A systematic review of life cycle assessments of bioenergy chains for heat, power and liquid transportation fuel

Rowe, Rebecca, Chapman, Jennifer, Whittaker, Jeanette, Howard, David and Taylor, Gail (2008) A systematic review of life cycle assessments of bioenergy chains for heat, power and liquid transportation fuel. [in special issue: Abstracts of the Annual Main Meeting of the Society of Experimental Biology, 6th - 10th July 2008, Marseille, France] Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 150 (3), supplement Supplement, S182. (doi:10.1016/j.cbpa.2008.04.486).

Abstract

Life cycle assessments (LCAs) have been used broadly throughout the bioenergy sector, primarily to assess greenhouse gas emissions and energy balances of various energy production chains. However, variations in methodology and reporting of LCAs often make results incomparable. To compare LCA results, it is necessary to dismantle each individual LCA and reassemble it using set units and stating precise system boundaries. This has been done for numerous biomass-to-energy chains, including biomass for heat, power and liquid transport fuels. Summarising these reassembled LCAs into production-chain specific diagrams allows simple comparison between production chains, but more importantly highlights the process steps with the greatest impact or variation.

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