Energising the E-factor: The E+-factor

The E-factor has become an important measure for the environmental impact of (bio)chemical reactions. However, summing up the obvious wastes generated in the laboratory neglects energy-related wastes (mostly greenhouse gases) which are generated elsewhere. To estimate these wastes, we propose to extend the E-factor by an energy-term (E+-factor). At the example of a lab-scale enzyme fermentation, we demonstrate that the E+-factor can constitute a multiple of the classical E-factor and therefore must not be neglected striving for a holistic estimation of the environmental impact.