Comparison of environmental impact and energy efficiency of desalination processes by LCA

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 246-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. M. Tarnacki ◽  
T. Melin ◽  
A. E. Jansen ◽  
J. van Medevoort
Keyword(s):  
Energy Source ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Assessment Methods ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
The Impact

In this study two desalination technologies have been compared by means of LCA with the focus on energy supply with a variety of scenarios based on different assumptions. The studied technologies are reverse osmosis and the newly developed technology Memstill where electrical energy demand is reduced by using external thermal energy source and use of chemicals is reduced. The scenarios are chosen to simulate different locations of sea water desalination plants and to demonstrate the impact of energy demand and energy source, chemical use and longer components' life times on the environment. The results show the dominant impact of energy demand on the overall results for all applied environmental impact assessment methods; transports, material and even chemical use are of negligible impact on the total score. The use of waste heat in case of Memstill offers a great opportunity to reduce the negative environmental impacts related to energy use. As the LCA analysis tool the GaBi software has been applied with the Ecoindicator99, CML 2001 and Ecopoints environmental impact assessment methods.

ASSESSING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS DURING NATURAL DISASTER: THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RAPID ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY

2002 ◽  
Vol 04 (04) ◽  
pp. 475-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHARLES KELLY
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Assessment Procedure ◽  
Disaster Victims ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact

The linkages between disaster and environmental damage are recognized as important to predicting, preventing and mitigating the impact of disasters. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures are well developed for non-ndisaster situations. However, they are conceptually and operationally inappropriate for use in disaster conditions, particularly in the first 120 days after the disaster has begun. The paper provides a conceptual overview of the requirements for an environmental impact assessment procedure appropriate for disaster conditions. These requirements are captured in guidelines for a Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment (REA) for use in disasters. The REA guides the collection and assessment of a wide range of factors which can indicate: (1) the negative impacts of a disaster on the environment, (2) the impacts of environmental conditions on the magnitude of a disaster and, (3) the positive or negative impacts of relief efforts on environmental conditions. The REA also provides a foundation for recovery program EIAs, thus improving the overall post disaster recovery process. The REA is designed primarily for relief cadres, but is also expected to be usable as an assessment tool with disaster victims. The paper discusses the field testing of the REA under actual disaster conditions.

AMBEMAR-DSS: A Decision Support System for the Environmental Impact Assessment of Marine Renewable Energies

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xabier Guinda ◽  
Araceli Puente ◽  
José A. Juanes ◽  
Francisco Royano ◽  
Felipe Fernández ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Renewable Energies ◽  
Environmental Cost ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Modeling Tools

The high energy demand and the threat of climate change have led to a remarkable development of renewable energies, initially through technologies applied to the terrestrial environment and, recently, through the awakening of marine renewable energies. However, the development of these types of projects is often hampered by failure to pass the corresponding environmental impact assessment process. The complexity of working in the marine environment and the uncertainties associated with assessing the impacts of such projects make it difficult to carry out objective and precise environmental impact assessments. AMBEMAR-DSS seeks to establish a basis for understanding and agreement between the different stakeholders (project developers, public administrations, environmental organizations and the public in general), in order to find solutions that allow the development of marine renewable energies, minimizing their environmental cost. For this purpose, a DSS is proposed which, based on cartographic information and using objective and quantifiable criteria, allows comparative assessments and analyses between different project alternatives. The analytical procedures used by the system include, among others, hydrodynamic modeling tools and visual impact simulators. In addition, impacts on marine species are assessed taking into account intrinsic ecological and biological aspects. The magnitude of the impacts is quantified by means of fuzzy logic operations and the integration of all the elements is carried out by an interactive multi-criteria analysis. The results are shown in tables, graphs and figures of easy interpretation and can be also visualized geographically by means of a cartographic viewer. The system identifies the main impacts generated in the different phases of the project and allows establishing adequate mitigation measures in search of optimized solutions. The establishment of the assessment criteria has been based on the abundant, but dispersed, scientific literature on the various elements of the system and having the opinion of experts in the various fields. Nevertheless, the DSS developed constitutes a preliminary basis on which to build and improve a system with the input of researchers, promoters and experts from different disciplines.

scholarly journals Integrating Life Cycle Assessment into the Framework of Environmental Impact Assessment for Urban Systems: Framework and Case Study of Masdar City, Abu Dhabi

Environments ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Kavya Madhu ◽  
Stefan Pauliuk
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Desert Ecosystem ◽  
Abu Dhabi ◽  
Urban Systems ◽  
Analysis Tool

Planning urban expansion under the interconnected Sustainable Development Goals requires a systemic analysis of its environmental impacts. The benefits of integrating the widely used system analysis tool life cycle assessment (LCA) into the planning process tool environmental impact assessment (EIA) are described in the literature. However, not many applications of such an integration have been conducted. The aim of this study is to refine the framework for integrating LCA into the process of EIA and to apply this framework to an example of urban expansion: Masdar City in Abu Dhabi. The integrated framework builds on the complementarity between the scope and assessment steps of the tools and assesses the impacts for the areas of protection: human health, ecosystem, and resources. The framework is then applied to the vehicles, buildings, and infrastructure in the city’s first development phase (DP1). Major environmental stressors include the loss of existing desert ecosystem and the utilization of non-renewable sources of energy at various development stages of DP1. Substituting natural gas-based electricity with solar power could potentially save 46% of current carbon emissions. To mitigate the land transformation impacts, construction of “close-to-nature” artificial habitats, and increased use of low-carbon fuels is suggested.

scholarly journals The use of information and communication technologies in training ecology students

2020 ◽  
Vol 166 ◽  
pp. 10027
Author(s):  
Iryna Barna ◽  
Lіudmyla Hrytsak ◽  
Halyna Henseruk
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Group Project ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
The Impact

Increasing demand for experts capable of high-quality assessment of the impact of a particular planned activity on the environment involves a more effective use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the educational process of training ecology students. The authors present a methodology for students to study the educational material of the “Environmental Impact Assessment” course by using ICT. The methodology and algorithm for using the Padlet interactive whiteboard, Mindomo mind maps, Easel infographics, Google Drive and Google Docs in lectures and practical lessons are described. Particular attention is paid to the preparation of a group project using ICT. Tested in the Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University, the methodology allows to implement a number of tasks such as: promotion of intensification and effectiveness of teaching; acquisition of practical skills to quickly find the necessary information on various online resources for ecology students; simulation of the real procedure of environmental impact assessment in the classroom; development of the ability to professionally communicate with experts in other fields of knowledge or activity, etc. Examination of the results of using ICT to study the “Environmental Impact Assessment” course has shown a significant increase in informational literacy among ecology students and their individual professional growth.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Analysis Methods on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Procedures in the Perspective of Sustainable Development

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 ◽  
pp. 11003
Author(s):  
Andreas Pramudianto
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle Analysis ◽  
Environmental Science ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
The Impact

Basically each product or service has its own life cycle. Life Cycle Analysis Method can be used to assess the impact of an activity both production and service activities. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or Analisis Mengenai Dampak Lingkungan (AMDAL) is one of the activities that must be fulfilled in order to obtain an environmental permit. EIA activities have a life cycle process that needs to be known and understood so that environmental permits can be obtained. Therefore this study aims to find out the use of the LCA method in EIA procedures. In addition, with the LCA method, EIA activities are expected to be well studied according to the function of this service. LCA can provide to reduce the least impact from environmental damage. This research will be useful for the development of environmental science, especially related to the study of environmental impacts, especially EIA. It is expected that the results of the study will provide a complete picture of the relevance of the LCA method with EIA and the benefits that can be taken. The results of this study will be an important recommendation for decision makers regarding the importance of EIA in development, especially sustainable development through the method used, namely LCA.

MARINE MONITORING: CHRONIC OR ACUTE PROBLEMS

1992 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 413
Author(s):  
Peter Farrell ◽  
John Yeates
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Scientific Validity ◽  
North West ◽  
Regulatory Authorities ◽  
Census Methods ◽  
The Impact

A mosaic-like compendium of information on the marine biotic environment of the North West Shelf has been compiled from a number of different sources. The areas most valued coincide with those most vulnerable to disturbance. Regulatory authorities require some form of impact assessment to be carried out by oil and gas explorers and producers as a condition of operation. Considerable expenditure is incurred annually by these companies in complying with these requirements, but current assessment methods do not always consider the scale of possible impacts nor the scientific validity of the results. Despite acceptance, and therefore implied approval of these assessments by the regulatory authorities, adjustments should be made to the current methodology to improve the cost effectiveness of the assessments and to improve the scientific validity of the results.Design of environmental impact assessment of exploration and production operations should consider the relative weighting given to potential acute versus chronic impacts. Prediction of possible impacts enables quantifiable relevant parameters for impact assessment to be identified. Monitoring of indicator species is a cost-effective method of detecting acute effects. Community census methods can be used to detect chronic effects.Statistical analysis of data is a vital, yet frequently ignored, aspect of environmental impact assessment, as is the depositing of voucher specimens for future reference. Statistical analysis can be based on either changes in the difference between specific parameters at the impact and control sites, or comparison of variance between sites over time. Decisions regarding sample area and number of sample replicates should be made based on the required precision of the assessment.

Environmental impact assessment: the roles of predicting and monitoring the extent of impacts

1991 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 603 ◽  
Author(s):  
MPL Smith
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Impact Site ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Legislative Framework ◽  
Maintenance Dredging ◽  
The Impact

Assessment of impact can have at least three meanings: the evaluation, prior to impact, of the loss or alteration of a natural community; the prediction of impact; and the measurement of the extent of impact after it has occurred. Measurement of impact in environmental impact assessment (EIA) for aquatic biota is relatively rare. In most cases, scientists are required to predict impacts without testing whether these predictions hold following development. There are numerous study approaches in EIA that form the basis for predictions. These include a reliance on existing information, snapshot surveys, and surveys conducted over several sampling periods prior to impact. The latter two approaches can be divided into surveys of the impact site alone or surveys of the impact site plus control sites. There also is an issue-oriented approach in which the description of the environment is more closely linked to the predicted physical effects of the proposal. An example is given in which organisms at existing marinas are compared with those at natural sites in an area where a new marina is proposed. While there may be a sound scientific basis for the selection of a particular study approach, there are other considerations such as the cost of the proposal, the legislative framework for EIA, the scale of the proposal, and the attitude of the proponent. It is important that predictions of impact be stated as clearly as possible so that they can be evaluated readily and can facilitate monitoring if required. An area in which monitoring could be of value for improving the accuracy of EIA predictions is in small-scale developments, such as small marinas and maintenance dredging.

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