Biochar reduces total greenhouse gas emissions from oilseed rape cultivation, mainly due to C sequestration quantified by the concept of avoided atmospheric CO2 load – a theoretical life cycle assessment study.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrik Thers ◽  
Sylvestre Njakou Djomo ◽  
Lars Elsgaard ◽  
Marie Trydeman Knudsen
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Oilseed Rape ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Reference Scenario ◽  
Pyrolysis Process ◽  
Ghg Mitigation

<p>Biochar is related to multiple greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potentials, namely nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) mitigation, carbon (C) sequestration and the possible green electricity produced in the pyrolysis process. Whereas the mechanisms behind potential N<sub>2</sub>O mitigation effects of biochar are still unclear, the mechanisms behind C sequestration is agreed to be caused by C compound conversion towards aromatic structures in the biochar C as a consequence of the heating treatment in the pyrolysis process. The specific recalcitrance of the biochar is, however, difficult to estimate. The possible electricity production from the syn-gas and bio-oil pyrolysis products depends on the feedstock and process temperature, and can contribute considerably to total system GHG mitigation. However, the multiple effects on GHG balances of biochar and pyrolysis represent a complexity, which may best be analysed by a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. In this study, the average Danish oilseed rape cultivation was set as the reference scenario in an LCA of cultivation related GHG emissions. The reference was compared with two scenarios with theoretical inclusion of pyrolysis and biochar, meaning that the oilseed straw residue was transported to a pyrolysis plant and the biochar was returned to the field in a corresponding amount (ca. 1 Mg ha<sup>-1</sup>). Transportation, additional field operations, N<sub>2</sub>O mitigation, electricity production and C sequestration was included, and the latter was calculated by using the concept of avoided atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> load. The latter approach resulted in larger mitigation effects than derived from calculations of just the remaining C in soil. In total, GHG emissions were reduced by 73 to 83% in the two biochar scenarios as compared with the reference scenario, mainly due to increased C sequestration. The study suggests that even low application rates and rather conservative biochar C recalcitrance estimates lead to considerably reductions in GHG emissions from oilseed rape and expectedly other crops.</p>

scholarly journals Informing urban climate planning with high resolution data: the Hestia fossil fuel CO2 emissions for Baltimore, Maryland

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Scott Roest ◽  
Kevin R Gurney ◽  
Scot M Miller ◽  
Jianming Liang
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
The Self ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Mitigation ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Ghg Mitigation ◽  
High Resolution Data ◽  
Atmospheric Monitoring

Abstract Background: Cities contribute more than 70% of global anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and are leading the effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through sustainable planning and development. However, urban greenhouse gas mitigation often relies on self-reported emissions estimates that may be incomplete and unverifiable via atmospheric monitoring of GHGs. We present the Hestia Scope 1 fossil fuel CO2 (FFCO2) emissions for the city of Baltimore, Maryland – a gridded annual and hourly emissions data product for 2010 through 2015 (Hestia-Baltimore v1.6). We also compare the Hestia-Baltimore emissions to overlapping Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions in Baltimore’s self-reported inventory for 2014. Results: The Hestia-Baltimore emissions in 2014 totaled 1487.3 kt C (95% confidence interval of 1,158.9 – 1,944.9 kt C), with the largest emissions coming from onroad (34.2% of total city emissions), commercial (19.9%), residential (19.0%), and industrial (11.8%) sectors. Scope 1 electricity production and marine shipping were each generally less than 10% of the city’s total emissions. Baltimore’s self-reported Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions included onroad, natural gas consumption in buildings, and some electricity generating facilities within city limits. The self-reported Scope 1 FFCO2 total of 1,182.6 kt C was similar to the sum of matching emission sectors and fuels in Hestia-Baltimore v1.6. However, 20.5% of Hestia-Baltimore’s emissions were in sectors and fuels that were not included in the self-reported inventory. Petroleum use in buildings were omitted and all Scope 1 emissions from industrial point sources, marine shipping, nonroad vehicles, rail, and aircraft were categorically excluded.Conclusions: The omission of petroleum combustion in buildings and categorical exclusions of several sectors resulted in an underestimate of total Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions in Baltimore’s self-reported inventory. Accurate Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions, along with Scope 2 and 3 emissions, are needed to inform effective urban policymaking for system-wide GHG mitigation. We emphasize the need for comprehensive Scope 1 emissions estimates for emissions verification and measuring progress towards Scope 1 GHG mitigation goals using atmospheric monitoring.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment of the New Generation GT-MHR Nuclear Power Plant

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Koltun ◽  
Alfred Tsykalo ◽  
Vasily Novozhilov
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Hybrid Lca

This study describes a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a fourth generation (4G) nuclear power plant. A high temperature helium cooled reactor and gas turbine technology with modular helium reactor (GT-MHR) is used in this study as an example. This is currently one the safest design of a nuclear power plant. The study also takes into account impact of accidents and incidents (AI) which happened around the world at nuclear power generation facilities. The adopted method for the study is a hybrid LCA analysis. The analysis of each phase of the life cycle was done on the basis of process chain analysis (PCA). Where detailed data were not available, the Input/Output (I/O) databases was employed. The obtained results show that greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and energy intensity per unit of electricity production are relatively low. In fact, these are even lower than emissions from a number of renewable energy sources. The results show considerably different greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and energy intensity per unit of electricity production when effects of AI are taken into account.

scholarly journals Informing urban climate planning with high resolution data: the Hestia fossil fuel CO2 emissions for Baltimore, Maryland

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Scott Roest ◽  
Kevin R Gurney ◽  
Scot M Miller ◽  
Jianming Liang
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
The Self ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Mitigation ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Ghg Mitigation ◽  
High Resolution Data ◽  
Atmospheric Monitoring

Abstract Background Cities contribute more than 70% of global anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and are leading the effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through sustainable planning and development. However, urban greenhouse gas mitigation often relies on self-reported emissions estimates that may be incomplete and unverifiable via atmospheric monitoring of GHGs. We present the Hestia Scope 1 fossil fuel CO2 (FFCO2) emissions for the city of Baltimore, Maryland – a gridded annual and hourly emissions data product for 2010 through 2015 (Hestia-Baltimore v1.6). We also compare the Hestia-Baltimore emissions to overlapping Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions in Baltimore’s self-reported inventory for 2014. Results The Hestia-Baltimore emissions in 2014 totaled 1487.3 kt C (95% confidence interval of 1,158.9 – 1,944.9 kt C), with the largest emissions coming from onroad (34.2% of total city emissions), commercial (19.9%), residential (19.0%), and industrial (11.8%) sectors. Scope 1 electricity production and marine shipping were each generally less than 10% of the city’s total emissions. Baltimore’s self-reported Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions included onroad, natural gas consumption in buildings, and some electricity generating facilities within city limits. The self-reported Scope 1 FFCO2 total of 1,182.6 kt C was similar to the sum of matching emission sectors and fuels in Hestia-Baltimore v1.6. However, 20.5% of Hestia-Baltimore’s emissions were in sectors and fuels that were not included in the self-reported inventory. Petroleum use in buildings were omitted and all Scope 1 emissions from industrial point sources, marine shipping, nonroad vehicles, rail, and aircraft were categorically excluded.Conclusions The omission of petroleum combustion in buildings and categorical exclusions of several sectors resulted in an underestimate of total Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions in Baltimore’s self-reported inventory. Accurate Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions, along with Scope 2 and 3 emissions, are needed to inform effective urban policymaking for system-wide GHG mitigation. We emphasize the need for comprehensive Scope 1 emissions estimates for emissions verification and measuring progress towards Scope 1 GHG mitigation goals using atmospheric monitoring.

Life Cycle Assessment of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) Using eBlance

2014 ◽  
Vol 918 ◽  
pp. 121-126
Author(s):  
Zhe Liu ◽  
Wei Hua Zeng
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Emissions Reductions ◽  
Personal Mobility ◽  
Battery Electric Vehicles ◽  
True Ability

Electric vehicles have been gaining increasing worldwide attention as a promising potential long-term solution to sustainable personal mobility in recent years; in particular, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) offering zero tailpipe emissions are favored by a significant number of people in China. However, their true ability of contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions is invisible. This paper assessed their environmental impacts from the perspective of life cycle. Life cycle assessment is used as the analyzing method and eBlance is applied as a tool to identify the impacts quantitatively.

scholarly journals Informing urban climate planning with high resolution data: the Hestia fossil fuel CO2 emissions for Baltimore, Maryland

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey S. Roest ◽  
K. R. Gurney ◽  
S. M. Miller ◽  
J. Liang
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
The Self ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Mitigation ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Ghg Mitigation ◽  
High Resolution Data ◽  
Atmospheric Monitoring

Abstract Background Cities contribute more than 70% of global anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and are leading the effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through sustainable planning and development. However, urban greenhouse gas mitigation often relies on self-reported emissions estimates that may be incomplete and unverifiable via atmospheric monitoring of GHGs. We present the Hestia Scope 1 fossil fuel CO2 (FFCO2) emissions for the city of Baltimore, Maryland—a gridded annual and hourly emissions data product for 2010 through 2015 (Hestia-Baltimore v1.6). We also compare the Hestia-Baltimore emissions to overlapping Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions in Baltimore’s self-reported inventory for 2014. Results The Hestia-Baltimore emissions in 2014 totaled 1487.3 kt C (95% confidence interval of 1158.9–1944.9 kt C), with the largest emissions coming from onroad (34.2% of total city emissions), commercial (19.9%), residential (19.0%), and industrial (11.8%) sectors. Scope 1 electricity production and marine shipping were each generally less than 10% of the city’s total emissions. Baltimore’s self-reported Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions included onroad, natural gas consumption in buildings, and some electricity generating facilities within city limits. The self-reported Scope 1 FFCO2 total of 1182.6 kt C was similar to the sum of matching emission sectors and fuels in Hestia-Baltimore v1.6. However, 20.5% of Hestia-Baltimore’s emissions were in sectors and fuels that were not included in the self-reported inventory. Petroleum use in buildings were omitted and all Scope 1 emissions from industrial point sources, marine shipping, nonroad vehicles, rail, and aircraft were categorically excluded. Conclusions The omission of petroleum combustion in buildings and categorical exclusions of several sectors resulted in an underestimate of total Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions in Baltimore’s self-reported inventory. Accurate Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions, along with Scope 2 and 3 emissions, are needed to inform effective urban policymaking for system-wide GHG mitigation. We emphasize the need for comprehensive Scope 1 emissions estimates for emissions verification and measuring progress towards Scope 1 GHG mitigation goals using atmospheric monitoring.

Energy use, "food miles" and greenhouse gas emissions from New Zealand dairying - how efficient are we?

2007 ◽  
pp. 223-228
Author(s):  
S.F. Ledgard ◽  
C. Basset-Mens ◽  
S. Mclaren ◽  
M. Boyes
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Food Miles ◽  
Whole Life Cycle

Assessment of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with dairy products needs to account for the whole life cycle of the products, particularly with the debate about "food miles"(the transportation of product from producer to consumer). A life cycle assessment (LCA) of an average NZ dairy farm for 2005 showed that total energy use per kg milk from the "cradle-tomilk- in-the-vat" was 45-65% of that from EU farms. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or carbon footprint showed similar relative trends although differences were smaller due, at least in part, to lower methane efficiency from lower-producing NZ cows. Energy use associated with shipping dairy product (e.g. cheese) from NZ to UK is equivalent to about one-quarter of the on-farm use. Even when added together, the energy use from the NZ farm and from shipping would still be less than onfarm energy use for the EU farms. However, this is affected by intensification and the Dexcel Resource Efficient Dairying trial showed that increasing maize silage use, and nitrogen fertiliser use in particular, increased the energy use and GHG emissions per kg milk by up to 190% and 23%, respectively. Thus, the trend for intensification on NZ dairy farms means that our comparative advantage with EU farms is diminishing. A focus on improved farm system practices and integration of mitigation options is required to reverse this trend. Keywords: food miles, greenhouse gases, energy, life cycle assessment, milk, New Zealand, efficiency

Resource use and greenhouse gas emissions from grain-finishing beef cattle in seven Australian feedlots: a life cycle assessment

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 1149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Wiedemann ◽  
Rod Davis ◽  
Eugene McGahan ◽  
Caoilinn Murphy ◽  
Matthew Redding
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Fresh Water ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Land Occupation

Grain finishing of cattle has become increasingly common in Australia over the past 30 years. However, interest in the associated environmental impacts and resource use is increasing and requires detailed analysis. In this study we conducted a life cycle assessment (LCA) to investigate impacts of the grain-finishing stage for cattle in seven feedlots in eastern Australia, with a particular focus on the feedlot stage, including the impacts from producing the ration, feedlot operations, transport, and livestock emissions while cattle are in the feedlot (gate-to-gate). The functional unit was 1 kg of liveweight gain (LWG) for the feedlot stage and results are included for the full supply chain (cradle-to-gate), reported per kilogram of liveweight (LW) at the point of slaughter. Three classes of cattle produced for different markets were studied: short-fed domestic market (55–80 days on feed), mid-fed export (108–164 days on feed) and long-fed export (>300 days on feed). In the feedlot stage, mean fresh water consumption was found to vary from 171.9 to 672.6 L/kg LWG and mean stress-weighted water use ranged from 100.9 to 193.2 water stress index eq. L/kg LWG. Irrigation contributed 57–91% of total fresh water consumption with differences mainly related to the availability of irrigation water near the feedlot and the use of irrigated feed inputs in rations. Mean fossil energy demand ranged from 16.5 to 34.2 MJ lower heating values/kg LWG and arable land occupation from 18.7 to 40.5 m2/kg LWG in the feedlot stage. Mean greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the feedlot stage ranged from 4.6 to 9.5 kg CO2-e/kg LWG (excluding land use and direct land-use change emissions). Emissions were dominated by enteric methane and contributions from the production, transport and milling of feed inputs. Linear regression analysis showed that the feed conversion ratio was able to explain >86% of the variation in GHG intensity and energy demand. The feedlot stage contributed between 26% and 44% of total slaughter weight for the classes of cattle fed, whereas the contribution of this phase to resource use varied from 4% to 96% showing impacts from the finishing phase varied considerably, compared with the breeding and backgrounding. GHG emissions and total land occupation per kilogram of LWG during the grain finishing phase were lower than emissions from breeding and backgrounding, resulting in lower life-time emissions for grain-finished cattle compared with grass finishing.

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.

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