technology in mining and electronics recycling markets.”
Academic researchers can also include the Testbeds as LCA partners in grant-funded projects.
“The Washington Clean Energy Testbeds led our LCA on indium tin oxide substrates for lab-scale solar cells with exceptional rigor and expertise,” said Dr. Mónica Morales-Masis, a professor of applied physics at the Eindhoven University of Technology. “Through this collaboration and LCA-informed iteration, we developed a simple method of reusing substrates that can save money and carbon emissions without compromising cell performance.”
Testbeds LCA services are tailored to each client’s scope—from new synthesis methods to whole devices, from early stage conceptual “screenings” to pilot or commercial scale LCAs—with customizable options such as varying parameters, exploring scenarios, assessing scale-up uncertainties, and benchmarking against incumbents.
Funders can also use the Testbeds’ LCA service for impact-informed diligence, portfolio screening, and investment decisions.
Free LCA consultations are available here.
