Title:
Environmental Assessement of an Agro-Biogas Chain in the Apulia Region (Italy)
Author(s):
Ingrao, C., Lombardi, M., Rana, R., Tricase, C., Clasadonte, M.T.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
In the last few years, agro-biogas has received great attention, since allowing for replacing natural gas, it thus represents a tool to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other environmental impacts. The aim of this study was to identify, quantify and environmentally weigh the main inventory flows so as to find out the impact indicators best representing the agro-biogas local chain. The analysis was conducted in accordance with the ISO 14040 and 14044 (2006). All data was loaded into SimaPro 7.3.3 accessing the Ecoinvent v.2.2 database and then processed using the Impact 2002+ calculation method for carrying out the Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) phase. The research was developed in collaboration with a farm, located in the province of Foggia (Apulia region in Southern Italy) involved in the agro-biogas system. The study highlighted that the most impacting phase is durum wheat cultivation for production of fine bran in the amount needed for producing 1 kWh of electricity from 0.548 m3 of biogas. This was because of land occupation, ammonium production and all the transport involved. Environmental impact reduction could be obtained through transport system optimisation and fertilisation management oriented to promoting the use of organic fertiliser, such as digestate solid fraction.
Keywords:
biogas, electricity, energy crops, life cycle assessment (LCA), sustainability, animal residues
Topic:
Biomass Policies, Markets and Sustainability
Subtopic:
Sustainability assessment and criteria
Event:
22nd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
4AV.3.24
Pages:
1549 - 1556
ISBN:
978-88-89407-52-3
Paper DOI:
10.5071/22ndEUBCE2014-4AV.3.24
Price:
FREE
