Incorporating Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in Freight Transportation Infrastructure Project Evaluation

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soumith Kumar Oduru ◽  
Pasi Lautala
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Freight Transportation ◽  
Evaluation Process ◽  
Planning Stage ◽  
Simplified Lca ◽  
Modal Route

Transportation industry at large is a major consumer of fossil fuels and contributes heavily to the global greenhouse gas emissions. A significant portion of these emissions come from freight transportation and decisions on mode/route may affect the overall scale of emissions from a specific movement. It is common to consider several alternatives for a new freight activity and compare the alternatives from economic perspective. However, there is a growing emphasis for adding emissions to this evaluation process. One of the approaches to do this is through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA); a method for estimating the emissions, energy consumption and environmental impacts of the project throughout its life cycle. Since modal/route selections are often investigated early in the planning stage of the project, availability of data and resources for analysis may become a challenge for completing a detailed LCA on alternatives. This research builds on such detailed LCA comparison performed on a previous case study by Kalluri et al. (2016), but it also investigates whether a simplified LCA process that only includes emissions from operations phase could be used as a less resource intensive option for the analysis while still providing relevant outcomes. The detailed LCA is performed using SimaPro software and simplified LCA is performed using GREET 2016 model. The results are obtained in terms of Kg CO2 equivalents of GHG emissions. This paper introduces both detailed and simplified methodologies and applies them to a case study of a nickel and copper mine in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The analysis’ are done for three modal alternatives (two truck routes and one rail route) and for multiple mine lives.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment Analysis of Alfalfa and Corn for Biogas Production in a Farm Case Study

Processes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 1285
Author(s):  
Fabiola Filippa ◽  
Francesco Panara ◽  
Daniela Leonardi ◽  
Livia Arcioni ◽  
Ornella Calderini
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment Study ◽  
Energy Inputs

In the last years the greenhouse effect has been significantly intensified due to human activities, generating large additional amounts of Greenhouse gases (GHG). The fossil fuels are the main causes of that. Consequently, the attention on the composition of the national fuel mix has significantly grown, and the renewables are becoming a more significant component. In this context, biomass is one of the most important sources of renewable energy with a great potential for the production of energy. The study has evaluated, through an LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) study, the attitude of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) as “no food” biomass alternative to maize silage (corn), in the production of biogas from anaerobic digestion. Considering the same functional unit (1 m3 of biogas from anaerobic digestion) and the same time horizon, alfalfa environmental impact was found to be much comparable to that of corn because it has an impact of about 15% higher than corn considering the total score from different categories and an impact of 5% higher of corn considering only greenhouse gases. Therefore, the analysis shows a similar environmental load in the use of alfalfa biomass in energy production compared to maize. Corn in fact, despite a better yield per hectare and yield of biogas, requires a greater amount of energy inputs to produce 1m3 of biogas, while alfalfa, which requires less energy inputs in its life cycle, has a lower performance in terms of yield. The results show the possibility to alternate the two crops for energy production from an environmental perspective.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment of Nitrate and Compound Fertilizers Production—A Case Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 148
Author(s):  
Georgios Gaidajis ◽  
Ilias Kakanis
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Total Production ◽  
Production Processes ◽  
Water Eutrophication ◽  
Production Industry ◽  
Freshwater Eutrophication

The production and utilization of fertilizers are processes with known and noteworthy environmental impacts. Direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a high contribution to water eutrophication due to the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) derivatives are some of the most crucial impacts derived from the overall life cycle of fertilizer use. The life cycle assessment (LCA) has been reliable and analytical tool for the identification, quantification, and evaluation of potential environmental impacts of fertilizers related to the products, production processes, or activities throughout their lifecycle. In this paper, a gate-to-gate LCA approach was applied in order to identify and evaluate the impacts derived from the production processes of nitrate and compound fertilizers the production industry in Northeastern Greece. The results from this study prove that compound fertilizers have a greater impact compared with nitrate fertilizers, contributing up to 70% of the total production impacts. Furthermore, climate change, freshwater eutrophication, and fossil fuel depletion were identified as the most crucial impact categories. Finally, a comparison with relevant LCA studies was conducted, in order to identify the possibility of a consistency pattern of the fertilizer production impacts in general.

scholarly journals Energy Life-Cycle Assessment of Fruit Products—Case Study of Beira Interior’s Peach (Portugal)

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3530 ◽  
Author(s):  
João Pires Gaspar ◽  
Pedro Dinis Gaspar ◽  
Pedro Dinho da Silva ◽  
Maria Simões ◽  
Christophe Santo
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Cooling Systems ◽  
Sustainable Technologies ◽  
Energy Inputs ◽  
System Life ◽  
Test Scenarios

Currently, there is a growing demand for cleaner and sustainable technologies due to environmental issues. In this sense, there is a necessity to manage the assessment of production processes and the rationalization of energy consumption. In this study, an Energy Life-Cycle Assessment (ELCA) was carried out through energy efficiency indicators, directed to the characterization and renewability of the peach production system life-cycle in the Portuguese region of Beira Interior. The study intends to investigate the non-renewable energy inputs from fossil fuels, as well as the emissions resulting from machinery. In addition, warehouse energy inputs are analyzed, mainly cooling systems of refrigerated chambers where fruits are preserved. This analysis aims to find opportunities for technological, environmental and best practices improvements. Test scenarios were analyzed and revealing soil groundcover maintenance is the operation with the largest impact in the energy consumption of the production process (3176 MJ·ha−1). In the post-harvest processes, the energy consumption largest impact is given by the warehouse’s operations (35,700 MJ·ha−1), followed by transportation (6180 MJ·ha−1). Concerning the emissions resulting from the fuels consumption, the largest impact is due to the plantation machinery and the transportation from warehouse to retailers.

The Life Cycle Assessment of a Polypropylene Product, Part B: Comparison of Fuel Options for Generating Electricity and Disposal Methods

2014 ◽  
Vol 535 ◽  
pp. 519-522
Author(s):  
Karin Kandananond
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Hydro Power ◽  
Crucial Problem ◽  
The One ◽  
Mixed Oil ◽  
Product Part

Electricity is one of the most important resources in the manufacturing process. This research has demonstrated the environmental impact caused from two fuel options for generating electricity, coal and mixed (oil/ petroleum gas/ hydro power), in Thailand. The case study is conducted on a sample plastic product, a polypropylene (PP) stacking chair. Moreover, the effect from different disposal scenarios, landfill and incineration, is also analyzed as well. Due to the results, the electricity generated from coal has caused more impact than the one from mixed fuels. For coal option, respiratory inorganics seem to be the most crucial problem while the use of fossil fuels is the major impact from mixed fuels option. When the disposal methods are considered, the incineration is a better choice for disposing PP waste since it causes the least impact on the environment. By the categories of impacts, carcinogens are highly contributed to the landfill method while the climate change is the result from the incineration.

scholarly journals Environmental impact evaluation of crumb rubber industry production process by life cycle assessment (LCA) method (case study: PT FRP)

2021 ◽  
Vol 896 (1) ◽  
pp. 012046
Author(s):  
A Yerdianti ◽  
R Aziz
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Crumb Rubber ◽  
Drying Process ◽  
Iso 14040 ◽  
Single Score ◽  
Ecological Improvement

Abstract PT FRP produces crumb rubber SIR 20 with a total annual production of 42.000 tons. This study aims to analyze the environmental impact of 1-ton crumb rubber production using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method to be further explored for recommendations for ecological improvement. LCA was carried by a gate-to-gate scope using SimaPro software with the eco-indicator 99 method. The steps for completing this research refer to ISO 14040:2016. Characterization step results from the category of fossil fuels impact have the highest value (931 MJ surplus). The total value of the single score generated is 369 Pt, with the highest impact value is respiratory inorganics. The dryer drying process, the usage of electricity, and the generator and boiler are four production processes that significantly impact the environment. Improvement recommendations given to reduce the effects of the four processes are using an economizer in the boiler, the combination of fuel used by the boiler, and substitution of diesel fuel with Pertamina Dex as generator’s fuel.

scholarly journals Evaluation of environmental impacts of harvest residue-based bioenergy using radiative forcing analysis

2014 ◽  
Vol 90 (05) ◽  
pp. 577-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Pierobon ◽  
Indroneil Ganguly ◽  
Tommaso Anfodillo ◽  
Ivan L. Eastin
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Woody Biomass ◽  
Carbon Neutrality

The “carbon neutrality” assumption plays an important role in the evaluation of the global warming potential (GWP) of bioenergy relative to fossil fuels. In the case of woody bioenergy, this assumption implies that the carbon dioxide emitted during the combustion of the biomass is equal to the carbon dioxide sequestered from the atmosphere within that biomass. However, the collection and conversion of woody biomass requires energy inputs in various forms that produce emissions to the air or water. To be able to estimate the overall environmental burdens associated with converting woody biomass to bioenergy, and the net reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the atmosphere by avoiding the use of fossil fuel, a life cycle assessment (LCA) is the internationally recognized method of choice. However, the carbon neutrality of woody biomass and the environmental impacts associated with wood-based bioenergy are hotly debated in national and international arenas. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental impacts of woody biomass-based bioenergy and proposes a GWP impact assessment methodology using radiative forcing for incorporating the dynamics of carbon sequestration, decomposition of residues and biomass processing in the life cycle assessment of bioenergy.

scholarly journals Environmental impacts and resource use from Australian pork production assessed using life-cycle assessment. 1. Greenhouse gas emissions

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (9) ◽  
pp. 1418 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. G. Wiedemann ◽  
Eugene J. McGahan ◽  
Caoilinn M. Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Manure Management ◽  
Pork Production ◽  
Emission Profile

Agricultural industries are under increasing pressure to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the supply chain. The Australian pork industry has established proactive goals to improve greenhouse-gas (GHG) performance across the industry, but while productivity indicators are benchmarked by industry, similar data have not previously been collected to determine supply chain GHG emissions. To assess total GHG emissions from Australian pork production, the present study conducted a life-cycle assessment of six case study supply chains and the national herd for the year 2010. The study aimed to determine total GHG emissions and hotspots, and to determine the mitigation potential from alternative manure treatment systems. Two functional units were used: 1 kg of pork liveweight (LW) at the farm gate, and 1 kg of wholesale pork (chilled, bone-in) ready for packaging and distribution. Mean GHG emissions from the case study supply chains ranged from 2.1 to 4.5 kg CO2-e/kg LW (excluding land-use (LU) and direct land use-change (dLUC) emissions). Emissions were lowest from the piggeries that housed grower-finisher pigs on deep litter and highest from pigs housed in conventional systems with uncovered anaerobic effluent ponds. Mean contribution from methane from effluent treatment was 64% of total GHG at the conventional piggeries. Nitrous oxide arose from both grain production and manure management, comprising 7–33% of the total emissions. The GHG emissions for the national herd were 3.6 kg CO2-e/kg LW, with the largest determining factor on total emissions being the relative proportion of pigs managed with high or low emission manure management systems. Emissions from LU and dLUC sources ranged from 0.08 to 0.7 kg CO2-e/kg LW for the case study farms, with differences associated with the inclusion rate of imported soybean meal in the ration and feed-conversion ratio. GHG intensity (excluding LU, dLUC) from the national herd was 6.36 ± 1.03 kg CO2-e/kg wholesale pork, with the emission profile dominated by methane from manure management (50%), followed by feed production (27%) and then meat processing (8%). Inclusion of LU and dLUC emissions had a minor effect on the emission profile. Scenarios testing showed that biogas capture from anaerobic digestion with combined heat and power generation resulted in a 31–64% reduction in GHG emissions. Finishing pigs on deep litter as preferred to conventional housing resulted in 38% lower GHG emissions than conventional finishing.

scholarly journals Conversion of biomass to biofuels and life cycle assessment: a review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed I. Osman ◽  
Neha Mehta ◽  
Ahmed M. Elgarahy ◽  
Amer Al-Hinai ◽  
Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Biomass Conversion ◽  
Biofuel Production ◽  
Process Efficiency ◽  
Liquid Fuels ◽  
Thermochemical Processes ◽  
Lower Temperature

AbstractThe global energy demand is projected to rise by almost 28% by 2040 compared to current levels. Biomass is a promising energy source for producing either solid or liquid fuels. Biofuels are alternatives to fossil fuels to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Nonetheless, policy decisions for biofuels should be based on evidence that biofuels are produced in a sustainable manner. To this end, life cycle assessment (LCA) provides information on environmental impacts associated with biofuel production chains. Here, we review advances in biomass conversion to biofuels and their environmental impact by life cycle assessment. Processes are gasification, combustion, pyrolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis routes and fermentation. Thermochemical processes are classified into low temperature, below 300 °C, and high temperature, higher than 300 °C, i.e. gasification, combustion and pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is promising because it operates at a relatively lower temperature of up to 500 °C, compared to gasification, which operates at 800–1300 °C. We focus on 1) the drawbacks and advantages of the thermochemical and biochemical conversion routes of biomass into various fuels and the possibility of integrating these routes for better process efficiency; 2) methodological approaches and key findings from 40 LCA studies on biomass to biofuel conversion pathways published from 2019 to 2021; and 3) bibliometric trends and knowledge gaps in biomass conversion into biofuels using thermochemical and biochemical routes. The integration of hydrothermal and biochemical routes is promising for the circular economy.

scholarly journals Water footprint assessment of gold refining: Case study based on life cycle assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 122 ◽  
pp. 107319
Author(s):  
Wei Chen ◽  
Jinglan Hong ◽  
Chengxin Wang ◽  
Lu Sun ◽  
Tianzuo Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Water Footprint ◽  
Gold Refining
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document