scholarly journals Environmental impacts of irrigated and rain-fed barley production in Iran using life cycle assessment (LCA)

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. e0204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehsan Houshyar
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Alternative Systems ◽  
Toxicity Potential ◽  
Alternative Scenarios ◽  
Lca Results

Current intensive grain crops production is often associated with environmental burdens. However, very few studies deal with the environmental performance of both current and alternative systems of barley production. This study was undertaken to evaluate energy consumption and environmental impacts of irrigated and rain-fed barley production. Additionally, three alternative scenarios were examined for irrigated barley fields including conservation tillage and biomass utilization policies. The findings showed that around 25 GJ/ha energy is needed in order to produce 2300 kg/ha irrigated barley and 13 GJ/ha for 1100 kg/ha rain-fed barley. Life cycle assessment (LCA) results indicated that irrigated farms had more environmental impacts than rain-fed farms. Electricity generation and consumption had the highest effect on the abiotic depletion potential, human toxicity potential, freshwater and marine aquatic ecotoxicity potential. However, alternative scenarios revealed that using soil conservation tillage systems and biomass consumption vs. gas for electricity generation at power plants can significantly mitigate environmental impacts of irrigated barley production similar to the rain-fed conditions while higher yield is obtained.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment of viticultural technical management routes (TMRs): comparison between an organic and an integrated management route

OENO One ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Rouault ◽  
Sandra Beauchet ◽  
Christel Renaud-Gentie ◽  
Frédérique Jourjon
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Plant Protection ◽  
Resource Depletion ◽  
Impact Categories ◽  
Nitrogen Emissions ◽  
Technical Management ◽  
Lca Results

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Aims</strong>: Using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), this study aims to compare the environmental impacts of two different viticultural technical management routes (TMRs); integrated and organic) and to identify the operations that contribute the most to the impacts.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Methods and results</strong>: LCA impact scores were expressed in two functional units: 1 ha of cultivated area and 1 kg of collected grape. We studied all operations from field preparation before planting to the end-of-life of the vine. Inputs and outputs were transformed into potential environmental impacts thanks to SALCA™ (V1.02) and USETox™ (V1.03) methods. Plant protection treatments were a major cause of impact for both TMRs for fuel-related impact categories. For both TMRs, the main contributors to natural resource depletion and freshwater ecotoxicity were trellis system installation and background heavy metal emissions, respectively.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Conclusion</strong>: This study shows that the studied organic TMR has higher impact scores than the integrated TMR for all the chosen impact categories except eutrophication. However, the chosen TMRs are only typical of integrated and organic viticulture in Loire Valley and some emission models (heavy metal, fuel-related emissions, and nitrogen emissions) have to be improved in order to better assess the environmental impacts of viticulture. Soil quality should also be integrated to LCA results in viticulture because this lack may be a disadvantage for organic viticulture.</p><strong>Significance and impact of study</strong>: This study is among the first to compare LCA results of an integrated and an organic TMR.

Sustainability assessment of gas based power generation using a life cycle assessment approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 826-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Binita Shah ◽  
Seema Unnikrishnan
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Lca Methodology ◽  
Iso 14040 ◽  
Content Type

Purpose India is a developing economy along with an increasing population estimated to be the largest populated country in about seven years. Simultaneously, its power consumption is projected to increase more than double by 2020. Currently, the dependence on coal is relatively high, making it the largest global greenhouse gas emitting sector which is a matter of great concern. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the environmental impacts of the natural gas electricity generation in India and propose a model using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. Design/methodology/approach LCA is used as a tool to evaluate the environmental impact of the natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) power plant, as it adopts a holistic approach towards the whole process. The LCA methodology used in this study follows the ISO 14040 and 14044 standards (ISO 14040: 2009; ISO 14044: 2009). A questionnaire was designed for data collection and validated by expert review primary data for the annual environmental emission was collected by personally visiting the power plant. The study follows a cradle to gate assessment using the CML (2001) methodology. Findings The analysis reveals that the main impacts were during the process of combustion. The Global warming potential is approximately 0.50 kg CO2 equivalents per kWh of electricity generation from this gas-based power plant. These results can be used by stakeholders, experts and members who are authorised to probe positive initiative for the reduction of environmental impacts from the power generation sector. Practical implications Considering the pace of growth of economic development of India, it is the need of the hour to emphasise on the patterns of sustainable energy generation which is an important subject to be addressed considering India’s ratification to the Paris Climate Change Agreement. This paper analyzes the environmental impacts of gas-based electricity generation. Originality/value Presenting this case study is an opportunity to get a glimpse of the challenges associated with gas-based electricity generation in India. It gives a direction and helps us to better understand the right spot which require efforts for the improvement of sustainable energy generation processes, by taking appropriate measures for emission reduction. This paper also proposes a model for gas-based electricity generation in India. It has been developed following an LCA approach. As far as we aware, this is the first study which proposes an LCA model for gas-based electricity generation in India. The model is developed in line with the LCA methodology and focusses on the impact categories specific for gas-based electricity generation.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment of North American Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL) Production

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
Poonam Khatri ◽  
◽  
Kamalakanta Sahoo ◽  
Richard Bergman ◽  
Maureen Puettmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
North American ◽  
Wood Products ◽  
Resource Extraction ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Cradle To Gate ◽  
Whole Life Cycle ◽  
Lca Results

Raw materials for buildings and construction account for more than 35% of global primary energy use and nearly 40% of energy-related CO2 emissions. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasized the drastic reduction in GHG emissions and thus, wood products with very low or negative carbon footprint materials can play an important role. In this study, a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was followed to quantify the environmental impacts of laminated strand lumber (LSL). The inventory data represented North American LSL production in terms of input materials, including wood and resin, electricity and fuel use, and production facility emissions for the 2019 production year. The contribution of cradle-to-gate life cycle stages was substantial (>70%) towards the total (cradle-to-grave) environmental impacts of LSL. The cradle-to-gate LCA results per m³ LSL were estimated to be 275 kg CO2 eq global warming, 39.5 kg O3eq smog formation, 1.7 kg SO2 eq acidification, 0.2 kg N eq eutrophication, and 598 MJ fossil fuel depletion. Resin production as a part of resource extraction contributed 124 kg CO2 eq (45%). The most relevant unit processes in their decreasing contribution to their cradle-to-grave GW impacts were resource extraction, end-of-life (EoL), transportation (resources and product), and LSL manufacturing. Results of sensitivity analysis showed that the use of adhesive, consumption of electricity, and transport distance had the greatest influences on the LCA results. Considering the whole life cycle of the LSL, the final product stored 1,010 kg CO2 eq/m³ of LSL, roughly two times more greenhouse gas emissions over than what was released (493 kg CO2 eq/m³ of LSL) from cradle-to-grave. Overall, LSL has a negative GW impact and acts as a carbon sink if used in the construction sector. The study results are intended to be important for future studies, including waste disposal and recycling strategies to optimize environmental trade-offs.

scholarly journals Kajian Dampak Lingkungan pada Sistem Produksi Listrik dari Limbah Buah Menggunakan Life Cycle Assessment

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fajar Marendra ◽  
Anggun Rahmada ◽  
Agus Prasetya ◽  
Rochim Bakti Cahyono ◽  
Teguh Ariyanto
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Human Toxicity ◽  
Toxicity Potential ◽  
Fruit Waste ◽  
Acidification Potential ◽  
Human Toxicity Potential

A B S T R A C TProducing biogas by anaerobic digestion (AD) is a promising process that can simultaneously provide renewable energy and dispose solid waste safely. However, this process could affect environment e.g. due to greenhouse gas emissions. By life cycle assessment (LCA), we assessed the environmental impact (EI) of an integrated fruit waste-based biogas system and its subsystems of Biogas Power Plant Gamping. Data were collected from an actual plant in Gamping, Sleman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia that adopted a wet AD process at mesophilic condition. The results showed that the global warming potential (GWP) emission of the system reached 81.95 kgCO2-eq/t, and the acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), human toxicity potential (HTPinf) and fresh water ecotoxicity (FAETPinf) emissions were low. The EI was mainly generated by two subsystems, namely, the electricity generation and the digestate storage. A comparison analysis showed that the GWP become the main contributor of environmental loads produced by Biogas Plant Gamping, Suazhou Biogas Model, Opatokun Biogas Model, Opatokun Pyrolisis Model, dan Opatokun Integrated System Anaerobic Digestion and Pyrolisis. The GWP impact control and reduction could significantly reduce the EI of the system. It has been shown that improving the technology of the process, the electricity generation and the digestate storage will result in the reduction of EI of the biogas system.Keywords: environmental impact; fruit waste; life cycle assessment (LCA); renewable energyA B S T R A KProduksi listrik dari biogas dengan anaerobic digestion (AD) merupakan proses yang menjanjikan karena dapat menghasilkan energi listrik dan penanganan limbah padat dengan aman. Namun, proses ini mempengaruhi lingkungan akibat emisi gas rumah kaca. Penilaian dampak lingkungan (environmental impact atau EI) sistem biogas berbasis limbah terpadu dan subsistemnya terhadap Biogas Power Plant Gamping (BPG) dilakukan dengan metode life cycle assesement atau LCA. Data dikumpulkan dari plant yang sebenarnya di Gamping, Sleman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia yang mengadopsi proses AD basah pada kondisi mesofilik. Potensi pemanasan global (global warming potential atau GWP) dari sistem mencapai 81,95 kgCO2-eq/t, sedangkan potensi keasaman (acidification potential atau AP), potensi eutrofikasi (eutrophication potential atau EP), potensi toksisitas manusia (human toxicity potential atau HTPinf) dan ekotoksisitas air (fresh water ecotoxicity atau FAETPinf) potensi emisinya cukup rendah. Potensi EI terutama dihasilkan oleh dua subsistem, yaitu, pembangkit listrik dan penyimpanan digestate. Analisis perbandingan menunjukkan bahwa dampak GWP menjadi kontributor utama dari beban lingkungan yang dihasilkan oleh Biogas Plant Gamping, biogas model Suazhou, biogas model Opatokun, model pirolisis Opatokun, serta model integrasi AD dan pirolisis Opatokun. Pengendalian dan pengurangan dampak GWP secara signifikan dapat mengurangi EI dari sistem. Telah terbukti bahwa peningkatkan teknologi proses, pembangkit listrik dan penyimpanan digestate akan menghasilkan pengurangan EI dari sistem biogas.Kata kunci: dampak lingkungan; energi terbarukan; life cycle assessment (LCA); limbah buah

scholarly journals Environmental management with the use of LCA in the Polish energy system

Management ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maciej Dzikuć
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Environmental Risks ◽  
Significant Burden

SummaryThe article presents an assessment of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and pointed out its advantages in the analysis of the environmental impact of electricity generation. The article also points to the direction of development of the Polish energy sector and pointed out the need to determine the environmental risks associated with the production of electricity. The use of coal and lignite as the primary fuel causes a significant burden on the environment. An analysis by the method of LCA based on data obtained from two Polish power plants. The results were compared and identified the cause of the existing differences in the results obtained. The article sets out the actions that contributed to reduce the negative impact on the environment, taking place during the production of electricity.

scholarly journals Integrated life-cycle assessment of electricity-supply scenarios confirms global environmental benefit of low-carbon technologies

2014 ◽  
Vol 112 (20) ◽  
pp. 6277-6282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edgar G. Hertwich ◽  
Thomas Gibon ◽  
Evert A. Bouman ◽  
Anders Arvesen ◽  
Sangwon Suh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Electricity Supply ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Low Carbon Technologies ◽  
Change Mitigation

Decarbonization of electricity generation can support climate-change mitigation and presents an opportunity to address pollution resulting from fossil-fuel combustion. Generally, renewable technologies require higher initial investments in infrastructure than fossil-based power systems. To assess the tradeoffs of increased up-front emissions and reduced operational emissions, we present, to our knowledge, the first global, integrated life-cycle assessment (LCA) of long-term, wide-scale implementation of electricity generation from renewable sources (i.e., photovoltaic and solar thermal, wind, and hydropower) and of carbon dioxide capture and storage for fossil power generation. We compare emissions causing particulate matter exposure, freshwater ecotoxicity, freshwater eutrophication, and climate change for the climate-change-mitigation (BLUE Map) and business-as-usual (Baseline) scenarios of the International Energy Agency up to 2050. We use a vintage stock model to conduct an LCA of newly installed capacity year-by-year for each region, thus accounting for changes in the energy mix used to manufacture future power plants. Under the Baseline scenario, emissions of air and water pollutants more than double whereas the low-carbon technologies introduced in the BLUE Map scenario allow a doubling of electricity supply while stabilizing or even reducing pollution. Material requirements per unit generation for low-carbon technologies can be higher than for conventional fossil generation: 11–40 times more copper for photovoltaic systems and 6–14 times more iron for wind power plants. However, only two years of current global copper and one year of iron production will suffice to build a low-carbon energy system capable of supplying the world's electricity needs in 2050.

Economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Concrete Thermal Energy Storage for Parabolic Trough Power Plants

2010 ◽  
Vol 132 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Laing ◽  
W. D. Steinmann ◽  
P. Viebahn ◽  
F. Gräter ◽  
C. Bahl
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Parabolic Trough ◽  
Solid Media ◽  
Attractive Option ◽  
Solar Electricity

For parabolic trough power plants using synthetic oil as the heat transfer medium, the application of solid media sensible heat storage is an attractive option in terms of investment and maintenance costs. One important aspect in storage development is the storage integration into the power plant. A modular operation concept for thermal storage systems was previously suggested by DLR, showing an increase in storage capacity of more than 100%. However, in these investigations, the additional costs needed to implement this storage concept into the power plant, such as for extra piping, valves, pumps, and control, had not been considered. These aspects are discussed in this paper, showing a decrease in levelized energy costs with a modular storage integration of 2–3%. In a life cycle assessment a comparison of an AndaSol-I type solar thermal power plant with the original two-tank molten salt storage and with a “hypothetical” concrete storage shows an advantage of the concrete storage technology concerning environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of the hypothetical concrete based AndaSol-I decreased by 7%, considering 1 kW h of solar electricity delivered to the grid. Regarding only the production of the power plant, the emissions decreased by 9.5%.

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