scholarly journals Life Cycle Perspectives of Using Non-Pelleted vs. Pelleted Corn Stover in a Cellulosic Biorefinery

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 2518
Author(s):  
Nurun Nahar ◽  
Ramsharan Pandey ◽  
Ghasideh Pourhashem ◽  
David Ripplinger ◽  
Scott W. Pryor
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Corn Stover ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Energy Inputs ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
Feasible Option ◽  
Lower Severity ◽  
Process Energy ◽  
Significant Opportunity ◽  
Process Benefits

Cellulosic biorefineries have attracted interest due to the growing energy security and environmental concerns related to fossil fuel-based energy and chemicals. Using pelleted biomass as a biorefinery feedstock can reduce their processing inputs while improving biomass handling and transportation. However, it is still questionable whether energy and emission savings from feedstock transportation and processing can justify pelletization. A life cycle assessment approach was used to compare energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from pelleted and non-pelleted corn stover as a biorefinery feedstock. Operations considered were pelleting, transportation, and soaking in aqueous ammonia (SAA) pretreatment. Despite greater GHG emissions (up to 25 times higher than the transportation) generated from the pelleting process, the model showed a significant opportunity to offset and even reduce overall GHG emissions considering the pretreatment process benefits. Our process energy analysis showed that SAA pretreatment of pelleted biomass required significantly lower energy inputs (56%) due to the lower-severity pretreatment’s effectiveness. Higher pretreatment solid loadings are allowed when pelleted biomass is used and this reduces the process chemicals and water requirements by 56% and 49%, respectively. This study demonstrated that the SAA pretreatment of pelleted biomass might be a feasible option as the cellulosic biorefinery feedstock.

Life cycle assessment of corn stover production for cellulosic ethanol in Quebec

2011 ◽  
Vol 91 (6) ◽  
pp. 997-1012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thea Whitman ◽  
Sandra Yanni ◽  
Joann Whalen
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Corn Stover ◽  
Cellulosic Ethanol ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Pass System ◽  
Total Impact ◽  
Allocation Methods

Whitman, T., Yanni, S.F. and Whalen, J.K. 2011.Life cycle assessment of corn stover production for cellulosic ethanol in Quebec. Can. J. Soil Sci.91: 997–1012. The province of Quebec has a target of 5% ethanol (EtOH) content in fuel by 2012, which means the province will require about 400 million L of ethanol per year based on current consumption. Current research is focused on “second generation biofuels” such as cellulosic EtOH, which can be produced from agricultural by-products like corn stover. A life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluates the “cradle to gate” impact of corn stover feedstock production for cellulosic EtOH production in three corn-producing regions in Quebec for two impact categories: energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts. The modelled system boundaries include in-field processes: corn stover production, collection, transport, soil organic carbon (SOC) loss, and N2O emissions, as well as background processes: herbicide, fertilizer, seed, and fuel production and transport. Sensitivity analyses vary the percentage of corn stover collected, contrast a multiple-pass with a one-pass stover-grain collection system, and compare mass, economic and system expansion allocation methods. Total energy impact is 931–1442 MJ t−1 dry stover collected under 15% stover collection, with stover harvest, transport, and field operationscontributing most strongly to the total impact. Total GHG emissions from corn stover production and transport of stover to the ethanol facility are320–488kg CO2e t−1 dry stover under 15% stover collection, with SOC loss, N2O emissions, and stover harvest contributing the most to the total impact. Sensitivity analysis reveals that the energy and GHG impacts of stover production are strongly influenced by the mass of stover collected, the use of a one-pass system, and the choice of allocation methods. Scaling-up results from the modelled system suggest that 100% of Quebec's EtOH targets could technically be supplied using corn stover feedstock, but this may come at the expense of GHG emissions and soil health.

scholarly journals Life Cycle GHG Emissions of Residential Buildings in Humid Subtropical and Tropical Climates: Systematic Review and Analysis

Buildings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Daniel Satola ◽  
Martin Röck ◽  
Aoife Houlihan-Wiberg ◽  
Arild Gustavsen
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Cycle Performance ◽  
Tropical Climates ◽  
Building Life Cycle ◽  
Total Life

Improving the environmental life cycle performance of buildings by focusing on the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions along the building life cycle is considered a crucial step in achieving global climate targets. This paper provides a systematic review and analysis of 75 residential case studies in humid subtropical and tropical climates. The study investigates GHG emissions across the building life cycle, i.e., it analyses both embodied and operational GHG emissions. Furthermore, the influence of various parameters, such as building location, typology, construction materials and energy performance, as well as methodological aspects are investigated. Through comparative analysis, the study identifies promising design strategies for reducing life cycle-related GHG emissions of buildings operating in subtropical and tropical climate zones. The results show that life cycle GHG emissions in the analysed studies are mostly dominated by operational emissions and are the highest for energy-intensive multi-family buildings. Buildings following low or net-zero energy performance targets show potential reductions of 50–80% for total life cycle GHG emissions, compared to buildings with conventional energy performance. Implementation of on-site photovoltaic (PV) systems provides the highest reduction potential for both operational and total life cycle GHG emissions, with potential reductions of 92% to 100% and 48% to 66%, respectively. Strategies related to increased use of timber and other bio-based materials present the highest potential for reduction of embodied GHG emissions, with reductions of 9% to 73%.

Environmental and energy performances of the Italian municipal solid waste incineration system in a life cycle perspective

2021 ◽  
pp. 0734242X2110039
Author(s):  
Federico Sisani ◽  
Amani Maalouf ◽  
Francesco Di Maria
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Municipal Solid Waste ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Energy Recovery ◽  
Waste Incineration ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Municipal Solid Waste Incineration ◽  
Recovery Scheme ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
Average Quantity

The environmental and energy performances of the Italian municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) system was investigated by a life cycle assessment approach. On average the 39 MSWIs operating in Italy in 2018 treated about 6,000,000 Mg of residual municipal solid waste (RMSW) recovering on average from 448 kWh Mg−1 RMSW to 762 kWh Mg−1 RMSW of electricity and from 732 kWh Mg−1 RMSW to 1102 kWh Mg−1 RMSW of heat. The average quantity of CO2eq Mg−1 RMSW emitted ranged from about 800 up to about 1000 depending on the size and on the energy recovery scheme of the facility. Avoided impacts (i.e., negative values) were detected for the kg PM2,5eq Mg−1 RMSW and for human health (disability-adjusted life year Mg−1 RMSW). The determination of the hybrid primary energy index (MJ Mg−1 RMSW) indicated that mainly large size facilities and those operating according to a power and heat energy recovery scheme are effectively able to replace other primary energies by the exploitation of the lower heating values of the RMSW.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Energy Consumption and Carbon Dioxide Emissions of Agricultural Residue Feedstock for Bioenergy

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2009
Author(s):  
Valerii Havrysh ◽  
Antonina Kalinichenko ◽  
Anna Brzozowska ◽  
Jan Stebila
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Power Generation ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Residues ◽  
Environmental Indicators ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Low Carbon Economy ◽  
Energy Inputs

The depletion of fossil fuels and climate change concerns are drivers for the development and expansion of bioenergy. Promoting biomass is vital to move civilization toward a low-carbon economy. To meet European Union targets, it is required to increase the use of agricultural residues (including straw) for power generation. Using agricultural residues without accounting for their energy consumed and carbon dioxide emissions distorts the energy and environmental balance, and their analysis is the purpose of this study. In this paper, a life cycle analysis method is applied. The allocation of carbon dioxide emissions and energy inputs in the crop production by allocating between a product (grain) and a byproduct (straw) is modeled. Selected crop yield and the residue-to-crop ratio impact on the above indicators are investigated. We reveal that straw formation can consume between 30% and 70% of the total energy inputs and, therefore, emits relative carbon dioxide emissions. For cereal crops, this energy can be up to 40% of the lower heating value of straw. Energy and environmental indicators of a straw return-to-field technology and straw power generation systems are examined.

scholarly journals BIOGAS FED-FUEL CELL BASED ELECTRICITY GENERATION: A LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT APPROACH

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 498-502
Author(s):  
S. M. Shafie ◽  
Z. Othman ◽  
N. Hami ◽  
S. Omar ◽  
A. H. Nu'man ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Assessment Approach
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document