Holistically, CoRE seeks to accelerate safer chemicals and materials innovation for clean energy technologies by leveraging new advancements in science and engagement with investors, purchasers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and corporate and government leaders. We strive to place environmental justice and the health of all people and the planet at the front end of investments in the renewable energy economy.
Designing renewable energy solutions that are inherently safer for people and the planet
Renewable energy is essential. It could decarbonize 90 percent of the power sector (significantly reducing emissions responsible for climate change), it improves the health of billions of people, and it yields three times as many jobs as the fossil fuel sector.
In the shift toward decarbonization, now is the right time for detoxification.
Removing toxic materials from solar panels and electric vehicle (EV) batteries now can save countless lives. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure clean energy is non-toxic.
CoRE offers a novel approach to cleaning up clean energy
The current way
Taking decades to create safer solutions
The CoRE way
Leveraging AI to accelerate solutions to complex problems and shape the next evolution of material discovery
The U.S. EPA adopted a PFAS classification strategy for their new standards based on CoRE’s AI modeling tools.
The current way
Continued reliance on toxic chemicals in clean energy
The CoRE way
Designing out harmful chemicals and pollution at the front end
Our benign by design approach is safer for the environment and human health across the product’s life cycle.
The current way
Stakeholders working in silos
The CoRE way
Creating solutions together, integrating advocacy-based values to scientific research and development
The CoRE team has spent decades partnering with leading companies to help them reduce the risks—and costs—of using toxic chemicals.
Our goal: 50% by 2030
CoRE’s target is to reduce the chemical footprint of the renewable energy economy and its supply chains globally by at least 50% by 2030. As we rapidly de-carbonize our economy and lower carbon emissions it is equally important that we also lower the health and environments risks from continued reliance on chemicals of concern. Achieving this goal would represent significant progress toward 2030 targets set in the United Nations Global Framework on Chemicals.
For more details on our approach:
PFAS “forever chemicals” are prevalent in renewable energy materials. Exposure to PFAS is associated with cancer, liver damage, decreased fertility, and increased risk of asthma and thyroid disease.
Let’s make a difference, together
CoRE is currently seeking funding to close the gap between our current impact and our potential to design renewable energy solutions that are inherently safer for people and the planet.
For an in-depth analysis of the outcomes CoRE has achieved through JPB Foundation investment, please review our Funding Prospectus, or contact:
Ali McPherson
alexandra@cleanproduction.org
( 716 ) 572-2266
Our methodologies are broad enough to be used in various applications and across all industry sectors.
CoRE Theory of Change
Our Theory of Change is to combine demand forces from investors, purchasers, NGOs, and corporate and government leaders with supply-side solutions to catalyze the renewable energy sector to reduce its chemical footprint by using safer chemicals and materials.
Supply-Side Solutions
Science & Material Innovations
PFAS-free and safer chemistries for solvents used in manufacturing operations
New generation of battery and solar device materials that are based on earth-abundant, toxic free elements
Identifying high performance materials free of toxic elements
Corporate Assessments & Product Certifications
Chemical Footprint Project Solar Survey
GreenScreen Certified™ Cleaners & Degreasers
Solar Scorecard Version 2.0
Demand-Side Solutions
Purchasers, Governments, & Manufacturers
Use electronics sector as a model for the battery and solar sectors in how to eliminate toxic solvents in manufacturing and purchase safer alternatives
Institutions and brands purchase EPEAT certified electronic products, including PV and inverters
Investors for Sustainable Solar
Asset managers engage solar and inverter companies in chemical footprinting, environmental justice, and toward zero exposure for workers
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CoRE develops innovative tools and resources to accelerate the transition to safer and more sustainable chemistries, materials, and products through Science & Material Innovations, Corporate Scorecards, and Product Ecolabels.
Science & Material Innovations
CoRE’s science platform identifies key molecular signatures to guide the selection of materials for the renewable energy economy that take into account both engineering performance and hazard impacts. Our work includes:
Identifying PFAS-free and safer chemistries for solvents used in manufacturing operations: We gathered vast amounts of information on chemical compounds (e.g., PFAS and related encapsulants and solar panel materials) to create a ‘data atlas’ that maps the complex chemical landscape, find hidden patterns, and to navigate and explore various relationships to predict and estimate fundamental physical properties of PFAS chemistries. This has formed the basis for guiding the Environmental Protecton Agency’s regulatory policy in classifying PFAS compounds and transitioning to safer alternatives. “A database framework for rapid screening of structure-function relationships in PFAS chemistry,” which was recently published in Nature’s Scientific Data.
Identifying a new generation of solar device and battery materials that are based on earth-abundant, toxic free elements. With the projected surge in battery use, materials are key for overcoming current technical obstacles (good ionic–electronic conductivity, high redox potential, chemical stability), and in ensuring sustainability (utilizing safe/non-toxic and earth-abundant raw materials) and eco-efficient processes in battery production. We will apply our AI methods and new chemical modeling techniques (data fingerprints) to identify less-toxic solar and battery materials.
Identifying high performance materials free of toxic elements: The heart of the new generation of solar cells is based on a class of materials called perovskites. Perovskites refers to a family of compounds that have a certain crystal structure have a very promising future of next generation PV technology. The perovskite PV technology’s environmental footprint, especially in avoiding the use of toxic elements, remains an open question. We have demonstrated that our data fingerprints provide a powerful representation of perovskite crystal chemistry, thus overcoming some fundamental theoretical and computational bottlenecks. We have the tools to quickly guide the design of new chemistries that can be substitutes to toxic elements like lead and amines commonly used in perovskites. See published paper for more details: Uncertainty Informed Screening for Safer Solvents used in the Synthesis of Perovskite Based Solar Cells via Machine Learning
Corporate Assessments & Product Certifications
Demand-side partners use our corporate assessments and product certifications to scale best practices, demonstrate widespread viability of chemical footprint reductions, and purchase safer products in the renewable energy sector. Our work includes:
Scaling chemical footprint reductions: The 6th Chemical Footprint Project (CFP) Report, released by Clean Production Action (CPA) demonstrated that large-scale chemical footprint reduction targets for renewables are feasible. Companies with over $1 trillion in annual revenue from seven business sectors participated in the 2021 CFP Survey. Over one year they collectively reported chemical footprint reductions of 83 million pounds. HP Inc, a CFP Frontrunner, scored 90 out of 103 points and reduced its chemical footprint by 12 million pounds.
Elevating and disseminating best corporate practices: Through the CFP Solar Survey, a new initiative led by Clean Production Action, CoRE, Investors for Sustainable Solar, and the Solar Scorecard now have a framework for driving best chemicals management practices that includes a reference list of chemicals of high concern to human health and the environment that are commonly used in the solar sector. We look forward to working with solar companies to implement best practices in chemicals management and reduce their chemical footprint.
Certifying safer alternatives to toxic solvents:Through GreenScreen Certified™ for Cleaners & Degreasers, we have now certified 18 products from 6 manufacturers. GreenScreen Certified products meet the Clean Electronics Production Network’s Towards Zero Pledge commitments. The list of GreenScreen Certified Cleaners & Degreasers products is free and publicly available to drive broader, industry-wide change by making information about safer alternatives readily available to companies globally. Apple uses GreenScreen as well as the US EPA Safer Choice criteria to assess and promote safer chemicals in its supply chain, leading to the transition of 100 percent of its supplier final assembly sites to safer alternatives for cleaners and degreasers.
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CoRE mobilizes demand for change in the renewable energy sector by integrating supply-side solutions into our Engagement Platform where we partner with investors, purchasers, governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and businesses in engaging manufacturers to reduce their chemical footprint. Our work includes:
Partnering with investors to reduce chemical risks and grow safer solutions. CoRE helped launch Investors for Sustainable Solar, a collaboration coordinated by the Investor Environmental Health Network (IEHN), including Boston Common Asset Management, Domini Impact Investments, Mercy Investment Services, and WHEB Asset Management LLP. This new collaboration engages leading photovoltaic and solar inverter companies in adopting best practices for safer, more sustainable, and responsible solar energy production, and includes supporting the development of the Chemical Footprint Project Solar Survey and version 2.0 of the Solar Scorecard.
Advancing safer chemicals in products through ecolabels. CoRE works with the Global Electronics Council to establish criteria for safer chemical use in the EPEAT ecolabel for photovoltaics and inverters. Our outreach, education and partnership development efforts secured chemical footprinting, GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals, and environmental justice into EPEAT’s “State of Sustainability Research: Chemicals of Concern” report, which guides the development of new EPEAT ecolabels for all product categories, including solar.
Eliminating worker exposure to toxic solvents with certified safer substitutes. CoRE collaborates with the Clean Electronic Production Network’s Towards Zero Pledge to protect worker health and safety be replacing toxic solvents with safer substitutes identified by GreenScreen Certified™ for Cleaners & Degreasers. PV Magazine featured this work in their article Greening solar supply chains.
Raising awareness on why now is the time for solar companies to reduce their chemical footprint. CoRE increases awareness about the importance of reducing chemical footprints, using safer materials in the renewable energy sector, and scaling this work by integrating our tools and resources into policy initiatives and procurement decisions.
At the Front End of Material Design
Unlike many current industry practices, our approach allows us to rapidly guide the design of new chemistries that are benign-by-design—that is, materials and chemicals that are designed, from the beginning, to perform well with minimal hazardous impact at all stages of materials synthesis, processing, and recycling.
To address this need, CoRE has established a materials discovery paradigm that takes hazard impacts into account, including:
Simultaneous and integrated consideration of technical, environmental, and social factors in all aspects of the design, development, and adoption of renewable energy technologies
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools to merge multiscale, experimental, and computational tools for the molecular design of new chemistries to accelerate the discovery and design of new materials and chemicals
Local Solutions, Global Impact
CoRE’s work in the Buffalo-Niagara region provides a unique opportunity to pilot and scale solutions with industrial suppliers and solar manufacturers in the region. Manufacturing is the largest contributor to the Western New York regional economy, and clean, safe manufacturing is a priority for the protection of the Great Lakes watershed.
Our Collaboratory brings together best ideas, methods, and practices from thought leaders and diverse stakeholders through our annual Bloch Symposium and CoRE Change Summit. Our Change Agent Engagement Sessions included industry leaders, investors, EJ advocates, and green chemistry experts who provided feedback on new approaches to identifying safer alternatives for Priority Chemicals of Concern in the solar sector, and transparent benchmarks for tracking progress towards CoRE’s 2030 Chemical Footprint Goal. The 6th Chemical Footprint Project report, released by Clean Production Action (CPA) demonstrates that large-scale chemical footprint reduction is feasible. Several very large companies participated in the 2021 CFP Survey and reported significant chemical footprint reductions. Our project with Western New York Sustainable Business Roundtable demonstrates how small- and medium-size businesses can reduce their chemical footprint.
Why Now?
The body of scientific evidence on the widespread prevalence of chemical pollution keeps growing, and studies continue to document the threat that it imposes on the stability of global ecosystems. The United Nations report, “The Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment,” highlighted that the “production of chemicals doubled between 2000 and 2017 and is expected to double again by 2030 and triple by 2050,” which will result in “hundreds of millions of tons of toxic substances released into air, water and soil annually.”
A recent study published in Environmental Science & Technology concluded that chemical pollution has crossed the “planetary boundary for novel entities” (chemicals and other new types of engineered materials or organisms not previously known to Earth systems as well as naturally occurring elements) and called for immediate action to reduce the production and release of novel entities.
The costs of inaction are high. The financial impacts associated with chemical exposures worldwide likely exceed 10% of global gross domestic product (GDP) or $11 trillion. Pollution and toxic substances cause 9 million premature deaths each year, which is double the number of deaths incurred during the first 18 months of the COVID pandemic.
For these reasons, chemical pollution is one of the three planetary crises along with climate change and biodiversity loss. Meanwhile, the significant investments in a renewable carbon economy fail to consider the impact of toxic chemicals. The Inflation Reduction Act’s economic stimulus package will drive significant expansions in the renewable energy economy, but places no demands on clean production or safer chemistries.
Products and manufacturing processes for solar, wind turbines, batteries, and the electrical grid depend on toxic chemicals such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), brominated flame retardants, and carcinogenic solvents.
We are at a critical inflection point. We cannot solve the climate crisis or biodiversity loss without a paradigm shift in the design and discovery of materials for manufacturing and products. Our collective success in moving to a healthy, circular, and low carbon economy is contingent on a materials economy that is inherently safer for people and the planet.