CarAT: AI-Powered Carbon Tracking for the Future of Sustainable Manufacturing

In today’s chemical industry, one of the greatest challenges is proving where your carbon really comes from. Is it fossil-based? Biogenic? Recycled? Regulators, customers, and investors increasingly demand transparent, verifiable answers — and traditional life-cycle assessments often fall short.

Enter CarAT (Carbon Atom Tracker), a newly proposed AI-driven framework that could revolutionize how companies track carbon flows across the chemical value chain.

What is CarAT?

CarAT combines:

• Chemistry Language Models (CLMs) → to interpret molecular structures and reaction pathways.

• Value Chain Modeling → to map how carbon atoms move across suppliers, processes, and products.

• AI-Powered Traceability → enabling companies to distinguish biogenic vs. fossil carbon sources with unprecedented precision.

This approach allows manufacturers to create a digital twin of their carbon footprint — down to the atomic level.

Why It Matters

1. Regulatory Compliance

   • With the EU’s Green Deal, CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism), and new supply chain laws, proof of carbon origin is no longer optional. CarAT provides an AI-backed methodology for real-time compliance.

2. Market Advantage

   • Brands and consumers increasingly favor products with verified low-carbon or bio-based content. CarAT enables companies to back sustainability claims with traceable data.

3. Investment Readiness

   • Financial institutions are shifting portfolios toward climate-aligned industries. Demonstrating verifiable carbon tracking can unlock green financing opportunities.

Potential Applications

• Green Chemistry & Bio-based Manufacturing

  Tracking renewable carbon streams (e.g., bioethanol → bioethylene → bioplastics).

• Circular Economy Models

  Differentiating between virgin fossil feedstock and recycled content in plastics or solvents.

• Scope 3 Emissions Transparency

  Giving downstream customers a carbon story for every molecule they purchase.

CarAT + Chemrich: A Natural Fit

At Chemrich, our focus on AI-driven sourcing, formulation, and sustainability aligns directly with CarAT’s vision. Imagine integrating CarAT into our smart sourcing platform:

• Buyers could select suppliers based not only on price & MOQ, but also on verified carbon source.

• Formulators could optimize blends to minimize fossil-based input.

• End-users could receive digital sustainability certificates, enhancing trust and compliance.

Looking Ahead

CarAT is still in early research stages (arXiv preprint published August 2025), but its implications are profound. As AI matures in chemistry, tools like CarAT will become essential for:

• Regulatory alignment (EU, US, India, global)

• Corporate ESG reporting

• Consumer trust in green products

At Chemrich Group, we’re exploring how to pilot such frameworks within our AI platforms — to ensure sustainability is not just a claim, but a measurable reality.